jamesabell1978
Well-known member
Thought I would start a thread on what I have been up to over the last few months. Some of you will have seen my other thread on issues I had when I got this bus and now that is all sorted it is time to start a mini restoration.
Two things needed sorting first, the front beam had been lowered with a cut and turn and the quality of the welding was less than ideal!
So a new Creative Engineering beam was fitted and whilst at it new shocks, calipers, discs and pads.
Next on my list was the engine, a lot of oil was being thrown out the back and there was a lot of end float. As this was a non original previously rebuilt "green" engine and fitted by the PO I really wanted to be shot of it. Dan Simpson (Vintage Dan) has built me a new 1776 which looks absolutely spot on as below.
Spec is 1776cc, Dpr crank assembly, Engle 100, Mahle b&p kit, Twin Dellorto DRLA 36s, 123 Distributor, Vintage Speed Exhaust.
Could not have such a clean engine going in the back without a tidy up so the next phase began.
Dirty Work!
New trays were welded in to both corners as they had previously been replaced with sheet metal and following a strip to bare metal I resprayed in cellulose. I decided to stick with yellow but an original vw yellow rather than the orange that the van seems to have been and went for Sierra Yellow.
Heater tubes ended up getting covered but no worries those and the wiring will be replaced.
I treated the fuel tank to provide some level of protection with the increasing amount of ethanol in modern fuel, came across a company called LB Restorations based in Cornwall that sell a 3 part resin based kit so gave that a go and then stripped and repainted the tank.
The paint supplier could not match the original VW Grey Black paint for some reason so I home mixed a dark grey and satin black to get as close as possible to the original colour for the tank, firewall and fuel filler tube.
I am happy with the result and once the firewall has had a polish should look good.
Next Dodomat fire retardant sound proofing to replace the original insulation and a repaint of the original tar boards. I managed to find some 16mm large flange head rivets on ebay that matched the originals I had drilled out and at £7.50 posted for 100 they were cheap.
As the new engine required a external fuel pump and following many recommendations by the good folk on here I sourced a Land Rover inertia fuel cut off switch and new econoseal plug from ebay and together with the fireboy extinguisher and fuel cut off solonoid hopefully it gives me a bit of protection, new ethanol proof fuel lines will also be fitted.
We will see how the inertia switch works situated above the wheel, only crossed my mind after I had fitted the bracket.
And an engine bay light fitted for the fun of it.
Next job is to remove the gearbox and tidy up the chassis rails and underneath.
Two things needed sorting first, the front beam had been lowered with a cut and turn and the quality of the welding was less than ideal!
So a new Creative Engineering beam was fitted and whilst at it new shocks, calipers, discs and pads.
Next on my list was the engine, a lot of oil was being thrown out the back and there was a lot of end float. As this was a non original previously rebuilt "green" engine and fitted by the PO I really wanted to be shot of it. Dan Simpson (Vintage Dan) has built me a new 1776 which looks absolutely spot on as below.
Spec is 1776cc, Dpr crank assembly, Engle 100, Mahle b&p kit, Twin Dellorto DRLA 36s, 123 Distributor, Vintage Speed Exhaust.
Could not have such a clean engine going in the back without a tidy up so the next phase began.
Dirty Work!
New trays were welded in to both corners as they had previously been replaced with sheet metal and following a strip to bare metal I resprayed in cellulose. I decided to stick with yellow but an original vw yellow rather than the orange that the van seems to have been and went for Sierra Yellow.
Heater tubes ended up getting covered but no worries those and the wiring will be replaced.
I treated the fuel tank to provide some level of protection with the increasing amount of ethanol in modern fuel, came across a company called LB Restorations based in Cornwall that sell a 3 part resin based kit so gave that a go and then stripped and repainted the tank.
The paint supplier could not match the original VW Grey Black paint for some reason so I home mixed a dark grey and satin black to get as close as possible to the original colour for the tank, firewall and fuel filler tube.
I am happy with the result and once the firewall has had a polish should look good.
Next Dodomat fire retardant sound proofing to replace the original insulation and a repaint of the original tar boards. I managed to find some 16mm large flange head rivets on ebay that matched the originals I had drilled out and at £7.50 posted for 100 they were cheap.
As the new engine required a external fuel pump and following many recommendations by the good folk on here I sourced a Land Rover inertia fuel cut off switch and new econoseal plug from ebay and together with the fireboy extinguisher and fuel cut off solonoid hopefully it gives me a bit of protection, new ethanol proof fuel lines will also be fitted.
We will see how the inertia switch works situated above the wheel, only crossed my mind after I had fitted the bracket.
And an engine bay light fitted for the fun of it.
Next job is to remove the gearbox and tidy up the chassis rails and underneath.
