Ant's Dormobile

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AntMan232
Posts: 130
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:26 pm
Location: Godalming

Re: Ant's Dormobile

Post by AntMan232 » Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:03 pm

I have done a little more to the Dormobile, so I thought I would post a quick update (so I don't forget what i've done... :laugh: ).
The leaking coolant turned out to be a major split in one of the pipes, which thankfully was long enough to just cut off the bad bit, and connect back in place. I then drained and flushed the coolant, and refilled it before the cold weather in November. I then, after much drive levelling, concrete blocks and slightly lowered tyres, managed to get it into the barn, and undercover for the first time in about 20 years... :gold:

Once in, I took off all the doors (which were dropping rust every time they shut), and took out the floors, so I could brush all the rust and much out the holes. I also took out the back seats, so give me a bit more room in the back. I've sanded down the two new door tops I have, which I want to get galvanised as tests, although there is a small amount of paint inside the box section, which has stumped me. Ideally it ought to be sand blasted out, but i'm not really sure yet... I have also taken off the horribly rusted side steps, and sent the jerry can holder off to a nice chap in Yorkshire to be repaired!

I also managed to get the wheels off, snapping a half inch extending wheelbrace in the process :aaagh: , although a few studs have wound out. Are the wheelnuts really 59/64", or have I read the wrong line in the parts manual? A friend of mine has taken the tyres off, and hopefully another friend of mine with a sand blasting cabinet is going to blast them for me, so they are coming along. I am looking into paint, as that is something I will need for quite a few bits, and have decided to try out Tekaloid. As a test run, I have ordered a can of light grey primer/undercoat, and a can of limestone topcoat, and see how the wheels come out.

Finally, I had my mechanic friend round earlier, who took the whole of 30 seconds to agree with us that the chassis wasn't worth the effort of repairing, it is so far gone! The plan now is to work on bits individually, and then swap it out later.

Ant
Attachments
DSCF1758.jpg
LRT 009.jpg
1965 Series 2A Dormobile
AlexB
Posts: 466
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 8:01 am

Re: Ant's Dormobile

Post by AlexB » Sat Jan 11, 2014 7:11 pm

Dont forget to make a note of all the bits of wood in the roof. It is a right pita to sort out where they go, after. Good news - Richards chassis prices went up but not for LWB chassis :cheers:
AntMan232
Posts: 130
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:26 pm
Location: Godalming

Re: Ant's Dormobile

Post by AntMan232 » Sat Jan 11, 2014 7:39 pm

Ah, good news indeed! :gold: I thought I had missed out... The few remaining pieces of wood appear to be labelled already, but i shall make sure I know where they go.

Thanks, :tiphat:

Ant
1965 Series 2A Dormobile
AntMan232
Posts: 130
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:26 pm
Location: Godalming

Re: Ant's Dormobile

Post by AntMan232 » Fri Jan 31, 2014 9:09 pm

At great expense, I have ordered a new chassis from Richards :thud: . Although, as I keep telling people, it is a good long term investment, and much cheaper than a mini body shell... I will be taking my wheels to get grit blasted tomorrow, and then i'll paint them up with the limestone Tekaloid I got from Smith and Allan.

The other major cost is the bulkhead; I see Ashtree sell refurbed bulkheads, and Pegasus brand new ones (at a similar price to the chassis :aaagh: ). Does anybody have any experience/suggestions of the best way to go?

Thanks, :tiphat:

Ant
1965 Series 2A Dormobile
AntMan232
Posts: 130
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:26 pm
Location: Godalming

Re: Ant's Dormobile

Post by AntMan232 » Thu Mar 06, 2014 5:36 pm

Well, this morning my chassis came from Richards :nana1: ! I am now rather worried about being able to competently change it though :aaagh: , so I have a stack of questions as normal! I don't suppose anybody knows of an article anywhere giving an overview of rough orders of doing things, do they?

I have also been working towards removing the bulkhead, to assess how mmuch work that needs, and to that end I have removed all the wiring from inside the cab (after labelling it copiously), and have taken out the windscreen. Hopefully a helpful chap in Essex will be sticking my door top frames in to get galvanised soon, as a test run for me, so after that I can crack on with the other doors as well.

The next job, though, will be painting the chassis. I understand that mordant solution is the stuff to paint it with first, but does it do any damage to the galvanising? I also had a look on the Smith and Allan website, and I see they sell Tractol chassis paint. Does anybody have any opinions on the best stuff to use, or will this be OK?

Thanks, :tiphat:

Ant
Attachments
DSCF2950.JPG
BHremoval8.JPG
1965 Series 2A Dormobile
Eddi
Posts: 42
Joined: Sat Mar 01, 2014 5:44 pm
Info: Carawagon Continental
Location: Johannesburg South Africa

Re: Ant's Dormobile

Post by Eddi » Tue Mar 11, 2014 5:04 pm

Looks good Ant......like the toolbox ! :cheers:
AntMan232
Posts: 130
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:26 pm
Location: Godalming

Re: Ant's Dormobile

Post by AntMan232 » Thu Jul 03, 2014 11:44 pm

Well, after not doing much for ages, i've finally done a little more! I've taken off the wings, and most of the things connected to the bulkhead, with a view to getting it out. I have also moved my chassis out into the open again rady for mordant and painting in the next few days, which will be a major step :gold: .

Things progress slowly...

Ant
1965 Series 2A Dormobile
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