ivangt6
Part of things
Posts: 776
Club RR Member Number: 132
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T25 Campervan - Weldathonivangt6
@ivangt6
Club Retro Rides Member 132
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Sept 4, 2018 23:54:46 GMT
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Its about time I introduced the campervan I bought just before Christmas Its a very early VW T25. Converted into a campervan by Liesuredrive. Its has the classic aircooled flat 4, originally a 1.6, but this one has a 2 litre. it was once VW brilliant orange L20B but has since been sprayed blue and then this off white.  I bought it after a few too many drinks. Only paid £395 for it and I think I could quite easily make that back if I sold it as it is. Hopefully its not too rotten The Planwell the plan originally was to start doing it up January this year. That went out the window when I bought the Range Rover and then went even further out the window when I bought the Discovery. With those projects nearing completion I can now divert some funds into this. So the plan is over the next month to strip the lower half of the paint off to see what I'm working with. I then have to go on detachment abroad for a couple of months. When I come back I need to source some doors, fix any rust and paint it by Jan as I plan to use it as a van for an impending house move to another county. No pressure then First job. Move it to the motor club. Towed it with a tow bar. Brakes do not work. Handbrake does though. suspicious of the half worn brake pads sitting in the passenger seat  Offside front - some impact damage to the bumper which is inside the van. lots of filler  Offside front wheel arch - inside the arch doesn't feel too bad, door step has been bodged, a few holes in the floor, hole in leading edge of sill. Again lots of filler  Offside slider - some surface rust. This door isnt used. I'll see what this is like once I attack it with the knotted wire wheel. Lower edge of window recess has a hole  Offside rear quarter - looks like its harbouring filler. feels flakey underneath  Nearside front wheel arch - feels good. doorstep bodged. Filler  Nearside slider - again surface corrosion, will see what its like after a wire wheel. A few holes in the window recess  Nearside rear corner - full of filler and crunchy underneath  Offside upper windscreen - tiny but of rust visible. will have to take the roof off to invest further.  Overall it doesn't look to bad. I may have lucked in this time. The floors throughout looks good, its very tidy underneath. The Nearside sill looks good and the offside doesn't look terrible. The amount of filler is worrying though  Started on the Nearside front corner. Hadn't noticed much wrong with this but it was thick with filler  And ended up stripping the whole corner and a bit of the wheel arch  For the most part there was no reason to have that much filler in there. There's a couple of dents in it, the worst being at the lower edge but theres access to the other side so I'm confident most of this can be pushed out  There's also some corrosion to the rear edge which doesn't look too hard to replace  I uncovered where the aerial is supposed to go  And then found the aerial on the dash  Just wanted to expose the spot welds here so I can remove the door step  Again lots of filler in the wheel arch lip but no rust, just a dent. The holes here are part of the doorstep  And that's about it so far. I just want to take it one panel at a time. Id better get a door step on order. And a drill It has a couple of retro-ish stickers. Not sure if I'll keep them   Unfortunately there's no binnacle. I have the old MOT's so I know what the mileage was at at the last one. Just need to source a new one  Thats it for now. Mooooooooooooooooooooooooore sooooooooon |
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Last Edit: Dec 27, 2018 21:03:28 GMT by ivangt6
1979 Mini 1000
1972 Triumph GT6
2007 VW Golf GTi
1979 VW T25 Leisuredrive
1988 Range Rover Vogue SE
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Samage
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,467
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Blimey, even with the issues that's a bargain by anyone's standards!
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Wow, looks like a good project and it sounds like your familiar with a welder! That dash insert with the cup holders etc is a bit a result! I remember a mate looking for one a few years ago and when he found one he said it was one of the best improvements he'd made to it. Intermittent wiper mod was the best one apparently!
