1965 Series 2a Station Wagon in Holland

BULKHEAD (partial) DAY THIRTEEN

Three times a charm?

Blinking vent panel still giving me jip. Well I knew this would be the steepest learning curve.

So far I have learnt - if you're breaking out into a sweat then you're doing something wrong!

I started again (after deciding that the splits in the metal made in attempt #2 were bollocks and not worth the time arsing about with a TIG welding torch)

So another new bit of zincor got cut to size.



Clamping with a bit of angle "iron" still works - so that's a good step to make



Pushing down with a bit of OSB still helps find the main indentations so that's a step worth doing (although arguably not 100% necessary if you know where you are for the next stage)



Marking out fun - almost got it spot on (!)



This is where the direction changed a bit - made the cutting out of the middle a lot bigger this time.

One inch sized hole punch used



Cut cut snip snip



Makes one heck of a difference with a bigger hole...



All hail the Monument Tools plastic chisel that is meant to be used for lead work on roofs (!)



This plastic chisel worked really well on the sides - bang bang bang

The corners so far have been treated to big hammer with botch tape on hammer head


Clamping with a second piece of angle "iron" isn't working out so well - I need bigger clamps



(Oh dear - "I need bigger clamps" - it has been said - get ready for a diversion!)

Oh dear other ****'s been getting in the way of progress - I did manage a little diversion.

One made - another to go (once I go and get yet more steel box section)



I'm utilising (wood working) sash clamps - I'm even making sure they can still be used for wood working if need be!

Normally these clamps are fitted to a length of wood (not included in this Irwin / record kit) but here I've just mocked up a C clamp frame from 3mm thick 50mm square box section.



I got me a 15cm gap and a clamping depth of about 30cm



(Sorry about this picture => I think I need to drop the camera again to show it who is boss)



The screw threads on the sash clamps aren't really heavy duty metal working standard like the real stuff but a clamp that'll do what I want is going to be in excess of 150 quid these days (have you seen the rrp for clamps these days - 'king mad)

The sash clamps cost me just under 20 quid a pair (cheaper to buy in the UK - than in Holland)
A meter of 50x50x3 steel cost about 15 euros (uuuggg - currency conversions!)
A few sparky sticks were used along with one thin 125mm cut off disc (about 3 euros I guess)
Cocking about with your welder => priceless...

Today - day of organising - well a few hours spent doing Land Rovery type kinda stuff.

Lump of steel box section bought for second deep clamp (with sash clamps etc) - good egg at the place where I buy that - about a meter and a half bought out of his off cut bin for 5 euros. I reckon if I keep going back once in a while and picking up the off cuts for that price I'm getting a good discount (!)

Took the rubbish to the tip a la bicyclette (always a laugh)

Got some 2mm zincor for the chassis repairs



Had a look at the original radiator support housing and decided to use the spare one that came with the Land Rover instead.

This one is in better condition but needs a bit of work on the lower edge. At least with this one most of it is there!



(Nice original plugs for the lights on the spare part)





(I bet they won't be reliable)



Little bit of welding to be done. I'm going to replace the inner strengthening bit.

To be continued

Sand blasting cabinet update

Been a bit of time since I droned on about it but on the whole I'm happy with the big one I built.

It isn't perfect - it is so deep that my arms won't reach the other side so I have to stop and turn stuff - could build a turntable - but...

...as for the hopper design. In wood it isn't quite steep enough to get the small amount of sand / speed blast I have in there to fall all the way to the bottom. I think the solution is going to be another sack of speed blast. There'll be about 60 kg of stuff in there in the end.



The sides would have been about right if they were made from steel though. (This wood seems to have a higher coefficient of friction - oh well - cheapest and easiest solution seems to me to be fill the hopper with more stuff rather than ****ing about with coatings / linings)

The dust extraction is working well. It isn't the hurricane I wanted but the volume is big enough that you don't get a massive quick build up of dust anyway. It is good enough for now. (The trick of positioning fans in tandem / in-line is probably the best way of making something like this if you're into such malarkey)

The weakest link is my compressor - rated at about 300 litres a minute (if I remember correctly) - it isn't really up to the job for prolonged use.

