Lottie, a 79 full restoration Part 1/2/3/4/5

Discussion in 'Restorations' started by martinvention, Jul 12, 2015.

  1. Poptop is an awkward thing to play with when detached, slightly heavy but big and fragile and now needs careful handling as it is being brought back to a good finish. I have made new corner posts to reinforce the frame and to provide a positive register when lowering and engaging with the fixed frame. I resisted the temptation to paint the original hardwood frame as it abuts the ply 'ceiling' now covered in VW headlining which I did not want marked by paint residue. Also this frame and the new timbers to be added clenching the bellows will be covered in a single strip of lining carpet and I did not want any reactions twixt paint and glue. I solved the handling issue by attaching a long beam of 4"x 2" to the front and rear parts of the frame with metal banding and using rope fore and aft lifted the 'demountable punt' in finest lifeboat fashion. This hoisting arrangement allows the roof to be turned over easily for the next task which is some primer and Pastel White. Notice I have also stiffened the sidewalls with lengths of timber and lots of screws/cup washers. With a new seal they should now sit better in the gutters.

    Pop top with headlining.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2020
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  2. Here is a picccie of my flying boat with the headlining masked off and about to be flipped over so I can finish prepping the outside for paint.

    Poptop on ropes.jpg
     
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  3. Decided to get my steel wheels grit blasted and etch primed at a local specialist as my DiY bead blasting cabinet is a bit tame for this size and degree of crud. So far this is the only piece of work that has been done by anyone other than myself. The results, a bit mixed, all the rust is gone and primer looks good but the seam between the two pieces of steel that make each wheel has become a harbour for impossible to shift blast grit. However grit or no grit I suspect that if painted over there would soon be a tell-tale line of corrosion fighting the break out so I decided to force in a thin line of PU seam sealer. Hopefully the weather will soon be a but less humid and I will crack on with more primer and Pastel White finish.
    Wheel grit in seam.jpg
    5 blasted wheels.jpg

    Also finished making some horizontal spring loaded roller blinds. These are 2 ply made from blackout fabric and a pretty 1970's themed cotton fabric. They need a bit of care to control the recoil when opening but seem to do the job quite well and I think made an interesting alternative to curtains and track. I will put up some more piccies when all are fitted.

    kitchen blind.jpg

    kitchen blinds2.jpg
     
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  4. Paint some rust cure into the gap between rim and wheel centre them smear a thin line of seam sealer into it.
     
  5. Many thanks Zebedee, great plan. Glad you liked the blinds; still following your good advice to brighten her up a bit.
     
  6. Wheels painted and left a week to harden, new set of correct size tyres to replace the 195x80 Michelin's which were hardly worn but 18 years old. The ATS folks were very careful and put the balance weights on the inside and will do a free alignment check when I am ready. However first I will check the tracking and camber the old fashioned way and then fit new lock nuts on top ball joints when the camber cones are properly set.
    Outside with new tyres.jpg

    Then the next job is to refit the pop top which means Lottie being exiled from the comfort of the garage which she has enjoyed for 2 years.
     
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  7. Finally got my Historic Vehicle logbook and cleared to hit the road even without MoT but really need to sort wheel alignment first. However there is another issue that needs to be done even before that:
    Listing to Stbd..jpg
    Yes we are listing to starboard quite a bit and that will certainly affect camber angles. I guess I have been piling on uneven weight with an offside kitchen and as the whole van seems to be riding high I decided to wind down the nearside torsion bar and lever rather than up the offside. I was slightly nervous about how difficult it might be with the braking and drive shaft kit attached, however it was easy to undo the 4 bolts that hold the hub to the suspension arm and leaf and support the hub clear of the leaf so that it and the torsion bar could be removed. First attempt; 3 big inner splines anti-clockwise and 3 small outer ones the other way made not enough difference, so did some more angle checking and sums and then went for a bold 5 spline both ways adjustment and bingo we are on an even keel. I note that the torsion bars diameter was 28.9 the heftiest on the T2 according to Haynes so felt further vindicated in reducing height. Before nipping up the 4 bolts fully I checked the rear wheel toe out rather crudely with string which at least ensured that both sides were equal:
    Rear towout.jpg
    So now I could work on the front wheels. First checked the wheel bearing run-out, a bit loose on NS, then camber needed some adjustment according to my Micky mouse gauge; bit of wood with median line parallel to edge in contact with rim and string with weight and some lines for angles:
    camber.jpg
    Like the rear the angles may not be perfect but both sides are now equal and I finally fitted the 4 lovely new 27mm lock-nuts, than have been on the shelf for well over a year, to the ball joints. Next came turning lock which needed some adjustments on my replacement South African beam then finally a tiny amount of toe in using string. One of the first road trips will to get all the alignment checked at ATS who supplied the tyres. So feeling happy with all that grubbing around on my back, I added a bit of bling with SS hubcaps and tailpipe:
    SS Hubcaps and tailpipe.jpg

