Has anyone had a lorry transported? Is it hi - NOW BODGE 50 HORSEBO11OX THREAD (Now with added turtles)

[Mr_Bo11ox]

That makes a lot of sense Vulg. I reckon if you cut out the Cheshire cat section, then cut a replacement for it which was the same shape but twice as wide, and stitched that back in, you'd have a pretty good fit. Have you any experience of stitching this carpet? I think it's gel backed stuff. Can you just stitch two bits of it together? What would you use for thread?

[beko1987]

1 hour ago, vulgalour said:

For the carpet, cut along the top and bottom curve of the vertical bit of the moulded bit in the middle.  If you cut from the bulkhead edge where the vertical curves join in a point, you should find that you have a big flat piece for the floor, a smaller flat piece for the top of the cover, and a weird Chesire Cat smile shaped piece that wraps around.  To remake, you basically take these pattern pieces, add a bit extra material  to the edges, and sew along what were the cut curves.  If you add up to an inch to the edge all the carpet pieces you should avoid any issues with the carpet being too short around the edges and can trim it back to suit.

You can also make the hump separately from the main floor section if you prefer, and attached the carpet and sound proofing directly to the hump so that piece can be removed without lifting the whole carpet, should you need to.  If you use a rubber backed carpet generally you don't need to worry about frayed edges, if frayed edges are a concern you can buy various different sorts of edge binding that you simply sew on, you just have to be fairly accurate with that if you want a nice fit.

This reads like a post of experience! 

[Split_Pin]

That bulkhead is a thing of beauty. Seeing that all tied up must give your mojo a right good caffeine lift.

[vulgalour]

It looks like the original flooring is a moulded rubber piece with foam glued on the back?  If so, you can use puncture repair kit stuff to repair it in the same way you would a puncture.  You can also buy sheets of neoprene for things like boat decking which is a bit more malleable than carpet.  There's a lot of options for a flooring solution, but I don't think sewing what you've got is going to be one of them. If you perforate a rubber flooring it has a habit of tearing, sewing obviously makes the risk of tearing incredibly high.   Repairing old rubber floors is a bit of a nuisance, it can be done, it's just tricky to do right.

Having had another look at the shapes, the Chesire Cat bit (proper technical terms here) doesn't look that deep so you can probably do a no-sew carpet.  If you do the larger part of the floor in one piece, cut to butt up to all the edges, that will deal with the majority.  For the raised section, if you make a piece that is bigger that the top plateau and has triangular slots cut at the corners, the carpet should then 'drape' and conform to the shape you want.  Do a trial with some cardboard first.  Also, if you made this raised section piece slightly larger than it needs to be, the big floor carpet would overlap and hold it in place, giving a nice tidy edge.  You can then use contact adhesive and fabric on the back of the raised section's cut corners to hold the carpet together.  It's not necessarily a professional way of doing it, but it will work and is cheap that way.

Third option isn't going to be as pretty but might suit your needs.  Cut one large floor piece in carpet that doesn't include the raised section. Keep the original rubber raised section and repair/strengthen the tears with rubber cement and flattened out inner tube rubber.  The repairs should be mostly invisible when the rubber is refitted.  This again gives the two-piece advantage that you can remove the middle bit without removing the whole carpet, reducing the need to handle the rubber and the risk of it disintegrating.

There's so many solutions to the flooring on this one, it's a case of finding what fits your patience, budget, and desired end result best.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yo Vulg, yeah I wasnt thinking of trying to stitch the existing rubber mat which is defo toast. I was thinking more about how to join the sections of the new carpet if I made a new cheshire cat piece. I think the carpet has a smooth gel-like side and a hairy side. Presumably you can't go gluing the carpet together as any glue on the hairy side is gonna look a mess and probably not stick at all, and you can't stick smooth side to smooth side as you'll have the hairy side facing downwards somewhere right? Maybe to join the carpet as you say you have to find some hefty fabric tape of some sort and glue, or I did see some 100mm wide gaffa tape on eBay which might work perhaps.

Hefty fabric tape:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-METRE-ROLL-4-100mm-NATURAL-BEIGE-WEBBING-CARPET-BINDING-RUG-EDGING-CRAFT/251285986884

[vulgalour]

Yeah, that should work for a no-sew approach.  It'll be a bit fiddly, but if you do one seam at a time you should manage it.  If you use a fabric tape and contact adhesive the tape should have the movement it needs to stop the glue coming unstuck.  The problem with gaffer is it goes brittle and doesn't stretch or shrink that well so it doesn't last as long.  The ideal is to sew the carpet pieces together on a machine, If that's not an option and you hate yourself enough, you can do it by hand.

