Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 12, 2022 12:31:47 GMT
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I can't help but think you could have done away with the extra bracing and chucked some 3mm steel checker on there for roughly the same weight? I hate ally on recovery vehicles, I'm always replacing it, but then again, I work with pikies so... I did it the way I did as the outer edge doesn’t offer a lot of support being angle, and I predict that without the extra crossmembers it would Probably eventually bow as well. At least this way it’s transferring some of the load back to the main rails. As you say, the way this will be treated should be a lot different to the stick most recovery trucks get. I’m also going to do something I’ve never seen done on a recovery bed, and bond the ally to the frame for extra strength. |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 12, 2022 12:32:53 GMT
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Great work as usual. Are you going to fit a piece of angle in the centre section too so you can use a ramp there as well? I know the bed is open down the middle, but you can always use a bit of ply to accommodate for transporting something narrow like, say, a sit-on lawnmower. Probably not tbh. It’s not something I can see ever needing. I’m building this solely for my own use, not commercial, so odd loads like that aren’t really a consideration. |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 12, 2022 12:37:01 GMT
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Be good to see this in action, some great thought gone into it. you going to mesh the centre to be able to walk on it but keep weight down ? How is the load capacity looking, they love to check weigh these don't they ? Keep the updates coming its always an inspiration seeing what the pro's do. James No I won’t mesh it. It being open as an impromptu service ramp is actually more useful to me. Weight wise I should have a straight 1.5t, maybe even 100kg more if I’m running really light. For my needs that’s adequate as any car that weighs more would be physically too big for the bed anyway. I can put legally put every car I own on it with no issues. Although I’m a pro fabricator/restorer, I wouldn’t say I’m a pro recovery truck builder. But my issue with ‘normal’ recovery trucks is they’re built to meet the average users needs. My needs are specialised, hence this truck being a bit different to the norm. |
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Jan 12, 2022 14:13:29 GMT
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.  Nice, don't think I've ever seen a unicycle-powered winch before!  You must have thighs like Chris Boardman!  |
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glenanderson
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,354
Club RR Member Number: 64
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Jan 12, 2022 16:31:41 GMT
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I have enjoyed following this one too, so that must make me one of the weirdos. The way you've got the centre section braced it would be a morning's work to knock up a set of temporary boards to span the gap if you ever needed to. I agree, there's no point in having anything permanent there as it's just unneccessary weight. That lightweight walkway waffle-board stuff would be a good thing to use if you ever needed to, and it's pretty much inert so you could store it outside when not in use without worrying about it being rotten when you needed it to pick up your next Reliant Robin project. |
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My worst worry about dying is my wife selling my stuff for what I told her it cost...
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Jan 12, 2022 19:09:18 GMT
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  Absolutely love these for the detail they add. Excellent as always Dez |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 12, 2022 19:47:50 GMT
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. Nice, don't think I've ever seen a unicycle-powered winch before! You must have thighs like Chris Boardman! I once had a trailer with a hand crank one, and unicycle power would be a walk in the park compared to that! |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 12, 2022 19:49:54 GMT
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I have enjoyed following this one too, so that must make me one of the weirdos. The way you've got the centre section braced it would be a morning's work to knock up a set of temporary boards to span the gap if you ever needed to. I agree, there's no point in having anything permanent there as it's just unneccessary weight. That lightweight walkway waffle-board stuff would be a good thing to use if you ever needed to, and it's pretty much inert so you could store it outside when not in use without worrying about it being rotten when you needed it to pick up your next Reliant Robin project. The only thing other than cars I can see me moving on this is certain building materials- like fence posts/timber that are too long for a normal pickup. For doing that the centre being open is actually really handy for strapping purposes. |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 12, 2022 20:01:31 GMT
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Some sundry stuff before we take a very deep dive into the main event…. Wheels. I picked up a few mk7 steels for a tenner each, to get blasted and painted before I fitted new tyres.  The geeen will make sense later. It looks rubbish now but it will work with the trucks eventual colour. Also, I’m into painting nickable vehicles odd colours as it puts off the light fingered fraternity. For some reason I’d put off buying the 4 more new tyres I needed (the truck had two new ones on when I bought it). Then I did one of my ridiculous mega deals where I got a set of new tyres and made £300 on top for 2 hours driving and removing the tyres from a set of wheels 😂 So it all worked out very nicely. For those going wtf?! I bought a set of 40s Ford steel wheels that had had brand new transit tyres fitted to make the vehicle they were on into a a roller when it came off the boat. They still had the stickers on, and it’s £180 for a set of 4. The guy had hot rodder the truck and fitted some tarty wheels, and was flogging off the ‘junk’… I gave £160 for the set of wheels and tyres (I think, might have been less) it involved driving down to dartford and back that evening to collect but was worth it as I sold the wheels without tyres the next day for £500.  So yeah, that went very well indeed.  |
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Last Edit: Jan 12, 2022 20:15:03 GMT by Dez
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75swb
Beta Tester
Posts: 1,052
Club RR Member Number: 181
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Jan 12, 2022 21:02:09 GMT
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BRG, yellow stripes, and a retro "team lotus" decal?
