64 (Fire Truck) Panel Van

This is my 1964 Panel Van (ex German Fire Truck) in its former glory, lowered sitting on empi 5 spokes and running its original 1500 on twin 34 dellorto carbs and a ceramic extractor exhaust system. The interior had been panelled out in beige vinyl and a rock n roll bed fitted along with a pop out rear window.


The time had come to give it a bit of a restoration so we took it down the workshop and started stripping it down. The paint was flattened and the rest brought down to bare metal. It needed a replacement nearside arch as the old one was rotten and a couple other minor bits to the rear sills.


It was then sprayed in etch primer, followed by the high build primer you see here. This is then rubbed down and we try to spot any dents or marks in the primer etc before we go for the second coat of primer before final paint.


Wessex Metal Finishers did a good job of the tinware powder coating, the Stateside 1776 is ready. Still a fair bit of work to do on some of the other panels

Haha it doesnt look like it in the middle picture but that was a VERY cold day! Quote of the day was when your brother said "at least this wet patch has iced up"! Haha

As i love panel vans this has to be the best example possible, i just love it and if had the cash i would buy this, swap plus cash my way Daz????


Ron

Ronnieboy59 wrote:As i love panel vans this has to be the best example possible, i just love it and if had the cash i would buy this, swap plus cash my way Daz????
Ron

Yeah right . . . no one is getting there hands on my wagon!

Welding has been started again and I took the front beam out yesterday, looking to change to drop spindles on the front.

Erna

Grizzly wrote:Welding has been started again and I took the front beam out yesterday, looking to change to drop spindles on the front.

Easy once you get the shift rod linkage out!..........

Went down the rather freezing workshop yesterday and started rubbing down the floor found a few bits of corrosion where the old fire pump brackets used to mount. They were not really bad but they would have developed in some thing worse in our wonderful climate, so best to sort them now . . .

good work there dude get some bits welded in now! wish id have known you were going down my mates left his coat in our lockup haha!

Got a bit more done on the van today was a slow struggle with the cold and we had a bit of trouble getting back in the snow Will try and get some pictures up

brave man going down in that cold! get stuck on the way home then?

Daz,,if you need a pair of hands just let me know as got time on my hands and need to try to keep busy, even if its making the coffee.



Firkin freezin yesterday.



Ron

Liam wrote:brave man going down in that cold! get stuck on the way home then?

Going back next saturday, we had a hairy moment coming home breaking tracks up the hill from the black dog up to the A303 we wheel spun all the way up it and come off the road at one point.

Ronnieboy59 wrote:Daz,,if you need a pair of hands just let me know
as got time on my hands and need to try to keep busy, even if its making
the coffee.

Firkin freezin yesterday.

Ron

Cheers Ron, by the way pinched the speedo cable from the panel for the moment since it's not going anywhere so not in any great hurry at the moment.

Daz

Not updated in a long while the nearside inner and outer arch are on along with step, a new outrigger and jacking point went on as well. After I had rubbed down the cargo floor had identified the area where the fire pump fixings used to be had corroded so we had to patch up the floor along with the rear offside jacking point and some of the strengthen rails underneath too . . . a little bit more welding needs to be done then it is back on to workin on the body . . . all the doors, tailgate and engine lid are rubbed down.

(Liam sorry mate just realised I had been hording your angle grinder in the back of the van thought it was Justin's till he told me his was yellow oops) I have put it with the big beasty angle grinder in your tool chest . . . till next time.

Go for it Daz

Woohoo all the welding is now finished, now working back on the body and some major stone chipping . . . will get some pics up next time hopefully.

Rocking. Enjoy the stone chipping...probably a welcome change from welding

Finally got a little bit of time to get down the very wet workshop and made a start on the stone chipping, will have to see if I can make regular Saturdays now to get going it's been too long.

To do final high build primer coat

Rub down finish doors, tailgate, engine lid etc.

Final Coat

finish external pieces fuel cap, light surround etc

Put back together.

Well the van started to go well finished the body work and started the second coat of high build primer only to run out . Have ordered some more and thought I would start on the scabby fuel tank and bumpers.


Even though the grey primer was still on it there was rust underneath the paint so started rubbing it down.


Took me pretty much all day to rub it down, even with power tools good news it thought there does not appear to be any rust and very little dirt in the tank.


All done and etch primed day gone . . . bumpers are next.


Next day started on the bumpers front one is being a pig and I have run out of pads for the sander as the paint is so thick. So will have to continue that another day. The rear one is Alan Schofield VW Brazil replacement took a while to remove all the black paint before etch priming.

That is a fine looking fuel tank Daz. the bumper looks really good too!

The final coat of high build primer before rub down body is done but run out of paint for the doors, tailgate, etc so here we go again. A few pics for you.

Looking really good Daz.  I guess you'll be getting chalky with the wet and dry now for a few weeks!  Enjoy...some people dread it but I think it's therapeutic

Aussiboris wrote:Looking really good Daz.  I guess you'll be getting chalky with the wet and dry now for a few weeks!  Enjoy...some people dread it but I think it's therapeutic

Cheers Rob I don't mind it either ... still need to prime up doors, tailgate etc as we run out of paint again how much top coat did you need on yours can you remember about 6 litres sound right ?

Daz

6 litres was exactly what I needed.  I have some left over (prob about 1/2 litre) for all the bits I've taken off as I have been assembling.  Inevitable but I learnt to place a towel over the wheel arches and not to wear jeans with rivets.

I highly recommend panel degreaser.  Used about 5 litres of that.  Good for cleaning up after a flatting session and in between each top coat.

Aussiboris wrote:6 litres was exactly what I needed.  I have some left over (prob about 1/2 litre) for all the bits I've taken off as I have been assembling.  Inevitable but I learnt to place a towel over the wheel arches and not to wear jeans with rivets.

I highly recommend panel degreaser.  Used about 5 litres of that.  Good for cleaning up after a flatting session and in between each top coat.

Cheers Rob and no worries have used nearly 5 litres of it already will have to get some more me thinks and thinners.

Daz