My Mk1 Transit's Restoration Project

[roelsmits]

nice job, keep up the good work.

The longer it takes, the more pleasure you get out of it when it's finished!!!!

gr Roel

[Munster Boy]

HI Malta, any new up dates?
have just read your excellent thread, the workmanship & attention to detail is unreal with good fotos
your building a new van there, looking forward to this one
keep up the brillant work

Munster Boy

[malta transit]

Hi, i 'll be back soon,as i have difficulty how to tackle the job. As the half bottom sides have to be changed, i'm asking panel beaters how to tackle the job and i get many differernt tactics. I want to continue but at the same time i m affraid i'll warp the sides. I have been told to remove the both sides,do the rear first with the middle part out and then do the middle part last so i can manage it with my hand from the inside .

[malta transit]

These last weeks i started some work again, i hope i contiue though. I went to collect a panel from my friend Karmnu
as he had broken up the van which i showed you some time ago. The panel was straight but the wheel arch
had already been changed with a reproduction one and i was not happy as the edges were smoth round curved
not like the original, with 2 edges + the reproduction one was already rusting all round the arch, as you can
see.





So, I got also a piece of a front mudguard to fit on as it has the right curves.



After thinking for days, i realized that i could not change the panel myself and would be afraid to distort
the side. So i decided to patch up the front part to the wheelarch of the van. After all it was not that bad the one
the van has.
To tackle the arch, first i had to remove the lower rusty back panel and clean up the metal.



As you can see it was in the way and i managed to get a good second hand replacement.

The panel off !!!!!!!!!!!







Next week i'll clean this mess and try to fit new part , so wish me luck. I'll let you know when i've done it.

[malta transit]

What was to replace the panel by next week ( as i quoted above ) took 8 months to do something about the rear wheelarch
After work i'm to tired to go near the van
On the bright side i prefare lazying my self browsing this forum

So here's what i v done; got out the front piece cut from a front mudguard and scribed the outline on the back mudguard. Then i cut the scribed mark with a cutting disk.Then cleaned filler off the pevious bodge and spot welded it in place. Then i bought a flap disk and started grinding the welds. Here you can see i had only chance to grind some. After grinding them all, i'll fill more welds in between and grind again till it comes in one peice.



Not so clear but really its comin good

[twofords]

Just read from start to here amazing work you are doing hows it coming on no updates for along time hope all is well

[malta transit]

Hi everybody, i'm back after quiet a long time. The purpose is that i got stuck on the offside panel between the rear wheel arch and the passenger's door. Finally i made a hard decision and cut the panel off. Once i cut it out i broke the barrier of Afraidness as then i saw i could tackle the lower rusty offending panels.

[malta transit]

[malta transit]

I wish to Point out, that when i had posted a photo of the wheelarch repair of the rear wing and welded it on using a front arch of the transit which has the same original contours as the rear arch. I wish to say that the width of the front arch is about an inch shorter than of the rear. This i learned the hard way. When i tacked welded the arch to the rear i measured a point of the arch to a point of the petrol hole from the original positions and when i got it right i welded all. When i came to fit and weld the rear corner to the lower bottom of the arch i noticed and thought that i had taken wrong dimensions and frustrated i cut it all out and welded it in horizontally by an inch and welded the gap with a a strip of metal to fil the gap. when i fitted the rear corner it fitted perfectly.
When i came to fit the new horizontal panel, i noticed it's an inch shorter to the meeting to the arch, so gutted i realised that NOW i knew i had done it right the first time and that the arch from the front wing was shorter, Oh!!! So this has to be cut from the middle and go back and welded at the first place and then weld a new piece to fill the gap. Luckily i still have an other arch which i did not use for the other side. So Guys be careful, front arches are an inch shorter from width than the rear>>>>>

[malta transit]

This is the horizontal panel i told you, which i thought was an inch shorter. Here the panel is still not welded on, just trial fitting it.

[malta transit]

This is the gap which i told you about.

[malta transit]

I also formed this panel with the oval hole, which the petrol tube goes in. As the original had been disintegrated by rust Lol....

[Luke]

good to see your back on with it mate

[malta transit]

good to see your back on with it mate

[albertfaktor]

[quote="malta transit"]I also formed this panel with the oval hole, which the petrol tube goes in. As the original had been disintegrated by rust Lol....


Good day Maltese! I read the topic in one breath. I am surprised at your patience in restoring Transit. I looked at the beginning of the restoration in 2007, and to the present day You are being repaired. What is it, You've been restoring a car for 12 years? There was no desire for this period to leave this tedious work? I have a Hippo 1983 and I also have to restore the car, although my car is in much better condition...Also no idea how long it will take to have a job, but I anticipate the pleasure the forthcoming procedures.....Albert.