rusty nail to sow's ear

Quite an eventful couple of weeks have gone by.

Sat 1st March 2014

Shitter shining in the sun this morning.



Rear bumper irons Mk II, needed a bit of additional bracing with the towbar.



And rivnuts fitted in engine cover for the Westy bed.
I need some pics of how the frame fits to the arch and some of the original Westfalia seat base please.

Monday 3rd March 2014

Today I set light to my engine.

The wife mentioned there was a whiff of fuel out of the n/s vent yesterday, had a quick look and couldn't see anything.
So today I started it up, walked round the back and opened the engine lid to have a big flame rush out. Pulled the coil lead off to stall the engine and close the fuel cut-off solenoid.
Looks like a blank on the n/s carb fuel inlet blew out, all fixed now with a bit of fuel pipe, some clips and an 8mm bolt.
No damage other than a scorch mark on the engine bay closing panel.



Good job I haven't got any hair though.

Saturday 8th March 2014

So today I started on the Westfakia interior bed base.
Borrowed some spare boards as a template, picked up a sheet of 18mm ply and started cutting.
I wanted to keep the heater outlet so slightly modified the side boards to suit, and as the seat base supports weren't fitted and there's two sets of fixing holes, I had to guesstimate the size of the front board.
Not too bad though, works fine as a seat.



Now there's a problem, see if you can spot the difference.

Saturday 8th March 2014

This may make it slightly easier.



Shortening the side supports moves the front board backwards and that means that the seat base supports don't support anything.
So I started again, even though it was dark now.



I think I can make a duct for the heater outlet as it's now 3" behind the front board.



Thanks to all who sent pics, info, and invitations to measure interiors, much appreciated.

Sunday 9th March 2014

on with the wood butchery.
New front board, just needs a little fettling.



Bed works, a bit uncomfortable at present though.



And it's a seat, who'd thought that.



Clears the seat belt mech as well.



All done for today, just need to make up the arm rests and cut a new trim panel where the Propex stat and socket were previously mounted.
I'll leave the heater outlet for the moment.

Monday 10th March 2014

Today's project is the seat/bed arm rests.







Before I turn to my upholstery skills, I'll get on with the ply headliner.

Wednesday 12th March 2014

Yesterday wasn't the most enjoyable day of ownership, which was a slight understatement.
Washing machine packed up, so the only vehicle suitable for collecting the new one was the bus (any excuse, couldn't be bothered to unload the work van either).
Off we set and got precisely a mile before the engine cut out. Did the usual checks and with Helen turning the engine over there was no apparent spark before the battery went flat.
As we were on a main commuter route in rush hour and blocking traffic, there was no way I could run home and grab some tools and a points distributor, so the AA were called to retrieve the bus.
Back home the distributors were swapped over and it fired straight up for about 30 seconds, and then ran out of fuel. Looks like some thieving shite has had half a tank of fuel away while it's been parked up. So the locking petrol cap was found in the depths of the garage and fitted.

Anyway, washing expedition part 2 was successful tonight, as in we got there and back in the bus, apart from the fact that it's being delivered on Friday.
Oh, and Helen says it's too quick now.

Wednesday 12th March 2014

After a phone call this morning the duff distributor went back to Accuspark this morning, along with the coil that packed up a couple of weeks ago.

Friday 14th March 2014

This afternoon I have been mostly taking lots of measurements, making lots of cardboard templates and cutting 3mm birch ply.
Not totally confident it'll fit properly first time, but we'll see tomorrow.

Bugger, just realised I've forgotten the courtesy light hole.

Saturday 15th March 2014

So it required trimming a couple of times this morning, but it fits.





On with the second sheet.



That took most of the afternoon and early evening to get right as well.
I forgot that there would be a small gap between the sheets at the centre of the roof due to the shape of the bus, so a cover strip has had to be used. It's only that colour because the sealer hadn't dried when I took the pic.



Quite pleased with the result though.
Still got the rear section round the hinges to redo tomorrow, I was getting frustrated and it was getting dark.

Awesome work as always Amigo

Thanks.
Got the last piece fitted today.





I had to use some screws to hold the rear two sheets together due to the compound curves involved, and a couple of trim pieces around the hinges to tidy them up.





Courtesy lights in and finished.



I'm pleased with how it ended up, although a bit pissed off that I mis-measured the front courtesy light and have a 6mm hole over the walk-through section.  

So today I spent an hour making a couple of brackets to fit return springs on the throttle linkage. Now I can change gear without the engine racing, and pull up to a junction without having to left foot brake and stick my right foot under the throttle pedal.










In other news, stripped the Continental cooker unit.

Have you thought about one of those Butty's throttle pedal kits Dude?

Yes, I've thought about them.

Friday 21st March 2014

So today was adjustable springplate day, about time really considering they've been in the garage since November.
Hub nuts came off surprisingly easy.





I did use the air gun though. :msn4:

T2D spring plates with Creative Engineering bushes.



Stuck the banded '67 steels on the rear as well,



but I think I may be a spline out on the nearside.

Saturday 22nd March 2014

So today was mostly removing and refitting spring plates and fiddling with inner and outer torsion bar splines.
Got it nice and level at the rear, but apparently that was because the chassis was resting on the driveshafts.
In the end I refitted everything back to how it was last night and levelled the rear using the spring plate adjusters.

However, I have a leaky rear wheel brake cylinder, worn linings and no handbrake on the off-side.

Sunday 23rd March 2014

So this morning was spent mucking about with the rear brakes.
Spreader bar welded to see if this would help the handbrake issues.



Didn't make too much difference, adjust the brakes and handbrake only works on near side, adjust the handbrake cables and the off side drum drags with the handbrake off.
Hopefully when I replace the rear wheel cylinder and linings I can sort the handbrake out.
Thanks to Nick, yet again, for the use of workshop and ramp.

Anyway, bus back home 99% mechanically fettled,



and on with the interior.
Upholstery next.



Decided that wrapping the foam around the arm rest makes it too bulky, so back to the way Westfalia did it.





Need some work this week so I can continue with the list of jobs.

Wednesday 2nd April 2014

I seem to have acquired another Continental unit.





As it was sunny yesterday progress was made.
The Continental units were stripped, and one good one made from the two.
A new back board fitted, some stopper, sanded and one coat of satin varnish, and the rear bumper was sanded and primed as it looked awful.















Raining today though.

Time for an update.

2nd coat of varnish on the unit and bumper painted, just waiting for the rain to stop now so I can fit it.



So today was nice and sunny, and the bumper was bolted back on.
Along with the trailer socket and all the engine bay/leisure battery wiring finished and both batteries re-fitted.



Be nice to get out for a drive and stick some more miles on this weekend.

Batteries secured.





And cover for the Propex and 12V wiring done.
Just need to get some U profile steel for the top of the ply where the bed supports rest and some upholstery fabric and we're almost ready for Easter.

So yesterday morning was spent down the yard. Oil and filter change, and a raise of the rear springplates to allow for the weight of the Rapido.



While I was raising the ride height, ozziedog's bus was getting new door rubbers and the Type 3 was going down slightly.
However, I think I may have slightly overdone it, a bit of nose down stance going on.



Nick's new stickers.

Today was spent fettling the Rapido for it's first trip this year, and covering the Westy bed.



Not bad for a first attempt at upholstery, just need to do the back board and arm rests before Wednesday morning.

Bed finished tonight, good job really as we're off for Easter tomorrow.