My 72 Devon Moonraker Resto

[89Rallye]

Appologies to anyone who has seen this before

This is about 2 1/2 years of work so I'll try and keep it a short as I can :lol:

As bought, my dad actually found this van through a mate of his it had been taken in px for another newer motor and the dealer who had it just wanted rid.

It appeared to be in average-good condition but how things can be misleading, also for some reason that i’ll probably never know the original owner had decided to paint the ENTIRE interior with what looks like magnolia emulsion. Oh and I mean everything and probably with a roller judging by the finish, door cards, headlining, all the interior cupboards etc etc

After a quick strip, shotblast and overhaul of the front axle she was lowered to tera firma and with the addition of some new wheels studs a nice cheap set of merc alloys followed.

All of this....

Lead to this...

Which lead to this...

Then things started going downhill, after a bit of poking this happened.

Inch of filler anyone?

It was just botch after botch

But things started to turn around, I converted the rear arches to early ones as I prefer the look but I am now starting to regret this decision so may end up changing them back.

All this was done outside me dads as I have the Caddy in my garage at home, which wasn’t really ideal. Just a few more random body work photos

Botched battery tray

Engine bay repairs

This looks a little better

So with things being alot worse than we thought the van was moved up to my garage and my poor caddy was turfed outside, this was mainly due to not wanting the weather getting to the van.

So home she came, (excuse the mess!)

Where the rust and the filler just kept on coming.

Now I had already started to make this to use on the Caddy, but since I knew the van was here for the long haul I adapted it. I was actually experimenting with a pipe bender (while make the roll cage for my Caddy) to see if you could bend square box tubing with it, turns out you can!!

Lots of digging and scraping later...

And it didn’t take long for the holes to start to appear

So only one thing for it, start cutting it all out...

And start replacing it with good steel.

I was starting to get really anal with it, this is the reason why everything I do is so SLOW.

All the repair panels that would fit in the shot blaster where cleaned, prepped and painted with rust protector

Yet to find out how good this stuff is, not cheap but not as expensive as some (por15 for example)

Belly pans needed a fair old bit of work

But getting there

I have recently started work on the van after probably an 18 month lay off due mainly to work and laziness if I’m honest.
Trying to complete one side of the underside of the van so it can be dropped and rolled the other way

Plenty more rust, oh and guess what more botches and filler.

I removed this plate with my hands, it was just tacked on and filled over!!

Plasma cutter made short work of the rest. I’m going to wait till the van is upright so I can line all the arches up then they will be tacked up and fully welded once the van is rolled again.

Managed last weekend to get the rear arch closing panels finished, its almost ready to be put back on its wheels again!! And I can get it outside and give the garage a good cleaning.

This just needed a little extending

And thats basically the bodywork up to date, I have missed loads off (phew I hear you all say) but you can only have so many photos.
LOL, in the meantime though I also built this for the van but not going to use it now as I want to convert the van to diesel... more on that later.
This is my dads engine, its a 1776cc built with all new parts (apart from tinware) bought from America.

Out with the old

Nice little delivery

And a few bits picked up at vanfest

Led to this, built in my dads living room.

Quick mock up

And tonnes of work needed with the tinware, some of it was literally in half.

Originally was thinking of going brown again with the van but thats changed now too..

Starting to flat it off, there not perfect but then its not going to be concours

That will do for now, thanks for sticking it to the end :lol:

Beleive it or not I've skipped alotof photos.

 

[89Rallye]

With work comitments (I'm away most weeks) I dont get much time on the van but excuses aside heres my most recent update.

I cant believe how piss poor thin the repair panel is on this sill piece, I'm hoping lots of waxoil will keep it safe for years to come.

 

[thru_a_lupe]

well documented!!! nowt wrong with photos....keep em coming!

loving the colour btw.....

:mrgreen:

 

[thru_a_lupe]

btw... is that engine in your front room?!? :shock: 8)

 

[89Rallye]

well documented!!! nowt wrong with photos....keep em coming!

loving the colour btw.....

:mrgreen:

Cheers dude, colour changes every day it wont be going brown anymore maybe back to the original blue? but I did like the thought of the original (when I got it anyway) brown over beige.

Plenty of time to think about colour though,

 

[89Rallye]

btw... is that engine in your front room?!? :shock: 8)

:lol: Well in my dads extension yes, everythings brand new and whilst its not scientifically clean its cleaner than the garage!

Its gets better than that.... (like I say alot of photos missing, this is the shortened version!)

