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Post by JBJ on Jun 1, 2008 17:46:44 GMT 10
Hi Ray,
I dont know what the builder towed with. Its about 100mm higher with this suspension than when he built it. The tow hitch is so high it possibly was towed with an old chev or something.
I did an Earlee today. I pulled some panels out to rearrange things, & found half of a Bank of NSW cheque book, with the last entry on the butts being the end of 1959. That tallys with the ID plate the builder stamped & fixed to the drawbar, & the dates on the rego papers. Also found a live bullet.
Fitted my Reddotel porthole in the side, & finished all the chassis welding. There wont be too much progress in the next week or so as Wintersun is on.
Jailbarjuice
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Post by trodler on Jun 1, 2008 18:00:31 GMT 10
Hi Jailbar. The van is looking good. I havnt noticed how much the drawbar bends upwards before but it really stands out now. Keep plodding along.
Cheers. Trodler.
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Post by tinnie on Jun 1, 2008 22:07:39 GMT 10
Gday JBJ, Lookin' good! The front is a huge improvement on the old 3 window set up. You have turned a potential 'fugly' into a classic! Look forward to the rest of the resto. Cheers, Gristy
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Post by JBJ on Jun 14, 2008 20:07:09 GMT 10
Hi All, A bit more progress, as I had a lot of bits turn up at once. I’ve always disliked the rough bottom edge of the rear side sections of the van. It had no straight edges, so I got the local joinery shop to band saw me 4 bits of 35mm pine into the shape I made a template of. I glued & screwed into 2 pieces 70mm wide. A bit of trimming, then glued & screwed them to the underside rear edge of the van. img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/jailbarjuice/lucille14jun08001.jpg[/IMG] This gave me a straight edge to work off. Found that that side had a 3/8” dip in it along the bottom, so I ground all the paint off in the low spots in preparation for a layer of bog. Decided it was time to replace the badly weathered right hand front corner of the ply. So I cut away the bit I didn’t want, then trimmed a ply sheet to fit. A bit of temporary screwing & fixing, & I had the shape ready to mark out on the ply sheet & cut with my jigsaw. Luckily this van has a steel frame. It’s easy to screw new panels to. Now the bottom of the van, the spats, & the rear kickup are in a straight line flow. That’s important to me. The eye should flow without hiccups along any edge ( I believe) I’ve nearly finished a set of drop down legs to go inside the rear panels, along the line of the drop downs Cobbers Ol 36 has, only square tube instead of round. I’m going to rebuild the tow hitch end. I reckon if I level the hitch, the front of the van will rise 275mm, which will get it sitting level behind the towcar. I’ve got all the bits to do it, just not enough time. The van is sitting high, but its a bare shell. I can lift the front without any effort with one hand. I'm hoping about 4" drop with the fit out finished. Lets see what tomorrow brings. Jailbarjuice
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2008 20:49:28 GMT 10
Bloody Hell.. I am exhausted just scrolling through the documentary........Too much watching there for me you old legend. She's had more facials than Liz Taylor t'aint gunna be much of the old girl left by the time you finish JBJ..,, Go and pour yourself a hard earned Cougar mate.. you have certainly earned one... or two ......well done. Reddo
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tonyh
Full Member
"Dolly" 1967 Riviera
Posts: 256
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Post by tonyh on Jun 14, 2008 22:58:42 GMT 10
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Post by JBJ on Jun 16, 2008 20:13:22 GMT 10
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Post by willyn on Jun 16, 2008 21:59:06 GMT 10
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Post by tinnie on Jun 16, 2008 22:40:32 GMT 10
Hi Jailbar, I really enjoy watching your resto's you have as much dedication to the camera and posting as you do to quality work. Great job!
Looking at the end of that RHS, I will bear in mind if I ever need something demolished with a sledge hammer to give you a call. ;D
Cheers,
keep up the great resto and the pics.
