Nick's Crossover Cali Riviera Camper

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This gets delivered in about a week (depending on weather and ferries). Plans are to weld new panels into the cab floors and battery tray, drop it on Transporterhaus spindles and one notch at the back, slip in an engine and MOT it ready for my summer hols. Then I will look at removing the red oxide and rescuing the og paint underneath if possible. I have a set of overrider bumpers, deluxe waist trim and ambulance fans waiting for her as well. Off to make a large space in the garage for her!

 

[Loxy]

8)

 

[gninnam]

How solid is it underneath - the rest looks to be in fairly good nick

 

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Just the battery tray and a patch on each side of the cab floor. A days work taking it easy! Makes a change from my Dormy. I will still keep plugging away at the dormy until she is fit to be sold, though.

 

[dubscum]

thats mint !

 

[71dormy]

it may be a cross dresser :lol:

but...

yes yes yes

:mrgreen:

 

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Aberdeen docks this lunchtime, getting ready for the trip north. Many thanks to Dave Campbell of Route 9 Autos in Glasgow for supplying and transporting the bus for me.

 

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Another couple from today:

 

[dubscum]

i would leave it that height and maybe some knoberly tyres :msn4:

 

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Think I could squeeze those forklift tyres on....

 

[dubscum]

:lol: baja bus FTW 8)

 

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The camper arrived at the house yesterday, so I spent a while going over it with a notepad listing a few jobs it needs. It is really solid underneath, and makes such a change from what the majority of UK buses of that age are like. I stripped out the cab area ready for welding in new floor sections and also removed a couple of binbags of spongy foam which had been wedged behind the nose panel as insulation. There is a load more of the stuff behind the panels in the back, so thats today's job.
The main priority is to get it MOT'd as soon as possible, and then while I am waiting for the dvla to issue a reg I will be sorting a few other body bits. I will be welding up the holes left by the reflectors and US electric hookup, an also replacing all the glass rubbers and double checking the front panel. The front panel needs a little fettling and is saveable, but I might bite the bullet and replace the whole thing while the screen is out.
The missus has decreed that she wants savannah beige paint on it, but I am trying to convince her that the original L90D white would be nice. Either way I have a set of overrider bumpers and deluxe waist trim ready for her. No pics from yesterday, maybe some later. PS did I mention I am looking for 1600 late bay engine tin? Ta!

 

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First job for the MOT is to fix the rusty footwells and battery tray. I'm keen to do a proper job so I ordered one of these beasties:

In practise it lasted about ten goes before the spring loaded guide pin jammed inside the tool, so I've had to develop a steady hand to stop the drill skittering around.

Here is the rusty bit in the offside footell. I drilled out the majority of the spotwelds and tidied up the rest of the surround with a diamond tipped cutting disc. Quick stop for a coffee and to post these pics, and then I'm back out at it.

Edges are all tidied, next job is to prepare the new panel prior to welding it in. Back in a bit...

 

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Front footwell repair panel welded in before I put a skim of seam sealer over the joins:

A quick squirt of temporary white primer later:

I'll be sorting out the cosmetics later. The priority is to get the old girl mobile an MOT'd. Drivers side tomorrow!

 

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Too wet to weld outside today, so busied myself sticking on the wipers and a badge...

All the tyres have been renewed. Jobs left to do include just a bit more welding, dropped spindles to be fitted and the back dropped a notch, bumpers to be fitted, UK headlight conversion and an engine! Hopefully should be camping in it in July. It'll get paint this winter.

 

[dubdubz]

Too wet to weld outside today, so busied myself sticking on the wipers and a badge...

All the tyres have been renewed. Jobs left to do include just a bit more welding, dropped spindles to be fitted and the back dropped a notch, bumpers to be fitted, UK headlight conversion and an engine! Hopefully should be camping in it in July. It'll get paint this winter.

does it have disks on the front?

if so you'll need to cut out a square on the backing plate to accomodate the reversed balljoint - I'll try and find a picture of when I did it, plus think about where to put the bracket for the flexible hose - hardline connection, as it won't fit in it's normal place due to the configuration of the spindle/balljoint...

in fact I'm starting a new thread............

 

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Is that necessary for the transporterhaus spindles with 71-72 calipers? I didn't know that... I'll keep a lookout for your thread. Thanks!

 

[dubdubz]

Is that necessary for the transporterhaus spindles with 71-72 calipers? I didn't know that... I'll keep a lookout for your thread. Thanks!

just looking for pics now - and yes it is necessary in my view unless your happy with the scraping noise!! it's raining here too but if it stops and I can't find my saved pics, then I'll do some more....

new thread here......

http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=23429" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

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Thanks! I've seen your thread and will be doing the same.
The sun came out, so I went out to do a bit more on the van. The US electric hook up was in a real mess and was never going to be used over here anyway. I took it off and was left with this:

I tidied it up and clamped a tuppence behind the mounting bolt hole:

I filled the hole full of weld, ground it back and cut a piece of steel out of the excess from yesterday's floor repair panel. This was then tacked on:

After daisychaining the spots, I ground the welds back:

I put a quick squirt of high build primer onto it, just to keep the worst of the effects of the weather at bay. It will need the barest skim of filler and thats it.

More tomorrow; drivers footwell next.

 

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It seems it wasn't a doorseal that was causing the leak into the footwell:

The curse of the crusty Californian windscreen rubber strikes again. I'll be putting a complete front panel on as soon as I get a reasonable quote for the shipping.