The Lankavagon

[Wychall]

Having done a repair to this area last year, I only wish your pics had been available then. I think your last post could do with being divorced from the rest of the thread and stickied up in the wiki. It would be an invaluable resource!
Keep up the good work.

[what2do]

Useful pics Mike. I am going to open up the same on our syncro and have a go. I have all four corners to tackle, once I have worn out a Sonicrafter getting all the Caravelle putty out of the corners.

Which attachment are you using for removing the rubber underseal? I have a Fein multi master and never thought about trying to use it for this job. Great for cleaning out the seams too.

[nordberg]

Some truly amazing skill you have there MM. Very interesting thread, although it depresses me to see how much rust a vehicle can acquire over time . Still, hats off to you for bringing it back to what I anticipate is going to be a pretty cool van.

[silverbullet]

Which attachment are you using for removing the rubber underseal?

Just the sharp blade for the grey PU cack and frequent sharpening. I have tried everything else...

[what2do]

Which attachment are you using for removing the rubber underseal?

Just the sharp blade for the grey PU cack and frequent sharpening. I have tried everything else...

I may gave to give that a go. Usually use a heat gun and scraper, works a treat but I'm not sure I want yo subject my lungs to it for much longer.

[Plasticman]

Well, ref above, sonic knife or just buy a set of cheap wood butchers chisels they work a treat with a hammer, real quick..
ok , plate making

try use same gauge as oe for obviouse reasons
on this side make the lower lip first and offer up behind outrigger and mark, its the easiest way to get the lip in the correct place and angle

holes drilled for spotting through to inner sill lipo
on the other side its a little trickier to get right and as your using 2mm+ steel you need to get the folds right first time
i clamp a straightedge to the inside to guide stuff

i cut it a bit short at the rear so added a bit

then offer it up

this is a genuine inner sill to show how much/little the jp bracket is welded to the sill itself

and

we now have this kit of parts

first though i quickly weld the 2 skins together under here

then light sand back

which gives me a very solid base to add the jp supprt and the jp bracket

lots of meat around the semi circle which i now can sand back to the desired shape without having to worry if there is enough metal in there

next the jp bracket fits in place and is clamped up

then wind the mig up a notch

next i weld the inner part in, i gas to the chassis leg as i prefer it but thats just my preference and is neither better nor worse

next add a couple of good little runs to the inside as you have good access

then i weld the front part on and spot through to the inner sill, on the left i point to the 2 marks showing the penetration of the weld on the jp bracket to chassis leg

shown here

you really dont need any more as its only support as the bulk load is transmitted up the inner B post from the crescent upwards
weld thru on this side

and here product


it will all be further sealed and coated
just prior to the paint i have evened up the tapered fold to match

same on rear part of leg

so that about conclude a front jp, the outer B post skin is a mere formality and pretty much cosmetic really,no special tools just welder,angle grinder a vice and tin snips as such, also i don't use an auto helmet on this work , too big,get in the way etc just a simple hand held inspection shield but with a gold coated filter lens so very very nice to view through.

sorry one or two of the picks aren't in great focus but using phone
mm

[Plasticman]

Well
outer B post cut and welded in place

just a few spots to mig when it next comes out the weld in the lower vertical seam will be cut back and then brazed but i had to add it as no acess from the inside to do the weld/join as i wanted

genuine wing to align and fit


anyhow this concludes the repair of a front jp, done without the inner closures etc opened up , if you want or need to go that far then one of the others ive done show that
mm

[Plasticman]

Well as always one thing leads to another, this van is getting genuine arches fitted and i dont really want to be going under here again anytime soon so we investigate the clag a bit further
now blasting can only achieve so much so

outer skin of the B post cut away, blasting would have removed it anyway but this is the correct way, its good steel and i will make a part with a start of a lip and then make the corner up with a bead of weld so i can then grind it away to form the correct shape as it will be seen

it feels sharp in the sack
belt anchorage was questionable

as was this area


it may seem a bit drastic but its the easiest way and doing it now when there is access makes life easy and it should last
there are 3 skins here, the first is this which is effectively the inner part of the B post and carries the other items so we do it first

dont worry if its not neat, this isnt but a touch with a disc and it will be covered with another part anyway

next is the front face of the post

which goes in here

and weld up quite nicely

this part is next and forms the back of the seat/battery box, its lip to the B post forms the 3rd skin and together these also give a lot of strength

new strip here in 1.8mm to take the belt anchor, this is on a reinforcing plate under, i will show later oh and thread is 7/16" x 20tpi UNF,

this shows same part under the lip on the previous part,once this is done I will be happy with this area

mm

[Plasticman]

Well
rear box closed in


stiffener plate holding seatbelt mount nut


ive run a bead of brass into the base of the seam of the B post/lowersill,this will be cut back to form a recessed seam and be a nice sound join



product on the bulk and weldthru where i will be

looking a bit more respectable now

mm

[AdrianC]

Budweiser? Really...?

My idol has a liver of clay.

[Plasticman]

well gets brid of dust in the throat when beck's not available

this will sort any seam rust issues here
first run of weld to join it up

next a run down the outside of it

check with an edge,nearly there, at the lower end there is a small depression that needs a touch more adding

then disaster,,,, O2 ran out and truck wasn't running so wrote the day off, now sorted though, silly how a mere £15 can solve it all...
mm

[volks_womble]

This last run of pictures all looks very familiar! Almost identical to what I had to do on our truck, but a far neater result... nicely done.

Cheers
Mark

[dleaves]

Drinking on the job? Tut tut. Wouldn't let you near my van. Wink wink

[Plasticman]

that was desperation for a mouthwash ,usually 4 oclocks's is a glass or two of

or simmilar.which is my drink of choice unless its jd or such
mm
upoloads after tea then im off back out to it

[Plasticman]

Well.another bliddy saga today more later
remaking the main part of the A post bottom

quick sand off

get this right and the rest build from it in nice new metal

trial rest the new arch on it to confirm its near enough

tweaked a bit and now im happy with it

so i can drill some holes to spot through and sort as normal
now i went and stood on my new torch and snapped a jet of so that out of action, to be honest i never liked it so will leave it with a small cutter affixed and thats its new life,
now you know when you have something that youve had/used for ages and its as good as it gets for you well im like that with my torch, but it was needing new 'O' rings for the mixer head so i go take an hour out and get some and fit them , joy of joys, back to familiar territory then i get a few good big blow backs, and investigate

ive opened it up a touch to show, it was a boc one not a cheapo monkey metal one
so out again as i had no m ore no 1's
now back like new

its like fitting a set of tyres on the bike ,scrubbing them in and the first 100 mile thrash is magic then its back to normalk , same here with a new jet

right back to it
mm