Pinto Bill's Mk4 SWB Van

[PintoBill]

Hope to have an update on my Mk 4 SWB shortly as Tim has now completed the work on stage 1 on this project, once the vehicle is back in my hands and its had a clean and spruce up to remove general bodyshop grime I will post some pictures showing the high standard of the work as performed by Tim who has brought my ravaged rusty Transit back to a condition where you would want to polish it ! I hope to get the van along to some of the meet ups so other members who may be considering this type of remedial work can see it, and where that work is either beyond your own scope or have not the time to put in and are looking for someone to undertake the work for you I can highly recommend Tim without hesitation.
I hope to return the van to Tim later in the year for some work on the upper reaches of the van where the windowscreen will be removed and rust around the inner window area is treated along with the roof area. Once this is all done the old girl will be set for a few more years and where once I was thinking of scrapping the van with all Tim's kind help, knowledge and expertise we have extended one the life of one of Southamptons outputs way beyond what the assembly plant employees ever might have thought these Mk 4s would have had.

PICS to Follow

[captain hook]

It's been over 6 months now Bill....

Let's hope it looks ace!

[robbie.cee]

The work done looks proper tidy I saw it the other day collecting the pinto!

[captain hook]

So did I

[dieselhead123]

As Pinto Bill says, the van is now completed, well, stage 1 anyway.
In some ways it has been a 'labour of love' for us too, it has been a good chance to fit some of the newly available panels, the inner front and rear arches for example and hopefully the thread will provide both hope and inspiration for others.

I have quite a few additional pictures, mainly the front near side corner to post up but I know that Pinto Bill himself has taken a few when he has visited to discuss progress.

Although we have had the van for a few months, we have not been working on it continually, averaging perhaps one or two days per week, so it shows what most of you could accomplish in weekends and evenings.

I will endeavor to make photobucket work so the balance of the pics can be posted as this was always intended to be shared with the forum as a whole.

Bodywork repairs are always a 'learning experience', no two repairs are ever the same and it is true to say that we have gained a lot of useful experience from carrying out this project and experience is something you can never have too much of!

TIM

[PintoBill]

It's been over 6 months now Bill....

As with any bodywork repairs although rough estimates can be given one can never guess what might lay beneath the intended work, with this said the Time Period is fully understandable given what work has been done and also taking into account that Tim worked on the van as and when he has been able. With all this in mind I have been more than happy to sit back, visit Tim and have a cup of Tea, Learn a lot more about many things ( including how much Tucker Tim can put away ) and also meet up with a few fellow Transit Nuts, so all in all a worthwhile experience for me, Tim and the wider community who may have been following this thread.

As I say Pictures to follow

[KING OF ENGLAND]

It's been over 6 months now Bill....

As with any bodywork repairs although rough estimates can be given one can never guess what might lay beneath the intended work, with this said the Time Period is fully understandable given what work has been done and also taking into account that Tim worked on the van as and when he has been able. With all this in mind I have been more than happy to sit back, visit Tim and have a cup of Tea, Learn a lot more about many things ( including how much Tucker Tim can put away ) and also meet up with a few fellow Transit Nuts, so all in all a worthwhile experience for me, Tim and the wider community who may have been following this thread.

As I say Pictures to follow

I cant comment on the welding that Tim as done on this van as i have not had the time to pop over and inspect it
but i do feel that the experience he has gained from myself and others from working on the makeover van has gone
a long way in helping Tim to achieve his goal to become a welder

[MinorMatt]

I saw it on Friday

Looks like Tim has done a good job!

You need to deal with the top of the windscreen pillars ASAP though, looking at them I think you have around a year before they perforate...

And its not the easiest repair...

[PintoBill]

Thanks Minor Matt, The plan is to get the van back over in the summer months when I can spare it and I am sure Tim has a plan of attack on the schedule of intended repairs.

[noah]

pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!


weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeddddddddddd

pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dieselhead123]

pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!


weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeddddddddddd

pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If only I could get around this Photobucket thing
It does seem like other members have had problems with it recently, just seems to go to an error message and a blank screen when I log in!
Anyone know why, or found a way around it?

TIM

[robbie.cee]

Photobuckets new beta version sucks... I like the older format...
Had many probs meself... Kinda works now but still cack...

There's a report button on screen try that. Kept gettin errors reported was fixed in seconds...
Think I got lucky there tho

The lower half of the van now looks brand new!

[dieselhead123]

Right lads, pit some pictures up on imageshack, I do hope it works!

Front wheel arch repair panel;

The front wheel arch repair panel is fitted UNDER the A post, this makes for a neater repair and requires less 'dressing in' to produce a 'seamless join'.

Front wing;




The front wing and wheel arch panel were fitted to the original inner wheel arch, held in place with self drill fixings, this enables us to be sure of good panel alignment prior to removing the inner front wheel arch.
Once we are happy with the alignment, the outer panels are removed to allow replacement of the inner wheel arch panel.
I will find some more pics of this part!

Some repairs were carried out to the front outrigger forward of the step panel inside the wheel arch area;


We also fitted a new inner and outer sill to the step and carried out some repairs on the step its self.

TIM

[PintoBill]

Well as promised after some further tidying up after the work at Tims Workshop here is the result of a lot of dedication, hard work and skill at the hands of Tim, I would like to thank Tim publicly without which this project may well have never seen the light of day. However I am pleased as punch to have the old girl back in my hands and on the road once again and she looks better than a lot of far more recent transits I see flying around. So stage 1 is complete and next when I can spare the van Tim and I need to plan the next phase on the roof area and window screen leak.

So have a look at the pics and see how with time, effort, skill and some money one can breath new life into a 1994 L Reg SWB Transit 80, I hope to now get along to one or two of the meets and lok forward to seeing anyone who cares to say Hi and wants to look at the Van.

[dieselhead123]

Looks like you have done a cracking job cleaning the old girl up there mate, I trust the mot went well?

You are welcome to bring the van back to the workshop when you get a spare day,and the weather is warmer, to spray a good helping of wax into all the cavities.
Thanks again for letting me get to grips with the re-furb, it has been a very rewarding experience.

Stay safe mate,

TIM