Small amount of restoration...

[gninnam]

Likey - always like steelies on the van

 

[fallingoffalot]

I'll get round to putting the fronts on too but need it raising a bit first I think. One thing that's immediately obvious is that 70mph is at 3500 rpm and not 4200. More relaxing drive and slightly softer. All I need is some hub caps. Anyone got any tatty ones for sale, I want to paint them body colour so will take back to bare metal anyway.

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[fallingoffalot]

Today I went about removing (as little as possible of) the white top paint so I can respray with cloud white. The roof has always been white I think, round the windows was done some years ago by the looks of it. Anyway got to this point, decided it looked cool, so I put on a clear coat!

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[gninnam]

Interesting

 

[sparkywig]

It would've been body colour all over originally, and then the roof painted as an optional extra (unless it was a deluxe microbus when different roof colours were standard).
From 1970MY the bus would've been painted white all over first, and then the second would be painted to the lower half of the bus with the colour border changed to the waist body profile rather than the gutter.

 

[fallingoffalot]

Prepping the roof for respray, it's in great condition, there's the odd bit of surface rust which I've sanded back to shiny metal. Bit of filler on this quarter, which seems to have about 5mm of filler on all over, mind you so did the panel below that I sprayed last year, seems a bit odd as the metal is sound underneath. Its obviously a repair from years gone by in SA, is it common practice to put a replacement panel on then skim it with a load of filler?

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[fallingoffalot]

First bit primed

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[fallingoffalot]

Just realised how much work the white is going to be!

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[gninnam]

Nice job - just have the rest of the van to do now so it all matches

 

[fallingoffalot]

Yes, right, so I thought that if the paint on there was still decent and the body sound, why disturb it when it's been there for 50odd years. I'll just go over with 600 grit and spray on top.

Well that didn't go to plan when I realised that the masking tape was pulling the top coat of white off. So I've done my best to take this off and leave the original Chianti red as the base. This is easier said than done, I don't want to go down to metal unless I really have to.

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[ozziedog]

I’m of the same opinion that opening up the original paint is a step backwards unless you really really have to. If there’s any original paint on there it has sealed the metal all this time and going over it will only increase its performance, whereas stripping it off is exposing old metal to the nasties about like damp etc. So bare metalling isn’t all it seems in the hands of us amateurs, might be a bit different for them professional types. I dunno if you knows, but you can get different types of masking tape, with different stickinesses if that’s a real word :roll: Plus, time for removal is different with some tapes :shock:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,, might be teaching you to suck eggs :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[ozziedog]

Now tell me that you is a professional body work peep and I’ll shut up :lol:

Ozziedog,,,,,, first time for everything :mrgreen:

 

[fallingoffalot]

Hi Ozzy, I'm certainly in the amateur camp, yes all that makes sense, as you can see from the photos, I gone through some of the original paint, despite my best efforts. Some of the bits are obviously replacements and there was no OG paint there at all.

Should get the primer down tomorrow, it all depends on how many Stellas I have whilst sanding tonight

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[Coda]

Where's the LIKE button?

Oh, I forgot this isn't TLB :mrgreen:

LOOKING GOOD! Can you do mine after?

 

[fallingoffalot]

MOT time....
pass

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[Coda]

Well done.

 

[gninnam]

Nice one

 

[fallingoffalot]

Hub caps...

I am thinking of doing the wheels body colour, then maybe paint the hubcaps white. 2 of them are pristine, but the other 2 are a bit flakey (literally). Has anyone done this and could share a photo. The other option is to keep wheels white and do hubcaps in body colour.

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[fallingoffalot]

Had the front wheels off ready for new tyres tomorrow, thought I'd tidy up the wheel arch whilst it was up on stands.
You can see where the wheel rubbed the arch at the back.

Oh yeah, and don't get it in your hair!

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[gninnam]

Look soo much better