If I were using that fabric tape you linked, I'd glue one edge on to one piece so it's a 50% overlap of the tape.  Once that's set, I'd then glue the other edge of the tape so your carpet butts up on the tape.  It should make a practically invisible seam, it'll just take a while to do.  You can then always go back and sew through the carpet and tape to reinforce the glue bond, though not every machine will tolerate you doing this.

There is always the option of using velcro tape.  I'd recommend using actual Velcro branded tape as it's much stronger than the generic offerings usually.  That way you stick the fuzzy side of the tape to the floor and the hook side to the carpet.  It might work since you're not dealing with very complicated shapes or a lot of depth and you don't need to faff with contact adhesive and sewing machines.  Long term I don't really know how that would hold up, it's just something I've tried short term on small items and lasted reasonably well for a few months as a temporary solution.

[CreepingJesus]

In addition to Vulg's advice...

Years ago, I did a mate's Transit for him, with foam backed kitchen carpet: I used the mega strength double sided tape you get in B+Q, so that once I'd rough cut the carpet oversize (as above), I could batter it into the angles and corners with a brick bolster and mallet. Conventional knee kickers were too long to be usable, but even my modest mass was enough to hold it still. Then, it was a case of lifting the carpet enough to fit the tape, and trimming. 

I did leave the odd lip here and there ( like behind the pedals for example) so that the dirt deposited on it over time could be contained. Makes it easier to give the cab a quick sweep up. Joins can be 'hidden' with the old valeter's bodge of gently filling up with colour matched spray paint and bashing it in with a stiff brush.

Matey's Transit wouldn't have got me a job at Bentley either, but as it was his race car tug/workshop/doss house, it was good enough. 

Further back in time, I have fond memories of a local farmer using the earlier Dodge version for his milk float. Hanging off the back of that as it chugged along at 40mph at 4 in the morning was...unforgettable! 

[beko1987]

16 hours ago, vulgalour said:

Yeah, that should work for a no-sew approach.  It'll be a bit fiddly, but if you do one seam at a time you should manage it.  If you use a fabric tape and contact adhesive the tape should have the movement it needs to stop the glue coming unstuck.  The problem with gaffer is it goes brittle and doesn't stretch or shrink that well so it doesn't last as long.  The ideal is to sew the carpet pieces together on a machine, If that's not an option and you hate yourself enough, you can do it by hand.

If I were using that fabric tape you linked, I'd glue one edge on to one piece so it's a 50% overlap of the tape.  Once that's set, I'd then glue the other edge of the tape so your carpet butts up on the tape.  It should make a practically invisible seam, it'll just take a while to do.  You can then always go back and sew through the carpet and tape to reinforce the glue bond, though not every machine will tolerate you doing this.

There is always the option of using velcro tape.  I'd recommend using actual Velcro branded tape as it's much stronger than the generic offerings usually.  That way you stick the fuzzy side of the tape to the floor and the hook side to the carpet.  It might work since you're not dealing with very complicated shapes or a lot of depth and you don't need to faff with contact adhesive and sewing machines.  Long term I don't really know how that would hold up, it's just something I've tried short term on small items and lasted reasonably well for a few months as a temporary solution.

Just carpet the whole van in the fuzzy side of sticky velcro! Then you can pretend you've got a swanky new Ford with a carpet you can never hoover bits out of... 

[Dave_Q]

On 5/2/2020 at 9:11 PM, Mr_Bo11ox said:

Blimey!!! I too will show my arse on the town hall steps if that sale actually goes through. 

Shock horror, you can keep your trousers up.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174274849769?ViewItem=&item=17427484976

Wasn't relisted after that so it may actually have been sold?

[Isaac Hunt]

Loving the repair to the floor when the column goes through. The whole lot in blue looks brill.

had to laugh at your comment ref nuts and bolts.  Reminded me and my Dad had several big tins.  A first token rummage often yielded nowt.  So then the whole fekking tin got up ended.  Given the qty available, generally a match was secured.  One was only Bolluxed if you wanted a set of matching, always at least one short.

why do they never fit back in tin.  I now know this to be Dom’s law, once you’ve had the lid off, it is difficult to put it back on

[beko1987]

4 hours ago, Isaac Hunt said:

Loving the repair to the floor when the column goes through. The whole lot in blue looks brill.

had to laugh at your comment ref nuts and bolts.  Reminded me and my Dad had several big tins.  A first token rummage often yielded nowt.  So then the whole fekking tin got up ended.  Given the qty available, generally a match was secured.  One was only Bolluxed if you wanted a set of matching, always at least one short.

why do they never fit back in tin.  I now know this to be Dom’s law, once you’ve had the lid off, it is difficult to put it back on

My mate did the same, but with a big tray when we rebuilt his land rover on the road outside his house one summer. 

