Bedford

[cros]

This van is held together by lots of tiny tacks, and woodscrews. I made up a frame to keep the 'scuttle' in shape so that when I put it back together it will be something like it's original shape. All the wood is rotten so I've had something to put on the fire during this cold snap.

 

 

The sills, what's left of them, have been cut off just to the rear of where the scuttle joins the chassis and are bolloxed. They're also quite a difficult shape (for me at least) to replicate and curved along their length so that should be fun.

Meanwhile a search for another engine has failed to turn up anything. I'd quite like a later short stroke one, and a gearbox would be useful so any leads would be appreciated.

Only a couple of years ago my mate did a CA pickup and had two spare engines which nobody wanted so they went with a second pickup he'd got for parts. Curiously the later pickup had its rear panel made from glass fibre instead of steel.

[cros]

Welding has begun. The first side is done, but it's inner and outer mudguards need lots of work. It then remains to make a frame to hang them onto.

I've opted to leave the front portion of the bodywork in place rather than dismantle it all and lose the pieces. I think I'll get the rear part back together and that way the doors have a chance of fitting back in their holes. I use the word 'fit' loosely as did Bedford- the door panels actually overlapped the body panels on these things.

The chassis is in very good condition with no welding needed, which is nice. That's the other side panel lying on top waiting for the grinder.

[bunglebus]

Good progress. I think Wickes do wooden welding rods.

[cros]

^^ No need, using sellotape like they do at the factory.

In other news I have managed to find and boughted a 'short stroke' '15 '0 something' engine so I wont have to pollute the Bedford by fitting a non-standard lump. I also have purchased a 3 speed box to go on the end of it- the engine comes with a 4 on the floorer, but that would be horribly wasteful; three is plenty for my tree.

[cros]

I fetched 2 Victor engines and 3 gearboxes from Runcorn this weekend, a nice Landrover full. I tried the standard 1500 first- it's been dragged out of the car carelessly and the bell housing has had a hole punched in the side. The carb has been walloped hard so the intake is egg shaped. I cleaned its motley collection of plugs (only 2 were the same heat range) and bent the points arm so that the contacts vaguely touched. After hooking it up to a battery on my test rig (the floor) it burst into life and ran very nicely without smoke.

The other engine is much smarter, bristling with horsepower (80+), carbs and an alloy head.

Last of all are the gearboxes, 2 X 4 speeds and one 3 speed. Here are the two types side by side, one is slightly shorter than the other so that's the one I'll use.

[cros]

 

 

.

[Split_Pin]

This is an absolute joy to follow. I am humbled by the indomitable spirit of some shiters, your good self included.

[cros]

That's very kind of you. I have to say that I would be daunted at tackling a car in this state as I'm very poor at the finishing touches. Happily 50's commercials were distinctly lacking in chrome, shiny paint, and trim which are the trickiest bits, not least because of the cost.

For the future, I'm a bit torn between keeping it on the skinny OE 17" crossplies or trying to find some 16" rims and putting it onto vastly better and cheaper 16" taxi tyres. Despite it being a no-brainer there's something alluring about a 1/2 ton van riding on 4 1/4" wide tyres. I'm not overly fond of Mr Setright's musings but he once observed that the povvo-spec MK1 Cortina was ill-shod even when stationary at the curb; the PC is even more so.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Splendid work as always !

 

Is there a reason you didn't use much triangulation in your frame design - i.e. wanting to replicate the design of the wooden frame ?

[I_am_Diesel]

That's some fantastic work you are doing there, I look forward to seeing lots of pictures when it's finished.

[cros]

On 8/6/2017 at 10:14 AM, Sigmund Fraud said:

Splendid work as always !

 

Is there a reason you didn't use much triangulation in your frame design - i.e. wanting to replicate the design of the wooden frame ?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

It sounds like it will be be strong enough for what it needs to do, and definitely stronger than the original !

