Driver's side step

It's been awhile but I finally got back onto some more repairs. Having completed the inner wings it is time to tackle the drivers driver's side step. 

Jacking point has been plated and I am working on the inner sill.

Right hand inner wing complete

The final inner wing is now complete.
I've covered it with a coat of red oxide while I work on the wheel arch and sill.

I'm bolting the wings on instead of welding them, drilled and test fitted.

Brackets have been made to hold on the bumper ends which I'll bolt on too.

Both doors have been removed and I've started to chop out the rust.

I'll get this side finished then I have to make a decision on whether or not to pull the engine and finish the front end or tackle the sliding door

May update

It's been while.
I have spent most of the last month chasing around doing other things, getting a puppy and finishing sorting out the big van.
Heater swapped, all cleaned and new seat covers. A new stereo and it is good to go.
First festival is in two weeks...yay off to Bearded Theory!!

Anyway I finally got on to the t4 today. The plan was to get the front attached and the second outrigger welded in. Job done.

Heaters and Welding

March has been a vey slow month.
I haven't really got much done. We went to Poland to se he in-laws. I had man flu so I have only spent a few days on the van.
 I re-instated the battery tray and started work on the drivers side chassis leg.

I then had a few problems with the welder, so new liner and swan neck fitted.

Finally getting it finished.

Next will be the towing eye to refit and then I can start filling in the inner wing.
I'm now targetting July for my completion date.

Also I need to prep the other van ready for the off in May. First thing was to strip bits out so I could get to the air heater and replace it.

Next step on this is to recover the set foams and obviously get the cupboard back in place.

Poor progress

I haven't got very far over the last couple of weeks. I haven't been very well so haven't managed much at all.

I got the sill and the lower wheel arch back on.

I painted the scuttle panel, but I'm not happy with it and will probably sand it back and re do it.

I also painted the grill support in the colour I'm doing the lower half in. Really pleased with how this looks..and it stopped me buying rubbish off ebay whilst I was stuck at home.

Hope fully now I'm feeling brighter I can get moving a bit quicker with things. I think I've done about a quarter of the welding so still a long way to go.

Small Progress

I got the inner wheel arch finished and gave bits a coat of primer. 
I have the dregs of a can of red zinc phosphate stuff, which I'm finishing up first then its onto the grey equivalent. 

Once everything was coated I did the inside of the outer part of the wheel arch and the inside of the outer sill and have just left everything to dry.

Whilst I'm making progress it just feels like it is never ending and I'm trying to keep in mind the single jobs rather than panicking about the whole thing..

Anyway, I removed the sliding door ready to repair the step. I'm still unsure how to get to it, I guess I will carefully have to remove metal then start the repair as soon as I am back to good. 

Bought some extra supplies, 50 more slitting discs, 10 flap wheels and some belts for the powerfile. Though I think I may need a new one power file as I have just about killed it.

I also need to order a hinge kit for the side loading door and some welding tips.

February starts with a cold snap

This weekend it's been cold. Luckily dry and no snow unlike some parts of the UK.
I've been a bit slow moving but managed to make a little progress.
The van is up on axle stands and the fuel tank is out.

The fuel tank straps are in pretty good condition, they will clean up and have a lick of paint before the tank goes back in. There was a lot more fuel in there than I thought so I'll drain it to make life easier when re-fitting it.

Having got the front wheels off I check the brakes over, the discs are good but I'll put new pads in before it goes back together. I am also going to do a full service whilst the front end is off. I bought a cambelt kit and filters. As I'm going to do the clutch I'm debating whether or not to drop the engine just to make access easy.

I started back on the metal work. Everything been cold it has been really hard work so I spent less hours on the van this weekend. I cut out most of the rot from the passenger side step and repaired the jacking point out rigger first.

A little bit more cutting and I was able to attach the inner sill to use as a datum. I then set to work on the lower section of the inner wheel arch.

Next I repaired the outer lip of the front section. You can't buy this part. I realised that it was pretty close in shape to the rear outer wheel arch. This section is cheap and readily available.The section used in from the other side. 

I'm pretty pleased with the final profile and the wing will fit nicely with only minor fettling.

I also cut out base of the B pillar and investigate the inner side.But left this whilst I concentrated on the wheel arch. There is rather a lot of metal missing. The edge of the sliding door step is also rotted out, but the runner is good so I;m hoping I can salvage it.

Looks like I shall be spending the week searching for pictures of the underside of t4's to work out what the missing bits look like. Next weekend I'm hoping to finish up the wheel arch and the step. I'm sort of burying my head in the sand on this and hoping I can work out how to repair it when I have done the other bits.  

More rust

I thought I was looking at a simple finish to the wheel arch and the front corner. But I ended up cutting more back down the nearside. The seats and the cab carpet are out luckily the cab floor is sound, though it looks like I will have to complete the repairs back to the end of the sliding door step.
Fuel tank out next though.

Breaking news

I had a post on windscreen removal such are my IT skills I managed to delete it.
At some point I'll do another write up.

The LDV passed its MOT with one advisery...slight play in a kingpin. Thats normal for an LDV.

I have to get that one aired and tidied up inside ready for the spring.

Everything was really wet at the end of last season and the chinese diesel heater packed up so I need to get that one replaced.

Onward and upward

Left (nearside) front inner wing repair

I finally finished cutting out all the rust on the inner wing. Yay go me!!!
I test fitted the new front crossmember but couldn't get it to fit. I started to panic a little about my chassis member repair.Then I realised that the radiator kept getting in the way so I ended up dropping the coolant and pulling the radiator off.

Next step was to offer up the front crossmember then I could get the outrigger lined up properly. Again this didn't go according to plan. the shape of the light holder was slightly different. I can only assume the new crossmember is of a bolt on wing short nose.

To get me going I hammered it flat. Before it gets painted I'll have to cut the ones off the old one and weld them in place.

Once the cross member was clamp I could then line up the outrigger and tack it in place.

With tha done I could then work on filling up the hole. 
I don't have a access to a metal press so in order to get the shapes and the angles it was going to have to be the patch work quilt approach.
First thing fuel filter housing.

The biggest hole saw I had was 76mm the fuel filter is 80mm in diameter. So I had to work the hole with the power file to get it wide enough. Several belts later and there you go it fits.

Steady and sure wins the race !!!!!
I have been using cereal packet cardboard for the templates. I'm using a combination of new steel left over from a previous project and recycled car panels steel. Depends on the original thickness and my own thoughts on addition strength. The new steel is 1mm thick and the recycled 0.8mm.

Slowly but surely I building up the inner wing.
I kept clamping on the front crossmember and also the new outer wing to make sure nothing moved and everything lined up.

Ijust have the outer wheel arch lip to finish then it is done.
The weld looks a bit rough. I'm using flux core wire with my old Blue Clarke welder. Machine Mart special from more than a few years back. I'm also using old wire that has a bit of a white corrosion layer. I'm getting good penetration so its good and sound and with the flap wheel it will all clean up, but it is extra spattery and in some parts bird poo special.
Once the outer arch is finished, clean up primer, smooth over if needed with a little seam seal then paint.