the life and times of Doris the Dormobile!

[gninnam]

Very nice job with the 'bits and pieces' 8)

Was the chroming expensive (used to live near Crewe many years ago so might have to pay them a visit if the cost is fair) :?:

 

[Doris]

Very nice job with the 'bits and pieces' 8)

Was the chroming expensive (used to live near Crewe many years ago so might have to pay them a visit if the cost is fair) :?:

Thanks mate,door handles £25-£30 depending on condition.mine were £30 each as they were in poor shape as you can see.I do thing Original re chromed ones are better than repo anyday.

If you do,let me know - pop in for brew! you never know,Doris may be back by then

Cheers - Rob

 

[Doris]

oil bath air filter looks miles better now.I went for a 72> version with the vacuum chamber operated flap.......

Had all the engine tin ware powder coated in satin black,had to replace a couple of pieces but the various oil leaks had preserved most of it :lol: I wanted the engine stock & right as VW intended,so gone back to original vacuum distributor & air filter,all new Elring seals and hardware.it only has 89k on it so in VW terms its got loads of life left in in it ( I hope! :shock: ).can't wait to get it back in the bus!!! before & after.......

 

[gninnam]

Very nice job with the 'bits and pieces' 8)

Was the chroming expensive (used to live near Crewe many years ago so might have to pay them a visit if the cost is fair) :?:

Thanks mate,door handles £25-£30 depending on condition.mine were £30 each as they were in poor shape as you can see.I do thing Original re chromed ones are better than repo anyday.

If you do,let me know - pop in for brew! you never know,Doris may be back by then

Cheers - Rob

Thanks Rob - hope to pop round in a few months time, if I can get mine MOT'd...

The price you quote doesn't seem to bad, so will have to see how my funds look like if I can get the van on the road

The engine looks really good and should run sweet once you get the new filter installed, plus looks nice and cool :mrgreen:

 

[Doris]

next was a pig of a job. The metal frame work built into the Dormobile roof had rusted away and had become dust inside the fibre lass channel it once supported. I hads no other option but to cut away the fibre glass,take measurements and have an engineeriing company fabricate the metal supports from scratch.they did it spot on first time thank fully.including the curved pieces up the side. It was my job to fit them and set them back into fibre glass to give the roof strength....

the process went something like this.....

replacement tubing.....

when the roof goes for prep & paint,all the fibre glass will be tidied up.hope it stays put - I've never used fibre glass before!!!! :shock:

 

[Doris]

The price you quote doesn't seem to bad, so will have to see how my funds look like if I can get the van on the road

OK,If you know what you want doing & when you're coming,just post the bits to me a couple of weeks before you come,I'll drop it in for you, then it should be ready for you to collect when you're up this way!

more to come......

 

[Doris]

interior cabinets freshened up.used fablon 'light oak' which came out really well......

before and after.....

The front seat frames where rough after 40+ years of use so I had them shot blasted and powder coated in gloss black,including the part of the Dormobile cooker built into the passenger seat.....

 

[Doris]

I decided to have the seats and bed re upholstered.I gave the work to Traffic Trim in the west Midlands,Tim did a great job.he even managed to replace and repair a few springs in the drivers seat.I was unsure what colour scheme to have the upholstery but when I saw the 'Slamfalia' bus in the August 2009 'Camper & Bus' magazine - it had to be like that!! I went for the red vinyl but with Hessian coloured piping which will compliment the L282 Lotus white paintwork & tie the interior & exterior together.I based the colour & broad ribbed design on that bus's interior,but went for a horizontal ribbed panel on the door cards.

I had a little helper to make sure the seats are comfortable enough......

buddy seats before.....

 

[gninnam]

I take it your units were in reasonable nick? Mine are shot so will be building new replacements from marine ply once I get the bus back home - like the fablon finish also 8)

The seats and door cards look fantastic - will brighten up the interior no end

Oh, and thanks for the kind offer regards the chroming :mrgreen:

 

[Doris]

bumpers powder coated to match the wheels.....

cool period tunes courtesy of Richard Oakley.....

got a set of these to go on as well french 'Jadet' mudflaps..........

headlamp bowls before & after a re chrome......

 

[surfbus]

That's a lot of good looking parts&bits!

 

[Doris]

her nose is in Primer.........

 

[Matt_B]

What have you done on the flip side of cushions, ie the ones you'll be sleeping on?

 

[Doris]

What have you done on the flip side of cushions, ie the ones you'll be sleeping on?

not quite sure what you mean Matt,but the bases are the original Dormobile wooden bases.The upholsterer did the clever stuff. Let me Know if you need pics or something.

 

[Matt_B]

My Devon cushions that make up the bed that we sleep on are vinyl one side and fabric on the other. Reason being that sleeping on vinyl could get a bit sticky so you flip them over for sleeping. So just wondered what you'd done, I'm assuming you have a bed but maybe you don't. Thanks

 

[Doris]

oh right,well what you can see in the pics are the tops of the bed cushions & the rock & roll bed.The bases are wood that sit onto a wooden frame in the boot,normally used for storage. The front part of the bed is the rock & roll seat,also a wooden base.I think we'll be using a bed sheet though because of the sticky vinyl. the kids & their friends will probably be in the bus though,the adults get relegated to the awning :roll:

 

[Benyon]

the kids & their friends will probably be in the bus though,the adults get relegated to the awning :roll:

:shock: :shock: :shock:
With all that hard work and sweet looking interior your not going to be enjoying it? I know your a tall guy but still...

 

[bluenose]

nice work on the pop top roof with the metal supports. I've no doubt I will have to undertake the same job so some good inspiration

 

[Doris]

Thanks for the comments guys!

just getting the pop top out of storage.Give it a good clean and a few minor repairs to the fibre glass. Its off to the paint shop on Sunday for full preparation & paint .....

 

[Toad]

It does look very tidy under there so probably a reasonable descision.
Are you going to drop the van at all (hope you don't or if you have to, then only by a few inches...) or keep it as VW intended :?:
)

No mate shes's staying original - there's plenty of that malarky going on,I'l leave it to the others

Thats great news....bloody hell...a standard height bus! WOOHOO!