(Possible next diversion - compressor upgrades - pimp my air sukka)

BULKHEAD (partial) DAY FOURTEEN

The gucci sash clamp + 50mm square tubing frame solution worked like a charm =>



I'm happy with these frames - they work well enough. They can't apply the same force as the large Stanley yellow G-clamps shown in the pictures because the frames do flex a bit...



...modifications will probably be made to the frames in the (near?) future - but for now they've done their job so they can wait for that fettling for now.

#####

On the whole I'm kinda happy with the way the hammer form has helped make this panel.



It isn't perfect.



I want to try and improve the sharp edges of the straight parts of the bend into the vent area because this can be seen from the front seat passengers. (So back to www.metalmeet.com again for a bit of advice we go!)


As a matter of interest to those of you who thought that only metal hammer forms would be good - here's a picture of the hammer form after use today.



This has had three attempts - the first attempt involved serious abuse - it still looks good. I am (to be honest) utterly amazed by this crappy wooden hammer form - I didn't think it would survive - I was crossing my fingers hoping it would last for just about long enough but it has turned out to be very reliable.

Thanks for uploading so many photos, they're great. I love your project, mate! Keep up the good work!

Andrei Stefanescu said:

Thanks for uploading so many photos, they're great. I love your project, mate! Keep up the good work!

Click to expand...

Thanks chap - if this doesn't put you off thinking about buying an old Land Rover nothing will!

(In fact if you look at some of the much newer models, my piece of **** is actually in better shape than most of them)

De-rusting an under tub strengthener =>

I've used a combination of wire brush on angle grinder and sand blasting...



...and that rust converter stuff (Rustyco) in gel form

Smokey lensed distance shots make it look good =>





But the pock marked surfaces are not brilliant



Call it peer group pressure - call it the Land Rover bug - but I'm planning to use Zinga to galvanise these bits before I paint them...


...I know - it's OK - I'm sitting down - I'm breathing slowly - think "blue sky"...

#####

Oh yes - I can't remember who it was who was looking for the pads that go on these strengtheners - perhaps @LincolnSteve ? But I found them here (amongst other places) =>

https://www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/l.../332582-mounting-pad-for-under-body-rail.html



The have special split pin like rivets that go with them too

Radiator support is slowly getting de-rusted. So far the wire brush on angle grinder has done the big bits I can reach and the sand blaster has been used on the corners and the channels.

Four aluminium rivets used to fix the grill mounts - why aluminium here? (Seems daft to me seeing how much galvanitic corrosion exists on these beasts)



Whizzed off with grinding wheel






When I looked at the original part =>



I thought I'd be saving a bit of time using the better condition spare part (that came with the vehicle). I'm not so sure now. The strengthening rib on the under inner side is refusing to show me where the spot welds were made...



(Well OK some are obvious)



...But it is taking a long long long time cutting out the rusty bits...



...with out messing up the panel on the pretty side



(To be continued)

Stretch said:

De-rusting an under tub strengthener =>

I've used a combination of wire brush on angle grinder and sand blasting...

...and that rust converter stuff (Rustyco) in gel form

Smokey lensed distance shots make it look good =>

View attachment 127552

View attachment 127553

But the pock marked surfaces are not brilliant

View attachment 127554

Call it peer group pressure - call it the Land Rover bug - but I'm planning to use Zinga to galvanise these bits before I paint them...


...I know - it's OK - I'm sitting down - I'm breathing slowly - think "blue sky"...

#####

Oh yes - I can't remember who it was who was looking for the pads that go on these strengtheners - perhaps @LincolnSteve ? But I found them here (amongst other places) =>

https://www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/l.../332582-mounting-pad-for-under-body-rail.html

The have special split pin like rivets that go with them too

Click to expand...

