ratty Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Vince, I have a small TIG plant (AC Capable) and have had some success with clagging aluminium back together. I would not attempt anything structural or crucial but if you want to bash the skirt straight I will pop down and attempt to stick it back together! We could also fit a cat flap into that lovely hole in the hull:idea: but it will need to warm up first I no longer do cold and wet if Ican possibly avoid it:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Firstly, thanks for the offer Nigel, will get in touch in a while. Will probably get you to do the same repair on our Spartan as this has a split skirt in the same place (both believed to be damage from forklifts when loading/unloading vehicles onto transporters). Spent a few hours yesterday doing some more stripping down. Removed all the torsion bar retaining pins, and using the air impact gun, removed all the torsion bar retaining bolts. Pulled all the torsion bars out and removed all the suspension radial arms from them (very tiring job by myself). All the seals and bushes in the radial arms seem to be in very good condition, and were well packed with grease. This doesn't explain how nearly all the suspension cavities in the hull came to be full of foul smelling water! The condition of the components would indicate an overhaul prior to being mothballed or a lack of use. It's taken about 20 hours work to get to this stage so far. Then removed all the stub axles from the hull (makes it easier to de-rust them), accompanied by more foul smelling liquid exiting the hull. The hull below sponson level is now ready for paint removal prior to etch-priming. I have found there is quite a bit of surface corrosion beneath the paint, so plan to use my new air de-scaler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormin Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 The hull below sponson level is now ready for paint removal prior to etch-priming. I have found there is quite a bit of surface corrosion beneath the paint, so plan to use my new air de-scaler. Is a needle scaler not too aggressive for the aluminium hull? Have you tested it on a portion yet? I'd be surprised if it didn't leave marks in the ally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 I used a needle scaler to do my Sabre and on the aluminium armour it works well and leaves no marks. Is it armour afterall, if it's damaged by a needle scaler it's not going to offer much resistance to a bullet! The thinner sections such as the lip around the hull I cleaned up with a cup brush or flap wheel on an angle grinder. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretfixer Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Found the hull number on the back, but due to corrosion, I can't properly make it out. Anyone know what a Scorpion hull number should look like? It looks like SC (B or 3) 0010. It is an ex Belgian one, so should it be SCB? Sorry its a it blurry, it haven't yet figured out how to reduce picture sizes on my computer. Your plate would read: SCO 0010. So it looks to be the tenth one off the production line from that hull number! I had a Scorp myself once, & worked on them in the Military so I have a modicum of expirience! nice result! Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topdog Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 (edited) Where is all this happening Vince? I'm in Maidstone and willing to lend a hand (after end of March). Just read the rest of the thread - Croyden. Still possible for me. PM me or speak to Heliops. Dave Edited February 25, 2009 by Topdog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 (edited) Your plate would read: SCO 0010.So it looks to be the tenth one off the production line from that hull number! I had a Scorp myself once, & worked on them in the Military so I have a modicum of experience! nice result! Mike. I had some feedback from an owner of a few Belgian vehicles, and the Chassis number on these is BE-SCO XX, so ours is BE-SCO 10 with an upside down 5 used instead of an S! When we got this vehicle, it did have a couple of early features on it. It had a very early design of the horseshoe engine mount, and has not been modified to have the drivers warning repeater lamps outside the hull. The steering lever assembly is also different as the arms where the levers attach to are much thinner than others I have come across. Basically they are weaker components, so I will be replacing them with later items. Thanks for the offer of help David, will be in touch as and when I need assistance. I have been fortunate enough to have a a few friends that are helping me out, plus offers from some forum members. Should make the job fly by! Edited February 25, 2009 by Grasshopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 When we got this vehicle, it did have a couple of early features on it. It had a very early design of the horseshoe engine mount, and has not been modified to have the drivers warning repeater lamps outside the hull. The steering lever assembly is also different as the arms where the levers attach to are much thinner than others I have come across. Basically they are weaker components, so I will be replacing them with later items. Vince, I think the early engine mount and different steering levers are standard for Belgian vehicles. The Belgian Sultan I had was the same. I don't think the engine mount is weaker, it's just more difficult to get the bolts out and therefore makes an engine change take longer. