Plywood spats

[minicamper]

Hey guys,

Looking for some ideas on fixing spats to Olive.

I decided to improve the look of Olive (and hide some minor inaccuracies ) in Olive's wheel arch cutouts.

I made some spats and am getting ready to paint them etc but need some ideas on how to attach them to the van. Obviously screws would work, but is there anything anyone knows of that would make removal easier for tyre changing?

(Baring in mind that Olive is single skinned)

I had a look around as I'm sure someone discussed this a while ago, but didn't find anything..

Cheers
Chris

[JBJ]

hi Chris,


I had the same thing when I made ply spats for Lucille.

I fitted T-nuts to the back of the wall panel, & fitted a retaining plate over them, glued & screwed in place. Otherwise the T nuts loosen in the ply sheet.

Used 1 1/2" x 1/4" brass countersunk metal thread screws, with countersunk washers. If your local hardware doesnt have them, Classic Fasteners out of Adelaide (on the web) supply good quality in whatever quantity you need at a reasonable price.

They've worked well over the couple of trips I've used Lucille on, probably over 2000 Km , on back roads. A couple came a bit loose, but I think I should have checked them before I left on the trip, not when I got back.

[DC3Td]

Hi Chris. Fittings ala wood bed/chair/coffee table frames that secure the legs/castors from the big green shed, as you would know. They come in various other sizes depending on the thickness of material to be used. Clamp the spat into position on your van. Mark the points you need for fixing. Remove spat. Drill desired holes. Grab the spiked nut,hammer home from the outside of spat. Done right these should recess flat to spat surface. Reposition on van & fit screws from behind. Depending on their length they might have to be cut down so as not to protrude thru spat & best if 1/4" shorter.Whilst the spat is fitted & screwed, a bit of wood filler into & over the face surface of spat. Once dried, prime & paint. When securing the finished spat to van, grab a bit of nail varnish off the missus,paint it around the threaded screw & secure. Just an idea. cheers gordon

[Geoff & Jude]

hi chris

this is a picture of the spats fitted to the crown vic - as you can see, no screws holding them on.



they work on a lever system.

with the lever down, the two pins retract from holes in the wheel arch allowing easy removal.



with the lever up, the two pins lock into the wheel arch holding them firmly in position.



done about 30,000 miles without any problems of them loosening.

you could easily adapt this system to your van, either sitting in the wheel arch as shown, or covering the wheel arch by adding brackets to the side of the van

geoff 'n jude

[minicamper]

Thanks for the ideas guys. This is why this forum is such a gem!

Geoff or Jude, very nifty!

JB, what does the outside of the spat look like? It has a dome head or nut or something on the outside?

Cheers
Chris

[JBJ]

Hi chris,


If you look on page 13 of Lucilles rebuild, you will be able to the screwheads, They sit in a countersunk chrome washer. All nice & flush. Needs slotted screwdriver to put on & remove.

It might not be the fastest to remove if you get a flat, but with good tyres, how often do you need to remove a wheel?

JBJ

[Deleted]

Hi Chris..
A word of warning when considering fitting spats .
Work out the shape on the "door side first"

If ya get all flambouyant with the shape on the right side ya might find that the mirror image for the door side will actually carry onto the door area.

I have sat with a soft pencil and drawn heaps of different shaped spats in pencil until i got the desired effect that blends in with the shape of the van....
Too small and they look like an after thought ... too big and they swallow up the whole side of the van and look too "Cartoonish" ( word of the day.. i just invented it.. ;D).

So... yeah.. mack sure the leading edge of the spat curves ariund and down before it hits the door.
Otherwise you will have to cut the spat through at the door hinge and bevel the two edges that face each other so that they dont bind when ya open the door.
Probably not a probl;em on most vans over 9foot long but it is on small vans...

Just my 2 bobs worth.

Reddo

[minicamper]

Thanks Reddo, I hadn't even thought about that, but fortunately, I started on the door side first so (went and checked quickly last night : phew, on that one.

If i hadn't I would have in the poo big time as the arch ends right next to the door..

Admittedly, they do look a bit like the shape of a cartoon whale, but i think they'll be ok. I haven't had Olive out of the soon to be demolished caraport to stand back and have a good look at a distance.

Maybe Olive may end up being known as Moby

JB, good point. Must do some thinking...

Cheers
Chris