Managed to get some Zinga to stick!



Next - self etch and then probably a layer of epoxy primer - OTT? - Then some chassis black - I think that's the correct colour - perhaps I need to check with the series 2 club chaps...

And now for something completely different...



...I wish! More of the same trudgery I'm afraid: De-rust

This time the gucci little cover for the gearbox that looks very manky



At least one side of this panel was inside the car!



Needs a bit of sand blasting attention - the surface rust has started the deeper pitting phase but on the whole this panel is sound so I'm going to try and save it rather than replicate it.

I thought I'd start with the worm holes shown below =>



These are a little bit too big to try and fill with weld - so a bit of zincor scrap was cut to size(ish)



Cut a hole to fit the Zincor



Got it to sit in there with out falling out



Bit of fiddling with the TIG welder got me this far...



...I took my time between each spot weld joint at the start. The Zincor (even when sanded away) helps to make green tints around the welds. It would be ideal if this contamination wasn't there. So I stop and clean after each blip / buzz. There's also a fair amount of muck around the weld area from the rust. So that's another reason for taking your time and cleaning frequently. (Just using a wire brush attachment in a drill)



I got a bit of a start - needs to be filed a bit and then perhaps bashed a bit. I'm not going to carry on with this bit yet, however, as I want to make sure the next repair on the other side of the panel isn't a total balls up =>



(There's nothing worse than making one bit look nice only to arse up the other side (!) )

To be continued

Stretch said:

Managed to get some Zinga to stick!

View attachment 127621

Next - self etch and then probably a layer of epoxy primer - OTT? - Then some chassis black - I think that's the correct colour - perhaps I need to check with the series 2 club chaps...

Click to expand...

Oh dear =>

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/under-tub-strengtheners-colour-qu.318009/

It looks like I need to change the paint scheme plans.

Perhaps Zinga will have to do?

I'll see how it dries.

Finally the ebay purchases are becoming less frequent. Just as well eh? This is costing a fortune...

One good second hand (possibly already over painted) battery holder. I need two 'cos it is an old diesel (of course) and one was missing



Two gucci good condition second hand sun visors





Arguably a bit early for finishing touch stuff but the prices for stuff have been going mental recently so when I see something for an almost OK price I've decided to get on with it - "nu of nooit" as the Dutch would say...

Advice needed =>

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/ok-series-owners-what-you-do-with-an-extra-400-euros.318089/

<= Advice needed!

[Q. UOTE="Sfor tretch, post: 4036030, member: 128695"]De-rusting an under tub strengthener =>

I've used a combination of wire brush on angle grinder and sand blasting...



...and that rust converter stuff (Rustyco) in gel form

Smokey lensed distance shots make it look good =>

View attachment 127552

View attachment 127553

But the pock marked surfaces are not brilliant

View attachment 127554

Call it peer group pressure - call it the Land Rover bug - but I'm planning to use Zinga to galvanise these bits before I paint them...


...I know - it's OK - I'm sitting down - I'm breathing slowly - think "blue sky"...

#####

Oh yes - I can't remember who it was who was looking for the pads that go on these strengtheners - perhaps @LincolnSteve ? But I found them here (amongst other places) =>

https://www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/l.../332582-mounting-pad-for-under-body-rail.html



The have special split pin like rivets that go with them too[/QUOTE]
Hi. Thanks for thinking of me. Strangely enough I ended up making those pads myself out of some really heavy duty strapping that I found and nicked while walking on an old bomber airfield near Grantham about 20 years ago. It went on the 'that'll do for later' shelf and lo and behold after only 2 decades it was just the job. I used stainless countersunk fixings and a bit of red rubber grease to keep everything nice. I've still got a lot of updates to post and i think that is one of them.