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Last Edit: Sept 5, 2018 7:07:29 GMT by daver555
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ivangt6
Part of things
Posts: 776
Club RR Member Number: 132
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T25 Campervan - Weldathonivangt6
@ivangt6
Club Retro Rides Member 132
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Wow, looks like a good project and it sounds like your familiar with a welder! That dash insert with the cup holders etc is a bit a result! I remember a mate looking for one a few years ago and when he found one he said it was one of the best improvements he'd made to it. Intermittent wiper mod was the best one apparently! Hmm intermittent wipers. I hadn't even thought that far ahead yet. I remember there being a similar mod for minis. Is the cup holder tray not original then? It looks like the rest of the dash so never gave it a second glance. Useful though |
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1979 Mini 1000
1972 Triumph GT6
2007 VW Golf GTi
1979 VW T25 Leisuredrive
1988 Range Rover Vogue SE
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Dash tidy ain't factory.
Got a few bits from one I broke lying around.
You checked out club80-90 yet?
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Ooooh. Another rusty van 👍
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Sept 5, 2018 12:44:03 GMT
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luckyseven
Posted a lot
Owning sneering dismissive pedantry since 1970
Posts: 3,839
Club RR Member Number: 45
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T25 Campervan - Weldathonluckyseven
@luckyseven
Club Retro Rides Member 45
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Sept 5, 2018 16:51:01 GMT
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Dash tidy is the better of the two Just Kampers ones  Damned useful piece of kit Watching this with interest, having bought a 2-litre aircooled T25 myself a few months back. Mine is currently sitting with a small hole drilled in the heat exchanger to let the oil drain out. no, they're not supposed to be full of oil  Haven't been brave enough to tackle the bodywork on ours yet... got as far as getting some colour-matched paint and then bottled it  These are the last affordable aircooled VW bus...just! Ten years from now they'll be fetching obscene money like splitties and bays do now EDIT to add: 395 quid  Why do I never find things like that?  |
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Last Edit: Sept 5, 2018 16:53:53 GMT by luckyseven
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Sept 5, 2018 20:16:52 GMT
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My wife has got an early one of these too - an '81 on a W plate, Devon Moonraker with a high top added, and just like yours it's a 2-litre type 4 motor on a 1600 gearbox!
My dad and a mate broke an '86 D plate one a while back and have still got the doors. I'll ask how much they want for them if you like. Pretty sure they've still got the dash too.
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1968 Cal Look Beetle - 2007cc motor - 14.45@93mph in full street trim
1970-ish Karmann Beetle cabriolet - project soon to be re-started.
1986 Scirocco - big plans, one day!
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ivangt6
Part of things
Posts: 776
Club RR Member Number: 132
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T25 Campervan - Weldathonivangt6
@ivangt6
Club Retro Rides Member 132
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Dash tidy ain't factory. Got a few bits from one I broke lying around. You checked out club80-90 yet? I'll have a look at Club 80-90 in the morning. Need to have a look at brickworks too really to see what prblem areas these things have etc. What parts do you have? I'm missing most things. It's been raided for bits! |
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1979 Mini 1000
1972 Triumph GT6
2007 VW Golf GTi
1979 VW T25 Leisuredrive
1988 Range Rover Vogue SE
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ivangt6
Part of things
Posts: 776
Club RR Member Number: 132
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T25 Campervan - Weldathonivangt6
@ivangt6
Club Retro Rides Member 132
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My wife has got an early one of these too - an '81 on a W plate, Devon Moonraker with a high top added, and just like yours it's a 2-litre type 4 motor on a 1600 gearbox! My dad and a mate broke an '86 D plate one a while back and have still got the doors. I'll ask how much they want for them if you like. Pretty sure they've still got the dash too. I think the high top is really useful, I mean, it doesn't look as good but great for storage and a full width bed. If you don't mind asking your Dad I am very much in need of some doors and the gauges, Cheers!. |
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1979 Mini 1000
1972 Triumph GT6
2007 VW Golf GTi
1979 VW T25 Leisuredrive
1988 Range Rover Vogue SE
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ivangt6
Part of things
Posts: 776
Club RR Member Number: 132
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T25 Campervan - Weldathonivangt6
@ivangt6
Club Retro Rides Member 132
