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Front Panel
Started off with a front panel replacement as that in a bad way. 72's
have the early front, replacements for which aren't available anymore unless
you cut the front off another van. The way most people make it is to use a
late top half, blank the high indicators and mate this to an early bottom
half. There's only 1 late front panel available - same panel but different
price from traders - gsf is usually the cheapest for this one & fit isn't
too bad. The bottoms of the A posts needed replacing and the inner front
valance box section did too. There was the usual rot on the inner window
strengthener but not as much as I expected from previous experience with the
'78 bay
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Sills & outriggers passenger side
Next came the passenger side inner, middle and outer sills,
2 outriggers and jacking points and a small repair to a top hat section.
Couple of thinning bits on the chassis rail were replaced too. As the top
half of the middle sill was rock solid I chose not to mess with the sliding
door runner which is part of it and so just replaced the bottom section made
from appropriate thickness sheet. Outriggers were the combined outriggers
and jacking points from VW Heritage and are an excellent fit and good thick
metal. Once the sills were on the rear of the front inner arch was done.
Welds were all ground down, the metal was all bare-metalled, zinc primed &
and a quick paint of POR 15 was put over the top for the time being.
Eventually it'll be stonechipped and painted body colour. Bolt on belly pans
will be fitted to keep the muck out but still allow accessibility.
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P/S Rear Window Frame
Another common rot spot on bays & this one was no different. Firstly I made a card template of the window opening to make sure it remained the same size throughout. The rot was then cut out, a repair piece fabricated from sheet and welded in.
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P/S Cab Floor Half / tub repairs
I'd done the D/S one a few years previously so it was just the p/s to do. This was bowed up like they usually do due to the cross strengthener on top of the chassis rail rusting. Pretty bad design tbh and an area that needs very good rust treatment afterwards. The old metal was cut out and the rust was then visible. This webbing bit was cut off, the tops of the chassis rails replaced and a new webbing bit made and fitted. Lastly a schofield cab floor repair panel went on which was a good fit with the correct mouldings & the welds ground down. The floor edges needed tidying where a p.o. has welded the arch on rather messily so this was returned to stock looking. The seat belt mounting plate was also replaced
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D/S sills, arch, corner
No pics but done the same as
above on the drivers side - 3 sills, 2 outriggers, rear arch, battery tray
and rear corner.
Sliding door has it's inner and outer bottom panels replaces, hole in the
window corner and some wierd damage near the lock sorted out.
Currently it's on hold for a while but only needs a few minor bits here and there and the d/s rear window frame which is in much worse condition than the p/s and then it's on to prepping for paint.