VW T4 RHD Multivan - Mag feature :-)

[jgtr]

Jan 28, 2021 17:16:13 GMT commycouper said:

Stick with it....you know it'll be worth it in the end. I think we've all been there.....it all seems like a good idea at the time, but you start stripping stuff off....and then you find more to deal with....so you strip some off....and the theme continues. You then then look behind you and realise that what you thought was a weeks worth of work has just turned into a year long project. But once you get over bulk of it ( which at times seem like an impossible task ), it all starts to make sense.
Keep up the good work, looking forward to more updates.

Cheers, managed to get it painted today💪 Went ok, no dramas, bit of dust here and there but nothing a polish won’t sort out. Had to blend a few bits, used fade out thinners for the first time which seemed to work well.

Still got the wings and fuel flap to paint but need to get the screen in so I can put the van outside first.

[commycouper]

Brilliant....that looks like a tidy job you've done there. You've surely got past the bulk of the work now. I know how awkward space can be. I've got my truck under one of those Machine Mart/Clarke pop up garages because it has no windows or doors on it at the moment. Over Christmas, in the high winds that we had, the canopy ripped all the way down the ridge and the truck cab got completely soaked inside and out. There were a few areas that I had left in bear metal that have now rusted over. It's time's like that when you start thinking "why the hell am I doing this". Still, I've put a massive tarp over it now as a temporary fix and have just got to plod on with.

[jgtr]

Jan 28, 2021 19:06:37 GMT commycouper said:

Brilliant....that looks like a tidy job you've done there. You've surely got past the bulk of the work now. I know how awkward space can be. I've got my truck under one of those Machine Mart/Clarke pop up garages because it has no windows or doors on it at the moment. Over Christmas, in the high winds that we had, the canopy ripped all the way down the ridge and the truck cab got completely soaked inside and out. There were a few areas that I had left in bear metal that have now rusted over. It's time's like that when you start thinking "why the hell am I doing this". Still, I've put a massive tarp over it now as a temporary fix and have just got to plod on with.

Sounds like a nightmare☹️ Yep bulk of the work is done now, still quite a bit to do but it’s bits and pieces that can be done in the evenings or an hour here and there.

The other advantage of DIY is that I know everything has been done properly (or to my standard😝). I’ll be spending a lot of time on sealing it up and waxing all the cavaties, I doubt a body shop would go to the same lengths that I will be.

[novamadash]

Looking well. Did you 2k it or celly?

[jgtr]

Jan 29, 2021 8:37:44 GMT novamadash said:

Looking well. Did you 2k it or celly?

Erm celly honest😬😬😬😬

[jgtr]

Managed to get a few hours on the van this week. Have started bolting little bits and pieces back on, quite nice to see the pile of parts/nuts/bolts getting smaller and some space appear in the back of the van again. I sealed up the underside after having previously epoxy primed it. Next step is to gravitex it all underneath then wax the cavities with Dynax, job for another day when the weather is a bit warmer.

T4 headlights are woefully poor so I’ve fitted an uprated headlamp loom, straight forward to fit and the relays will sit nicely in a little cut out on the front panel, just need to make a bracket to hold them.

Windscreen being fitted on Sat, then I can get the doors on, get it back outside and get my garage back. Still got to spray the wings and fuel flap.

[commycouper]

My favourite part of any build is when its just been painted and the parts start to go back on. Its probably because it's the first sign of all the hard work starting to pay off.
Good job....keep it coming 👍

[jgtr]

Pics from today’s work, gravitex’d the sills and inner arches, then injected Bilt Hamber Dynax wax into all the cavities I could, managed to get it dripping out of the joints on the sill so I know that it’s had a good coating👍🤣

Got the doors on and windscreen in, can see the light at the end of the tunnel now😀

Really happy with the paint match, seems spot on, my blending came out quite well, just needed a bit of a hand polish and can’t see where the new paint meets the old

[jgtr]

Quick update, nothing that interesting😝

The van is back outside at last, got my garage back💪

Was expecting 2 ft snow but it didn’t appear so went to sulk it off in the garage and decided to repair and prime the wings. Also ground the paint off the fuel flap and treated the rust with some Deox Gel.

[jgtr]

It’s finally finished.....until I start poking rust again🙄

Got the van back on the road today, little trip out with the kids, they absolutely love it so makes all the hard work worthwhile.

I decided to get the wings professionally sprayed in the end, my garage is quite cold so prone to orange peel and I always end up with quite a bit of dust in the paint, ok for the wheel arches and sills but would have made the wings look awful. Cost me £50 and the guy did a really nice job so money well spent.

The water drain for the scuttle empties straight into the inner wing, a lot of people connect a pipe to the scuttle that exits at the bottom of the wing. I had one in order from eBay but due to Brexit the order got cancelled. Decided to waterproof the inner wings with cavity wax instead, it keeps it looking factory, figured I’d re-wax it each year. After I’d fitted the wings I gave it a good coat of wax so should be good for another 20 years💪

Final jobs were to refit the bungs I’d removed for the cavity wax, seal them back up and a quick squirt of Gravitex.

Good wash and cough up for road tax, job done.

Thanks for all the support with this👍

[skodacious]

jgtr looks great and nice to now be able to take it out and enjoy it 👍

[commycouper]

Yeah....that looks really smart....nice one👍. I was only thinking to myself a few days ago I wonder how you're getting on with this. It was flipping cold outside and I wanted to paint a few panels. But it was just too cold.....and it was only brush on stuff...not spray. That's what got me thinking about your project and how you got on with the wings. Well, now I know 😁. As pleased as you must be with the cosmetic outcome of all your hard work, it must be great to know that it's all solid and properly protected beneath the skin.
As it's now finished, it must be time to post it in the Readers Rides Showcase section......😉 👍

[jgtr]

Just found out that VW Bus magazine want to do a feature on my van😁

Got a photographer coming down to take some pics so hopefully be in the magazine soon, makes all the hard work worthwhile. Aside from a ‘readers ride’ in Fast Car about 20 years ago it’s only taken me 43 years to get a mag feature on one of my vehicles😝

[skodacious]

jgtr well deserved - looks cracking 😎

[retroscort]

Feb 24, 2021 22:47:32 GMT jgtr said:

Just found out that VW Bus magazine want to do a feature on my van😁

Got a photographer coming down to take some pics so hopefully be in the magazine soon, makes all the hard work worthwhile. Aside from a ‘readers ride’ in Fast Car about 20 years ago it’s only taken me 43 years to get a mag feature on one of my vehicles😝

And why not, its a nice van with a good story behind it!

[luckygti]

Very smart. Had a LHD multivan before the DoKa. Loved it and had many a good trip away and they’re certain,y very versatile. Well done on the magazine feature, makes all the hard work worthwhile!