Bedford

[rml2345]

Fantastic work on this so far, it's going to look ace.

Did you find any suitable chairs for it?

[cros]

∆∆∆ Alas, no seats. I went after several but any car specific ones that are remotely usable seem to fetch a lot, and I don't really want to recover them. I would consider single bus seats as long as they didn't have a headrest- chopping the legs down to fit would be fine.

As an aside, a few years ago I had to put seats into a sixteen seater Transit I had (the boxy Mark2 type with enormous windscreen and powerful York engine) and I got some with built in belts suspiciously cheap from a welfare bus. On the way home with them just stacked inside the price was explained by a formidable smell of urine. Sliding door remained open all the way.

 

[cros]

I've opted not to use the original van dampers because they're horrible. The six cylinder cars related to the PC got rebound damping, 4 cylinder ones just hopped along to save the cost of a tiny valve.

In case a future owner wants to smack their head on the roof everytime they go over a bump I've made brackets to attach new Escort van telescopics to the original bolt holes, so the 'proper' lever arms ones can be put back

 

 

Here's the fuel gauge, a double corker no less. I've persisted with one of these geared ones before on my Talbot 90, but was disappointed, so I'll use the same wheeze that I fitted to my Morris Commercial. That's got a fish tank low water warning sensor which are only a few quid and nicely made in stainless. They have a magnet actuated reed switch so the electric stays dry. Wired to a discreet led you get more flashes as the level drops.

With the dampers in place the tank can go in, here it is painted and glinting in the evening sun. Doors, front wings and wheels have been done as well so next job is to spray the rest of the body. Then it's just the small matter of an engine, gearbox, wiring, brakes, and to top it off, a roof. What is God's name was I thinking of buying the bastard thing?

 

[cros]

Nearly 18 months have passed since I started on this van and I'm getting a bit fed up with it. Thats entirely my own fault, there's any number of flashier motors I could have chosen that would have been finished by now and in which I could be whizzing around.

Instead the engine is only just being tentatively dangled in place.

 

Don't look too bad so far, the rear mount is codged up and the engine's resting place decided on.

I could have pushed it forward a couple of inches and kept the prop shaft its original length, but that would be too easy, I can't be compromising the weight distribution. Not really true, I just want the fan to twiddle around behind the radiator, not in front.

I was reminded by the owner of a car with this sort of suspension that when you put the brakes on the front end rises instead of the more normal dive that cars usually perform. Something to look forward to then.

I've also painted most of the van. It was sprayed outside and in the recent heat dried before too many insects stuck to it. My spraying is shit, so where it takes place has little bearing on the quality. The pictures were taken before the final coat, but its still shit.

I'm looking forward to the end of bodywork stuff as mechanical things are where I'm happiest.

The gearbox has been disembowelled and is a beautiful thing inside, I've never seen such a nice layout.

I've got another one to have on display in the lounge. It will replace the Ford one currently by the stove- Ive never been happy with the miserable little thing anyway. My Mrs has broken the lever off it twice moving it to do the hoovering, so the Ford 'boxes replacement will be strengthened in this area. (I'm sure she loves having it around).

 

Back to the actual vehicle's gearbox, I felt nothing needed replacement, so its reassembled with its original components. I do like a 3 speeder and I now have to come up with a way of changing gear as the selectors are inside this one as opposed to the earlier arrangement of having them available for inspection and flapping about unlubricated on the side of the steering column. In order to maintain some of the authentic column change sloppiness I will use a bicycle brake cable to shift the selectors between the Reverse/First and Second/Third plane.

When the front engine mounts are in place the steering box and then the front wings can go on and I'll cheer up a bit. Oh, just forgot, I've got the fucking roof and those rear corners to do...

 

The soon to be usurped y type.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Thats entirely my own fault, there's any number of flashier motors I could have chosen that would have been finished by now and in which I could be whizzing around.

 

Yes, but where's the fun* in that ? Restoring undesirable, impractical, obsolete pieces of shite that are too far gone for anyone sane to restore is what this place is all about !

[cros]

Yes, but where's the fun* in that ? Restoring undesirable, impractical, obsolete pieces of shite that are too far gone for anyone sane to restore is what this place is all about !

∆∆ Of course, you're absolutely right. Its easy to forget the real reason we were Luton this earth, I bet Mr Jesus had the odd moment of despond when he was, you know, I mustn't say it so as not to offend. Actually I typed 'puton' this earth but the spellcheck changed it to Luton, getting too clever they are.

[mercrocker]

Clever spellchecker, indeed - knowing you were writing about a Bedford.

[Joey spud]

Using a fish tank level sensor on a fuel tank is pure genius.

[cros]

Using a fish tank level sensor on a fuel tank is pure genius.

Its pure stinginess really. There is a plastic sensor made for landrovers which works well and costs around £20. I should have used this but I suffer from an old persons desease, I still think that this is a weeks wages. Happily I am fully adjusted to beer costing £3.60 a pint. It was 26p when I worked in a bar (Tartan bitter), but it tastes far better now which is something to be cheerful about.

[mercrocker]

If the third float sender I am about to try on my Cowley (along with another fuel gauge already trialled) doesn't work I might have to give the fish tank thing a go myself....Bloody good idea.   Watney's Starlight was 28p when I first started work in a Shell garage.  Used to get a 50p tip every Friday from a local factory manager whose Citroen CX came in for oil check and tank fillage so that was the first two pints of the weekend nearly covered!   

 

On thread - looking forward to the resplendent black and green Beddy, such a period colour scheme that....

