I've been a Late Bay member for a while now, skulking and browsing every now and again, and have owned my van for 16 years. It was used a lot for the first ten, for holidays, commuting and day trips to the seaside, but has sat stationary for the last six years. The first three it was out in the open, but for the last three it's been under a Just Kampers cover. It hasn't been started at all for the past four or five years, because (even with a charged battery) I couldn't get any electrics at the dash. I've been meaning to investigate but putting it off with young kids, working seven days each week and an old house that always needs something. It hasn't even moved, because the back brakes are seized and I'm not strong enough to push it. A mate with a Landrover did offer to tow it a few feet, but then it'd just be a few feet from where it is now and still too heavy to push. I'm not keen on the Sheldon high top (a massive, expanding viking roof would've been better) and would love to change it for a pop-top, which would also let me park it in the garage. Anyone removed a high top before? I've been running a 1970 panel van for the last couple of years, but I'd like to get my 1979 back on the road because I reckon it's better for camping. Built in July 1979, it's a very late bay. Built on Friday 13th, in fact, which hopefully isn't a bad omen. It doesn't look too bad from the side... A bit 'iffy' from the back...
I was reading Zedder's 'Looking underneath' thread and it inspired me to... Erm... Look underneath, so i could asses what I'm letting myself in for. My dad changed the sills and the rear arches in 2007. He'd sprayed a couple of coats but was waiting on me to investigate the paint code. And then he was killed on his motorbike. So I've inherited his double garage full of tools (we bought the family home from my Mum in 2010), his welding and spraying equipment, but only a fraction of his know-how. I'm OK with the mechanics but want to learn to weld. I'm going to practice on a Morris Traveller first, which is getting new wood over the winter, so the van will be a slow burner... First job was removing the water tank that was bolted underneath, so I could get a look at the belly pans and take some photos. I think my dad has welded up one edge of the N/S belly pan. The middle looks like it'll come off, so I've sprayed a load of WD40 on the bolts. Here's some pics with the belly pans in place. Front outriggers (?) behind the front wheels are properly knackered, but a lot of the rest looks quite solid, especially the chassis members and cross members. I'm (foolishly?) hoping to be pleasantly surprised when I get the belly pans off. Fingers crossed.
Late belly pans are full of air circulation holes, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. It looks pretty good to me, though obviously needs some TLC.
Thanks Zedders! Your thread was a great read. I could just about get my big head under the bus (front tyres have collapsed and are split) and shine a small torch though the holes in the pans. What I could see looked OK. But if I banged on the outer belly pans, chunks of dust and rust fell out. I'm hoping they're remnants of the old sills and outriggers. We'll see....
In happier days... In July 2008 on a tour of Wales. A few months later, some 'b**tard' nicked the nice fibreglass wheel cover off the front when it was parked up in Buxton. I pulled the air scoop off a couple of years ago because I'd never liked it and it had crack from running over a sneaky traffic cone.
Good luck with the resto. But what is that hose in the second of the underside shots - it's got a rounded sort of square connector in the middle and is just ahead of the rear suspension tube?
Dodgy place Buxton, I used to work there, too many people not enough surnames , where abouts are you in this fine country?
Flakey... I'm back in North Wales now, where I grew up. I was in Buxton for eight years, working in Manchester and Derby making computer games.
Yup, volkswombat got it! I removed the water tank (big square, plastic box on side picture of van) to get a better look at the underside. I was hoping to get the belly pans off, but side ones are welded and it';ll have to wait for another day.
The water tank was very low down, under the bus, so I don't think it made much of a difference to the handling. The blinkin' massive high top was more of an issue, especially on windy coastal dual-carriageways! Which is why I'm thinking of changing to for a pop-top...
Afternoon . I didn't think that type of high top was super high. The van looks really nice from its good side