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Thought I'd start off tonight by cataloguing what I have. Which is not a lot A dented front bumper, 4 front bumper end caps, steering column shroud, a rear light, a mirror, 3 door handles, 2 new tyres, a sheep and some other odds and ends. I have a growing shopping list!  Then had a decent hoover out of the front end. Reclined the seat and now its stuck It wont slide back either.  The floor looks pretty decent this side  little bit of rot in this seam under the seat  And a bit more underneath where the seat bolts in  Aside from that it looks good under here  The drivers floor has a few problem areas  Anyway. Enough faffing. Time to get the welder out Exhibit A  It has a curve to it, making it harder to replicate. It also curves outwards toward the camera too. They're very curvy for a boxy shaped van  No prizes for guessing whats underneath. More rust!  Lets get rid of that too  Made a new lip and put some weld through primer on  And then made the outer piece. Wasn't too difficult. I retained the piece I cut out and used it to bend the lip over which gave the correct curve.  Fettled down to the right size  Bit more weld though primer  Welded in and ground back. Fairly happy with it. Managed to reduce the size of a few of the dents in this area while I was there too  And that's it for tonight. Hopefully my doorstep repair panel arrives tomorrow  |
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1979 Mini 1000
1972 Triumph GT6
2007 VW Golf GTi
1979 VW T25 Leisuredrive
1988 Range Rover Vogue SE
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Great work so far
Looking forward to future updates
Bookmarked
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BMW E39 525i Sport
BMW E46 320d Sport Touring (now sold on.)
BMW E30 325 Touring (now sold on.)
BMW E30 320 Cabriolet (Project car - currently for sale.)
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Bumper end caps are same front and rear.
I’ve a trailer full of bits. The one I broke was a b reg diesel so quite a lot different. Clocks are wrong. Side slider differ too. I’ll drag the trailer out and have a nosey
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I work on a daily basis with these vans and they're almost always rusty on the body seams, but the chassis is never affected, they knew how to make undercoating back then! Be sure to thoroughly check the rear trailing arms as well, they rust at the seams and the lower spring perch rusts off. It's only a spot welded plate on top of the trailing arm and they usually rust out between the plate and arm making that you don't really see the rust, but if the plate is coming away from the arm you know whats up!
Also check the front trailing arm reaction rod bushes (the ones on the front, near the spare wheel), they have a crush tube and 2 (4 total) bushes and they make for a wondering van if they're gone.
Good luck and enjoy some classic German motoring!
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ivangt6
Part of things
Posts: 776
Club RR Member Number: 132
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T25 Campervan - Weldathonivangt6
@ivangt6
Club Retro Rides Member 132
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Sept 6, 2018 12:11:23 GMT
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Bumper end caps are same front and rear. I’ve a trailer full of bits. The one I broke was a b reg diesel so quite a lot different. Clocks are wrong. Side slider differ too. I’ll drag the trailer out and have a nosey Cheers Guz. Yeah I think the door handle on the sliding door differs so I will need an early door. Hopefully I can get hold of one that originally had the window. I think it looks neater flush fitting rather than on the outer skin. I work on a daily basis with these vans and they're almost always rusty on the body seams, but the chassis is never affected, they knew how to make undercoating back then! Be sure to thoroughly check the rear trailing arms as well, they rust at the seams and the lower spring perch rusts off. It's only a spot welded plate on top of the trailing arm and they usually rust out between the plate and arm making that you don't really see the rust, but if the plate is coming away from the arm you know whats up! Also check the front trailing arm reaction rod bushes (the ones on the front, near the spare wheel), they have a crush tube and 2 (4 total) bushes and they make for a wondering van if they're gone. Good luck and enjoy some classic German motoring! I havn't had a look at the trailing arms yet. I think I'll take them off to check that, it sounds like they could potentially be dangerous. The front suspension is very similar to a Mini, double wishbone with a tie bar. On my mini I had a polybush one side and rubber the other side. It gave comfort when driving but stopped it squirming about under braking. I'll have a good look it the seams. this van has had some work by the look of it. Hopefully I don't have to unpick too many bodges. Any tips, tricks and advice anyone has on these is greatly appreciated. These buses are new to me. Parcel arrived today from Just Kampers, prompt delivery, fair prices and I got a free glossy parts catalogue and a packet of Haribo with the order. A better service than I'm used to. I have a mate a work who has a, I think, LT28? Westfalia camper and he uses CampervanCulture which I think must be fairly local to me so I may try those as well  I could only get a pattern part. It looks like it should take me above the previous welding. I can already see some work that needs doing to it. It has a couple of pretty ugly creases. one of which will be covered by the mat, but that not the point.   If I don't finish too late tonight hopefully I should get this fitted. |
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Last Edit: Sept 6, 2018 12:12:08 GMT by ivangt6
1979 Mini 1000
1972 Triumph GT6
2007 VW Golf GTi
1979 VW T25 Leisuredrive
1988 Range Rover Vogue SE
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T25 Campervan - Weldathonpeteh1969
@peteh1969
Club Retro Rides Member 107
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Sept 6, 2018 12:46:34 GMT
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At least its reassuring to see that it's not just Expressed panels that produce something that needs a lot of reworking to fit.
