Some men are born MV enthusiasts and some have MV thrust upon them

[alixcompo]

I probably am stupid but.....

Having bought a 1957/8 Bedford CA MK1 as a restoration project I now discover it is an ex Naval runabout.

 

I am aware that the rules of restoration are 1: Don't break anything and 2: Don't throw anything away. Now I can add to that, 3: Don't rub the paintwork down too hard or you can obliterate any previous serial numbers and hence history.

 

So where do I go from here? You are all Army vehicle types, armour plate and armaments with drab green in your veins.

Who cares about RN stuff then?

My missus was expecting two tone cream and maroon. How can I tell her that Navy blue will look great and that white lettering is historically significant

 

Is there some clandestine group who slink about at classic vehicle shows in a 'Naval Vehicle' area..?

 

I don't think that I have ever seen them. So where do old RN vehicles go if they don't float...?

 

Help

[alixcompo]

This may not look much

But it is original Dormobile side window section window seal.

Completely unavailable up until now, a CA Bedford restorer had the dies made and now can supply this profile.

For the CA he also has (shaped) rear window seal and front door seal for aluminium frames.

I can pass on his details.

[alixcompo]

I'd like to report some progress.....

After my original estimate of drivable in 4 months here we are a year and a half later and I actually have some side glass fitted. Hurrah.#

So, I mentioned that I had found someone who had got some original profile window rubber remanufactured. I had previously bought two different lots of glass seal. Both of these were too tight on the glass, in-so-much-as, I need a bigger hole in the bodywork; And the new profile just would bend round the tight corners.

But first;

Once this glass is in it is staying in during the rolling restoration. Therefore the frames needed to be prepped, de-rusted and painted.

This isn't the finish colour but I have a lot of it and it was cheap. 2 pack acrylic goes on nice and thick and is very sticky and durable. I use it as a base, as a sealer and filler. I can use 120 grit paper and still get a smooth finish.

Anyway. The window apatures were rubbed back, rust treated with loctite rust remedy and paint.

I shall be able to prep back to the window rubber for the final finish.

 

And here it is a significant step forward.

Van from Luton via Folkstone and Malta window glass from Devon, rubber from Kent...

I feel as though I have walked every step.

I am very, very pleased.

[Caddy]

Fantastic mate, does it feel like you've turned a corner?

[alixcompo]

Fantastic mate, does it feel like you've turned a corner?

 

Yeah very much. The off-side bodywork is pretty much done, 99% of all welding, chassis scraped and painted, engine running, gears select I have 3 x 16" wheel rims...... No stopping me now.

Thanks for your support.

[AndyFowler]

Keep up the good work mate ! I know the feeling !

[Austin]

Keep going matey! She's looking good! I saw this old picture, and wondered if its your Bedford...

 

[alixcompo]

Great photo. Any more.?

I can't find out anything about vans that served as runabouts in Malta.

Someone must have some memories.

[alixcompo]

Window fitted attention turned to the nearside wheel arch

 

 

 

 

Lots of dents, out of alighnment/shape everything

 

 

 

 

A long straight edge and a forest of bolts welded to the body can eventually pull it back into approximate shape

 

 

 

 

First up go nuts with the grinder and make a cardboard template (beer boxes are great; I only drink the stuff for the box y'know) even simple panels require a template which will always save a lot of time.

 

 

 

 

Transfer the template shape onto sheet steel using a Tippex correction pen, not forgeting to mark the 'bend' line.

 

 

 

 

Cut out rust being pleasently surprised that the inner wing is quite good and only needed a new 'L' shape section to be bent up to meet with our new outer panel

 

 

 

 

Inner repair section welded to inner wing/wheelarch panel

 

 

 

 

New outer panel with its 'Joddled' edge welded on through punched holes in the original bodywork and all ground back

 

 

 

 

This is from underneath the wheelarch so that you can see where the new inner and outer panel sections meet and are welded together.

I wish I was clever enough to be able to do this without the aid of filler but that is the next job tomorrow.

[alixcompo]

This is progress; not a lot but it is progress

[Caddy]

:thumbsup:

[alixcompo]

I'm only getting a couple of hours every now and then in the evenings but it's a real pleasure working on the old bus.

I've moved on to the windscreen area now. I am determined to get all the vehicles glass in over the next couple of weeks.

I have had a long term trouble area on the drivers screen pillar which was bent slightly out of shape while no amount of bashing with a big hammer would 'adjust' it.

So with sublety out of the window it was back to the cut down 'Acrow' prop.

