I'm finally getting on with my Mk1!

[Ollie]

Hi, looks like I haven't been on here forever, but I've finally finished the cars in the queue - all Citroens - sorry!
I've made the sills for the sliding door steps which was actually quite straight forward with a Clarke metal folder - even managed to make all the tapered folds on first attempt having never used it before, well chuffed And now that I've got started I'm keeping going, spent a fair few afternoons over the last few weeks shot blasting the back 3/4 of the van used nearly 500 kg of Copper slag grit and recycled it at least once, so that's a ton of grit all pumped onto the underside of my van. and all over my garage and of course me - its been so bad I've even installed an old washing machine in the garage so the grit doesn't end up in the house....... popular I am not

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Any way as I plan to fit the 2.9 cologne 24v I don't think the back axle ratio from the 3 speed auto will work that well, nor the front drum brakes.
I kept the full vented disc setup from a mk2 190 and its back axle so plan to rebuild all that instead, my problem is getting part numbers for a van that hasn't existed for 20 years, long shot but does anyone have a parts book from the early 80s for a B reg mk2 twin wheeler?
oh and I will do photos as I make progress!

Thanks

Ollie

[Ollie]

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NS sill 2.jpg

[mk2 transit crew]

Hi Ollie,

looking good. I dont envy you blasting in a garage!!! i have the blasting gear and a cabinet and a decent amount of space also but still sent mine off to be blasted as its a nasty job!!!

all things parts ralph on here is your man, he knows the different models etc and probably has the largest stock of anything transit!!!

[Ralph.9]

Hi Ollie, email me with what you need or for any advice?
Ralph

[oldskooler]

great progress made so far ollie...well done and keep the pics coming..

[Ollie]

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More pics, I've U pol Gravitex ed the underside, I used grey as its easy to overcoat in the Fiord blue - used to like it in the aerosols as it goes on nice and thin but only the black seems to come that way now so had to get out an old suction feed primer gun for the big schutz type litre pots, thinned it down a bit and did it that way instead... Made my wrist ache swinging a litre of gravitex around above my head! and same again with the 2k, 2 litres to cover the back 3/4s of van and got an aerosol as well to make sure I got into all the return edges.

Spot the deliberate mistake - forgot to mask the bump stops so had to wipe the gravitex and 2k off gain afterwards - doh

Also done the back axle - good fun trying to get the rear shoes as everyone either lists mk1 only or jumps to a Mk3 type but finally got some from AutoDoc along with eth Mk 2 handbrake cable and so on - Ill post some part numbers when I find the boxes! and got all the rear suspension back under the back of the van so its a bit more secure on wheels instead of axle stands

[Ollie]

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Oh and if you use epoxy for springs and axles the BiltHamber stuff takes forever to cure, I've used it on fuel tanks and it worked perfectly, but this time wasn't particularly impressed, and ended up talking to the owner who was very pleasant but couldn't really explain why it would take sooo long , we figured it was because if the axle isn't baking hot (no great surprise as takes a long time to heat up that much steel!) when sprayed, the carrier thinner (the proper one) can't escape fast enough and this inhibits the epoxy cure proper, so lesson learnt - spray it on using as little thinner as possible and heat actual item not air temp - I use a digital spot thermometer and an infra red heat lamp but even then it still takes longer than I'd like, so might use someone elses for front axle

[Ollie]

And in breaking news, I've blasted the front end including inside the hideous shaped front wings, basically doing it by feel and then checking with a mirror!

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and looking at my LH inner wing its obviously had a whack in police service!

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[Ollie]

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And I've offered up the V6 and if having it in the engine bay without manifolds or the front pulley counts then I suppose that its doable.....

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so now I have too many choices, either fit it properly with a full bullnose conversion which after a chat with Ralph isn't as easy as it first appears, coble something up, maybe wedging in a 12v V6 with wafer thin clearances and its smaller intakes and no dizzy, fit an Efi pinto and have an easy life or keep it original with a V4 - doh

[Chug]

Nice first time job with the Clarke! and make that V6 fit, you know you want to

[Ollie]

I know ! want to , but as the van is quite rare on many levels being slidey door and auto I do have a bit of a dilemma,
keep it standard as V4 auto means no cutting of shell and probably highest value in future. but it would be useless loaded and couldn't pull a trailer. and my V4 is tired and the auto box is pretty knackered.
Adding a manual box would make it useable and easy and cheap, still be slow with a trailer too
The pinto option is sensible and prob the cheapest as a good pinto rebuild is prob cheaper than a V4 and I could 5 speed it at same time or as ralph suggested go the overdrive route

but as you say I wanted a V6 in the first place ! but that means cutting the front crossmember and some re engineering, ideally I'd quite like to look at one somebodies already done, any one got a bullnose van near Birmingham I could come take a peek at?

Cheers

Ollie

[Keef]

What about a VAG 1.9tdi conversion?
You could have upto 130hp as standard but tunable to 150hp + and little or no chopping.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=150246&hilit=Vag

[JustTrying]

ollie,
I'm jealous that you have all that metal in your MK1.
Mine is all rust.
Would seem a shame cutting into it.
Is your V4 a 1.7 or a 2.0?

[Ollie]

Don't really want to chop it about too much, its a 2.0 on a single choke webber, I do have a twin choke corsair setup , realistically not a fat lot of point tuning a V4 that much though.

The theory of Tdis and older Turbo diesel engines is nice but I'll prob end up with expensive adaptor making or time consuming electronics, although I do know VW people who put the Tdis into T4s and I do have a 130 brake Tdi sitting in the car port! but if i want a medium powered diesel van I might as well use the T4 I have already and that has soundproofing too

Was wondering if I could just make a bolt out front crossmember and make 2 - one for each front type! that way I can easily swap later without welding. plenty to ponder......

[JustTrying]

At least you have the 2.0 so what 75 bhp std? With very little mods could be 85hp. But I do not think the auto is really sought after. Even in original form. That would have to go.
I have no experience of engine swaps in transits but a suggestion may be to fit your V6 further back in the chassis and any mods could be limited to the bulkhead/tunnel.
Unlike some others there is no steering rack to dodge. The heater may have to go.
But the mods could be easier to reverse and you are not messing with the structure (insurance/engineers report...).
Just a thought.