FS Alistair's 1970 Westy SO70 Campmobile - San Lorenzo, Cali

[lard]

Hi - loving the side-step - just fitted mine but was contemplating putting it in body colour...though now I've seen yours I'll have to think bigger

Also like the solar panel - certainly a good use of the space, I'm sceptical about sticking anything heavy up there so that seems a perfect solution

 

[aogrady]

Looks cute with the yellow headlights

Cheers Lainey! I do like it more than i thought!



Alistair

 

[aogrady]

Hi - loving the side-step - just fitted mine but was contemplating putting it in body colour...though now I've seen yours I'll have to think bigger

Also like the solar panel - certainly a good use of the space, I'm sceptical about sticking anything heavy up there so that seems a perfect solution

Hi Lard,

Cheers! The step was polished originally, got bored of polishing it, thought body colour would be nice, as not many vans that i saw anyway, though got bored of that, and fancied a "nicer" colour, a nice dark metallic brown, which stainless bolts to finish it off. Quite fancy doing other parts in the same colour, i need to redo the OG front VW badge, before it gets any more patina, and will paint it this colour also

Would also fancy doing the inner section of the wide 5's in the same, but doubt my painting ability's much more than a few simple bits!

I really don't know why more people don't fit a solar panel, i too don't fancy putting lots of stuff up there, i dont really rate the load capity of it to be honest, though plenty of people have no issues, i just dont fancy the rubber mounts and wood screws mine seem to be fitted with. If i hadn't fitted the solar, i was going to redo the entire fixing system, as it is, i will just redo the rubbers and use stainless fixings.

I intend to use some hardwood to strengthen and support the alloy frame, but its fine as it is, just another mod i fancy implementing. Lots more i want to do, re-wiring, new power cables to minimise voltage drop...etc

Treat yourself, get some different paint out, and buy yourself some solar!!

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[aogrady]

Hi,

Bus went well on the road trip of about 100 mile to Crealy, the annoying squeak stopped from the brakes too by the time we we got back home, I noticed on turns with any speed, the squeak stopped, so i guess the slight play in the bearings maybe had something to do with this? Or if it was just the short journeys it normally has, maybe some rusting up of the surface in the drum? I notice that if left for a few days, when you first apply the brake, you get a noise like rusty discs, but this soon goes after some brake use. I noticed that when i was under the bus, the rubber bungs that cover some holes on the back plate/drum area are missing, i have some somewhere. Maybe just damp causing slight surface rusting, and noise when applying the brakes?

Any one else get this?

A few more pics, here's Billy:

Took a ride out to Watermouth Castle again

Nice day out, Billy got a new car seat, next stage up, so he's happier.

Some more things arrived to fit, can you guess what this is going to end up as?

More updates soon!

Cheers,

Alistair

 

[who?1]

Bondage straps!!!???

 

[gninnam]

A round thing with tape on it??????

 

[aogrady]

Bondage straps!!!???

:lol:

Nope!

Alistair

 

[aogrady]

A round thing with tape on it??????

Correct!

I's actually Italian leather strips, in a lovely tan colour, which will match the tan leather Momo seats waiting to fit (whenever that'll be)

I'm making some nice little straps up for the curtains and hammock etc, might sell some if i have any leather left, I have bought the tools for the fixings etc too.



Cheers,

Alistair

 

[gninnam]

I's actually Italian bridle leather, in a lovely tan colour, which will match the tan leather Momo seats waiting to fit (whenever that'll be)

I'm making some nice little straps up for the curtains and hammock etc, might sell some if i have any leather left, I have bought the tools for the fixings etc too.



Cheers,

Alistair

Sounds very posh :mrgreen:
Looking forward to how these turn out.

 

[aogrady]

I's actually Italian bridle leather, in a lovely tan colour, which will match the tan leather Momo seats waiting to fit (whenever that'll be)

I'm making some nice little straps up for the curtains and hammock etc, might sell some if i have any leather left, I have bought the tools for the fixings etc too.



Cheers,

Alistair

Sounds very posh :mrgreen:
Looking forward to how these turn out.

