71 Westy - Front panel repair

[seff]

Hey Chaps & Chapesses,

Here are the pictures from the front panel repair on my 71 Westy Cali Import.

All work carried out at NAPSTOK customs...

The bus..

The rust..

Repair section from Klassic Fab available through Musclebus, trial fit looks good..

 

[seff]

Cab dissemble and removing loom, not looking forward to putting this back!

First cut..

Not much left of the old section..

 

[seff]

Lower valance removed..

Futher rust into 2nd layer discovered..

Dash and brackets refurb whilst out..

 

[seff]

Trial fit strengthening bracket (inner valance repair panel did not include this)..

Off with the paint!

On with some anti corrosion solution..

Strengthener removed..

Windscreen inner lip repaired and painted..

Stitch weld repair section..

Fully welded..

Weld dressed back..

From the inside, note dash brackets reattached after inner lip repair..

Skim of alu-filler..

 

[seff]

2 inner valance repair sections were split to make 2 good separate pieces that were hammered into shape and original details replicated..

Corner sections made from scratch..

A post lower repair..

Trial fit corner section..

Front chassis rails prepped..

 

[seff]

Inner lower valance prepped (note holes punched for plug welding onto Chassis rails)..

Inner lower valance fitted with strengthening bracket trial fit..

Bracket spotted..

Corner section..

From the inside..

Painted ready for next layer..

Next layers painted..

A few of these are useful!

Spotted..

 

[seff]

Door refurb..

Metal ready..

Drivers door needed new outer skin..

Lets go!

Lower valance fitted and filled, masked ready for paint..

Etch primed and high build primer rubbed down..

 

[surfbum]

Exellent work!

 

[faux]

Some serious attention to detail, I have always liked this bus. Even better now. Nice work Seff

 

[68_early_bay]

Cracking work 8)

 

[midlandpaintwerks]

Wow , these guys have the skills , very ,very impressed !

 

[seff]

Cheers for the comments Guys, if its worth doing its worth doing right eh!

I have found info shared on this site very useful in the past so if these photos are of use to someone else then you are welcome/

If anyone in the Forest of Dean area wants work doing I can definately recommend NAPSTOK customs, shameful plug!

Pictures of final paint and rebuild to follow shortly.....

Joe

 

[Clem]

Blimey Joe, that's some work! Excellent stuff.

 

[The_Rodster]

I'm sure I've seen this somewhere before.....

 

[seff]

I'm sure I've seen this somewhere before.....

Best get yours on here too Rodster!

 

[89Rallye]

Top stuff,

Can I ask, what are you using on the inside of the sections/panels? just a primer or something more rust/damp resistance.

 

[Gustav_t]

I am about to embark on the front valance part of my project. I find your pictures very useful - thank you. By any chance any pictures of how you take out the old inner valance section?
Spotweld drilling cutting etc.
Thank you again for putting up nice pictures of a job well done.

Gustav.