HELP PLEASE! MOT failure - welder required..

[rustythevan]

Hello,

Can you help me?

My Early Bay 1971 camper is in need of a lot serious welding to the chassis.

So much so, she failed her MOT and so far I've been to six garages that didn't want to take the job on. These include: Rickmansworth Service Station; MotorSolve - Watford; Beetlelink - Farnham; MotorMasters - West Drayton; M&M Motors - Ricky. These guys have all being very honest and I appreciate their help... All of them have different reasons as why they won't take the job on.. Feel free to give me a call if needed to discuss this further.. Please follow this link to see pics of the work needed doing...

http://s885.photobucket.com/albums/ac56/jimmy_p_s/Rusty%20the%20Camper/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not lying, this is a big job but I'm hoping, fingers crossed someone out there will fancy the challenge and get my old girl back on the road.

If not she's going on ebay as a project.. something I really don't want to do as she is very sentimental to my heart and I love her to bits...

Do you or would you know someone who can help me put the van back on the road? Have you seen the pics of the chassis in its current state..? Do you come in on a budget that we can discuss..? The chassis has gone at the suspension and around the driving box... It cannot be repaired due to the numerous bodge jobs over the 40 years involving fibre-glass filler!! Gggrrrrr.... This is my last chance to save her...

I cannot stress enough this is a big job and not just a cut out and replace job. It will need a mini restoration to her bottom half, I've been very honest, in order to hear from genuine replies only. I've been told there's a guy in Devon who will take her on... But he's in Devon and I would prefer to see her go to a local garage around the Watford if poss.

I would love to hear from you if you think you can save her, and I'll be your best friend for-ever! Viewing is highly recommended before replying please.

Cheers and feel free to pass on my details to who-ever can lend a hand.

Best regards
James

07855072130 - please leave a message if I don't pick up.

 

[cunning plan]

If you can get it on a trailer to Downham Market, Jason at Dubs and Classics would make it like new again, although it will not be cheap going by your description.

http://dubsandclassics.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Contact details:
http://dubsandclassics.com/page11.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You could give him a shout and discuss it with him. He has my bus at the moment and his welding and fabrication is art.

 

[Toad]

http://www.justdubz.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(Shefford,Bedfordshire)
Give them a call!

 

[bertiethebus]

dude thats not too bad at all!

id start by getting a new beam and have you got a canny budget in mind?

 

[rustythevan]

Hello all, and many thanks for your help!

I've already been quoted upto £2k for the bottom floor, but the MOT has now ran out so kind of stuck to get it any-where without a tow bar...

Thanks for the numbers you've supplied to me, I'll give them a call first thing tomorrow.

I think my blood pressure is slowly reducing after being told by numerous places they would touch her! THANK YOU!

 

[Rob b]

So I just looked at all your photo's an a restore e-types for a living an used todo camper vans from what I remember most of the chassic sections are not reproduced so you will need to get clips off a donor bus some of the other bits are an easy fix as for a price I'm not to sure with out having a good look but if you cab find some where that has a few buses in that would be a great help for them as there will need to take measurements off the other buses so the sections they weld in will be in the right places what I wouldn't do it take it to some one really cheap I would say pay a little more to get a top job you wont look back

Shame your not nearer


Rob

 

[anthonygatti]

hi i both front chassis sections ,from a rhd 71, they go from front outriggers to where the steering box fixes,100% rot free with no patches, £250

 

[Graham L]

Hi
We'd be prepared to look at this for you but simply cannot fit it in at the moment, this is more of a winter resto job for us. I'd be interested to see what the rest of the bus is like though as if the underneath is this bad (and it does look bad from the pics) whats the rest of the bus like, things like doglegs etc as you may as well look at all of this at the same time and get the complete bottom of the bus sorted.

You'd be better using rust free cuts wherever possible and the ones above would be a good start as the repro chassis sections are not great!!

Getting it here isn't any issue as we could get it collected from you, happy to come and have a look at it if its any use to you?

 

[Clem]

Isnt RetroCustom near you as well? Try them?

 

[K@rlos]

From the pics, I can honestly say I've seen cars alot worse and they've been saved. Chin up

 

[rustythevan]

Thank you every one for your much appreciated help... I'm going to make a start and ring around this afternoon, to get the old girl back up and running!

Cheers and watch this space
Jim

 

[the_troupster]

Yep, mine was as bad as this. 5 months on a chassis roller in my spare time had it cleaned, repaired, painted and undersealed.

Well worth getting some quotes from the specialists if it has lots of sentimental value to you.

Jim

 

[K@rlos]

I know it would be abit of a travel to come up to Suffolk but my friend Dan Leech who owns Bus Werxs would take it on, I've seen far worse in his workshop.