Hi,

Fingers crossed, Sunday or my day off Monday. Going to do the fridge strap too, maybe the wardrobe door and sink drawer lid too, we'll see. I have had the tools etc arrive today, and also 11 different colours of 5m length wire so i can extend the control box for the split charge system using the correct colour wires.

Still not ordered the thick battery cable and crimps yet, can decide on 25/35mm cable, I'll work out my sums again and stop bloody procrastinating! Not even seen if the Trojan batterys will fit under the bed even, I have like 15-20-mm before it touches the bed base :roll: Still, 210aH can't be sniffed at!

So fingers crossed by Monday, the new split charge system and the curtains ties etc will be sorted (fingers crossed)

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[the irv]

love the details 8)

 

[aogrady]

love the details 8)

Cheers!

I knocked up a prototype leather strap earlier to see how it looked. First impressions, good, I like the colour match with the westy wood veneer. I went for a slightly wider and thicker 3mm leather, to give it a "chunkier" look and feel, a little more old retro, like the straps securing a bonnet on a 356 - and used antique style brass fixings to match.

Hammered a little to enthusiatically, so some marks came through onto the end cap, could do with a few more mm on the bit you hammer down really...I swopped around fittings so male and female were used, and both with end caps, which i think looks better than the visable washer and screw on the OG one.

I'll re make another one tomorrow, a little longer so it fits better around the edge of the fridge, and I wont trim the ends, will just leave square, or certainly not trim back as much, maybe just a little arrow head.

More laters!

Alistair

 

[gninnam]

Very impressive.
Looks like it should have always been there

 

[aogrady]

Thanks! I think version 2 will be much better B-)

it was a bit of a experiment anyway, just something a bit different to the norm.

Cheers,

Alistair

 

[aogrady]

Hi,

Here are the finished straps, took me quite a long while, the hammer together parts of the press studs were a little to short (or the leather too thick) to fit really well, even though acording to the spec, they should have fitted, though i guess leather doesnt compress like fabric. Anyway, i drilled and countersunk around the hole fixing to allow me a few mm clearence, and then fitted it all together.



Really pleased with the look of the thick leather over the thin plastic stock straps, so made some more for the new canvas in the roof.





I had a little off cut left, so made a quick little hinge support for under the gas hob



I also got a small anodised alloy digital rev counter to mount in the engine bay to use for checking timing settings and carbs, to get the speed right. A few wiring mods, new connectors and heatshrinked up to use standard fittings for the coil





Plan was to mount it on the rear valence fixing towards the LHS carb, and have it colour matched, or mettalic brown like the side step. I have a few teething problems with the accuracy which i am sorting out with the seller, think my electronic ignition is the fault, but i'm not changing to points, so may well bin that idea for the time being and look for something else.

I like doing all these little things, easy to do (well, after flatteneing the end of my thumb a few times) and makes a nice little change to the stock interior, whilst still keeping original looks.

I have a load of 25mm and 16mm superflex copper cable coming, so hopefully i can crack on with the new T Max split charge system and get those damn 210aH Trojan batterys fitted that have been in the garage for time......really need the van sorted now before the weather gets worse....

Cable spec:

http://www.eland.co.uk/electricalcable/pvcflexiblecable/cable4/elandflex-cable.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just waiting for copper tube crimps and red heatshrink tubing, as the cable i have is black, so as not to stand out to much in the engine bay

And, also have some more paint etc for the underneath chassis, pans and wheelarches, so watch this space!

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[gninnam]

Great. The straps look fab :mrgreen:

 

[aogrady]

Great. The straps look fab :mrgreen:

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[*Sam*]

Alastair,
I just read in another thread that you have air shocks to fit to your van, bit of a cheeky one but how much did they set you back ?
I'm currently deciding between the and the Gaz coilovers.

 

[Myvanway]

Agreed, they look bang on. 8)

 

[aogrady]

Alastair,
I just read in another thread that you have air shocks to fit to your van, bit of a cheeky one but how much did they set you back ?
I'm currently deciding between the and the Gaz coilovers.

Hi!

I can't remeber exactly, but I think it was about £40 per damper, plus the other bits, it may have been about £200, may be about that, it's that long ago, I can't rememeber! I must have had them for well over a year, think there are some pictures etc a little way back in my gallery thread.....

Cheers,

Alistair