Re: Ant's Dormobile
Posted: 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... ).
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...
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 , 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
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...
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 , 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