Both front brake calipers installed now and hard lines made up:
My Hella spot lamps arrived too which look ace. I initially trial mounted them using the existing holes in the bumper:
But as I’m mounting a spare wheel to the front I’ll need to move them. The spare wheel will foul them:
So I’ll be mounting everything roughly like this. I love this look (apologies for the back-lit picture!)
I’ve picked up some 25mm tubing to make the spare wheel mount so best get cracking.
A much overdue update! I’ve had three days off this week, following New Year’s, to try and get a move on with the van mechanicals.
First up a nice easy job, fitting the gear shifter. This is the Scat shifter I took out of the van, I’ve had the base powder coated (of course!) and the springs etc plated:
I then finished building up the engine. I’ve not changed anything substantial with the engine as it was running fine before the resto. It’s just had a good clean up, the original tinware powder coated, a proper SVDA dizzy (with pertronix ignition) to replace the 009, reinstated cooling flaps and thermostat, and a nice vintage speed exhaust! Looking pretty clean and tidy:
I also kept the original Bosch coil which was looking a bit tired with surface rust coming through, so gave it a clean up and paint with some left over ‘koni red’ paint:
With the engine pretty much built up it was time to get the gearbox and engine in!
First up, the gearbox. It’s had a good clean up and then a coat of Dynax UC (probably overkill but it can’t hurt):
Much grunting and swearing later, and the gearbox is in, plus the drive shafts:
At this point I realised I had a bit of a problem when I came to fit the clutch cable bowden tube. The steel tube under the van that it connects to was around 10cm too short, meaning the bowden tube wouldn’t fit! This must have snapped off at some point in the resto and I’d not realised. Keen to avoid having to weld under the van this late in the game, having spent a huge amount of time on it, my mind started churning for a neat workaround.
Cue the following day, and I scrounged a 15cm piece of thick wall stainless tube from Ali across the yard, with an OD thick enough to fit into the bowden tube. I then got the first 5cm of the tube turned down in a lathe to fit snuggly inside the tube that runs under the van:
And all installed under the van, problem solved. (the bowden tube may still need some washers at the other end yet, I’ll see how it goes):
And finally this morning’s job, the all important engine install! All ready to go with the van jacked up and engine on my manky old rug:
Much more grunting, sweating and longer than I’d care to admit and the engine is in (they’re doable on your own, but it’s a bit of a workout!):
Not too shabby:
I need to finish plumbing the engine in this week, fit the front brake calipers, bleed the brakes and finish some of the steering column and then I should be in a position to try and fire the engine up!
Brake calipers are pretty much ready to go, and of course got the koni red treatment (Max wanted the “Porsche” look!):
My yearly Christmas roundup of van progress.
Starting to cut and polish the paint work.
This is the unpolished O/S corner straight out of the gun:
And the N/S which has been polished:
Got the rear light cluster back in too:
Starting to get the ol’ lawnmower engine ready to go back in the van. It’s just getting a tidy up and I’m reinstating some of the bits that were missing or wrong.
Thus far I’ve started to degrease the block, have fitted the cooling flaps to the fan housing (these were completely missing). and reattached the fan to the alternator and bolted into the fan housing.
Front windscreen in thanks to this little lamb. It kicked up a fair old fight but we got there!
Majority of the dash built up, and wiring reconnected.
Like I’d just bolt on grubby bits! A stack of bits back from the platers ready for another 40 years service.
The bits I sent off to the powder-coaters last week were ready to pick up yesterday. This included all of the engine tinware and a huge stack of bits for the cab. For the amount of stuff I sent to them it was great value for money and has saved lots of time:
I also have a box of bits at the platers to save me having to clean them up which are ready to collect tomorrow (striker plates etc). I’m now in a great position for building up the dash area, so here we go!
Powder-coated foot controls, plus a butty’s bits throttle linkage good to go:
Pedals bolted in:
I had a small meltdown over the throttle pedal not looking right. I finally realised what was wrong this evening. The new hinge I’d bought was substantially different to the original one I’d used when fitting the weld-nuts as it sat a lot lower to the floor (original on the pedal, new one in front):
With the original hinge fitted instead I’m happy with the position (I’ll leave this on for now, but will source a new one as this one is a little rusty):
Washer bottle back in with new hoses and powder-coated bracket:
Hanbrake lever back in:
After longer than I’d care to admit I got the lock housing back onto the steering column. The secret? Put the bush, washer and circlip in the lock housing, then slide it up the steering column rather than down (the top of the column is a larger diameter):
And finally started re-assembling the dash itself:
Powder-coat makes everything look brand new!
Last few cab bolt on bits into Neptune Blue tonight.