Wedge the heel against something strong; weld the top to the bit that needs to move and....

It always works. I love it. My favorite tool after a hammer.

[alixcompo]

I am getting a couple of hours per evening at the moment. The wheel arch repair has travelled around to the back corner

This is how it was; and the corners had 2" dents in them

And as promised I had some time to attend to the windscreen area

I've used modern rubber seal and the fit is appalling. It will have to do for now but I need to find some seal that is a bit smaller, turns the corners tighter and generally does a better job.

Major step though getting some glass in the front

It has been a long journey

[Tony B]

This must count as one of the most worked on MV's in the UK!

[alixcompo]

My favorite comment so far was the guy who said that I had used so much welding wire, I could have knitted a new van..

[gritineye]

Excellent work, looking good, especially as you will have to use shiny paint, unlike the rest of us....

[alixcompo]

I do also have this that is in 'Matt Green'

 

[alixcompo]

Ok so I haven't posted for a week but............... 3 hours a night rubbing down bodywork doesn't really make for an interesting report; although I have gone from this

To this

And now with arms like Tarzan (no power tools here y'know) I have started on the front panel

While I keep repeating that the van didn't have as much rust as you might expect in a vehicle 56 years old, it has got enough dents to justify a previous life as a Banger Race, demolition derby winner.

I am developing a lot of archaic skills with a funny shaped 'Hammer and Dolly' and also a lot more modern ones involving cellulose body filler and 2K acrylic paint.

It doesn't help that the van was painted in either household gloss or emulsion and left to bake in the sun fo 30 years.

The reulting effect is a finish known as 'Crackle' in the custom painting world.

If you imagine an effect where the paint you applied then shrank by one third then the valleys and canyons that are left are challenging to say the least.

My technique is ; rub with 600 wet 'n' dry till your knuckles bleed, thin coats of filler and lots of coats of 2K acrylic paint. Then rub the whole lot down again.

It is pretty tedious work after a day out in the real world.

But better news on the windscreens.

Dodgey photo but this was the result of fitting my screens;

The modern rubber seal was entirely inappropriate and the glass was bulging while the seal was crinkling on the corners.

Having spent an inordinate amount of money on various profiles of window rubber, I stumbled across a previous purchase, intended for the side windows, that I hadn't actually got around to opening.

However; while useless for the side windows it turned out to be perfect for the front screens. This has turned a bit of a disaster into a fantastic success which also justifies the £74 plus postage I paid for the seal.

Whilst it might not that different (aside from the finger marks) the fit of the alternitive seal is a world away from the first. Other than 'Des' few people will even notice the difference.

Again I am very pleased; but the effort involved is *****y huge.

 

This will be at 'War & Peace' this year but I can't promise it will be the right colour or driving very far

Edited May 27, 2013 by alixcompo

[alixcompo]

While I am feeling pretty smug about changing the rubber seal on my windscreens........

It was rather short lived as the tool I have doesn't seem to fit the locking strip which I am having to insert manually.

The seal is an excellent fit though

[alixcompo]

I would like to report some progress.. Hurrah

The back panel was (like everything else) really beaten up. Welding on bolts to pull out the dents was working up to a point but on the other side it was more severe and it is a double panel that it isn't possible to hammer out.

So I cut a flap and folded it up where I could get at it with a hammer and dolly. It also allowed me to reshape the double skin behind it, back to where it ought to live.

Then I welded the flap back in place.

That square hole is for the bumper bracket to poke through........ Although..... There-by hangs a tale:

You may notice that if a bumper was fitted then it would cover one of the rear lights.. Hmm

I shall have to do a bit of research methinks..

But what about this then;

I am very chuffed and very knackered and very thankful for one of my lads helping out.

And we are spending tomorrow on it as well.

[snort]

Thats coming on very well, looks good:-)

[Essex5]

Yep, coming along really well - you must be starting to feel pleased with it?

 

John

[alixcompo]

Today; turned the van around and painted the offside.

Tomorrow the roof.

[N.O.S.]

:thumbsup:

 

Before you struggle unnecessarily with the side window rubbers - I don't know if these vans were ever used as 'Technicals' but those side windows would make really good open machine gun ports....

 

If anyone can find you an original RN .50cal Bedford CA gun mount then I'm sure Gritineye can! :cool2:

Edited July 10, 2013 by N.O.S.

[alixcompo]

Yeah but I think it was him who suggested fitting it with tracks..!!!

[gritineye]

That thing's so shiny it should reflect back any incoming..... a fool proof defence system that hasn't been tried before to my knowledge.....