[overrun]

MOAR

[cros]

A little more progress in that the front of the van has been re-united with the back and fitted together. The panels have been bonded with black snot and countersunk stainless screws tapped into the box section.

 

I have some thin walled galvanised box section (lying on the floor) that will be expertly mangled to form the sills. That'll give the MOT man something to suck in 2037- the first bit of GM shit that's gone straight through in years.

[Squire_Dawson]

Fantastic.

[eddyramrod]

A proper project, properly done.  Proper Job!

[DSdriver]

Somehow I have not seen this thread before and my life was incomplete. I can now die a happy man

 

(not in the near future I hope)

[cros]

Progress has been slow recently, but I'm on to interior furnishing now, so Im looking for a pair of extremely uncomfortable front seats to replace the originals. The bar is not set high, here's what came with the van.

The frames are broken and make even a 2cv's 'deck chairs' look lavish. Just this bit of bent tube bolted to a tin box and some fabric hanging from it for the mice to nest in. To adjust you had to unbolt and move the frame forwards. This is poverty spec Luton style.

I'm after something like these:

I've even made myself a bit of floor to bolt them to.

Almost forgot sills are done, they're now holding the floor up. I used some galvanised box section as I don't want to be doing them again when I'm 120. Also patched up are the rear doors and front wings- what fun that was.

 

[lesapandre]

A30-35 or Minor seats might work?

[cros]

A30-35 or Minor seats might work?

Certainly would, do you have any?

[lesapandre]

No but I will keep a eye out.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Incredible.......... works of art fella. I shudder at trying to create anything like that to put old tin back together.

Anything further on the running gear?

[cros]

Re-running gear, the Victor engine and 3 speed box will be going in. The engine needs nothing doing except I did intend to put hardened valve seats in. However I'm now having second thoughts on touching the head if the guides are OK which I think they are. I had 40000 miles out of a Mini van on unleaded but without hardened seats, and I wonder what others folks here think?

[DodgeRover]

If they're ok don't be tempted to recut and grind them in, it looses the lead and work hardening, I killed a pinto head in 6000 miles after doing that. You can fit a flashlube valve saver designed for lpg for about £20 - given the miles you will be doing a litre of fluid will last for ages.

[cros]

^^Excellent idea, you've just made up my mind. I might also do a decent number of miles in the van if it turns out any good. I've only driven one ancient Vauxhall before- it was a 10 or a 12 from the late 30's. I'm vague about it because I didn't have any interest in the things at the time and I was just shifting it for someone else. Though I still don't much like the look of them I was struck by how much lighter it was to drive than Austins and Morrises from that era and how much better the ride was. Flashlube it is, but not the electronic one!

[cros]

I learned from the excellent Vauxpedia site that there was a one off competition special based on a pre-war Bedford van Just thought I'd mention it, it's under Crosby Special.

http://vauxpedianet.uk2sitebuilder.com/vauxhall---crosby-special-1947

[cros]

It's bin a while, but things are creeping along with the van. It didn't help that when I drove to Surrey to fetch some parts I came home with a 205 instead because the parts didn't fit.

The front wings have been patched, bare metalled and etch primed. Underneath are a couple of coats of RustBusters two pack paint. This is a local firm whose product comes in a couple of cans and has the consistency of putty. You mix equal parts, thin, and daub the snotty mix on and hope it never comes off. If difficulty of use is commensurate with longevity this is stuff is hot shit.

I remember being pleased that the rear door skins were only rusty at the bottom, but they proved to be so battered everywhere else that they needed a bit of filler. They also needed a metal frame as I burned the wooden one.

I'll be glad when all this bodywork is done and I can get nice and oily again.

[Guest Hooli]

I hadn't seen this thread before, it's vantastic.

[Jim Bell]

Those green wheels make me want some green wheels. Nice to see this thread updated!

[cros]

I would have preferred a darker green, but buying an off the shelf colour was loads cheaper and you can't actually see them when you're driving.

The wings will be black, so two tone like you get on Vauxhall Adams cos I don't want folks to think I'm out of touch.