| Looks like a wee damp problem! |
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| Stripping off the inner board shows the extent of the damage. Its going to be a major rebuild. |
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| I am going to move the speakers to above the shelf.
You cannot have a conversation when the stereo is on as they are right above you!
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| As you can see in the pictures the damp appears to have come from the join in the window and the corner seals. been there a while undetected due to the laminated inner board fooling the damp meter, although the different colours of the wallboard are a good hint of a problem. |
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| Before removing the rotten frames it was a good idea to photograph the joint detail as this will help in rebuilding. |
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| Removal of the frame begins! |
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| Lifting the Lino in the corners also reveals the damage to the floor. |
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| The roof line in the corners is Ok, note the shaped wood on the corner roof frame, showing just how well these vans where built. |
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| We are soon able to see the amount of framework that needs to be built. |
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| Keven gets to grips with removing the outer seal strips and old sealant. |
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| While I start on the building of frame sections inside. |
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| Joan cleans of the residue of old seals with Turpentine. |
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| The edge sections of the under floor frame need to be repaired as well. |
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| New sections of floorboard fixed in and frames dry fitted to check for fitting. |
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| Once the side frame sections where glued and screwed it was time to start replacing the wallboard. |
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| I put up this tarp on the inside to catch any rain coming in through the window seal and let it run out through the bottom panel, Just in case as rain had been forecast! |
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| Due to rain I decided to leave the front panel and do some of the wiring work, a socket above the shelf on the side of the van would be handy for phone charging. Better than having the charger and phone lying on the floor! |
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| Another job was to remove the fridge and give it a service. Making sure to mark the cables for the towing feed and spark ignition, labeling any cable is important to ensure the correct installation in future. |
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| With a change in the weather we managed to get the new side panels cut and put on. I also finished the lower front frame and fix that in place. Its all starting to come together again! |
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| With the lower frame fitted it was time to do the upper section and complete the framing before adding the inner ply to the front sections. remembering to fit and test all exterior light fittings first, once the cladding is in place it would not be as easy to find any faults in the cables. A handy tip I learnt from someone else many years ago. |
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| All done, and varnished ready to install the front window. |
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| Keven does the window rubber as I don't have the strength to make sure it is sealed properly into the corners using the W4 Mastic Sealing Strip
as recommended by Alan Parker. |
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| While keven was fixing the window I turned my attention to putting in the front bunk bases and installing the new zig switch unit and boxing it in along with the Breckland 12v Power ranger unit. |
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| Next we replaced all the outer seal strips |
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| The 12n and 12s cables where bothe replaced with new ones as well and the front chassis repainted and cleaned up. |
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| This is the trusty bench saw iused to cut the framing to size, it works out a lot cheaper to buy thicker sections and cut them to size than buying individual strips. On the left is the start of the new front table frame. |
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| My wee but useful workshop, I never throw away wood so there is a handy supply for any future jobs! |
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| The Table and front shelf frames, the table one will be trimmed once the ply has been glued in place on both sides, the added strength at either end is for when it is used as the bed base, giving extra support at the edges. |
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| Withe the new shelf base installed I get to grips with wiring in the lights, stereo and speakers. |
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| The downward fitting spots looked Ok but I found a set of flush fitting ones and decided to change them, much better and they don't catch on the curtains! |
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| Time to put the locker doors back on. |
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| A new sink plug was required so that was next. |
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| We also replaced the water inlet and outlet pipes, the old ones where becoming a bit old and stained and the fresh water seemed to be tainted so well worth doing. |
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| The table ply was set so we trimmed the corners and gave it a sanding before the varnish was applied. The Curtain rails and table spar where refitted at this stage. |
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| I used the front section of the old table to make a new TV table for the back of the van. Although it is also handy for other things! |
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| The van gets a final hoovering and clean before the soft furnishings are replaced and the van packed ready for the holidays! |
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All finished and ready to head down to my Sisters wedding.
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| In 2013 we intend to start on the rear of the van which has the dreaded signs of damp as well. |
