Viking Restoration, Blood, Sweat, Tears, Tragik

Looking very, very nice! How you have the patience to prep that lot I don't know - respect!

 

Looks nice dude

 

Been upto a few bits this weekend,

Got started on the poptop, A few jobs need doing to it and therefore the roof needs to come off, it'll make painting underneath it a alot easier and theres also repairs/strengthening necessary where the old securing catches have been, and I need to renew the hinges as they have bent meaning the roof overhangs on the nearside when closed, appparently quite common on Viking roofs - as they're *****ing heavy and the hinges are always under the pushing tension of the 2 gas struts that hold it open.

Got some blank 3mm steel plate hinges which are alot more substantial than the originals, just had to put them under the press to bend them to the original shape, the originals are brass meaning they were only riveted to the roof, but I went for steel so I can weld them to the gutter edge, prepared the roof for removal by pretty much removing the bellows, and nervously hooked up a block and tackle to the workshop roof trusses so I can lift the roof off.

Old versus New


A bit bigger and uglier, but upto the job.


Ready for lift off!


Aiming to have the roof all painted and back on this week.

 

Fantastic job mate That prep on the interior was well worth it, it looks superb. Feel your pain in the fingertips, I went through similar prepping my interior. It's all those nooks & crannies that the DA won't fit in. Can't wait to see the rest of the paint going on.

Keep up the good work.

 

Time for my regular Sunday night update,

Welded the new hinges to the roof/gutter and got the roof painted, managed to get lots of runs on the outside edges of the gutters as was trying to get plenty of paint in there, I'm going to flat and redo these when the top half of the van is painted tho.



Spent a whole day doing a couple small repairs and sanding the Viking roof back to the original gelcoat as 2 subsequent layers of paint had pickled and blistered up like a bad case of leprosy, as the weather was tremendous and Glastonbury was on the Radio I did this outside as these roofs are huge! and sanding 2 layers of paint generates alot of dust!





Decided to paint the Viking roof ontop of the van is didnt want to damage fresh paint with lifting straps when putting it back on, and also you need to have 4 people 8 foot tall to do otherwise!



As I'm short on time I decided to prime & paint, wet on wet, its a bit orange peely, so might flat and polish it when all done, - forgot to take a final photo!

Progress on the van will probably slow down now as I'm off to Edinburgh so will only be back a couple of long weekends each month now

 

Just a small update, but progress has slowed considerably since I've been up North in Edinburgh and trying to find me feet here, on the upside though I've had the use of an Aston Martin Vantage for the last 3 weeks until my friend I'm working for gets back from holiday

Roof is back on with new rubber and I've been finishing the last of the filler week needed where I'd decided a new battery tray was needed.


Just need to fit the new stainless retaining catches I've got from Protex


Got to pick up the roof rods and a few other bits which hold the roof tent out when the roof is up, from the chrome plating place and give the roof bellows a good clean and jetwash to finish it off.

I'm back for the weekend, so hopefully make some progress by finishing the small amount of filler work to do, stoppering pinholes, and getting it ready for final prep.

 

Not done an update for 5 weeks, because (I'm not sure if anyone is looking) and as usual it looks like not alot has been going on!

Some long lonely weekends have been lost on this though. All remaining repairs have been finished, primed, and flatted and the van has been blocked by hand to death with P180/240 to get some nice straight panels.

Some very similar looking progress snaps,







Shadow of a gate top looks nice and straight in the side panel




Got a few pinholes to stopper up with dolphin glaze and then, it's on with a couple of final light coats of primer, to use as a surfacer for blocking down with 400 and maybe 6/800 wet. Have given up putting timescales on these jobs as they have all gone out the window so far, but, it will be painted soon, hopefully before the winter cold/dampness sets in.

Biggest pain in the arse bit still to do is prepping inside the rear vents! any tips?

 

your making a cracker their, are you still doing the stockeez too? in ya spare time like

 

Thanks Barney,

Bangers are on hold for the foreseeable future as I've not got the time, and I don't want to be self inflicting injuries, having just started a new job. As an example though my friend I do bangers with is suffering from pleurisy as a result of lung/chest trauma from the last outing, so we're both taking a break maybe until next season.

 

so you will be bored then for a while, sorry bangers not stocks , bangers is more fun thou eh, sorry ta here about your bud thou,hope he gets sorted soon!

 

Still watching hurry up ha ha

 

It feels like I'm going backwards!

Not a photo update as 1 coat of primer looks like any other! More of a whinge as discovered lastweek the genuine brand new windscreen I'd brought has been smashed by a bit of falling woodboard in the storage barn I use, it would have been accidental, but It would have been nice for someone to own up to it, Its 1 of 3 people, though & I'm 75% certain who probably caused it.

Following getting the van flatted and blocked in 240 I masked it all up again at the weekend for primer, to then realise I'd run out when I last primed it, so it was left for a mate to find on Monday in his spraybooth.... And hopefully he's finished the priming for me

I've sent all handles and a few other bits off the chromers - a 6 week wait though, which was a surprise!

I'm half way through flatting the bolt on panels, and If I keep up this rate of progress, it might be painted before @paradox 's van

 

Nice work mate!

 

how much is it for handles to be re-chromed if you don't mind me asking?

 

I'm paying £120ish for the 3 door handles, + 2 additonal sliding door handles, tailgate and engine lid buttons, + engine lid striker and 2 inner support bars for a viking roof, maybe a couple of other bits I put in aswell, but seemed to work out at about £10-12 per item which I thought was ok.

 

Id imagine it would be motd and on the road before my van is
Keep up the progress dude

 

Some more primer........., this time its definitely the final coat!





Got half the van flatted over the weekend, so by this weekend it'll be ready, and then another weekend to finish off the doors.

 

Not much to add, but small steps.

But collected some shiny bits to put back on!



Trying to resist getting other bits chromed for now!

Body progress has been slow and tedious:
Van is all flatted in 320, and just needs wet flatting with 600.
Cab doors are blocked again and back in a final coat of primer.
Wheels are ready to paint.
Other doors and panels still to go.

Its a slow game this!

 

Looks nice, how many coats of primer so far then? Got a feeling I'm going to be going into double figures to get her flat! Looking nice tho mate.