How we laughed*as he kicked it over one day and tipped half of them down the drain... 

He ended up just buying a better engine than his when that happened... And new bulkhead bolts

[puddlethumper]

11 hours ago, beko1987 said:

Just carpet the whole van in the fuzzy side of sticky velcro! Then you can pretend you've got a swanky new Ford with a carpet you can never hoover bits out of... 

and buy something good off beko ?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Time for a quick update on this old hulk.

So last time the scuttle was done, and I was mulling over what to do about the carpet. I decided i would get the windscreen sorted out next. I'd bought a secondhand screen ages ago and carefully stored it down the side of the house:

but before it could go in, the old screen needed removing and some grot needed tackling on the screen pillars. I didnt want broken glass all over the drive so I got a local windscreen fitter dude to come and remove it carefully:

Brilliant, thanks for that. £25 well spent eh. So I ahd to sweep and hoover up loads of broken galss anyway

At least i was able to have a look at the screen pillars though:

 

Not too bad, but both sides needed a tickle with the welder:

Didn't bother with any wob as no-one gets a close look at thses bits and it looked alright TBH. Rubbed down the screen pillars and gave them a couple of coats of red oxide and a couple more of oxford blue, all brushed on for max 'vintage lorry' game. Also it rained non-stop for about 4 days while the screen was out so the cab was a right mess of rainwater, moss and bits of rust flakes and muck when i got back on it.

Anyway, after he bust the first screen I didnt have much faith in the windscreen fitter dude so i scouted around for another. I found one local, he wanted £70 to fit the screen but I wanted a 'pro' cos i did not want to bust this friggin screen this time (last chance!!!) so I agreed.

He fitted it:

Now, he never used any lubricant while he was fitting it which seemed daft to me, why would you not? I asked him while he was doing it 'do you not use any soapy wter or anything to help it settle in?" "Nah, it'll go in OK, don't worry" he said but as he was pulling the cord out he was sweating cobs and his friggin eyes were bulging out of his head as he heaved on it. I had to look away!!!

To be fair he did get it in, and it didnt take very long. I paid him and he cleared off. Then i washed the muck off, had a close look and i could see the screen rubber was not sitting even in one area in front of the passenger. I gave it a gentle 'inquisitive' prod with my fingertip and...... CRAAAACCCKKKKK!!!!!

You have got to be fucking kidding me man. This is the third Dodge 50 screen I have owned and every bastard one has ended up broken!!! I paid £50 for the screen, £25 to have the old one removed, and £70 to get this one fitted, and in the end I've still got a fucking bust screen. You can see where the screen rubber looks uncomfortable there. I am not convinced our man inspected it to check no shards were left in from the previous screen, and he certainly didn't help the thing in by not using any lubricant of any sort, overall I was not very impressed really. Having watched him do it I think I could have done it better myself, especially having watched a few youtubes on it (that 'classic soup' Irish feller does a good one). So now I am on the lookout for YET ANOTHER windscreen. New US-spec tinted ones are available for £300 but I am just not ready for that level of spendage yet!! I will do though, if I get everything else sorted and its the last obstacle for an MOT.

Screen pillars look decent though eh!!!

Anyway I left it alone for a few days and today had a go at the carpet.

I bought 2 pieces of carpet as I was sure i would balls it up. But the first piece actaully made a decent job!!!

I made some cuts in it near the aft corners of the 'hump' so that it would sit OK on the transmission cover. Then I had to join the carpet to close the gap, which I did with some 50mm webbing, glued in with that 'trimfix' glue. I also did that on the edges to stop it having wavy flappy edges. the join is pretty invisble!!

I fannied about with it for a good few hours but its turned out amazingly well. Its just cheap ebay car carpet, not even gel backed or anything so its a bit thin like Fiesta popular plus carpet from back in the day. I still have a roll of that self-adhesive 6mm closed cell foam (that stuff that Cobblers says is shite) so i cut that and stuck it on the back like a sort of underlay, just to make it feel a bit nicer.

I'm well happy with the results. It fits quite nice, doesnt slide about all over the shop, and even feels moderatel;y plush!!! I have to cut 2 big square holes in it for the seat boxes, but they need some welding repairs first so thats the next job. I'm also going to carpet over the inner wheelarches, but I've run out of spray glue so I will sort that when some more arrives. Its getting close to being driveable again!!!! I've still got to sort the brakes but I'm plodding slong slowly.

