i like em , they need a polish up and a bit of air in the bottom of the back tyres , but i am so pleasesd to be oing back to steelies , another step forward imo How she was this morning - how she is now og steering wheel to go on soon and we're back to stock handling hopefully , nowt wrong with the Empi's but not my fing man :-
i have sort of said Moley can have them , the tyres are new and the wheels have done less than 1000 miles so if i decide to sell and moley doesn't have them i was thinking around £325, what dya think ?. They need a clean which i will do but no damage and come with nuts and centres .
my van's too slow for Merc wheels, and whatta ya mean cheap, £250 brand new 2nd hand never used, no idea how much they was new? and £250 tyres makes mine £500 plus the interest 'cos they been on a famous bus, so woodster couldn't afford 'em.
FOR SALE I set of cream Empi ex log cabin wheels . new tyres complete with bear doo doo , wolves teeth marks , raccoon pee and a pine fragrance . contact Grizzly Adams or Davie Crockett contact via Wells Fargo stage coach or telegraph cable . Failing that recruit the help of a itinerant Indian scout .
Another milestone passed in my quest to get Rhubarb back to stock today - Took the 13" wheel off and replaced with the original i know the small wheel was cool but i just want my van to handle stock ,
Ok so this is a update because i am at the stage where i am happy with progress but am thinking of further work this winter and the fact it is now roadworthy and i have been using it has prompted a push on . Since i purchased my van in aug 2010 i have been through a myriad of emotions , it is very strange how a resto does that , i have been elated because i managed to buy a 72 westy , i have been nye on suicidal after finding the rot in the chassis , i have been tired beyond reason whilst doing the work , worried silly about the mot , spiralling costs and quality of workmanship , to say it has been a journey is a very big understatement. So to recap on work thus far - Rebuild chassis from front beam to front inner valance both sides. Rebuild rear chassis in and around torsion beam . Cut off and repair torsion beam both sides with inner steel tube fix and replace. Renew all cross members - front back and middle . replace both sills , innner , outer and middle . Repair and weld top hats to sills . replace both front wheel arches . Replace front inner valance . Replace front deformation panel . Repair front panel with cuts from new panel because i did not want the embossed badge on new panel ( wrong thing to do , too much work ! ). Repair rear valance , cut and weld . Repair rear chassis up to valance , cut and weld . Repair inner flitches in engine bay , cut and weld . Remove and repair front beam and replace . Cut and replace lower slider door panel Cut and repair A , B and C posts. Clean and paint all of the above by hand. Replace all brake lines . Replace all brakes . Replace rear drums . Strip and overall front ball joints including news rubber boots. Strip the front cab area of black tar like paint and respray . Hand scrape and respray dash board . Remove and clean Westfalia interior ( it was bad ) Rub down and respray cargo area . Refit interior and trim . Replace front seats with newer Westfalia high back seats . Strip and recover new seats . Replace carpets. Fit new deluxe clock. Replace and tune carb. replace all electric ignition items . Tidy up paintwork with aerosols. Replace Empi wheels with original steel wheels . Replace Empi exhaust with original exhaust . Replace Empi steering wheel with original wheel . Fix horn . fix horn fix horn !. Mot . Doesn't seem much when you write it all down , it was though and i nearly gave it neck many a time , if the guys on here had not been so encouraging i might have done . I know its just another resto , i know its not got the quality of work some have , but i did it , i put my heart and soul into getting the wreck i bought back on the road , i actually got her through a mot and roadworthy , the feeling of elation when i collected the tax disc and took her for a spin was wonderful . She is actually a very nice ride , she handles well , pulls like a train and stops on a sixpence ( well - a ten bob note anyway ), she is actually on the road , not stuck in my garage looking forlorn , she is doing what she was made for --Camping. The next stage is a respray , maybe in the winter she will have one , i want the electrics sorted properly and a few niggly bits of tin worm need to be stopped in their tracks , just little ones but enough to get the welder back , oh and i need to have another go at the horn : I am not a mechanic or even seasoned restorer , just a run of the mill person who loves to put things back to their former glory , Rhubarb won't be my last resto , i am already looking for another project but after the blood sweat and tears i have put into her , she's always going to be my pride and joy . i hope you have enjoyed the thread , the tears , the elation , the fretting and the relief , i hope it helped you in some small way with yours and i hope it never puts anyone off doing one their selves . Its been a journey for me , but where would we be without going on a journey ?. Stuck at home watching the goggle box wishing we were on a journey or doing something , that's where !. Cheers all Malc The bit that nearly made me stop -- But i didn't .
