My MK4 lwb 190

[frank308d]

Pretty much as I bought it except it is alot cleaner than it was. It's a 1994 190 lwb with the 76ps banana engine and 132k on the clock. Pretty pleased with it except the niggle with the ignition which was resolved by changing the wiring behind the ignition barrel. No problems since then. It always starts, even in minus temperatures and in the recent spell of 27 or so degrees, doesn't get hotter than just reaching the N on Normal. It had loads of little bits that needed doing but they had to wait til I had both time and funds (how often is that heard?) Did the water pump and cam belt fairly quick as I do lots of miles and needed to know for sure it was all ok. A few weeks ago, I managed to get a MK4 minibus with the bits I needed. French headlights, n/s mirror, bumper ends, side door with window and many other bits of trim etc. Started off with the work needed for french mot, mostly lighting issues and n/s mirror and to put on the towbar replacing the ugly dented step that was on there. Then by swapping bonnet, as mine was heavily dented and side door. Got a drop of primer on those today. Am working all weekend so can't do more but will be able to start looking around the arches with a view to putting them back in order. They're not really cruddy but look to have been scraped along walls or gate posts etc and then badly filled trying to hide the damage. The crease across the back looks to have been caused by reversing into a horizontal bar or similar? I'm not too worried though as I have the damaged sections of frame that I can cut out of the minibus and graft onto the 190 and I want to replace the rear doors with a pair without the bloody plastic tops. Did see a pair in a breakers but didn't have the funds

Door and bonnet on.

And now in primer. I'm hoping the weather stays good for the weekend so I can get more pics of the motor etc.

[Breakdown Biker]

Lookin good mate What ya plannin to use it for

[frank308d]

First and foremost, it is a work van. Where I live, deliveries of materials start at 40 euros so it won't take long to recover the cost of the van !!! I was going to fit it out as part camper but have recently blagged a cheap caravan for weekends away etc so..... As some of my site work is at distance, I'll be using the Transit as a part van/part camper, folding bed and very basic kitchen etc. My main concern is to get it looking straight for when I am out and about. Getting the arches sorted is next. My wife is off to the UK soon for a week so I'll probably manage to get them straight and in primer at least during that week.

[frank308d]

Got some pics of the arches today and had a proper look at them for the first time too. o/s/f is the worst for rot, the others are solid but dented and badly filled.

o/s/r looked the easiest to tackle first..

So out came the wire cup brush on the mini grinder. Not too shabby.

I've got some marine quality rust converter (£160+vat for 5litres but I didn't pay that ) that really works a treat. Turns the brown stuff black and solid as a rock. Brush some of that on next and once dry, in about 2 hours, get some grey primer on. The rust converter doesn't like to be left exposed to the air for too long so the primer will hold it til I can start shaping the arch. I'll do that tomorrow once the wife is safely deposited at the airport

Gave the arch and surrounding panel a flat off with dry 240 to give the primer a key and a coat went on. Looks worse than before for the time being

[jerry2]

Good luck with it m8 at least it's only cosmeticsthat need doing.

[frank308d]

Can't believe I've had the van for over 2 years already !!! Done over 60k miles and it still drives soooo well. Just ordered new bushes, track rod ends and cambelt etc for next week. Had to do front wheel bearings a few weeks ago..
Finally got around to doing some more work on it. Found a mint pair of MK5 glazed back doors and they replaced the poxy old MK4 efforts. I've got all the arches ready to go on once I get a bit of time, rear corner posts to replace the badly dinged originals, cheers spudmab,and all the sheet steel to do the inevitable inners too....Primers, fillers, new (to me) compressor.. all there ready to go.
Got a big arsed Land Rover battery on it now so I got twin battery starting. Also got 2 batteries wired via a split charge relay in the back for lighting up the loadspace etc.
Got a load of foam, silver backed insulation for the roof and some of the thinnest ply I've ever seen to cover it with. I'm hoping to score the back of the ply so I can bend it round the roof hoops to avoid square corners. Looks a bit more 'factory' somehow I feel? Also started fitting up the wiring ready for the new lights for the loadspace too. Cheers BigNeil for those. Waiting to get over to the UK at the end of the month to pick up my new front mat, cheers AndyG, new ply for the floor and my Ebay bargain rolls of 100mm insulation for the sides. £2.20 for 2 1/2 rolls brand new.
I'll have pics up in the next few days once my daughter shows me how to work this new camera phone....
Cheers for all the support and ideas I'm getting here.

[frank308d]

Sun has finally come out, wife's in England for 12 days and I've got a pile of tools and panels... I'm going in and may be some time.
Plan of attack is to take off ply lining, wire brush to see damage/rust, cut out old, fab repair panels, clean it all up and weld in new. Have I missed any stages. For the moment I've been taking off ply lining to n/s and floor. Can't believe there's still white paint on the panels !! Plenty of localised rust in the usual places, outriggers where they join the panel behind the wheel arch, bit of rear of floor etc. Tiny bit on rear cross member too but nothing that a plate wont fix. Going to work on n/s/r this weekend. I think there's enough there to keep me busy for the time being.
Pics as soon as I get the camera charged up. I'll take pics as I go or there'll be a thread with just before and after pics.....

[frank308d]

Only working on n/s/r at the moment so... out comes the ply sides and floor to reveal this




Then out comes the wire brush and grinder and this happens

I've actually got a bit further than this today, making up templates and the outrigger is off too. Will start making up the new sections and welding tomorrow.

[periscope1]

Keep going there fella. Don't miss any pics. Got to do exactly the same to my MK4 except on the right hand side.

I want to know what to expect.

[frank308d]

I've got the other side to do as well I want to get the n/s/r done and dusted before moving on though. Got the arch to replace too. It'd be nice to have one corner solid.... Loads of pics to come if you don't mind pic heavy threads?

[periscope1]

Love 'em!

Couldn't knock out the joint between the rear arch and the floor too could you? Got that to do as well.

...........and while you're at it, under the battery box would be good too.

As much 'how to' info is most welcome.

[frank308d]

I'm hoping that bit is ok? Might do a how to on the other side though? Gonna have a good go with the flapper wheel on the grinder tomorrow. Got them as heavy as 40 grit. Really take the crap off. Reckon they'll be good for smoothing off the welding excess too?
Update tomorrow with more pics as requested.

[frank308d]

Some more done today. Not as much as I'd like but ain't that always the way. Still, bank holiday here tomorrow so should get n/s/r done including arch? Hopefully?




Oh, this is my groovy Blakes 7 style insulation. Gonna do the same sort of thing on the sides once the welding is done and fill the voids with loft insulation.

[periscope1]

What happened to the outriggers

[frank308d]

Kinda cruddy and not much of it left so cut it off and made up new section. Note to self, use your mates metal folder next time he offers it and don't try and p*ss around making bits up on angle iron etc..... While I'm at this stage it'd be silly to cover up rust so I'm cutting it out and getting rid. The welds still need cleaning up and some blow holes need filling with weld but overall, I'm fairly happy with the result so far?