my 1971 danburyfalia pop top project

[andewilson]

been spending a good few mind numbing (and indeed hand numbing hours) around the workshop stripping every last bit of paint off the underneath.

i'd say i'm about 70% stripped so hope to have it all bare after weds and thurs night.

then i can fit the brackets for my oil cooler, then get it sprayed

 

[gninnam]

Thought I would never type this in: your a bloody good stripper :lol:

Looking good dude

 

[Haveacamper]

i know how you feel mate. you have to admit though, it does give u a warm feeling when its stripped back looks so damn good!

i'm itching to see yours on the road as much as i am to see mine well almost :mrgreen:

 

[andewilson]

small progress report. finished welding in my oil cooler tonight and completed the bare metalling of the drivers side.

planning to rebuild the rear arm tomorrow then have a little flipping party to finsh the stripping on the other side of the bus, and any other bits ive missed

 

[Haveacamper]

is that my bus? hehe

looks good mate. i'm waiting for my mate to come back on the weekend for me to flip it back on its wheels

 

[gninnam]

Coming on very nicely is that 8)

 

[Buss69]

I've not checked your thread for some time, it's insane. I think there are going to be a good few people who are gonna give you a round of applause when it's done, stunning.
Quick question though, after all the amazing work you have done why are you using clips to fasten the deluxe belt line trim. The holes are a rust trap! I used an industrial double sided tape to fix mine on (it's what car manufacturers use to stick on body trim). It works brilliantly, I was initially worried that it would not work but I stuck one piece on, stood back and it was on the piss. It took me an hour to get it off and another hour to prep to do it all again, so it definitely works. Thought I should share.
Nearly there.

 

[andewilson]

now you mention it, maybe i should have gone down the 3m tape route and not drilled the bus. but i was caught up in the whole "drill it before you spray it" so peppered it with holes :shock:

 

[andewilson]

not been frequenting here for a while due to being a bit down on my bus of late, and trying to get my golf and t4 right. (accidently trapped my hand between the top mount and arch when replacing a coilover which bloody hurt and looked a right mess, though was in sooo much forgot to take a photo of it :lol: )

well, after about a month or two of stripping por 15. yesterday my friend drove 150 miles to help get my bus properly back on track. i dont know whether i was just soooo fed up with stripping it that i simply ignored the fact that it wasnt done, but in all honesty it wasnt . it took us from 9am till 9pm to scrape away the rest of the paint and crap from the floor.

started spraying at 9pm and after two coats of etch, one coat of stone chip, and about three of top coat, the bottem of the bus looks great. i am soooo pleased. here are a few pics of the work.


borrowed this but it turned out to be a little small to run the air feed mask and gun, struggled with just the gun if im honest but got there in the end

masked up and temp spary booth made

graftin shot not of me im afraid. i was choaking in the corner at the time :lol:

 

[andewilson]

.

 

[andewilson]

after an hour, and four tubes of pu sealer, the stone ship coat went on. i have never been a fan of stone chip paint, thinking it was only put on to cover up things. but i really can see why it is used. i would hate to think that just because of vanity, i would let my bus rot out again for the sake of shiney paint underneath. it did howeversting my eyes like nothing else when it was drying and the smell was enough to rot your nose off

top coat is a one year only beetle colour called anthracite, the original plan was to go for porsche slate grey. but after a a bottle of jager at action we spotted a beetle camped next to us in a mid grey colour and in the morning feeling a bit grim i tapped the owner up for the paint code

hope you like

the evening was topped off at 5.30am this morning when we finally finshed the sraying and i stood in a washing up bowl full of thinners and paint :lol: :lol: all in all one of the best 24+ hours my bus has ever had. i am so pleased with how the bus looks and cant wait to see it in full paint. i am inspired to learn to paint now as the transformation of my bus has put me right back on it, and aim to prep and paint the pop top while the bus is away getting sprayed which fingers crossed will be just after christmas. it was a true lesson in how to graft which i think i had forgotten over the years. cheers

 

[andewilson]

here is a link to the google find that convinced me that this was the colour to go for.

http://californiaclassix.com/archive/63_VW_c205.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


not too dark to make my bus disappear on a photo, and still a vintage vw colour so sticking with the brand. cant wait to get the trinkets out.

 

[gninnam]

Now looking fantastic dude 8)

I'm glad you found your 'mojo' and what you have achieved in those 24 hours looks like it should be good for another 40 years

Can't wait to see the next instalment now :mrgreen:

 

[Graham L]

Andy

Looking bloody good as always mate, getting close now. On the road in 2011??

 

[andewilson]

just to get it moted by this time next year would be a bonus. brighton breeze 2011 is the target, even if it has only one seat in and the misses and kids have to follow in the t4.

 

[cunning plan]

:shock: Looks great! The chassis now has a better finish than on most people's buses! :mrgreen:

 

[dubscum]

Amazing colour, it will really suit the bus and stand out in a good way, really good work as also mate, i'll have to pop over sometime and (drink tea) lend a hand, chat a chat and check your bus out.

just to get it moted by this time next year would be a bonus. brighton breeze 2011 is the target, even if it has only one seat in and the misses and kids have to follow in the t4.

Bonus! *off to remove some seats out the van*

 

[andewilson]

cheers guys. you will have to pop down one time ash.

sadly work on the van will be on hold for a week or three due to a flat requiring a bit of work to get right

also i went to the local porsche breakers last night to pick up a pair of 16 inch 965 space savers to add to the two i got on flebay to complete the set of four to run them on the bus, while i was there i fell in love with a j plate 911 (964) in jet black. i want it . low milage hpi clear trade in so no damage 60+k miles. 10 grand! which is really quite cheap. talk about turning up properly at the wrong time.

sell the golf, have a rimage kull, and use the van spray money? :roll:

i'd love to but getting that one past my wife would be a tough one. even the insurance was quite cheap.

i need to get my head down for a couple of weeks and by then the vans new belly will be nice and hard so i can bolt a few bits on it and get it back on its wheels.

 

[Guest]

that looks awesome 8)

is this the one?

 

[gninnam]

Try to keep to one project at a time please :msn4:

Know what you mean about those older 911's - they do look good, the local garage has a early 80's targa (not really the one to go for) and I was tempted (though it didn't have a price on it!!)