Restoration of Cookie begins
Posted: 15 Dec 2013, 22:18
Cookie is my first van and definitely not in my opinion as solid my partners van. The rule about not buying the first van you see is good and although its relatively straight, there was a few jobs I knew needed doing. With hindsight I should have shopped around more but I know the van so well now and am really attached to it. The engine seems good and reliable.
I spent a couple of days stripping out the entire interior, with the amount of welding planned it was recommended to take it out, as I have a replacement lined up I had no qualms about taking it all out. As posted on the blog it was a nightmare to remove and installed with belt, braces and extra screws wherever possible.
Work has begun on the body to remove the rot and weld in new panels at the same time, it has also begun on prepping the paintwork, sanding it back (eventually) to bare metal.
Some of the welding is also undoing historic mot repairs which werent really the highest quality repair and returning them to how they should be. It really shows why it's important to seek out skilled bodywork experts if you want a clean job. MOT stations will get you road legal but it may be a short term fix and you also end up paying again to have it put right.
Jobs on the list at Voodoo Works:
Rear wheel arches which are probably the worst area we've found and wasn't part of the initial plan, but they need doing or the rest of the restoration will be wasted.
Back corners, common rot spot
Rear wings, again seams were rusty and some internal rust so off them come and replace them both.
Offside middle panel bottom/floor, lower fridge vent has let in a lot nd caused rot. Pondering not having a vent but back in on the lower part and just sticking with the upper.
Near side step
Front lower panel, common water trap, corner to be cut out and replaced as opposed to entire panel.
Sills.
Windows out and paint prep to follow.
Exciting to know the van will be sorted and good to know the rest is solid and straight. I really pondered long and hard whether to restore or just move onto another van, but in the end I decided it's far better to know the intimate details and whats been done. Hopefully I won't regret it, judging by their previous work I won't.
Interior
Trying to plan and prep for interior changes in the meantime. Although it was a leisuredrive, the plan is to install a hold worth interior I sourced.
Interior Jobs planned for winter
Replace ply floor base any recommended suppliers?
Re-line van and pop top headlining easy to do myself or better to get someone in?
Renovate Holdsworth interior and install.
Enjoy 2014 season.
Planned paint colours is two tone, baby blue lower and white upper, not colours I've seen often on a VW t25. As it won't be cookie monster blue anymore the name may have to change
Full write ups on
http://t25campervan.wordpress.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I spent a couple of days stripping out the entire interior, with the amount of welding planned it was recommended to take it out, as I have a replacement lined up I had no qualms about taking it all out. As posted on the blog it was a nightmare to remove and installed with belt, braces and extra screws wherever possible.
Work has begun on the body to remove the rot and weld in new panels at the same time, it has also begun on prepping the paintwork, sanding it back (eventually) to bare metal.
Some of the welding is also undoing historic mot repairs which werent really the highest quality repair and returning them to how they should be. It really shows why it's important to seek out skilled bodywork experts if you want a clean job. MOT stations will get you road legal but it may be a short term fix and you also end up paying again to have it put right.
Jobs on the list at Voodoo Works:
Rear wheel arches which are probably the worst area we've found and wasn't part of the initial plan, but they need doing or the rest of the restoration will be wasted.
Back corners, common rot spot
Rear wings, again seams were rusty and some internal rust so off them come and replace them both.
Offside middle panel bottom/floor, lower fridge vent has let in a lot nd caused rot. Pondering not having a vent but back in on the lower part and just sticking with the upper.
Near side step
Front lower panel, common water trap, corner to be cut out and replaced as opposed to entire panel.
Sills.
Windows out and paint prep to follow.
Exciting to know the van will be sorted and good to know the rest is solid and straight. I really pondered long and hard whether to restore or just move onto another van, but in the end I decided it's far better to know the intimate details and whats been done. Hopefully I won't regret it, judging by their previous work I won't.
Interior
Trying to plan and prep for interior changes in the meantime. Although it was a leisuredrive, the plan is to install a hold worth interior I sourced.
Interior Jobs planned for winter
Replace ply floor base any recommended suppliers?
Re-line van and pop top headlining easy to do myself or better to get someone in?
Renovate Holdsworth interior and install.
Enjoy 2014 season.
Planned paint colours is two tone, baby blue lower and white upper, not colours I've seen often on a VW t25. As it won't be cookie monster blue anymore the name may have to change
Full write ups on
http://t25campervan.wordpress.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;