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Jan 13, 2022 12:52:07 GMT
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1960s British Rail deep bronze green, with orange & black lining? |
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Jan 13, 2022 13:32:37 GMT
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I have found on my recovery that having an open centre with exposed braces, has left it a great spot for putting things into for more secure transporting, like a set of wheels, or an engine, for example. It's that, or have it slide around on some greasy/wet ally checkerplate.
Wouldn't have been my first choice but I wouldn't change it now.
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Jan 13, 2022 13:44:39 GMT
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 You can see my plan is to have the centre section hinged and the ramps slide in behind, but I’ve not quite finished headscratching on that just yet. I’m kinda 90% there but I want it to be slick and also secure. I see two solutions. The first one is as per my truck, which isn't as tidy but it's OK on mine as I have a longer tail and so it's hidden. There are sprung deadbolts on each side on the frame, that when released, slide into a small hole in the side of the ramp. they can't slide forward or back, and the slot the ramp slides into is just wide enough, so it can't laterally move either. The other, tidier, option would be as per flatbed transporter trailers a la IW and BJ etc. A steel flap to cover it, on hinges, with the same sprung deadbolt on each side. You have the frame there to have the deadbolt latch into, and that usually doubles up as the numberplate panel. The hinges are usually sprung as well so that the flap then stays open by itself. Bonus (and lightest) option would just be a deadbolt and R-clip through a 1/2" hole in the ramp and through one of the beams for the bed. You could still have a sprung, or magnetic, number plate with panel to cover the gap at the back. |
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ToolsnTrack
Posted a lot
Homebrew Raconteur
Posts: 4,128
Club RR Member Number: 134
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Jan 13, 2022 14:23:59 GMT
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Nothing to add other than loving the thread. Looking forward to seeing this Transit used in anger...