Nice flow of nice work.
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ivangt6
Part of things
Posts: 776
Club RR Member Number: 132
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T25 Campervan - Weldathonivangt6
@ivangt6
Club Retro Rides Member 132
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Sept 7, 2018 20:46:36 GMT
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Spent a day on the LH doorstep Out with the old. This was a repair panel welded over the rusty remains of the original.  And guess what? the new pattern panel was nowhere near going to fit. Awful. It also isnt made the same way as the original. This has a spot welded seam on the outer edge whereas originally it had a seam running down the centre. I thought this might interfere with the door, if it ever gets one, so I drilled out the spot welds and separated the two halves. This had the added advantage of making it easier of getting it somewhere near the right shape. I'm not going to replicate the seam down the middle, as per original, I'm just going to butt weld it all together and try and blend the edges in. There is a mat that covers this area anyway so it needs to be functional more than anything else. To get to this stage took a while. Where it follows the line of the wheel arch lip was all wrong and there was some creases from where it was formed that needed dealing with.  Welded in  Separating the two parts made this bit easier. It wasn't wide enough to start with with the overlapping seam. This gave me the couple of mm needed. Still required a hell of a lot of faffing about with though.  And partially ground back. I can't get into the corners with the angle grinder so I'm going to order an air file. I think this should clean up quit nicely though.  And that's it for today. Next job is to take the seat out so I can address the rust under the outer runner.  |
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Last Edit: Sept 7, 2018 20:49:49 GMT by ivangt6
1979 Mini 1000
1972 Triumph GT6
2007 VW Golf GTi
1979 VW T25 Leisuredrive
1988 Range Rover Vogue SE
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ivangt6
Part of things
Posts: 776
Club RR Member Number: 132
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T25 Campervan - Weldathonivangt6
@ivangt6
Club Retro Rides Member 132
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Sept 7, 2018 21:06:15 GMT
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Just remembered a couple of other pics I took Confirmation under the passenger seat that this was indeed originally VW brilliant orange or Leuchtorange L20B  And these interior lights. They're a little bit pitted and seized. Hopefully they'll clean up. I'm presuming they were fitted by Liesuredrive not VW. Liesurdrive also fitted out canal boats and this definitely has a river boat look to it.  |
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1979 Mini 1000
1972 Triumph GT6
2007 VW Golf GTi
1979 VW T25 Leisuredrive
1988 Range Rover Vogue SE
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Sept 7, 2018 22:07:33 GMT
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Very solid given its age! Most Golfs of a similar age are in a pile of dust by now.
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Damned useful piece of kit
Haven't been brave enough to tackle the bodywork on ours yet... got as far as getting some colour-matched paint and then bottled it 
These are the last affordable aircooled VW bus...just! Ten years from now they'll be fetching obscene money like splitties and bays do now
Why do I never find things like that? 
