Cargo door and Devon skylights.

[Ivor]

Hi everyone, sorry if these questions have been asked before, if so, just point me to the right thread....... :wink:

1. Can an offside cargo door from a LH drive van, be modified to fit on the left. I have a total wreck of a standard UK cargo door, and cant afford a good one, but if I cut out the indentation for the handle from mine, and welded it onto a right side one, then covered over the original handle, would that work? I know the hinges would need swapping around too.

2. My '72 was a Devon with a skylight, someone removed it, and now I have a rather dodgy looking roofline. Is the easiest option to get another skylight and fix it back into position?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Clarkson46]

Question 1 In a word No!

 

[Ivor]

Question 1 In a word No!

To the point! Thanks, I'd thought as much.....

 

[Guest]

1 NO

and

2 yes it would be easier... but what have you got in place of the original skylight? no light means its leaking water?

Can you show us a picture? was the whole poptop removed or just the light from the elevating part?

 

[Ivor]

Hi, the hole was covered by a piece of steel, which has been rather messily welded in place.

Well, I think it's welded!

Doesn't leak.

I'll try and post a picture.

 

[Guest]

Hi, the hole was covered by a piece of steel, which has been rather messily welded in place.

Well, I think it's welded!

Doesn't leak.

I'll try and post a picture.

it would be aluminium as the centre piece of the elevatatind roof is made of aluminium and riveted to the edges and bows.

What i would suggest you do is de-rivet and remove the centre piece and get a larger piece cut to size so it overlaps the edges of the elevating sides.

This way you can remove the floating heart shaped rubber that joins the centre roof that has the skylight to the elevating edges. This rubber is prone to leaking. Use some sealant before you fix this larger piece to the edges. Drill and Re-rivet onto the existing bows and outer edge, you can add more bows if you want for more strenght as the roof is prone to bow in.

It doesnt affect the profile, doesnt add any weight and it will get rid of the skylight problem and makes the roof more leak proof. If seen this done and it looks very tidy. The inner headlining skin will need replacing but this is simple and cheap as its a square flat piece of vinyl costing a few pounds at most.

 

[Ivor]

Sorry, you've misunderstood, my van is a tin top! The hole is just 20 inches square! (50cm).

 

[Guest]

Sorry, you've misunderstood, my van is a tin top! The hole is just 20 inches square! (50cm).

Sounds more like a sunroof than a skylight! Devon skylights are only 30cm square.

IMHO tintops are the nutts 8) and fixing it would be worth it. I would take it and get it done properly, cut the crap repair out and you might be able to find a donor bus roof part that would match the profile from a good second hand supplier without having to buy a whole roof section.

 

[Ivor]

 

[Ivor]

Forgot, there is also a nasty dent at the back too, might be an idea to have the whole roof off a rusty bus...........

 

[Guest]

Forgot, there is also a nasty dent at the back too, might be an idea to have the whole roof off a rusty bus...........

tofufi did a sweet job of this on his bus, check out his resto in the gallery section

http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?t=556&highlight=

 

[Ivor]

Thanks for the link, I did look at that thread when I first joined the forum. Big job, but I guess it would get the best result, showed my wife last night, her eyes were out on stalks! :lol: