My viking resto, Now for sale

Thought i would do a quick recap of my resto so far


Bought the camper last year, to use for holidays with the kids etc and to feed the need to a classic motor to ticker about with


This is what she looked like



a bit of a poor photos and never took any more of when i first got the van as i was to pi$$ed off thinking how i was going to sort the major rust issues in the roof that i found while striping the interior out


This is what i found





So after a few conversations most with with the same answer (fook it off), I decided to fix it and after phoning around the usual breakers i found a good rust free roof on ebay, the deal was done and of went to Bristol to collect it.............

 

With the new roof in the garage i set about the van with a big disc cutter borrowed for work and i cut the roof of the bus


Picture taking isn't my strong point i just like to get stuck in, so have got any pics of my convertible camper but it was a strange looking beast


So after many hours of fettling and measuring the new roof was in place





Then it just needed welding on so i cracked out the mig and got stuck in


At the back i cut of sections of the rear corner panel (needed replacing any way) to access the rear posts




Then the A and B posts where welded up





The middle post was case of trimming back the side panels and welding it up

 

With the roof done i had to decide what i was going to do with the window panels


Since the bus started life as a panel van my original plan was to go back to a panel, but with panel sides not available i went for prober recessed window panels using LHD panels and modifying them to fit, this just left the middle window but a LHD panel would be of any use


Ebay saved the day again and i found this damage old panel

and with the help of network rail it was transported up from south Wales to the midlands


Again i didn't take many pics


Middle panel removed



Some pics with all the panels fitted

 

Then i started on the back end


Firstly engine and tank out



Then i cut out the rusty bits, rear corners, rear valance, battery trays, rear chassis covers and some other grotty bits










I cleaned up the chassis rails made some repairs to the wheel tubs and rear posts and fitted a new inner valance

 

This is how i made the curved inner post repair panels


Start with some steel cut to size with a preformed right angle on 1 edge



Then using a normal vice, a spray can and brute force i made the curve







Then back in the vice to make the last fold





and this is what i ended up with 8)

 

That's about as far i've got with the back end


But i've done a bit more on the window panels


The problem i now had with the window panels was that i had no inner panels to finish off the inside and add some extra strength



so after some head scratching and playing with some scrap steel i came up with a solution
with some measurements written down i went to the local metal place and had some panels made up


and this is the end result






So that brings me pretty much up to date


I have nearly finished all the inner window panels, got all the panels together for the back end and made a start on the cutting off the rear drivers side arch, i need to get some panels as i'm going to replace the sill inner and outer on the drivers side as it's been poorly repaired in the past
So will update as i go

 

great work mate

thanks for re posting K+

 

beautiful tidy work owen nw 8)

 

Great work so far.

 

Right some pics and info on what i have been doing over the last month


Nearly finished all the inner window frames and got some paint on them









Well pleased with how these have turned out

 

The full rear corners arrived so i set about working out the best way to fit em


While having a brew and pondering i started to look at the drivers rear arch that had a couple of little scabs on, fired up the grinder with the trusty wire brush and removed all the paint and some filler, both both corners have had poor repairs in the past so since i have a full arch in the garage a cut the whole lot off






Happy the inner arch is mainly sound with only some local repairs needed

 

This then made look at the middle sill area, it looked if it had a fair amount of filler on it and i wasn't wrong, it was a good half inch think in places


This is what was hidden beneath








So i think another order is need to schofields, for the lower middle panel, inner and middle sills and b post repair panels and do what ever other repairs are needed to the floor etc and will properly renew the jacking points as well


I knew the front arches needed replacing anyway so that was no surprise

 

With finding all this on the drivers side i thought it best to check the passenger side, so with the grinder off came all the paint around the rear arch, sill and front arch


A new arch had already been fitted in the past and this turned out to well done, so had the out sill and the inner is solid as well, bonus


So all whats need down the passenger side is a b post repair which i will sort out when i come to do replace the front arch



I'm now off for the week so hope to get most of grot cut out on the drivers side see what i need and get spending
Then hopefully i can get the rear end and sides finished off before she goes back in to the garage for the winter to give the old bank balance a chance to recover


Stu

 

you've done an excellent job so far, very impressed

 

Cheers mate, not progressing as the same rate as yours but i'm in no rush plus this is my first resto requiring this level body work panel replacement


I started my new job at the beginning of last month had now have an hour each way to travel so thats sort of knocked me back working on it in the evening, but the plus side is a get paid more camper credits ;D

 

its comming along well ......shame you've found more work to do under that filler though

 

my philosophy too mate

 

and they never even ground down the welds owen n w

 

I know it's shocking what some people do and just to fill over it, the thing is it didn't look to bad from a quick glance


Have you had any joy getting the upper sliding door track off yet Owen?