Seeing how Daisy’s D Pillar rose all the way to the top of the Air Vent, i’m pretty sure the water was coming in through the roof in the corners. When I did my gutters there was no sign of a hole there until the scraper just pushed through. Repaired that belt-and-braces as best I could, also the joints to rear hatch and within the seal groove. The van has spent most of the past decade inside or under cover, and that rusty pillar looks ancient. Pillar mostly looks solid through the vent and even in the engine bay, apart from where it curves up and in to the vent. Perhaps not as bad as Daisies (guess you’d never know without cutting in to it). However, it might just mean the chassis underneath bore the brunt of the waterfall. Can see, as Paradox suggested, there is just some patch welding done - not very well done either Wraps around underneath. Only 0.5mm thick...gaps filled with seam sealer...hole in it anyway near the engine bracket thing (might take those off). Other side is similar, but marginally better. Only saving grace could be gaps that allowed water out, but only when being driven: LHS is welded but the RHS not. Think I might have to change my profile name to Miss Piggy I’ve earned an Indian takeaway. Cheers guys Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you ever want to drive the thing again don’t dig too far .. like Zed has said .. if your engine is going to take a month , plan a months worth of repairs ,paint engine bay and drive it .. Everything else can be done as and when otherwise you will have it off the road for 15 years ... I like Raptor epoxy bed liner paint , you can get it tinted and either spray it thinned in a normal spray gun or more textured with a Shultz gun . I have done the whole underneath and engine area of my 914 and it’s great stuff ...
^this. Don't fall into the trap that so many of us have and spend too much time restoring and not enough using/enjoying.
Have looked them up and will have a rummage round them later Cheers for the encouragement guys. I bought the Bay in a hurry, and most certainly unarmed in terms of knowledge - naively so in retrospect. As @paradox says, it’s a pig with lipstick! Think Paradox also said don’t ever buy a Bay with bad gutters It’s not all bad though to be honest. An awful lot of it is in remarkable condition. As i’m sure you all know though, one bad bit on/by a good bit means that whole area needs attention I kept falling in to the trap of “well there can’t be any more wrong to discover”. Anyway. I’ve accepted this as a ‘for life’ project, so the priority now is to just make sure that when the rebuilt engine goes in I don’t see it sliding along the road behind me in the rear view mirror! lol Boy did I love driving it though!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks for doing this thread mate. I'm about to embark on something similar and it's incredibly useful to see photos. It makes me much less nervous about tackling it all. I'm sure you'll get your engine bay how you want it - you seem to have the right blend of patience and determination to me
Oh, thanks for that! Very nice to hear. Really it’s all down to the advice the pros are providing. My contribution is an abundance of elbow grease! lol Everything i’ve attempted on my van has started off from a place of fear - I don’t like making mistakes and that is easily done when you just don’t know what you are doing. However, these guys are so great (patient & understanding too) that you will be guided through any process you get involved with. I’d have given up otherwise...now I soldier on. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ha! I can certainly empathise with the fear! There is great advice and a huge accumulation of knowledge for sure. For me, knowing my limitations is important too. I’ll follow your progress with interest mate
I was looking for actual torsion rods, but think they might be inside the chunky cylinders with end caps on: That the right place? Had a better clean up around the engine hangers. LHS is actually welded on by one bit of additional (potentially just there to hide something nasty since it’s so thin) metal. Both sides are pretty solid apart from the repairs and whatever lurks beneath: I’ll start on the outside edges later. Oh, looks like the rubber bits on those hangers have seen better days. Especially in the top groove. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Well that feels like a win for a change. Fuel Tank out and looks brand new inside. Few flecks of orange paint somehow inside, but nothing untoward. Top tip with the mole grips @paradox I unscrewed the nuts at an excruciatingly slow rate. The click click of the wrench as I rotated backwards, tension (in both senses) mounting was reminiscent of the scene in Jaws, as they watch the fishing line slowly get taken up by ! Bolts & straps seem good Anyway. It’s thoughts like that which keep me going. Oh, i’m not allowed to upload any more images this month Might go VIP then. That would be a wise investment, considering what lies ahead. Fuel Tank compartment looks pretty good...bit nastier on the side with the hole for the Fuel Line. I’ve got hammerite to use up. Is that going to be ok in there and on the outside of the tank? Cheers guys. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hammerite should be fine to use in that area Just bear in mind other types of paint won’t go over the top of it. Great news the tank straps and bolts all came undone fine and the tank is in good condition Is it all solid in the tank area?
Oh no that winning feeling didn’t last long. It’s all solid in there apart from this major hole...right through what looks like a supporting brace underneath. Other side has a much smaller hole but not through the brace: Set fire to it...or salvageable? Always the same, the vast majority seems fine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That’s no big problem it can be cut out and a new piece made and welded in Its pretty common for them to rot in there and I’ve seen plenty with worse than that. How’s the chassis looking around the torsion tubes?
Ok. Cool. Thanks So i’m definitely getting a welder round! Might as well find work enough to fill his day. Poking around the torsion tubes seems ok so far, but i’ll have a proper look because I poked right through a cross beam towards the front where the main belly pan attaches I’m going to take the pan off PanZer...and I don’t think i’ll like what I find. Also double checking the underneath of the fuel tank which were above those 2 ‘problem’ areas. Cheers Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hmm probably. Don’t you want to use it? Was it welded in place? I’ve never really properly inspected one before. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Figured they would be. You are a pro welder...do you think they could be tacked in place through the vent grill. Or just use cable ties Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I cat take pics of the other side if u like to show u ( no cable ties ) Pro welder more like a have a go hero Iv never needed em I made my own up up the filler neck but Iv a 73 early style tank never needed em Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
