Two Wrongs Make A Right?

[spudmab]

Wow you have got loads of work, it's scary that the newer the van the worst they seem to be, nothing seems to be built to last now day,

Good luck with this project, don't give up just try and do one job at a time they you won't loose your way

[gavcarter]

Been doing bits here and there, forgot to take pics of most of it. Got a new step and chopped some more drivers side floor out to fit it, started welding it in and wanted to change tips. The tip was seized solid in the swan neck, and snapped so that put the welder out of action....




So instead I thought id give the drivers side a good clean up and decrease it



And then paint it with corroless primer, hopefully get some more panels made / fitted tomorrow as welder parts have arrived

[gavcarter]

Found more pics, dont need an explanation really

[transitandy]

Keep plodding on m8 its getting there

[Brains_transit]

I've got one of those plates off the front of the chassis legs where the front bumper bar bolts onto let me know if it's something you want then just cover the postage

[gavcarter]

I've got one of those plates off the front of the chassis legs where the front bumper bar bolts onto let me know if it's something you want then just cover the postage

One that's on is fine to be fair, its a bit mangled from pulling the engine out but will soon bash back flat, cheers though!

[gavcarter]

Got some more done today, made some inner sills, from bits of crap laying around, off cuts of 1.2mm zintec sheet. They look funny because they haven't been trimmed yet, ill get the panels all welded in and run a grinder along the bottom of them.

They are welded to the b pillar and step, welds ground flat then sprayed with zinc primer.




Panel fit is getting somewhere near so I sprayed the inside with zinc primer and then popped a load of holes in it, if I get it right I want to tack it down before it moves.
I am sick of heavin the door and off on my own now lol



Got it some where near so tacked it under step, and started welding in the b pillar, then I ran out of gas so I just zinc primed what id disturbed and found something else to do....
Front of panel is not fastened by the way, I'm not leaving the panel gaps like that



I ordered a creeper just for this job, and it was well worth it, proper back saver.
Goggles, dust mask and a wire wheel for the grinder, yep you guessed it, time to get a fake tan and turn myself a minging shade of brown / orange cleaning this lot off



Its not hard to tell where you have been like rust everywhere




And finally coat over with corroless paint, rust inhibiting primer apparently used on oil rigs and the likes so should do a good job, will be top coated too



And as luck would have it, a 200ltr bottle of welding gas was delivered just after I put the tools away, always next week to do more

[gavcarter]

done some more the last week or so

inner sills shaped and cut to length, original flange for inner arch was reshaped and belted about with a hammer


inner arch was started, pool welded to inner sill for extra strength


new lower inner wing section made and welded in, upper reinforcement removed ready for new one, ordered from ford, waiting delivery.


Its fairly rusty behind here


So is closer to the front, thought id take a few pics to show how ive been replacing little bits here and there, ive wire wheeled it all

cut out the rotten bit


cut a patch to rough size


keep trimming until it fits and clamp it in place


tack weld one side and remove one clamp


finish tacking that side


tack weld one corner of other side and remove clamp


tack weld the rest of side whilst pushing the panel edges flush


wire brush the welds off


finish welding then grind flat, no need to go mad blending out, it will get burried under another panel soon




and another


rot cut out, all edges, and inners cleaned up as best as grinder and brushes can reach


given a coat of zinc primer then a repair piece cut out, 1.2mm zintec sheet was used


corners are marked then its put into the press brake ( homemade angle iron and a 20ton press)


and out pops a shaped repair piece


some last minute marking and cutting


and first side tacked in


pay attention here because i forgot to put holes in the panel where the original spot welds where, they had to be drilled with the panel in situ, very carefully as to not go through the one behind it too - they will just magically appear on next pic

told ya so! it been welded in too


and ground back, it should also be zinc primered but ive ran out



hopefully get some more done soon

[Lollyb]

Nice work. I must be a sucker for punishment. I'm actively looking for another Mk6 to do. Preferably a jumbo to convert into a Motocross motorhome this time. Beauty is, I'm not in a rush this time, no deadlines to work to.

[gavcarter]

I'm still undecided what to do with this one, first job is obviously sort the body out, I was playing with the idea of offroad wheels, suspension lift, loads of lights and make it look like a off road ready type vehicle, but its gunna be a daily drive, so I'm leaning more towards keeping standard running gear and wheels and maybe trying for a more sporty sort of look

[gavcarter]

still slowly plodding on as time and money allow, forgot to keep taking pictures but ive got the drivers corner sorted now, it been seam sealed and painted. Just a quick run over with a brush as its only the inner panels, no one will hardly see them.

Made a better splashguard for the inner wing, its all metal and extends a lot further than the crappy plastic things. Still have to sort out a fastening point for the bumper corner, but ill do that much later on when i know where it needs to be. Looks a bit rubbish in pics but getting tiger seal to lay neatly must be a skill all of its own... its nothing like silicone or caulking, which is how i was expecting it to be.





Believe it or not this was the better side



the step still needs attention like





welded in

hoping to get door sill and arch on next week

[transitandy]

One hell of good thread Gavin
I'm really enjoying it m8y

[gavcarter]

Cheers Andy, got a little bit done the last couple days, just doing it a couple hours here and there as I can

Outer arch and sills on, made a start on inner arch



There's a fair difference between sides now



Inside cab the rust has been ground back, treated and primed



Got inner arches to finish, inner sills near step then I can run some brake lines and put engine and dash back in

[gavcarter]

Well it's been a scarily long time since this was updated
Photobucket has decided that images shouldn't be on forums unless you pay them.....

Anyway plenty has been done since this thread was updated and I'm almost done with the welding I think, got the rear arches to to do and any little surprises around that area.


Engine bay has been reconfigured a bit to make more room.
2 double seats added in 2nd row, all attachments welded down and the seats removed again while the van is finished.
Cab has been carpeted, new bushes, driveshafts, bearings, discs, pads and hubs.
I took half a coil off the springs.
Underside has had 2 coats of corroless rust inhibiting primer, then two coats of glass reinforced chassis paint. After spending days with and angle grinder and wire brushes getting as much rust off as possible.

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[gavcarter]

Custom intake pipe as egr has totally gone

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