Rusty '71 panelvan.

[BrotherNumberOne]

Hello all, i posted some of these pics in the newbies bit, but thought I'd stick them on here also. I've just bought a '71 panelvan which is very rotten and I've been trying to decide whether to restore it or break it. I only paid £150 for it and it had a load of VW bits in the back, so i figured I could at least make my money back selling the bits. But looking at the 'panelvan porn' thread has really made me want to restore it now, and i could use it as a work van, well that's what i keep telling myself anyway.

Obviously, it would need quite a few panel cuts and loads of welding, but on the plus side, it's only had 2 owners from new and done a genuine 26,000 miles!

Here's the stuff that was in the back. Seats from a microbus and interior panels also, I NOS VW exhaust and tailpipe which weighs twice as much as the ones you get now. Does anyone know when VW stopped making these?, Also there's some new lowlight indicators,a couple of sliding door mechanisms, rear bumper irons, a few repair panels and other odds and sods.

 

[Matt_B]

Hey Fletch, How you doing?

Looks like the 26k miles were done driving through the sea :lol:

Looks like a lot of work, but you're the man to do it and there would be huge satisfaction in saving it.

 

[BrotherNumberOne]

Hi Matt, I'm good thanks,how's you, and how's you van going?
Yep it would be good to save it. It's actually not quite as bad as it looks, the chassis's ok apart from the ends in the engine bay, unbelieveably the front beam is good and also the front panel looks to be ok as there's no rust stains down the inside, most of the steps are saveable. It just needs a complete new roof, one door, whole rear end,engine lid and hatch and all the normal bits like sills and outriggers.
The old boy that had it before was the second owner from '76 and it had 17,000 on the clock, he only used it for a few years then parked it up near his workshop where it's been ever since.

 

[Matt_B]

Should keep you busy for a few weekends :lol: Sounds lile you're keeping it then - good move

Mine's coming along should be painted in the next few weeks.

 

[aogrady]

Hi!

Yep, he is a bit rusty aint he?

RHD panel? And it owes you nothing at 150. It's well worth restoring i'd say, loads of cuts are available, and if you are handy with welding (well you would need to be) and somewhere to store it - do it - it's a great project, no doubt you could sell the parts and have a bus which has cost you nowt. All you need to do it buy some panels, and get going, take your time, Rome wasn't built in a day, you'll never loose money.

And we like pictures - so look forward to seeing your progress!

Or, weld up the chassis and underneath, make him all solid, and roll with it like that - that'd be cool......even cooler slammed, tubbed and chassis notched rolling on earlys....... (had to get that in!)

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[BrotherNumberOne]

cheers Alistair, are RHD panel vans quite rare then? I'm 90% certain I'll do it now, but I've got a couple of other jobs on the go so I'll have to fit it in round them. By the way, what are earlys? I've seen that a few times before and wondered what they are. cheers

 

[Grazy]

DUDE SAVE IT !

The chair with the bar across rear is worth at least fifty quid id say , and RHD UK Panels vans are as rare as Rocking Horse shit

So please get it on the road ,

Oh and Earlies are pre73 Bay windows

 

[dubscum]

minimum work for MOT the superslam! ? 8)

 

[cunning plan]

Wow RHD Panel with genuine low miles?!! arty0021: Uber cool!!

I like how the rear hatch window seal looks brand new - how?! :lol:

 

[aogrady]

cheers Alistair, are RHD panel vans quite rare then? I'm 90% certain I'll do it now, but I've got a couple of other jobs on the go so I'll have to fit it in round them. By the way, what are earlys? I've seen that a few times before and wondered what they are. cheers

Earlys in the context i was thinking of, are the early Porsche wheels, info here:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/archive/index.php/o-t--t-67203--.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers!

Alistair

 

[BrotherNumberOne]

hello, it's been a long time since I've posted on here, but I've finally decided to get on with my panel van, so I thought I'd post up some pics to keep myself inspired, it'll be a long term project 'cause it's got to be fitted round other work, but hopefully it'll get done. I think i'm going to get it to the state where i can drive it rather than fully restore it straight off.
No real progress yet, just a few hours spent stripping it out. It's been quite enjoyable in a nerdy kind of way because everything is in the correct place, all the bolts and screws are untouched. the only bits which are missing are the headlight switch, the original carb and the visors. apparently they got pinched by someone when the van was sat at previous owners workshop. it looks like they got disturbed because they'd started to remove the vent levers but left them.

Here's the van, tucked in the corner of my workshop.

Here's the engine, it looks worse than it is, the tinware's in really good condition.

Dash stripped out.

A sign of how good the seal between the engine bay and the fuel tank area can be. with the firewall removed, it looks like new.

That's it for the mo, I'll post some more when I start welding.

 

[Grazy]

Nice to see this resto beginning mate , hats off to you , Best of luck 8)

 

[67panel]

3 packs of cutting discs and a roll of mig wire please :msn4: at least the roofs so far gone its not a patch option

 

[68_early_bay]

Yikes :shock: plenty of work there, thumbs upto you there on tackling it 8)

 

[BrotherNumberOne]

cheers folks, It is a load of work, but i've always wanted a panel van, and I hate scrapping vans. Anyone got a complete roof and rear corners for sale?

 

[Lee C]

Wow rat look!!! 8)

Some bits are mint whilst other bits just aren't there! :shock:

Imagine if the previous owner had put it in the workshop, instead of outside?? :msn4: :roll:

 

[BrotherNumberOne]

Wow rat look!!! 8)

Some bits are mint whilst other bits just aren't there! :shock:

Imagine if the previous owner had put it in the workshop, instead of outside?? :msn4: :roll:

I know, I've thought that a few times, I knew about it for years as well and should have got it earlier, I also missed a Variant they had which they scrapped a few months before i got the panel. It is odd though, some bits are hardly touched, the cab floor, the front arches aren't too bad either, under the screen seal there's only one hole, unfortunately, the roof is gone.

 

[Gwar72]

That's a project and a big half...!!!

Glad your going to save it and look forward to seeing the rebuild..!! 8)

 

[sipickup1]

All the best with it mate. Get it Neptune Blue...would look great sat next to my single cab.

 

[issit]

Mmm Panel Porn 8) RHD Too 8) will be watching this