Made an interesting discovery on the Transporter today, do you see any similarities?
67' 11 window
Moderators: warb, Rawdyn, Leroy, byronbus, Tonz Magonz, dmb
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whipps
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- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:12 pm
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resinmonkey
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- Location: Northern Rivers
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whipps
- DSKer
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:12 pm
Right, unfortunately the social life had been getting in the way of progression the last few weeks, I need to lose a few friends if this is ever going to get finished, either that or hand them a grinder!
Long weekend with no plans so hopefully some progress. Need to do a lot of prep still, niggly little things so that the roof will weld in solid. Updates to follow!
Long weekend with no plans so hopefully some progress. Need to do a lot of prep still, niggly little things so that the roof will weld in solid. Updates to follow!
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whipps
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- Posts: 84
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:12 pm
Well there has been small progress, the weather has not been my friend this past week. I have got both roofs marked and cut, and started to do some interior repairs prior to the swap.
Repair section tacked in for window pillar.(ran out of welding wire!)
Lot of little details to sort out, but slowly getting there. I got the wire brush into as much of the internal skin as possible while it is exposed and sprayed a load of rust converter in every nook and cranny. once the roof is back on these areas will not be accessable. Will coat with some cold gal tomorrow.
Hopefully i can get this roof swapped soon!
Repair section tacked in for window pillar.(ran out of welding wire!)
Lot of little details to sort out, but slowly getting there. I got the wire brush into as much of the internal skin as possible while it is exposed and sprayed a load of rust converter in every nook and cranny. once the roof is back on these areas will not be accessable. Will coat with some cold gal tomorrow.
Hopefully i can get this roof swapped soon!
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whipps
- DSKer
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:12 pm
Well I have spent all day today prepping the van for switching the roof, its amazing how you can spend endless hours and it looks like you have done nothing! Im glad im not keeping track of how much time goes into this project, it think it would scare me off ever doing it again!
Towed the other van over today so i had them both in one place to double check measurements etc. pre cut almost all the roof off, and did some more work on getting the pillars etc ready for the swap.
Ground off the top of the rear pillar where it meets the bottom of the gutter on the inside, have done this all the way around. they will then weld on cleanly.
Cut the rusty top section off of the pillar top at the cargo doors, no point welding onto rusty shit!
Then cut the inner and outer skin separately so that when the are welded back together it spreads the join, giving a stronger structural strength. This will be the case with most of the 'main' pillar joins.
Got a few mates coming round tomorrow to lift the lid, so to speak and do a test fit, so hopefully it all fits and i can get it in place. will be nice to have the van looking like a van again!
Towed the other van over today so i had them both in one place to double check measurements etc. pre cut almost all the roof off, and did some more work on getting the pillars etc ready for the swap.
Ground off the top of the rear pillar where it meets the bottom of the gutter on the inside, have done this all the way around. they will then weld on cleanly.
Cut the rusty top section off of the pillar top at the cargo doors, no point welding onto rusty shit!
Then cut the inner and outer skin separately so that when the are welded back together it spreads the join, giving a stronger structural strength. This will be the case with most of the 'main' pillar joins.
Got a few mates coming round tomorrow to lift the lid, so to speak and do a test fit, so hopefully it all fits and i can get it in place. will be nice to have the van looking like a van again!
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whipps
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- Posts: 84
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:12 pm
Roofless becomes - Ruthless!
Well I took an RDO today, and after getting some chores done, I got stuck into the van.
Had a couple of mates come round to help. Big thanks to Waide and Nathan for all thier help today!
Waide on the grinder, prepping the inside of the gutters for welding.
The donor bus starting to look like its been attacked by a can opener!
Finally got the roof lifted off the donor van. believe it or not two of us lifted it off, not so much heavy as awkward!
Looks strange on its own. At this stage both the kombi's look almost the same!
Had a couple of mates come round to help. Big thanks to Waide and Nathan for all thier help today!
Waide on the grinder, prepping the inside of the gutters for welding.
The donor bus starting to look like its been attacked by a can opener!
Finally got the roof lifted off the donor van. believe it or not two of us lifted it off, not so much heavy as awkward!
Looks strange on its own. At this stage both the kombi's look almost the same!
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whipps
- DSKer
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:12 pm
Got the front of the van up on the sawhorses. Have to remove the leftovers of the floor and grind the areas back and paint with cold gal the areas that will be inaccessible after they are welded in place.
Waide on the grinder again. The wire wheel is the best way to strip rust off areas like this.
Rolled the van down the drive so we had easy access to lift the roof on. Thats me wondering what i have got myself into and hoping all the endless hours of preperation were about to pay off.
Waide on the grinder again. The wire wheel is the best way to strip rust off areas like this.
Rolled the van down the drive so we had easy access to lift the roof on. Thats me wondering what i have got myself into and hoping all the endless hours of preperation were about to pay off.
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whipps
- DSKer
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:12 pm
Well Finally we have a roof. my cuts matched up very well, few little nip and tucks required, but it was great to see a roof back on the van! Unfortunately with the three of us required to lift it on i couldn't get photo's of putting in on!
I have left tags between the windows, to attach the roof prior to welding. I have used the Cleco fasteners, they are great for holding two layers together, similar to what a rivet would do, but are easily removed.
The Texta line is the line i will cut with a thin grinder blade, cutting through both layers and giving me an exact join to weld along. Once the middle sections are welded, the cleco's and tags will come off and also be welded up. The pillars on the inside will be welded to the base of the gutters, and should give me the normal strength of an unmolested van.
Finally looking like it should again.
I have left tags between the windows, to attach the roof prior to welding. I have used the Cleco fasteners, they are great for holding two layers together, similar to what a rivet would do, but are easily removed.
The Texta line is the line i will cut with a thin grinder blade, cutting through both layers and giving me an exact join to weld along. Once the middle sections are welded, the cleco's and tags will come off and also be welded up. The pillars on the inside will be welded to the base of the gutters, and should give me the normal strength of an unmolested van.
Finally looking like it should again.
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whipps
- DSKer
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:12 pm
Fitted the front doors as a trial fit, to be sure i had the front in the correct place and it all works. Pretty happy with the fit, they need a little adjusting, but that is normal.
Bit tight here, the door has been opened too far at some stage and bent the hinges. Will need some adjusting but not too hard to sort out.
Very happy with how the passenger door fitted. gaps are good.
Bit tight here, the door has been opened too far at some stage and bent the hinges. Will need some adjusting but not too hard to sort out.
Very happy with how the passenger door fitted. gaps are good.
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whipps
- DSKer
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:12 pm
The join at the back of the van, nice and tight. They should weld up nicely.
Happy with how the panels lined up, vertical joins are spot on.
All and all it was the most satisfying day of the restoration so far. Will get it all welded up in the next few weeks, then get into the rest of the rust. It never ends!
Happy with how the panels lined up, vertical joins are spot on.
All and all it was the most satisfying day of the restoration so far. Will get it all welded up in the next few weeks, then get into the rest of the rust. It never ends!
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Leroy
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sk00lroad
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froger
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splitbus
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