[Zebedee]

Its slowly getting there. I think they're the biggest bits done now.
Still haven't attacked the inner arch with a wire wheel on the grinder yet so not sure how far the rot has spread.

 

[Zebedee]

I've spent 38 hours on this camper so far.
Got the rear hatch seal mounting channel welded up this afternoon. I think the seal was being held in with good luck only before.

Theres a bit either side along the top that also needs replacing as its rotted away.

Found a small bit of rot on the closing panel at the end of the sill. Not as bad as the one on my caravelle which is nice.

Not very pleased with these welds but the sill was coated in waxoyl so struggled to get it all clean enough to get a good weld that doesn't look like pigeon poo. Its solid though.

 

[AntB]

You have done a lot in only 38 hours.
I must have spent 1000's of hours on my ghia.

Tony

 

[Zebedee]

You have done a lot in only 38 hours.
I must have spent 1000's of hours on my ghia.

Tony

It seems like a lifetime.
I kept track of the hours i spend working on my bug but after it hit 2000 i gave up counting.

I'm only managing to spare an afternoon or so a week on this, as with working outside in the wettest county in the UK, the weather keeps stopping me. If it was sat on my drive instead of my brother inlaws 25 minutes away it would probably have been done by now as i could have just popped out to do 1/2 an hour or so between rain showers.
I really need to get a carport built but the rising cost of timber and cladding would put it at around the £1000 mark.

 

[AntB]

I know that problem.
Its raining today, so the ghia is just sat under her cover.
By the time I have got eveything out ready and the car uncovered, it starts raining again...so it is a coffee and cake indoor day.
I spent 3k building my wife a pottery studio in the back garden, saving now to try to fund my workshop build.
My problem is that we cant get the car into the back garden and are not alowed to build in the front garden, so everything has to be done in the open air.

Tony

 

[Zebedee]

I've got this space next to the garage that would come in useful. It slopes a little but not enough to really cause a problem. Atleast the water would run off.
If the motorhome is moved across to the chain fence on the right (and that sign turned sideways ) theres just over 8ft of width. A carport would need to be about 8.5ft high to fit a T3 hightop in though.

 

[Zebedee]

Chopped the rot out of the closing panel at the end of the sill and welded some new steel in. Coat of epoxy primer and some seam sealer applied. Had to repair a section of sill too as it was made of wood with filler over it.

Wheelarch side of the snorkel box had the rot chopped out too. I still had to cut a little more out to get to good steel.

Epoxy primed and seam sealed too.

 

[AntB]

What seam sealer do you use.

Nice work once again young sir.

Tony

 

[Zebedee]

Can't remember what seam sealer it is, though i do know it doesn't contain isocyanates. I tend to have problems breathing if i use (or am even near) anything with those in.
I normally use the Granville stuff in the tube but it wasn't in stock and this was the only alternative i could get at the time. Its in a white tube you use with a caulking gun which i know doesn't help at all.
I gave up using the 1KG tins of brushable stuff as it always went off by the time i got half of it used.

 

[Zebedee]

Got the sliding door seal mounting channel welded on this afternoon.

Bit of black paint to cover the primer. Sliding door seal is an oddun'. 3 sides are the right length but the 4th is about 8" too long.

Made a start on the rear hatch seal channel thats rotten in the top corners.

Sanded down some of the filler on the rear 1/4 and sprayed on some gloss black.

 

[AntB]

You are certainly cracking on with the repairs young man.

Tony

 

[Zebedee]

I think a couple more afternoons work should get it back in a useable condition.
Brother in law really wants to use it in a week or so to go away for a couple of days.

I really hate sanding filler. I used a B&D mouse sander on my bug and it made it so much easier. It went pop after inhaling too much filler dust though and i never replaced it.

 

[Zebedee]

Got the two bits of the rear hatch mounting channel welded up this afternoon.

Rear end still needs a little more sanding, though it might just get left for now until its time for paint.

 

[Zebedee]

Had a quite productive day.
Repairs to engine bay painted, new engine lid seal installed and airbox refitted.

New sliding door guide block and new seal fitted. Door is a PITA to close now.

I didn't know early T3 used bay window sliding door handle. 211 part number. Late sliding doors do not work on early vans, even though the PO fitted it. None of the locks line up so theres just a bent piece of metal bolted in place.

 

[Zebedee]

Paint it black. Still a few bits to fill and sand once the filler arrives.

Looks a bit more solid now.

 

[Zebedee]

Gave the underside of the snorkel boxes and the repairs in the wheelarches a couple of coats of gravitex stonechip.

 

[AntB]

Looks nice and tidy under there now sir.

I did all the underside of my ghia with gravitex underseal, then stone chip over the top.

Tony

 

[Zebedee]

Gravitex is stonechip. I did all the underside of the arches on my bug in it then painted over it in bodycolour.

 

[Cat]

looking great 😍

 

[Zebedee]

looking great 😍

Cheers.
Got a few more bits cleaned up, filled, sanded, primed and painted temporarily in spray can black.
Little bit at the bottom of the B pillar and front arch.

Lower areas of the rear corners. Plus a section further up the corner seam. Meant the bumper could be reinstalled.

Forgot my small screwdriver so couldn't wire up the towbar electrics plus i still need to find some new mounting bolts and nuts as i had to cut them off when it was removed.