Cheers,
gristy ;D
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Post by JBJ on Jun 29, 2008 18:52:33 GMT 10
More progress on Lucille’s drawbar. I’m a bit light on pix, but basically I fitted the other RHS tube, in the same fashion as the first. I then had some 3mm plates cut on a guillotine, to weld outside the box tube to create the same top hat section shape ( or there abouts ) as the original chev chassis. I welded everything together, & got a new plate cut to carry the tow hitch. Everything was refitted , & I think I ended up about 100mm longer in the drawbar. I can still lift the front of the van one handed without any problems. After all fitted together & welded, I ground it all into shape. I trimmed & welded into place the bracket for the swivel jockey wheel. I wouldn’t have a van without one. This van is NOT a restoration, & I think the older style is so inferior that they are not worth having. Also bought a spare wheel carrier bracket that works, & welded a support in place for it. Welded nuts in place so it can be unbolted as an assembly. Its amazing what a quick pressure pack of rust paint hammertone does. The new drawbar is pretty good, & the tow hitch sits at least 250mm lower than it did. Jailbarjuice
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tonyh
Full Member
"Dolly" 1967 Riviera
Posts: 256
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Post by tonyh on Jun 29, 2008 19:10:47 GMT 10
Hi JBJ, Can ya back off a bit you make me feel like a total Slack A## Naahh it's all looking great ;D ;D a lot of dedicated work that is a credit to you. ;D Just don't tell Reddo I'm givin' a bondy a rap up Cheers, tonyh
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Post by JBJ on Jun 29, 2008 19:21:17 GMT 10
Hi Tony,
I'm trying to give up playing pokies of an arvo, by working on something instead.
But I'm also finding a new lease on life, & having a ball.
Maybe its an early onset of senility coming on.
Jailbarjuice
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Post by humpty2 on Jun 29, 2008 19:22:32 GMT 10
Beautiful work Dennis......I don't feel like a slacko ..just inspired ;)by your work.....I'll have to give up this WORK business and stay home more often. OR you move to Newcastle and help some of your mates out that haven't got the time to work on their toys.
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Post by JBJ on Jun 29, 2008 19:49:45 GMT 10
Hi Humpty,
I only work on the van outside normal working hours. I spend around 3 hours most nights after 5 oclock, plus sat & sun when I dont have other things to do ( like keeping Boots happy)
A while back when I built my hotrod, i found that by forcing myself to get into the shed every day & working on the project, it really happens quicker than you expect it to.
The caravans are the same. Plus only working on one project at a time helps. You actually see the results happen.
Well at least it works for me.
Jailbarjuice
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2008 23:03:21 GMT 10
great philosophy JBJ luvya work .......could do with a man of your talent in the Beverley shed ........ Mark
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Post by JBJ on Jun 30, 2008 18:14:22 GMT 10
Hi All, Well I’ve got daylight only jobs on my van, & night time jobs. Because I’m working in an open carport, you have to make the most of the light. So I decided to start marking out my colour separation today, at the front first. The vans going to be painted bright red on the bottom, creamy yellow top, with a bright red hatch. Well its Lucille, & she’s the most famous redhead I’ve ever heard of. So I cut a couple of bits off my J moulds, & fixed to the van sides, after I marked out the line I wanted for colour separation. Then I bent a couple of bits of D mould to the shape I marked & measured on the paint. Some 6 guage x ½” screws later, & I’ve got the outline for my colour separation. Dunno if you Chev tragics can spot the repro Chev hubcaps, but I think they look great. Lets see, I got a Dodge with a Ford engine, A jailbar Ford hot rod registered as a Holden, a KIA, a sunliner glass van,& a ply caravan with Chev wheels. I don’t have favorites, just a few dislikes. Jailbarjuice
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Post by scootman on Jun 30, 2008 18:31:35 GMT 10
Looks great sitting there in the Carport. So much more superior in character style & grace than whats its parked next to!
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Post by JBJ on Jun 30, 2008 18:36:44 GMT 10
Hi Scoot,
Its rapidly becoming my favorite too.
jailbarjuice
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tonyh
Full Member
"Dolly" 1967 Riviera
Posts: 256
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Post by tonyh on Jun 30, 2008 19:25:43 GMT 10
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2008 20:55:48 GMT 10
Looks great sitting there in the Carport. So much more superior in character style & grace than whats its parked next to! Onya scoot my main man.... Good to see a North Queenslander that hasnt had his sense of good judgement nuked by the dreaded NQ Lager or Cairns draught ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Please accept 1 years free membership to the Royal Society for Preservation of Bondwood caravans for your outstanding contribution today. . She's startin' ta look the goods now Dennis. That small window in the front makes the van look older. Lucelle will certainly stand out in yellow and Red mate. Just dont park her near a surf club ..... it will confuse the swimmers tryin ta stay between the yellow and red flags..... ;D ;D ;D Is Red .. is good.
