Mully's 79 Devon long term Procrastination project

looks like good work going on - keep it up.

 

I love a resto thread too so post yours up too

Aerosol can proXL - It's great for little areas but I find it's pretty expensive, I'm going to start using epoxy primer in a spray gun as I have some larger panels to do soon, it will be more cost effective long term. I think they do in tins but might try 2 part stuff from: https://www.rust.co.uk/

Seems pretty DIY freindly...

 

No I just wrote it off as a lesson learnt... I never had no written quote detailing the work or the energy to pursue. I just hope there business doesn't go well based upon there reputation. Its motivated me to learn myself and be more diligent in the future!...

 

I have learnt so much from the threads here over the years. Just having pictures to reference on how bits are supposed to fit together is so helpful. I will be asking a lot of questions along the way too...

Cheers

 

The resto thread exists… however it starts with a shiney bus with no interior and ends with a rusty bus with nice interior. All upside down.

Keep an eye out for thread resurrection soon!

 

So to continue, back to summer 2022, front & out rigger is on and various top hat/ floor supports repaired. Next, o/s inner Sill....
I n place:

Welded:

Tidied & primed:

Painted:


I made a mistake in that I didn't fit the very last top hat/floor support before fitting the inner sill. Reason being this whole top hat needed replacing, and I hadn't yet got access to cut out the N/S.... I guessed where the holes should be in the inner sill, and guessed wrong! So if you look carefully theres 2 sets of welding at the rear - where it eventually was welded to rearmost tophat then the 4 holes I had to weld up. Lesson learnt - measure twice!

I have not welded it to the cargo floor as I'm not sure if I'll replace the full cargo floor later on....

 

Next, middle sill. I was confused when I was unpicking the rotten mess here, at first I thought the middle sill was completely rotted away.... then as time went on I found no evidence of a middle sill being fitted from the factory... some research indicated this wascorrect for a 1979 van..... to late I already purchased the part!

I put it down to a cost cutting exercise by VW... I can see why it does not seem overly critical... But I had the part, and it fit in place, so I thought why not!

In place:



Welded:





Tidied and Primed:



Again not welded to cargo floor as I may replace that later on

 

Looks great, keep up the good work- it will be worth it!

 

And to bring last summers progress up to date. Attention onto the inner B pillar:
Before:





Took out the spot welds holding the inner b pillar to outer:



Then new one held in place:



Welded into the slither of original outer part of B pillar that remains, and removed the spot welds holding outer b pillar to middle panel:

 

Next moving onto the outer B Pillar.

Outer B pillar repair welded to the remains of original, filling up the spot weld holes in process (Repaired Middle panel will be plug welded tonthis from inside later, replicating factory construction)...:



Next, onto the front, the curve on this repair panel was off, instead of reshaping, I cut into two:



Then welded:



Tidied and Primed :





Not sure how this was constructed out of the factory, looking at public pictures most vans have been repaired here. I would be interested in others opinions.
A) B Pillar is originally 3 parts, inner/outer/front
B) B Pillar is two parts and the behind wheel/seat 'bulkhead' spot welded directly to the B pillar outer
C) something else (A bulkhead to B pillar filler piece perhaps?)

Repair sections seem to be available supporting both. I guess the main thing is it's better than it was!

Also aware I might find the repaired B pillar does not match the body lines of the door and middle section, but as all are full of filler and need repair (we'll the whole van!) - I need to start somewhere!

I think I'm up to date, cheers

 

Well I haven't got anything big done recently but a little progress.
The C pillar needed tidying before I can fit the O/S Middle side and rear wheel panels:



Not sure how this left the factory but the remaining flange on left obviously was never attached to anything. So not original but hopefully a little more solid...

.

 

Not much done but I haven't given up! I've spent 3 months cutting out body filler

In all seriousness been busy doing other chores (patio & garden) but started taking out the filler in preparation of repairing the lower side panel. The van has had a side impact in its life and was badly dented up to the lower strengthener (it was banana shaped)...

As I would need to replace the strengthener I decided to cut up to here and replace with this panel https://www.alanhschofield.com/ourp...ith-sill-spot-welded-on-6879-211809585AS.html

Now I'm wondering if I should replace the whole bloody thing. After a few hours with a wire wheel on the angle grinder I give up!

Slow progress is better than non!

 

Absolutely spot on. If you even go down and rub something with sand paper, it’s still something done. I know personally how mind numbing it can be. I had similar but won’t bore you to tears with my unexpected tale of woe. Once it’s done, you’ll be like a dog with three tails for the rest of your life. I’ll also second the going to Techenders up in Lutterworth as that on its own will give you a lorry load of inspiration. If you’ve got a tent, you can rock up with me if you like and listen to my awful jokes and tunes and camp next to my van and gazebo. It’s great fun even if it’s cold and even if it’s raining. Imagine a field full of peeps and half of them have been where you are now . It’ll certainly give you a new incentive.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,where are you exactly?

 

Thanks @Ozziedog that's it, life's full of so many self inflicted pressures I've got to the point now I'm not stressing about it too much... a little here and the will do...

Hmm techenders I thought that had been and gone..everything's pretty crazy atm but I might be tempted I have plenty of camping gear and it's not that far from me... I'm in Brum.

You didn't sell some seats on ebay recently? The bay in you thumbnail pic looks familiar?

Cheers

 

It has and it hasn't. There are two per year