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Does it still have the motorbike-style gear-change pedal? I remember a lot of us disliked having them replaced with a heel-and-toe plate during Scorpole. Funnily enough, come to think of it all the people who spring to mind owned motorbikes ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 The gear change pedal was not fitted when we acquired the vehicle, so we don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Well if you have a bike licence and can source the early GCP, I strongly recommend it as the gear change action with the foot just feels right. The action is very similar with the later gear change. Memory is dim but tells me to push down with the heel (~= toe up) to change up and down with the toe (like stamping on the brake) to change down, whereas on the bike change, toe up to change up and toe down to change down. But it's 30 years ago. Of course other CVR(T) drivers' opinions may vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 Having a novel problem in that people keep contacting me wanting to help, so I have to keep going and working on this project! Also helps that the wife keeps assuming that I will be working on it every weekend. Spent a day during the week stripping off the last bits on the hull exterior with a friends help. Exhaust guard and silencer came off (think the silencer has seen better days....), as did the external drivers side bin, all the remaining mud flaps and a couple of miscellaneous brackets. We then started cleaning out the interior. After bailing out and a good sluice around with some degreaser, a pressure washer shifted the dirt from all the nooks and crannies and promptly re-distributed around the hull. A quick wipe over and it was looking much better. We have decided that the floor sections which are worn back to bare metal will be completely stripped back, primed and then painted, while the side sections will just be keyed and painted as they don't suffer much wear. I have purchased some yacht bilge paint which is fuel, oil and waterproof to paint the interior with, as it should last a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markheliops Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Looking good Vince. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest catweazle (Banned Member) Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Must have the patience of a saint,couldnt do it any more got old and grumpy.keep it up mate.CW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Having taken a day off to get my shoulder fixed (again) I went and did a couple of hours of light work (after first ordering my new shot-blasting cabinet- sshhh, don't tell the wife:nono:) Using my new angle grinder with a steel wire brush, I removed the loose paint in the floor wells and took them back to bare metal ready for priming. Then I removed a few odd fittings that were still in the front hull area and began the mammoth task of cleaning and degreasing the hull interior. Got the transmission compartment cleaned, then moved on to the dashboard shelf. The anti-condensation material on the drivers side hull was in terrible condition, so I removed it. I need to find an effective way of removing the glue residue from the hull side so I can paint it. Any ideas? Also still trying to find a source of replacement material. Had to give up at this point as the osteopath treatment I had this morning made me feel like i'd been beaten up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Vince, It's not anti-condensation material, it's a spall liner. The idea is that the foam catches the fragments of metal which are sent flying around the inside of the vehicle when it gets hit with bullets. I did have a contact who was supposed to be able to get sheets of this stuff, but it never happened. As for removing the glue, have you tried petrol or another similar solvent? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormin Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Vince, I'd suggest thinners for removing the remnants of glue. It won't leave a residue that'll affect painting later. If thinners doesn't shift it, I'd try nitromoors. What blast cabinet have you `been looking at' ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 http://www.bostik.co.uk/diy/product/adhesive-cleaner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Vince, What blast cabinet have you `been looking at' ? A Seally SB9740, as it's big enough to fit the suspension components and wheels in. Haven't tried removing the glue yet. I do have some contaminated petrol which I will try next time, and I can "acquire" thinners from work. Thanks for the link Lee, will try that if the other methods are no good. Lots of cleaning left to do yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poptopshed Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Wont the wire wheel on your grinder remove the glue? They tend to shift most stuff i have ever hit with one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 It will, but was just really slow. Off shopping for parts with the owner on Saturday, should be a fun day out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 Hows the project progressed ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 It's not at the moment as the Spartan, ERF transporter and Ward LaFrance have taken priority during the show season. We are also resurrecting the International Harvester M55 for the season, plus creating a Gulf War replica land rover discovery. Oh, and we also just acquired a Land Rover S3 109 (ex Gulf war)..... I have been paint stripping some bits in my garden though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 Quite a full plate of projects there ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted September 16, 2009 Author Share Posted September 16, 2009 Now that our show season is over (and I've had a couple of weeks away from hobby stuff) I have now re-started work on this project. Current task is to needle gun the lower hull for painting and re-assembly of suspension and wheel stations. Being a bit held up by the meagre output of the yard compressor, the landlord is resurrecting his big diesel-powered road-works-type compressor for me to use. This will also allow me to (finally!) use my new grit blasting cabinet for the suspension components. Another limiting factor is how much vibrating I can take, and how long I can take sitting on a block of wood while working! This picture is 3 hours progress (2 sessions). Going to be a slow job.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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