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 13, 2022 20:13:33 GMT
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BRG, yellow stripes, and a retro "team lotus" decal? 1960s British Rail deep bronze green, with orange & black lining? You are both miles away but also sort of in the right ballpark… |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 13, 2022 20:16:53 GMT
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I have found on my recovery that having an open centre with exposed braces, has left it a great spot for putting things into for more secure transporting, like a set of wheels, or an engine, for example. It's that, or have it slide around on some greasy/wet ally checkerplate. Wouldn't have been my first choice but I wouldn't change it now. I’ve been toying with the idea of putting an ally ‘bin’ at the front just behind the winch, sort of a box that slides into the frame provided by the crossmembers and rails, that sits down onto the centre prop support area to support the base of it. Even if I only use it for chucking straps in I can see it being a useful feature. |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 13, 2022 20:27:24 GMT
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You can see my plan is to have the centre section hinged and the ramps slide in behind, but I’ve not quite finished headscratching on that just yet. I’m kinda 90% there but I want it to be slick and also secure. I see two solutions. The first one is as per my truck, which isn't as tidy but it's OK on mine as I have a longer tail and so it's hidden. There are sprung deadbolts on each side on the frame, that when released, slide into a small hole in the side of the ramp. they can't slide forward or back, and the slot the ramp slides into is just wide enough, so it can't laterally move either. The other, tidier, option would be as per flatbed transporter trailers a la IW and BJ etc. A steel flap to cover it, on hinges, with the same sprung deadbolt on each side. You have the frame there to have the deadbolt latch into, and that usually doubles up as the numberplate panel. The hinges are usually sprung as well so that the flap then stays open by itself. Bonus (and lightest) option would just be a deadbolt and R-clip through a 1/2" hole in the ramp and through one of the beams for the bed. You could still have a sprung, or magnetic, number plate with panel to cover the gap at the back. You’re thinking along the same lines as me. I’ve already made up a ‘flap’ that the number plate and lights will mount to, and have been messing about with some brass piano hinge for mounting. I’ve also got a pair of spring loaded bolts. The guides from the ramps are an area that require considerable thought so they work smoothly, don’t rattle too much and the ramps are lockable, but also so they don’t hang down underneath or interfere with the spare wheel. Ideally I’d like to not rely solely on the flap for ramp retention, as I’ve seen people loose them when they forget to do pin or it doesn’t latch properly. The newer Brian James take this into account with the funny notch on the end of the ramp that you have to push in then lift to get the ramps out. Likewise I’d kinda like the flap to be top hinged so if it fails it fails shut, and doesn’t swing down and get ripped off, taking the plate and wiring with it. But for that to work it has to fold back out the way when loading. We’ve all that those days with trailers or trucks when things like this happen, and if it does I’d like to not be miles away from home with no plate and lights or a missing ramp. |
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glenanderson
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,354
Club RR Member Number: 64
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Jan 13, 2022 22:51:42 GMT
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Having spent time in the past struggling with the combined effects of under designed and overloaded transporter kit, making sure there’s still enough room to slide the ramps in if they’ve got a bit of a bow in isn’t a bad idea. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve put ramps upside down on a couple of bricks and driven the lorry over them to straighten them up a bit. 🤣
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My worst worry about dying is my wife selling my stuff for what I told her it cost...
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Jan 13, 2022 23:47:33 GMT
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I’ve been toying with the idea of putting an ally ‘bin’ at the front just behind the winch, sort of a box that slides into the frame provided by the crossmembers and rails, that sits down onto the centre prop support area to support the base of it. Even if I only use it for chucking straps in I can see it being a useful feature. Hi, It can be if you remember to take the straps out before you load the 'casualty' fully, because they're inaccessible after. Colin |
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,790
Club RR Member Number: 34
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Jan 15, 2022 20:05:58 GMT
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So, the big job. I knew when I bought this thing it had some rust. I deliberately bought a mega cheap but rusty one that hasn’t been tarted up by someone else, as I simply don’t trust other peoples welding. Especially people welding up cheap commercials, most of em shouldn’t be welding up skips let alone vehicles. You can get maybe 90% of the panels for these, there’s only a couple that aren’t available. It also meant I could do the mk7 front job really nicely. The other thing is that there’s actually little difference between minor rust and major rust on a transit- you still end up replacing more or less the same panels in their entirety becuase of how they are constructed. This was what I was dealing with. I started with the cab step as I’d already bought the panels.       I’d already bought these complete step assembles, and inner and outer sills/lower arch.  So I made a few holes based on the panels I had.    Now I’m not particularly phased by cutting the entire side out of a vehicle and having to make it all up from scratch or realign it all again. It’s what I do regularly, but mostly on older and more expensive vehicles. I’ve done a Mercedes and an MG midget in the last year that were worse than this. But that’s the kind of view I was approaching this with, not the ‘it’s just a cheap transit, just bodge it up for another year’ mentality everyone else seems to use. If i was doing it I was doing it right, and it had to be as good as (or in this case easily better) than factory. Here the new panels mocked in to see how well they fitted (surprisingly good tbh), and what gaps I had left.   I really was pretty impressed with the panels given they weren’t all that expensive. |
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Last Edit: Jan 15, 2022 20:12:08 GMT by Dez
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