 

 

 

[loserone]

Bloody hell Bill, I'd be livid.

[Mr Laurence]

Liked for the progress on the pillars and carpet. The trouble with the windscreen must be frustrating though. Is it a known issue with these?

[J-T]

Farrking hell, I find situations like that windscreen saga drain every scrap of enthusiasm from me and it takes me weeks to recover. Top marks for keeping calm and carrying on! Carpet looking neat.

[wuvvum]

That carpet does make it look more inviting in there than the original rubber mat. 

[LightBulbFun]

Fucking hell, im surprised you did not put your fist through the windscreen like that scene from Terminator 1! can you at least get your money back from the fitter? surely that poor service violates some sort of sale of goods act or whatever the equivalent is for paid services! 

like for the rest of the awesome work tho  

[Mr_Bo11ox]

After busting the screen I had an argument with Mrs Nuts who took a rather 'maternal' approach and insisted I get the screen fitter back and give him a bollocking/ask for a refund etc. But I had to just listen for a few moments then walk away quietly before I burst a fucking blood vessel or chucked myself out the upstairs window. The guy fitted the screen for cash, it was an old screen with a chip in it already and when he left it was in and intact. So theres no refunds happening there are there. Ive just gotta take it on the chin.

I did ask the 2nd fitter for a price on supplying and fitting a new screen but he couldnt source one for less than £500 so overall I don't think I'm gonna be seeing him again!!

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, Mr_Bo11ox said:

I did ask the 2nd fitter for a price on supplying and fitting a new screen but he couldnt source one for less than £500 so overall I don't think I'm gonna be seeing him again!!

a thought did occur to me, can you stick it on an insurance policy and then claim windscreen cover?

or does that count as insurance fraud or something LOL

other thought that occurred to me is how much would it cost to get a plastic fantastic windscreen made up for it? at least one of those wont fucking shatter, I hope!

[Mr Laurence]

Have you tried https://www.car-part.com for a windscreen yet? I’ve never used them myself, but they seem to have a database of cars in most of the scrap yards in the US and Canada. I had a quick look and they seem to have a few dodge van screens starting at about £50. Shipping might prove difficult though.

[vulgalour]

Great news on that carpet, looks like that was easy peasy to get to go where it needs to, no need for faffing with sewing and whatnot.  Not so great news on the windscreens.  At least the water isn't going to be getting in the cab for now, so that's something.

[rickvw72]

Have rush green got any of these festering away? I’m sure there still going.

[phil_lihp]

Brilliant to see the updates on this, gutted for you about the windscreen though.  I have the same fears about the one in my Princess, it needs to come out so the new windscreen seal can go in but with the seals being scarce and £££ from the owner's club and the screens themselves not readily available I am terrified of the same thing happening.  I was quoted £100 by a windscreen company to do the job, I thought that was expensive but to be honest it doesn't seem like such bad value now.  

 

[rainagain]

I’d still be tempted to call the fitter up, tell him it cracked the next day and ask for some if not all of your money back

[nigel bickle]

Old trucks can be shit, Boll.   I had similar problems with my Zuk pickup - eventually sorted slowly by my kids (under tuition);  terrifying at times.  We built a scaffold platform for ease of access||

I doubt most  screen fitters skills, frankly.   I know that a national chain has broken 3 out 4  Espero screens whilst fitting. Each time a different fella, all promising easy job etc.   2 tried to tell me the car must be asccident damaged \(it isn't)

Hateful process.

[Timewaster]

Excellent progress. 

That windscreen reminds me of a Mk2 Cavalier door mirror. I can't remember how I broke the original one, but the first £20 replacement cracked as I popped the ball and socket back in. So did the second one. 

Sensing my brewing rage, my dad made a piece of wood roughly the right shape to spread the load, and lubed the socket. The third one cracked. 

Starting to think the housing was the issue I just bought a stick on glass and fuck the heated mirror. 

Feel your pain! 

[DSdriver]

13 hours ago, Mr_Bo11ox said:

Time for a quick update on this old hulk.