:lol: :shock: :lol:

 

[faux]

Welcome to the site, what a great way to introduce yourself.

I started my Aircooled world in a 72 Devon.

What is your plan with the interior? Clean up, rubdown and get back to original? They are one of my favourite conversions.

Jon

 

[Caboose]

What a good read great pictures, would love to do my engine in front room but probably get lynched, just showed pics of engine in dishwasher to the misses, The reply I got was NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, don't see the problem myself. :shock: how did you get that square tube bent? I need one of those rollers.

 

[89Rallye]

Cheers guys,

This is the shortened down version, I get a little paranoid at times posting so many photos at once.

If anyones really really bored the rest are here so you can browse at your own leisure, theres also sub folders for engine and bodywork etc

http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a302/89Rallye/Camper/

Unfortunatley the original interior was past it, the cooker cupboard was about the best of the lot which was sold on (I'll tell the story one day about an Aussie trying to buy it on Ebay) the rest went in the bin but I did keep all the fixtures and fixings (sink, table etc) so I might do a repro of the original as there are some good plans on the internet. I'd love to get my hands on the previous owner who covered everything with the paint.

As for the dishwasher, its was due to be replaced! so I wouldnt recommend it.

I bent the box tubing myself I had a load left over (it was suppose to be a set of gates for my sister :lol: ) and thought i'd see if it would bend using a hydraulic bender and it did. It did take alot of calculating to get each length the same radius. it was originally built in just two little curves to flip my mk1 caddy on its side but got modified to fit the camper.

 

[89Rallye]

Heres a few more, you might be able to work out the size of space it took to roll. I was a bit pre occupied to take photos as it was balancing on a jack!

And heres how it was lowered over, so much control it was awesome.

 

[thru_a_lupe]

now that is flookin ingenius!!!! 8)

 

[easy]

Great resto! welcome welcome! keep them updates coming and good luck with it. I love the brown / grey combo! :mrgreen:

 

[89Rallye]

Since the other half was working yesterday I had a little time to myself,

I dont know why everything I do seems to take so long but I really need to pull my finger out as everybody is giving my grief about it now

Van been on its side now nearly 3 years which is a bit embarassing

Been putting this one off for a long time, in the end I made the B post repair panel myself which saved me £18 but probably cost me about £100 to make in time and electricity! :lol:

Cill is now all welded in place, its not perfect and i'm looking to lead/solder fill this as I dont want it cracking in the future.

Doesnt look much in photos but that a day and a half's work for me, slow and steady :lol:

Does mean I am very close to getting it back on its wheels though arty0053:

 

[Nick-Rackham]

Good work fella Keep at it, it's a long slow haul, but worth it in the end (or so they keep saying! )

 

[Mark6455]

It's looking good mark
What you need is to notch your chassis next
And if you want to practice on mine feel free

Btw- the glow plug came yesterday for the heater I'll drop it in when the other bits arrive(as if you haven't got enough to do

 

[89Rallye]

:lol: Cheers dude, notching a chassis is a piece of cake compared to this! if you want it doing just let me know and we'll sort something out. Its easier than raising the suspension back up

I'm away this week, Immingham Mon/Tues and Felixstowe Thursday/Friday but home Wednesday night I think. No rush anyway its your heater but i'm sure you wouldnt mind it back for Busfreeze!

Did you get the felt ring to go with the seals?

 

[Mark6455]

That's cool mark as long as you don't mind
Just let me know when's best for you?
I ordered a seal kit so assume it has the felt ring?
I'm off tue,thur on nights the weekend

Let me know how much I owe you mate

Thanks again
Mark

 

[89Rallye]

Big day today, unearthed after nearly two years on its side

Still lots and lots of work to complete, every time I look at the van I find more botches and filler.

10" wide on the rear?? maybe not :lol:

Properly motivated now, going to get the front panel off and sort the arches and deformation panel out then work backwards.

I think the cab doors are past it, I was going to repair them but I think its best to just replace them now so if anyone has any good rust free doors let me know

 

[creationblue]

Great work fella, loving the camper skates too. Colour combo looks cracking its good to be different 8)

Just

 

[89Rallye]

Great work fella, loving the camper skates too. Colour combo looks cracking its good to be different 8)

Just

:lol: Cheers, I did have the body roller sat on the big skates at the back but it was too tall and wide I couldnt get it out of the garage. So I knocked them up this afternoon with the wheels of one of my tool boxes. They work a treat too I can push it about on my own with ease.