Hi Alan I hope you got on your web page ok it is a bit of a mission.
Here is the estate car after blasting.
Some areas are a bit of a mess but it's all possable
As express messed us around we have had to start repairing things here is the front panel removed cleaned and mocked up
Front panel removed and cleaned
Behind the panels in the hard to get at places we will prime them as we go
Some places look a bit sad but after they are chopped out and cleaned the main body of the car is sound it seems like the panels have just rotted away around it.
The drivers side foot plate removed. we had to make a new panel for this side.
This is an area that normally goes it is the mounting for the antiroll bar. chopped out cleaned up and repaired.
Wing closing plate removed cleaned and repaired. we make these as the pattern parts don't fit any way
This is the drivers wing rail repaired.
Here we have the passengers foot plate and inner front wheel arch replaced we cut it out from one of our cars.
The front end is nearly sorted we can't do much underneath because of a strength issue if we turn the car over it will flex the chassis and give us problems later on. Once the van roof and sides are connected we can put the car on the jig and check out the alignment
We have decided to take the van from the second coach line because the lower part of the van is very weak and rotten. This shot we have called getting ready for pimp my ride are you sure you dont want a pick up?
Getting ready for the van conversion
Kick panel removed drivers side. This sould have been further up sorry.
See you soon Mick.
Hi Alan
the rear valance is different so we took this one of carefully and used it as a patten and oddie made a new one it came out very well.
Here is the new one being fitted
The rear infill plate fitted
The van top was carefully fitted lined up then we checked all the door gaps and welded it on slowley.
These are the door shut welds they have gone in really well
The inside welded and cleaned.
This side of the roof needs a bit of love.
All the panels are in now so we can get on with the floor.
See you soon mate take care Mick.
Hi Alan we have chopped out the bit of rust on the roof it has been repaired but there is no photo as yet
It looks like a van from the inside now
Near side kick panel and foot well
B post support plate fitted
Rear valence good door gaps as well
The off side kick panel and a post
Scuttle panel repaired
All panels we fit are treated with a good coat of zinga.
Zinga is a good protector it was designed to protect ships.
The off side kick panel and foot well
Seat belt fixings
Off side floor removed
There is some rust in the chassis rails but we will deal with these once we get the car upside down
We have zingered inside the chassis rails
Floor welded in
Its starting to take shape now, there are many more pictures but Oddie has taken them to close I will have a word with him tomorrow.
Take care mate see you soon Mick.
The floors are all finished
The rear support braces have been coated in zinga and welded in
We had to do some small mods to the floor as they are a bit different
We have put all the original panels back so the inside will look factory
This is the floor mod from underneath
Now the shell is strong we can sort out the chassis repairs.
Floors welded from both sides
All the chassis railes have been mig plugged.
Some brackets are not available so we have to make them.
This is how we do them as they are in two parts.
Thats all for now the van is looking good I will update you next week if you are about pop in.
Take care mate Mick.
Behind the sill is a sill support plate we had to make these as they were both rotted away.
This is the area that we had to paint as once the floor is fitted it will not be posible to paint.This is the area in etch primer.
As you can see we have filled any welds
After the primer we seem seal every seam
Then the area is painted ready to fit the front floor of the van.
The floor has also had the same.
The sills are finished.
The arches are in
This is some of the metal cut out so far.
Off side arch fitted.
The off side B post including hinges
There is some small repairs still to do around the rear lights sill closing plates weld on the wings finish rear panel to qtrs finish inner arches.
We have a panel for this from express.
Thats all for now mate see you soon take care Mick.
Hi Alan we have got the van into the paint shop now.
All the panels have been fitted including the wings to check for gaps ETC
The side panels have a fair amount of filler in them but they are all over the place so we are going to block down what we have.
All the welded joints will have a small skim of filler
As you can see were the panel has been joined we need to put a skim of filler the hole length of the van.
Thats all for now mate we are away for the weekend take care Mick.
Hi Alan hpoe you are well.
Here you can see the boys have been busy stripping the inside of the van.
After the area to be filled are strpped back they are filled with fibreglass and rubbed down.
Then we skim it with filler and block it down to start getting some shape into it.
The inside has been filled and rubbed down this will get rid of any imperfections.
Then the outside has another skim and is blocked to get the body lines started.
This is the fibreglass inside
then we will fill the same as the outside.
This is happening on both sides of the van.
Thats all for now mate see you soon take care Mick.
Hi mate hope your not working to hard.
The van is taking some shape now.
The boys have been filling all the sides and shuts all week, slow process but it will look good.
After the filler work we use a polyester spray filler to get some finer shape to everything.
Here you can see the guide coat we use this so when we block down the spray filler we can see any imperfections in the panels.
Next week we will block down the guide coat apply the primer re guide coat and block down ready for the top coats.
chris has bare metaled the wings ready for primer.
Thats all for now mate take care see you soon Mick.
Rubbing down the inside D A off the guide coat for an even finish.
This is the underneath primed, rubbed down and seam sealed
Showing the seam sealer
Rubbing down the engine bay
Inside all rubbed down.
Stone guarding the underneath
Engine bay green sorry about the different shades it's the computer the car is all the same colour.
The underneath has been reprimed and topcoated.
Masking off to prep the outside.
Outside reprimed and guide coated ready for blocking.
Starting to block down the outside.
Next week it will be green thats all for now mate take care Mick.
Hi Alan
the van is in colour it looks great.
It has been flatted and polished.
The bonnet bare metaled.
Doors ready for primer.
Thats all for this week mate take care Mick.
The panels look a bit better now.
all painted and flat and polished.