So last time the scuttle was done, and I was mulling over what to do about the carpet. I decided i would get the windscreen sorted out next. I'd bought a secondhand screen ages ago and carefully stored it down the side of the house:

but before it could go in, the old screen needed removing and some grot needed tackling on the screen pillars. I didnt want broken glass all over the drive so I got a local windscreen fitter dude to come and remove it carefully:

Brilliant, thanks for that. £25 well spent eh. So I ahd to sweep and hoover up loads of broken galss anyway

At least i was able to have a look at the screen pillars though:

 

Not too bad, but both sides needed a tickle with the welder:

Didn't bother with any wob as no-one gets a close look at thses bits and it looked alright TBH. Rubbed down the screen pillars and gave them a couple of coats of red oxide and a couple more of oxford blue, all brushed on for max 'vintage lorry' game. Also it rained non-stop for about 4 days while the screen was out so the cab was a right mess of rainwater, moss and bits of rust flakes and muck when i got back on it.

Anyway, after he bust the first screen I didnt have much faith in the windscreen fitter dude so i scouted around for another. I found one local, he wanted £70 to fit the screen but I wanted a 'pro' cos i did not want to bust this friggin screen this time (last chance!!!) so I agreed.

He fitted it:

Now, he never used any lubricant while he was fitting it which seemed daft to me, why would you not? I asked him while he was doing it 'do you not use any soapy wter or anything to help it settle in?" "Nah, it'll go in OK, don't worry" he said but as he was pulling the cord out he was sweating cobs and his friggin eyes were bulging out of his head as he heaved on it. I had to look away!!!

To be fair he did get it in, and it didnt take very long. I paid him and he cleared off. Then i washed the muck off, had a close look and i could see the screen rubber was not sitting even in one area in front of the passenger. I gave it a gentle 'inquisitive' prod with my fingertip and...... CRAAAACCCKKKKK!!!!!

You have got to be fucking kidding me man. This is the third Dodge 50 screen I have owned and every bastard one has ended up broken!!! I paid £50 for the screen, £25 to have the old one removed, and £70 to get this one fitted, and in the end I've still got a fucking bust screen. You can see where the screen rubber looks uncomfortable there. I am not convinced our man inspected it to check no shards were left in from the previous screen, and he certainly didn't help the thing in by not using any lubricant of any sort, overall I was not very impressed really. Having watched him do it I think I could have done it better myself, especially having watched a few youtubes on it (that 'classic soup' Irish feller does a good one). So now I am on the lookout for YET ANOTHER windscreen. New US-spec tinted ones are available for £300 but I am just not ready for that level of spendage yet!! I will do though, if I get everything else sorted and its the last obstacle for an MOT.

Screen pillars look decent though eh!!!

Anyway I left it alone for a few days and today had a go at the carpet.

I bought 2 pieces of carpet as I was sure i would balls it up. But the first piece actaully made a decent job!!!

I made some cuts in it near the aft corners of the 'hump' so that it would sit OK on the transmission cover. Then I had to join the carpet to close the gap, which I did with some 50mm webbing, glued in with that 'trimfix' glue. I also did that on the edges to stop it having wavy flappy edges. the join is pretty invisble!!

I fannied about with it for a good few hours but its turned out amazingly well. Its just cheap ebay car carpet, not even gel backed or anything so its a bit thin like Fiesta popular plus carpet from back in the day. I still have a roll of that self-adhesive 6mm closed cell foam (that stuff that Cobblers says is shite) so i cut that and stuck it on the back like a sort of underlay, just to make it feel a bit nicer.

I'm well happy with the results. It fits quite nice, doesnt slide about all over the shop, and even feels moderatel;y plush!!! I have to cut 2 big square holes in it for the seat boxes, but they need some welding repairs first so thats the next job. I'm also going to carpet over the inner wheelarches, but I've run out of spray glue so I will sort that when some more arrives. Its getting close to being driveable again!!!! I've still got to sort the brakes but I'm plodding slong slowly.

 

 

 

Oh bugger!

Laminated glass will not bend or flex because it is two thin layers of glass with a sheet of clear plastic between  them, whereas toughened can be persuaded quite a lot. If you can't get a toughened screen then ditch the weatherstrip and bond a laminated screen in.

[Mally]

Welding looks very professioal,.

You are right about the screen fitter, he fitted it, it wasn't broken. If it had broken he wouldn't have charged, hence why he didn't poke it.

These things happen........mainly to you.

I'd try to pick another cheap screen up and have a go yourself. Can't do worse than them. (buy 2 screens just in case though)

I've fitted a few, best with 2 people, and always nerve wracking.

[TripleRich]

Nice repair on those corners.  Shame about the screen.  Lube and plenty of thumps from outside while the rope is being pulled is the most effective method.  I'm surprised the bloke didn't tear the rubber with the rope.

We've had similar problems with fitters in the past.  Don't use them anymore.