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Post by firefighter on Jun 30, 2008 21:01:34 GMT 10
Hi JbJ from this chev tragic .......its ok to use the american hubcap as I am using the same hubcaps on my 37 chev sports roadster as you can not find any aust hubcaps in good order have you actual fited the 37/38 chev wheel to the toyota hub 12 months ago I bought home from the toyota wreckers a hub to try.... the hub won,t go through the centre of the wheel maybe they gave me the wrong hub the reason I was trying this out I was told by an old bloke from Qld ...use a toyota axle ...shorten it then have the chev spline re cut on the end of the toyota axle ( broken a few rear axles over the years ) by the way you are doing a good job on the van f/f ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Post by JBJ on Jun 30, 2008 21:07:08 GMT 10
hi All, Second post for today. Amazing how much spare time with Boots visiting a friend for a few days. When I picked up Lucille, I was intrigued by the lack of rear stabiliser legs, especially with a bed across the rear. It has fittings to accept the mechanical sill panel jacks from older cars,each side of the wheel openings, but that was it. I thought about it since I started on it, & then when I was parked next to Cobber at Mt Gambier, & he dropped down Ol 36's stabilisers, I thought I could do something along those lines. So I bought some SHS heavy wall tubing that nested together. I checked out the inside of the van, & found I could fit the tubes & still have room ( in width) for a full double size mattress. So I welded some brackets on, drilled a lot of holes to accept a lynch pin as a locking mechanism, cut a square hole in the floor, then proceeded to assemble them A few screws in place, & it fits. The legs load up under the steel framing members of the van, so they are in compression under load. I think they look like they could have been the original ones, that were never fitted. I hope my detailed postings dont upset too many people, as I got quite a lot of positive feedback with what I'm trying to do, & thats encourage you guys to get stuck into fixing up your own project. A lot of people wouldnt have exposure to how simple it is to do things, with minimal tools. I do all my work in a carport, with a lot of fall across the slab, & dirt floor at the front. All mypower comes in on extension leads. You just need a clear thought process , & think things thru before you start Hopefully this makes up a bit for my being a grumpy old man. Jailbarjuice
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Post by JBJ on Jun 30, 2008 21:14:41 GMT 10
hi Firefighter,
The toyota hub centre that I have ( Al-Ko) is much smaller in diameter than the Chev wheel centre hole. I'll take pix tomorrow & post it for you.
I'm not concerned at this stage, but if it looks like causing me grief I'll get a specer machined to carry the wheel properly.
Jailbarjuice
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Post by atouchofglass on Jun 30, 2008 21:55:37 GMT 10
JBJ Good to see how quickly a project can come together when you have a good idea of what you want and go for it Don't worry about being infected with Ebondi (similar to eboli) you'll get over it and be back into class eeerr glass soon enough ;D ;D A balanced shed is always good.... fabuglass on one side and blondewood on the other ...... yeahhh sounds like an interesting marriage... Don't tell Prince Helen, she'll get all jealous and want a plastic friend to play with Atog
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2008 22:01:19 GMT 10
Aaaaahhhh soooooooo Name has now changed to "sqaure bar juice" Methinks you stay stable now when go to bed after big session on the cougar juice. Fully understand what you say about forcing yourself to get down the shed and tackle unfinished projects. I bite off "Night sized chunks" set myself goals that should be completed in an average 4 hour session . If it gets finished earlier . I just down tools and go inside. If it dont get finished .. well i just down tools and go inside. Nothing worse than battling on with something that aint going right. If ya keep at it late at night you tend to stuff it up or end up injuring yourself 'cause ya not thinkin straight.. Better to kick off the next arvo after work with a fresh train of thought. Things tend to fall in to place when ya can think things through with a fresh mind....... Of course all work stops if i cant find a fresh mind to borrow or...... if someone turns up with beer ;D ;D. There is always tomorrow. Reddo
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