Flat Bed Disco 2 Project - Anderson Connector Finally Fitted.

I haven't done any more work yet but I thought I'd take these pictures while Project Disco is out of the garage as you can get a better idea of the look. I had to move it outside so I can build a lifting frame in the garage so that I can lift the back off and on myself as it's too heavy for me to handle on my own. I'm on my shift break now so I should have some more updates soon.

I'm loving it

I gotta ask, I know there must be a reason, why is the floor height a way above the rear Chassis ? Are you having Side Lockers for Tools and Equipment ?

Bit off topic, but do ya have or know where I can get a front passenger Seat Base, (in VGC) to replace my drivers Seat Base, I'm told they are symmetrical and so interchangeable, mine is Grey Cloth with "random pattern" rather than what seems to be the more common (on Fleabay) oblong blocks pattern.

Pix ....

Drivers base, the rest of the interior is in excellent condition ....



Passengers trying to get clear shot of pattern ....

I wanted the bed floor to continue along the upper door swage line and give plenty of clearance for axle flex off-roading. Looking at pictures of other ones on line they mostly seem to have the bed height half way between the door swage lines and it doesn't look right to me. That leaves room under the bed to possibly install a sliding drawer, an idea I just had recently. It would slide out the back between the bed and the bumper.

As for the seat bases, I'm afraid I have no idea. Maybe it would be an idea to go to an interior specialist and see if you can get the fabric and have it recovered?

Something like this for the drawer: (I'd knock something up myself as off the shelf stuff is really expensive).

Ahh I get it now, avoids having wheel tubs in the load area

But yes, you've got room for Drawers in the Centre

Seat Base was just on the offchance, I'll try various Breakers, trouble with giving the whole base to the Trimmer in Inverness is I'd have no passenger seat then for heaven knows how long

Get a cheap temporary seat from a breaker for while it's being retrimmed.

My one man handling solution for getting the bed on and off works a treat. Had the bed on the floor for most of a very boring afternoon dressing welds and rubbing down the steel ready for primer.

Use Epoxy Primer in a 1.8 set up gun, it's all i use in our climate, it is not porous like other Primers, = no rust .....................

And we both know about rust.

I blast it on thick mix (10% Thinner) and heavy, 2 - 3 coats, it sets with orange peel, but beware, you need to flat it the very next day, or if ya leave it you'll need a grinder, it is literally liquid Araldite

I feel for you, spaceframes (tubular structures) are a bloody bear to paint

I don't have any spray gear. I'll be using brush on primer.

You can still use Epoxy if you want to, it really is great stuff especially in our salty Climate

It's been a long, boring, dirty day but I finished prepping the bed for primer today. Just finished painting it.

Looking good

I can see that getting that lot done properly would be fiddly but it's coming on nicely.

Spent the morning cleaning up all the mess I made yesterday and making myself a temporary cutting table. This is for laying out the sheets of ally I'll be using for various panels. Once that was done I spent the rest of the day measuring and cutting, measuring and cutting and so on. Managed to get three panels made as you can see in the photos. The two under the bed on each side will be bolt in so that I can remove them for maintenance. They will probably get a little more shaping at the back as I just wanted to get them fitted and the bed back on to see what they looked like. I drilled and tapped holes in the box section to bolt them in. The box section is 3mm thick so enough thread to hold panels on.

Looking good Maestro

I would definitely be putting a big drawer that opens outta the back in that rear section, for storing Straps, Jacks, Chains, Tirfor etc ............ W.H.Y.

Nice to see you got the same weather as us Lochalsh'ites

Thanks Dave. The drawer isn't a high priority for me to get this done, I'll probably mod it after I've got it through all the inspection stuff I'll no doubt have to go through. We usually tend to have the opposite weather of what's happening on the mainland and for the time of year it's pretty good. I think Shetland will become something of a paradise when global warming hits that +4 degrees. I'm looking forward to that.

DefenderPilot said:

when global warming hits that +4 degrees. I'm looking forward to that.

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Me too

DefenderPilot said:

Thanks Dave. The drawer isn't a high priority for me to get this done, I'll probably mod it after I've got it through all the inspection stuff I'll no doubt have to go through. We usually tend to have the opposite weather of what's happening on the mainland and for the time of year it's pretty good. I think Shetland will become something of a paradise when global warming hits that +4 degrees. I'm looking forward to that.

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What inspection stuff??

I think it might need a Basic IVA because of the change of body style. I'm not sure though. It would be nice if I just sent my docs off with the changes and they came back unquestioned.

DVLA will not change even a simple Engine swap these days without an invoice / letter from a garage business, last year I sent off my SLK R170 V5 to just change CC and Engine Number from the original 3.2 litre V6 to 5.0 V8 and then they wanted an Invoice, which I couldn't supply because I am a Garage Business, and as it was my own Car there was no Invoice, in the end after much faffing around they simply accepted a letter on our Headed Paper written by me and signed by Mel (who was promoted to Manager for the day)

My advice would be leave the DVLA well alone especially as the VIN and Engine numbers are still the same

My SLK was different, Mercedes never built an SLK R170 with a V8, V6 was the biggest

DefenderPilot said:

I think it might need a Basic IVA because of the change of body style. I'm not sure though. It would be nice if I just sent my docs off with the changes and they came back unquestioned.

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No need for IVA. As long as you have not changed the chassis.
body is still the same and on the same original mounts.
You could change the body to pick up