Re-spray dilemma

[mcvw]

Hi,

I got some time to myself today and spent it working on my bus

I stripped both my 'rust-free' cab doors and proceeded to DA them in prep for what I was hoping a quick repaint. However, both doors are now almost down to bare-metal and it's evident that although the doors are very solid and rust-free, they have a lot or dents and holes in them mostly around the front lower edge. One door even has about a dozen parallel holes drilled in it - presumably to pull out a big dent :?

Both doors have also at some time been fitted with truck-style mirrors as I uncovered 3-mounting holes (two in the door, 1 on the waistline near to the OEM door mirror fitting) in both doors - and I now have two almost bare-metalled doors, which brings me to the title of this thread.

If I have the doors filled/repainted they will look pristine - which will then make the rest of the bus look a bit shite. Which has made me now consider getting the whole bus DA'd (by me!) and repainted (not by me lol). Now I do love shiny painted buses, but I wanted my bus to be a bit ratty so that I wouldn't have to worry about parking dents/scratches etc :?:

Any ideas?

Thanks,


Mike

 

[alex4057]

I think you answered your own question,

you've gone this far you may as well get the whole van blown over and painted up

 

[Doris]

or go the other way and fill the imperfections and rattle can the doors yourself ?

 

[clyde]

I know how you feel, ive got a 90% sound bus and all my mates tell me to get it blown in and keep it mostly OG. But to be honest i hate patch work and would rather get the lot done. Then again i dont want a bus i cant use as im affraid of getting the paint scratched on a shopping or camping trip.
Do as much as you feel is right and live with it either way................ its a tough choice.

If you get it painted and use it rather than trailer it its going to get scratched. How can you not use it for months then go camping in cornwall for example and take it to Asda for your midweek camping shop and not worry its going to get a mark or two. Either paint it to protect it for the next few years and use it, leave it as a rat and still use it or get it painted so well your affraid to let it out of your site and never use it as intended again.

 

[alex4057]

Mine's painted and the first thing I did when rolling out the paint shop was a big smokey burnout,

That year I did 2 euro trips including a 2500mile trip to Norway,

Yes, I have turned into one of them that waxes polishes and cleans my van regular like a proper show car buffer, but at the same extent I'll happily use it ALL the time. I shifted a mattress from my elderly gran the other day, you just tend to park at the far end of the car parks in the middle of two bays away from other vehicles and have a slightly longer trek with the trolley when you leave the supermarket.

Get it painted, treat it right, but at the same extent you shouldn't be afraid of using it. There original owners did when they had them brand new, so why shouldn't you :mrgreen:

Life happens, you will get the odd stone chip and scratch and ding, but you'll have great memories getting them.

 

[Nugsy]

i'm with alex on that one, when i get round to painting mine, i cant wait to get a few little battle scars (not big ones) of my own on it so i know its being used, not sitting waiting for the next show.

Keep thinking about getting my bumpers done now so by next year when theyre ready to go back on the van, they have a few more chips and dents

 

[mcvw]

I agree with all of you :lol:

Only if I get the bus painted up... the shabby door cards and discoloured headliner (only one small tear in it) would most likely have to be replaced too :mrgreen:

 

[streetboy]

Good post

I was looking closer at my bus yesterday and It has picked up the odd car park ding since I've had it. While my profession says total strip and level the panels out on the van, my head says be a little less fussy but still get a proper coat of paint round it and enjoy using the old girl

 

[andewilson]

do a decent respray. then lend it me for a few months. my four kids would soon give it that patina'd, lived in look :lol: you wanna see what they've done to our t4 :shock: . its hard to be precious when your one year old joins in polishing your car with a stone

for me i ended up losing all the paint on mine so full job is the only option. at least giving it a full hit with give you years of protection and insure you have a bus for longer.

 

[streetboy]

do a decent respray. then lend it me for a few months. my four kids would soon give it that patina'd, lived in look

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[dubscum]

turned my back for a second

 

[monkeyvanwestybike]

Mine's painted and the first thing I did when rolling out the paint shop was a big smokey burnout,

That year I did 2 euro trips including a 2500mile trip to Norway,

Yes, I have turned into one of them that waxes polishes and cleans my van regular like a proper show car buffer, but at the same extent I'll happily use it ALL the time. I shifted a mattress from my elderly gran the other day, you just tend to park at the far end of the car parks in the middle of two bays away from other vehicles and have a slightly longer trek with the trolley when you leave the supermarket.

Get it painted, treat it right, but at the same extent you shouldn't be afraid of using it. There original owners did when they had them brand new, so why shouldn't you :mrgreen:

Life happens, you will get the odd stone chip and scratch and ding, but you'll have great memories getting them.

indeed
mines been repainted x 2 in 16 years
ive used it for carrying the following
concrete blocks, slabs ,
bags of plaster ,logs,,
cement
dustbins full of sand
bricks
stones
rocks
mixers
mowers
furniture
freezers
fridges
bikes
kids
dogs
drunks
and my incontinent mother in law :shock:
:lol:

 

[T2-Nate]

...
kids
dogs
drunks
and my incontinent mother in law :shock:
:lol:

lols :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Danbury Doug]

turned my back for a second


That photo reminds me of when I was little.
My dad had a boat with lots of shiney varnishwork on it, and I used to see him rubbing it down all the time, so my brother and I thought we'd have a go with the sandpaper too....... on his then brand new Mk2 Cortina estate. :lol: