A week later and the weekend off, some slow progress, but progress :S The fabricated bottom is tack welded in place and to my annoyance and incompetence, the left edge moved as I made the first run. I later made good when folding the edge over. Before I folded the lip, I secured the frame to the new edge using a 1.5mm + 1.5mm set of spot weld. This would keep any movement to a minimum in the area of the filler... Now for the dreaded filler. I kept this to a minimum by making sure that the welding was done slowly so as not to introduce to much heat and distort the panel. Etch primed, zinc primed and high build primer applied, all ready for the top coat in the next few weeks. I applied the zinc to hopefully protect the panel while it awaits topcoat. The primers are absorbant and the UK is damp!! not a great combination. The tailgate now sits in my temporary shed, aka, a Fiat Ducato XLWB and high roof. the intention with this van is to convert it to a motorhome . I realised many years ago that I have a problem, a hoarding problem.
The engine lid was left for a couple of days after the jenolite was applied, which did its job nicely. [ This was again followed by a light dusting of etch primer... and again by zinc...
Today, I'm going to deal with whatever horrors the rear roof section throws at me. Its bad, real bad. This is by far the most technical area i think i have tackled, but i know its the last difficult section. Gloves, woolly hat and jumper on, its time to go see Lenny.
A horror show it was as well. I'm done for this week and will seriously look at the finances of the whole project. It needs work, but also a small fortune spending on getting him back on the road, to include All brake parts. wheels and tyres. Rear arch tub. All soft interior parts (seats, panels etc.). A few seals. That's just the start I fear!! Keep a check on the classified this weekend !!! Finally, NEVER try and remove this panel by unpicking the spot welds. My tools went in every direction after 2 hours.
Ok, after assessing the work to be done and other priorities in life. Lenny HAS TO GO. to date he has cost me £452,877, or there about. Im going to try and sell as a whole but there are many top quality high value parts with it (recon steering box, recon '72 front calipers, a perfect front beam, the sliding door is mint and the cab doors are from Arizona.) Here are some of photos taken today of all the completed works. Keep an eye on various classifieds....
oh no, what's this?? Lenny is on this site and eBay for sale, so why am I still working on him?? I've prepped the roof gutter and got the rear body cut ready to trim to size. I'm bored obviously!!
evening all, A little more progress this week. Most of the rear roof and guttering is now repaired, in fact, all the way down to the swag line can now be top coated. I had a request for more pics on eBay so I have emptied him into another "location", in order to take the pics. I think this is the first time in 3 years, he's been totally naked! Next week will see the beginning of the donor part being trimmed down ready for fitting along with the battery tray(s). That's the original cab rubber mat I recon. Its stamped VW
While emptying him, look what I found! Surely this cant be the factory radio? If it is, then the first tune in glorious Long Wave it probably played was the number 1 of that month, AMAZING GRACE The Pipes and Drums and Military Band of The Royal Scots... I bet the Germans wouldn't have liked that
with 1402 view and 54 watchers on eBay, the work continues Today was a day of measuring 15 times and cutting once. The donor rear section has been trimmed and i now have a lower D post for the 1st time in 11 years. Well, its dry fitted and held on with grips at least. Welding will commence in next few days after no doubt another 55 dry fits and endless measurements. The chassis was cut in a diagonal line (same angle as engine hanging brackets) 1 inch back from the engine hanging brackets. I will need to trim further the donor piece to expose the D post, so as I can weld. Free to collector !!! even the scrap man wont want this.
The work continues, even though Lenny has been sold subject to Lockdown finishing so he can be collected. The donor panel is now welded in, as is the battery tray, after much repair to the area where it meets the wheel arch. Finally, the rear right quarter repair panel is in. The battery tray was lost to the British weather many years ago. The area marked red is what i believe remains of the tray. The area marked green is original sealant. Fabricating this area took most of the day as the rear outer panel fits to the profile of the outer edge. Its spot welded underneath and plug welded (due to access restriction) above. The new lower quarter was offered up and the original cut to its size. The light aperture was sound so I kept it to give me datum points. Next I spot welded a joining strip. I use to joggle the panel but as its a curved edge, it never sits right. Finally, i butt joined the area between the light and the engine lid. The difference is massive, the red area is spot welded, the green butt welded.
A month and a couple of days since Lenny saw daylight since forever, his backend is complete. Just the rear arches to do and that him, ready to go body wise.
Wow, 6 months later and he’s still with me. So, after the last update in November I decided to sell as a failed project ( yes, another one!!!). I advertised the bus on this site and eBay last November as winter proper was setting in and I knew I didn’t have the space to work in winter conditions, particularly the damp. I took a deposit late November 2020 but due to the December lockdown2, I agreed with the purchaser (ebayer who had never seen the bus but sounded 100% genuine and honest, that I would continue working as much as I could until lockdown was eased and allowed collection. The problem was, it gave me incentive to push on. In doing so, I refitted the wiring, dash, running gear, gearbox, clutch cable and engine. I checked all the timing and did all the obvious for an engine that had not run for at least 10 years and **** he started. I instantly fell back I love with the dream that started 10 years earlier. I pulled out of the sale and refunded the deposit taken with guilt. All that was in December 2020. Lenny has sat in the same deteriorating Clarke garage, without any further work since. So, May 2021..... Lenny has a new home, well another project new home. I’m building a garage ( around him!!! ) during the summer that will house him over the coming winter and hope to finish him of over winter 2021.... all ready for his 50th. to be continued..... Hopefully
