Right, the van has been subject to some pretty big bodges by the PO. I confess that at times I too have resorted to a bodge, normally when something pops off late on Sunday after the shops have shut! However, two I just don't understand: 1) Having finally got the throttle sorted to encourage it over 50mph, it has the shakes. That's because not one wheel has a balance weight on. What numpty buys 4 new tyres from kwikfit (I have a receipt for tyres and valves and mounting, but no balancing) and then says don't bother balancing them I like the fairground ride feel. Some sort of pervert maybe? 2) On pressure testing the copper piped gas connections, I found it leaked. Hunting around I found a spur (probably for a fridge I'd guess) with the end hammered flat then curled up tight like a snail around what appeared to be an old sardine tin key.... Well done, that's less than a pound saved for an actual end cap.
I love the way that someone thinks a copper pipe end hammered flat is going to make a gas-tight seal. The latest bodge I found was when having the deformation panel and the front panel behind that replaced. Someone thought that using glass fibre and newspaper to patch up a rusting structural piece of chassis and a repro deformation panel made out of thinner steel than 1980's Fiats would be a good way to go.
Maybe he was sniffing the gas and that prompted the thrifty "nah don't balance em mate" thought process?
That makes my chewing gum held carpets on the walls look positively professional by comparison. I'll stop slagging off the previous owner of my van in the knowledge that it could have been a lot worse.
I find the weights are ugly and never would consider paying to balance them... after 500 miles they balance themselves... on reflection if them are them only gripes , then you have a pretty good bus...
I (and @zedders) found some horrendous bodges. Including chicken wire, Plastic strip and bean cans all used as or to resemble chassis/bodywork. I've seen a wooden jacking point, quite nicely done and my personal favourite an entire copy of The Sunday Sport soaked in resin and "formed" into shape before filling and painting.
Sections of sills and cab steps carved from expanding foam then finished with filler used to be quite a common find Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Damn! Should have done that to my sill on Sunday... I do have all three panels for the sill in the garage waiting to go in one day...
I have fond memories of helping my dad craft the lower rear wing on our old family bay from some chicken wire, a bit of hardboard and filler. More than once! There's a long list of bodges but most make some sense, these two surprised me as they are such a simple fix!
Just found mother great bodge on the van. There are an irregular series of small runner bunga along the top of canb doors. Assumed they were previously curtain/blind mounts or similar. But no, in fact the 'expert' who put the cab window rubbers/surrounds back in couldn't be bothered with the fiddly clips so drilled these holes and passed tiny self tappers through to secure the frame, and then proceeded to round off the heads on all of them. So now the door rubbers are held in by tiny screws I can't undo, and the door is full of holes. And the rubbers aren't lined up properly so the Windows jam as you open them. I love 'experts'.