LincolnSteve said:

Hi. Thanks for thinking of me. Strangely enough I ended up making those pads myself out of some really heavy duty strapping that I found and nicked while walking on an old bomber airfield near Grantham about 20 years ago. It went on the 'that'll do for later' shelf and lo and behold after only 2 decades it was just the job. I used stainless countersunk fixings and a bit of red rubber grease to keep everything nice. I've still got a lot of updates to post and i think that is one of them.

Click to expand...

So that's where that strap went? I was busy playing war games in the 1990s in that area. I'll have that back please!

Stretch said:

So that's where that strap went? I was busy playing war games in the 1990s in that area. I'll have that back please!

Click to expand...

I will get it in the post straight away. Please excuse the six small oblong holes.

Sand blasting (cabinet) update.

I had a feeling I wasn't getting the (sand blasting) performance that was possible out of my compressor. Sure it isn't industrial flow rates (that's going to cost a fortune and a serious supply of electrickery) so I accept that there are inherent short comings with what I've got.

I accept that - quite frequently - I need to stop and wait for the compressor to catch up. That's OK - well it would be nice if I didn't have to wait - but this IS DIY sand blasting. If this was a business I'd go for 3 phase supplies and 3 phase compressors and proper air drying machines...

...still I was thinking "these siphon sand blasting systems are a bit ham shank"

#####

So

#####

I invested in a cheap piece of **** sand blasting kettle.



One hundred and thirty euros - daylight robbery!



Total and utter junk. Look at those welds! I've hidden the kettle behind some other stuff so that when / if it blows apart the shrapnel will not be finding its way into my soft parts...



After a fair amount of cocking about I worked out that the tap under the kettle controls the flow of sand in the stream of air that whizzes underneath.

Leaving this about 1/2 shut means you don't just push the sand through the nozzle (!) and you get enough of a blasting effect as "small amounts" of sand get carried within the air stream.

For the speedblast I'm using I don't actually need a high pressure (>80 PSI) which is needed for the siphon fiasco. Under 40 PSI (as registered on the kettle gauge) the sand blasting stops being so effective and returns to siphon blasting standards.

This took about 8 minutes (with two waits for the compressor) to do =>



It is a big improvement.

#######

Downsides:-

1) Compressor is still the weak point - but hey I can't change that yet
2) The blinking nozzle gets clogged very quickly because I'm reusing sand =>



I need to get some grading sieves (Can I find them in Holland? Can I bugger)

3) Still on a bit of a learning curve - balancing airflow with aggregate flow and nozzle diameter - I need to learn about "mesh"

Update for the mesh learning

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesh_(scale)

Fairly straight forward although as usual there's more than one standard. The speedblast I'm using had 30 - 60 mesh written on the bag. According to the link above that is probably particles between 0.5mm and 0.25mm

Trying to find sieves with these mesh sizes is not easy.

I stumbled on a grind your own flour site (windmill buffs) and they seem to have two standard coarse and fine sieves. These are much bigger than the speedblast sizes however...

...the coarse size is 1.5mm which coincides with the smallest nozzle on the new sand blasting kit. So I definitely want to remove stuff bigger than that. The fine sieve they (the windy millers) use is 0.5mm so that coincides with the larger specification (more or less depending on which standard you happen to be gazing towards).

########

So cheap solution seems to be to buy two cooking sieves designed to grade flour. I have just bought (vandaag voor 23:00 besteld morgen in huis) some stainless flour sieves with a small 12cm diameter. I bought the small ones for two reasons

1) The smallest sizes were cheap - just under 6 euros a pop
2) Although it will take longer to sieve I reckon the weight of sand might bugger up the larger 30cm sieves faster

Gorra start somewhere - and as usual for me - gorra start with low monetary outlay (!)

If the "delivery tomorrow" promise comes true I might be testing this on Wednesday.

(I feel another diversion on the horizon - automatic sand shaking and grading machine a go go)

Have you considered a rotating drum at a slight angle, with slots in the side filled with mesh?