Decided to take the last few days off and along with my buddy, we made a mad burst on the running gear swop...
I spoke to Oldskooler & Markmex and then we jumped in balls deep. Thankfully it was handier than I initially expected, but defo needed a few beers after it...
Have lots of pics, but will throw up a few of the main ones....
To summarise, we levelled the van, centred the wheel in the wheel arch, levelled the sub frame, made up fillet pieces from 60x60 Box Iron, welded up captive pics and welded these to the chassis legs. We had previously made up a jig to locate the top mounts based on the donor van, so we were then able to bolt this jig to the new fillet pieces so that the top mounts were located in the same Camber/castor position relative to the subframe.
We used the top mounts from the old van and 'mated' them to my van. Cleaned them up and job done.
Made a hybrid steering column from the Mk5/Mk2 and mounted it up. By keeping the Subframe 15 mm lower than intended, it made the steering easier to sort and took the pressure off the steering joints.
While I was at the front, I replaced bushes, bearings, brake pads, discs, calipers, flexi pipes, shocks and top mounts.
Rear axle fitted, springs saddles moved in by 2" either side to make it work. Cant use the rear anti roll bar now and it hits the leaf spring, so going to mod the old front anti roll bar some other day to fit....
Changed shoes, cylinders and make made a Mk5 Cable fit handy enough...
Fitted the Brake load apportioning valve from Mk5 as well...
Had to mod the prop to suit, put Mk5 end on the Mk2 Shaft.
Picked up a new exhaust system from a Mk5 Chassis cab, made that fit with a bit messing with brackets etc....
Engine Swop work worked out handy enough as well....