[cros]

I feel I have to own up to a painty cock up. I originally did it in a "Mid Brunswick Green" which looked OK when I ordered it from how the colour appeared on my phone. Thats probably as big a sin as the people who buy a house on 'homes under the hammer" having never previously viewed it.

I went ahead and sprayed it on, knowing it was too light for what I wanted, and then had to re-do it in a darker shade. (Wheel rims are still in the lighter green) I believe its less time consuming to settle on a colour before you start spraying, but there you are, I've been in the Autoshite confession booth and feel much better now.

[cros]

 

Art buffs will doubtless recognise this masterpiece, rendered not by brush but the knob-end of Australian genius Tim Patch. (Pricasso)

Looks like he's been at the Bedford when you get close.

[D Spares & Tyres]

I have a pair of these. Any good? Quite comfy for something of this age.(1958 Wolseley) leather is good, vinyl needs work.

 

Free

 

I'm heading to Cambridgeshire tomorrow. Happy to meet you somewhere. My route is Brum - Huntingdon - Wisbech. Mid morning.

[lesapandre]

Its pure stinginess really. There is a plastic sensor made for landrovers which works well and costs around £20. I should have used this but I suffer from an old persons desease, I still think that this is a weeks wages. Happily I am fully adjusted to beer costing £3.60 a pint. It was 26p when I worked in a bar (Tartan bitter), but it tastes far better now which is something to be cheerful about.

Finding alternatives is great...need some touch up paint try Humbrol kit stuff - about half the price, get the crap off my van...Lidl kitchen cleaner...new wing mirror glass, my local glazier etc etc.

[cros]

 

Long ago, before I knew any better, I quite liked the look of the Rickman Intercepter, until I saw how they'd attached the footrests by welding them to the exhaust pipes.

 

I've a feeling that Panhard also attached something unusual to their exhaust pipes- can't recall exactly what, but it was probably Gallic bloody-mindedness rather than Brit cheepness.

Now it's my turn, so I put some extra long bolts through the steering box and hung the engine on it. I will cut that off offensive thread though.

There's more horrors at the front. After torturing the wings into place, I find that the metal strap necessary to stop everything flopping outwards ends up behind the propeller. Something will have to be done...

....but not tomorrow morning as I'm off to meet Mr D Spares & Tyres to collect the magnificent interior furnishings that he has kindly offered.

[mk2_craig]

What a great project!! Any sign writing planned for the sides?

[cros]

No sign writing planned but if someone wanted to paint the thing properly they could put what they liked on it as long as it was in keeping. There used to be a big sign I liked on a tailors in Wellingborough that said "Warwick Clothes are Good". I don't think the bloke who thought that one up would cut it in advertising today. It's gone now, replaced with "JD Sports clothes are shit". Not really.

[martc]

[cros]

Is one of these you Mr Martc? If so can you let me have the name of your tailor, I want to get the right look when I finally take to the road.

[martc]

I'm the one in the middle.

 

[cros]

That Morris Z van has been dirtied up by an amateur. I intend to do mine in the proper manner by using it. I have had the honour of driving an ex GPO 'Z' one and only by leaving a wheel off could you have cheapened them further. I thought it extremely nice.

[somewhatfoolish]

Bib and braces; do painter/decorators still wear them?

[Guest Hooli]

They did in about 2004 when I worked in a Dulux shop. It's scary to think that's 14 years ago..

[Sigmund Fraud]

I've a feeling that Panhard also attached something unusual to their exhaust pipes- can't recall exactly what, but it was probably Gallic bloody-mindedness rather than Brit cheepness.

 

The engine mounts, naturallement :

 

 

I would have loved to say that it was done for weight saving, but the sheer size of the things (which also take the weight of the gearbox) suggests they just did it because they could !

[cros]

A bit more bashing has been carried out and I've also fitted the headlamps to make the van look more complete as enthusiasm was flagging. The old lamps were tarnished so these are Indian made and come in a box of 5 for £30 including postage. I didnt want that many but maybe thats just a years supply...

 

 

Originally the roof was canvas on a bed of thin wooden lathes held together with tacks. I'm doing the curved sides in steel and the top in aluminium.

It would be a insult to proper panel beaters to regard my methods as good practice, but at least it'll stop anyone with a penknife getting in the through the roof.

The panels were curved a bit at a time over a lump of old propshaft clamped in the vice. It looks crude, but I draped a bit of rag over it before making the bend- I'm not a fucking savage. Fine tuning was done on a bit of tree.

Ive also started on the brakes, the master cylinder has new seals and is in place. The clutch on these is cable operated, but its not the modern type of cable with an inner and outer, just a length of cable. This means there must be a strut to prevent the engine and gearbox being hauled backwards each time the pedal is depressed. I might make some changes here....

 

[cros]

The roof is finally done. It doesn't look great because I'm a messy bugger and have managed to get black gloop everywhere- face looks like a Dalmation. Problem (excuse) was that the main part had to be screwed down in one go having been previously drilled and tapped. In the frenzy of putting in a billion screws before it set some sealant must of oozed out...

I collected a drop-glass and inner windscreen surround on Saturday from the Vauxhall spares man. They added a couple of inches width to the bodies of their post war cars, so like the early Morris Minors I'll have to have a plate over the gap. No matter, I'm glad to find the part as its an awkward shape to replicate.

[Mally]

Pure class!

Every time I see this I read it right through from the beginning again.

[Guest Hooli]

Looks great

[cort1977]

How did I miss this?  Top work.

[binhoker668]

It is. Properly lush!