69 Flower Power Hippie/Hotrod Transit

[pat stevens]

gotta agree there exelent work

[Franfixit]

Now here's a story which I suspect is about attempted robbery....I decided to get the oilpan zinc plated so I rang up an electroplater for a rough idea of cost...they said $50-$60 but they'd have to see it first. So I took it to them and they said $200....I told them I couldn't afford that so not to go ahead and that I couldn't pick it up right now because I was on the bike......anyway I had a little think and was so sure that they were trying to rip me off that I went straight home...grabbed an enormous hiking pack,looked up the address of another plater...went and picked up the oilpan and proceeded to the other chrome plating business....I presented them with the oilpan, oil pick-up extension and support bracket.....the price?.......$60!!!!
I pick the gear up in a weeks time...all aspects of this oilpan/pickup business is totally sorted...but I'll hold off on the pics as I know I''ll just want to post the same pics again....with zinc plating.

[Franfixit]

The battery tray is back!!!!.....Originally I envisaged an engine bay with hidden wiring...perhaps remote brake boosters under the guards and the battery below floor level behind the drivers seats...all this was about showing off the engine...didn't take me long to work out that there's hardly any engine under the bonnet...the real show is under the engine cover in the cab.Anyway the battery tray is going back...somewhat modified and on the opposite side of the engine bay.
Above is the tray after being cut out of the engine bay

[Franfixit]

That's sorted the battery tray.....I have a few little welding jobs to do while I wait until the oilpan is back......like this!!....

Rust not so bad compared to what I've seen some of the forum members dealing with.....had to laugh at how much country side was lurking there though!!!

[gravelrash2004]

That's sorted the battery tray.....I have a few little welding jobs to do while I wait until the oilpan is back......like this!!....
Rust not so bad compared to what I've seen some of the forum members dealing with.....had to laugh at how much country side was lurking there though!!!

so your van had its own thriving eco-system then

i have experienced people talling you one price on the phone and another in person - that sucks!

[deankdx]

was good to read the sump and pickup issues are sorted, with conenuts being used instead of lockwashers.

i'm fitting 2 batteries to My Transit, using an XF falcon one on the other side(mine is currently where you moved yours to)
i was thinking about all the space under the van..i have a gas tank at the very rear.. but if i can fit a spare wheel underneath opposite to the petrol tank i will be happy.. otherwise a caravan water tank might be handy there?

[Franfixit]

so your van had its own thriving eco-system then

i have experienced people talling you one price on the phone and another in person - that sucks!

I'm really at a crisis point after your eco-system comment....Should I weld in a panel?......or just plant some flowers?

[Franfixit]

was good to read the sump and pickup issues are sorted, with conenuts being used instead of lockwashers.

i'm fitting 2 batteries to My Transit, using an XF falcon one on the other side(mine is currently where you moved yours to)
i was thinking about all the space under the van..i have a gas tank at the very rear.. but if i can fit a spare wheel underneath opposite to the petrol tank i will be happy.. otherwise a caravan water tank might be handy there?

Hey!!...that was a 'spoiler' about the coneloks!!....haven't posted that here yet!! I got the electoplaters to zinc plate the oilpan silver..because I haven't decided what colour the pan will be yet..but silver is a possibility...Rang them yesterday because they said a week and found it still hadn't left the shelf. When I went to pick it up early this morning,seems it was a bit of a rush job...Ok...so it was gold instead of silver...I got over that fairly quickly....but then I noticed there was still traces of gasket material remaining ...the guy that was there said it appears as though they've neglected a cleaning stage and that they'd redo it.....In silver while they were at it..I got them to deliver it to my work place....one of my workmates rang up not long ago to inform me that 'some guy dropped off something for you...it looks like a kitchen sink'
RE: Room under van....the exhaust is the only thing I can think of that might try to interfere with your plans....the tape measure will tell the good news or bad news

[deankdx]

one of my workmates rang up not long ago to inform me that 'some guy dropped off something for you...it looks like a kitchen sink'
RE: Room under van....the exhaust is the only thing I can think of that might try to interfere with your plans....the tape measure will tell the good news or bad news

thats interesting, stainless steel sink as a sump lol.. might be hard keeping the plug in there though.
tape measures are over rated, i'll just stick a wheel under.. exhausts can be moved if its worth the bother.
sorry about the spoiler, without pics no one will know what it meant anyway

[gravelrash2004]

Tape measure are over rated lol
I prefer a piece of string

oh and plant flowers in it too! where would a hippy bus be without some flower-power

keep up the good work i am amazed at the good work as always!

[Franfixit]

Here's the modified pick-up finalised....shrunk fit back up flanges,support bracket to main bearing cap,conelok lock nuts at end of pick up extension,zinc plated and all torqued down .....Feeling pretty darn good..going to head into town..get a cheap Tuesday pizza and maybe a cheap Tuesday dvd and put up my feet....tomorrow I pick up the oil pan (aka kitchen sink)

[Franfixit]

........the kitchen sink

[deankdx]

........the kitchen sink

reminds me of a train or ship.. its not very aerodynamic though.. probably lost 3kmh top speed for that

[gravelrash2004]

........the kitchen sink

reminds me of a train or ship.. its not very aerodynamic though.. probably lost 3kmh top speed for that

But huge smiles per hour factor

[Altransit]

I'm really at a crisis point after your eco-system comment....Should I weld in a panel?......or just plant some flowers?