    Then a big moment as Lottie returns to the same spot where she first stood as a wreck on 21 May 2015, and now with refurbished pop top refitted, albeit without lifting arms.
    Save that for a fresh day me thinks:

    Outside with roof.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2020
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  8. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Soon be cruising the South coast roads mate! Lovely.
     
    davidoft likes this.
  9. Thanks James, just need to work out which tools to carry in the back! Another must before the open road done today; fitted some roof catches after lining carpet around roof frame:

    Pop top locks.jpg
     
  10. That’s come a long way fella
    I hope it gives you years of adventures and memories
     
  11. Many thanks paradox, it has been a pleasurable journey and I look forward to the travel of a different sort.
     
  12. Great job and this thread has been a great help to me in restoring my bus so far. Sorry if you've mentioned it but I didn't see but what brand epoxy did you use and how did it spray? I have sprayed with it before but it was a while ago and in a different country so I'm looking for a recommendation really. Also did you use 2k paint for the topcoat? Again I've sprayed it before with a good (sundstrom) respirator with stacked gas and particle filters but i've managed to convince myself I shouldn't be using it now by reading too many Internet horror stories!
     
  13. Many thanks I am pleased that my tale of Lottie is of use. After a lot of research I decided on Cellulose over epoxy and used products from these good folks http://www.express-paints.co.uk/ They are helpful on the phone and delivery is swift, though it can be difficult to find the cellulose on the website. The epoxy was Lechler (Lechsys Ind 7040 paint and 29370 activator) it sprayed and covered well and is very tough. I steered clear of 2K with its isocyinates, not just because I do not have an air fed mask but neither do the neighboure or cat!! Some of my panels have needed a lot of rubbing down with cutting paste to get a good shine but on some I got a great shine from the gun so I guess it comes down to skill and practice. In hindsight I should have used a higher proportion of thinners to paint in the final coats. But though cellulose is not quite as hard as modern finishes it is good for repairing and a small sprayed in area can be blended in well without having to do all the panel. Hope your project goes well.
     
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  14. You've done a cracking job, I'll have a peep at that website as I'm going to have a bit of spraying to do...luckily the van came in Ivory white so I'm going to two tone it to make my life easier as the top half hasn't needed repairing!
     
  15. Sounds like a good plan, I had a look at your excellent work on the restro thread and some of the Ivory does not look like a factory finish so you might need to test with Cellulose thinners to make there is no reaction where your new lower paint meets the retained top half. I note your work with the sliding door middle sill and the replacement part supplied without the original curve at the front which controls the travel of the horizontal roller on the door front runner. If might have seen my solution on page 1 above which involves cutting and re-welding that vertical web. Happy cutting and welding.
     
  16. No its not the the factory finish and helpfully I got two cans of paint with it, one cellulose and one 2k so I have no idea what they used! As you say I'll have to test it and see if there is a reaction.

    I think the middle sill is the same one you had (Schofields?) and I noticed the shape isn't quite right I had the same idea as you did of cutting and rewelding it, tacking it all up in position on the van the seam welding it on the bench.

    Did you have to replace the pillar behind the sliding door? Mine is rotten at the bottom and I'm yet to find anywhere that sells them.
     
    JamesLey likes this.
  17. Done a bit more rubbing and polishing and prepping for MoT and agreed value insurance. I have put in a few gallons of fuel and have been along the local lanes a couple of times and noted unpleasant scraping noise for the N/S rear hub. On investigation the inner edge of the drum was chafing the slightly raised portions of the backplate in the groove that receives the hub. I had noted it was a cosy fit when fitting a couple of years ago but now started to worry whether the stub axle was properly located (spacer circlip bearings???) until I read that it is a common mis-match of drum and backplate so I will be reshaping the raised bits slightly. This is where we are are, a few photos to maybe push this thread to page 20?
    Finished NS.jpg Finished engine bay.jpg
    I have fitted a 90 AH Powerline leisure battery which is not so tall but quite long and hopefully will keep the fridge cooler longer. Just need to tidy up those wires by the split charge relays.

    Finished cab.jpg Finished kitchen and table.jpg Finished rear seat and belts.jpg

    This last one shows the 3 point inertial reels mounted on my unusual tubular frames that were welded in a long time ago. I can now fit the last pair of horizontal roller blinds to these rear windows.
     
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  18. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Looking lovely Martin! That’ll fly through its MOT.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  19. Looks so different. Last time I saw it, it was an orangy red then next time on its side if I remember correctly.
    Wish I had your skills, top job.:thumbsup:
     
  20. Wheels look tidy. Did you clean the fresh paint off the mating surface of the nuts? If you didn’t please do. They have a habit of shedding wheel nuts and subsequently wheels if you don’t. I know of three vws that have done this after repainting wheels.
     

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