Jellybean
Full Member
Any weekend away is a good weekend!!!
Posts: 392
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Post by Jellybean on Mar 25, 2012 19:16:46 GMT 10
Sanding from coarse to fine then polishing should work okay but couldn't you just replace the sheet. If it is stuck on too well and a bit fragile maybe glue another thin sheet of ally over the top and polish that. Cheers. John
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Post by JBJ on Mar 25, 2012 19:32:56 GMT 10
Hi John
I thought of replacing the sheet, but to do it properly I would need to replace J moulds, which I intend to eventually, but not before Cowra.
The whole van has been sealed under a full cover of calico, even over parts of the J moulds. Then it was painted a few times.'
So as I replace sections of J moulds I intend to rub back & repaint over the calico, but also reseal under the J moulds.
I think it will be easy enough to do.
So I just want to get the best finish on the front & sides that I can at present, without anything major happening yet.
So I guess I just give it a try. Nothing to lose except a lot of elbow grease & some materials.
JBJ
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Post by JBJ on Apr 1, 2012 18:28:38 GMT 10
Hi All, Well spent the arvo polishing the front aluminium panel. Used my DA sander, first using 500 grit, then 800 grit, then wet sanded with 1000 grit pad. Looked a lot better, so I hit it with cutting compound on a lambswool pad. Then a rub with Purple Polish by hand application. Its not perfect, but a hell of an improvement, but I wonder if it was worth the effort after looking at it. Still its done now. Just got the left hand front side window to tidy up before Cowra Thats it for the rework then JBJ
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Post by DC3Td on Apr 1, 2012 19:45:59 GMT 10
Hi Dennis. ......but a hell of an improvement..... So it was worth the effort wasn`t it. gordon
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Post by JBJ on Apr 3, 2012 19:44:57 GMT 10
Hi All, Well Daggsey sent the signs he made for Deejay, & I thought I'd put them on the front & share them with you. They are on the lift up stoneguard panels, so when we are in a caravan park they cant be seen, only when we are travelling will they be noticed. Another great job thank you Chris, & another example of how Forum Members help one another at times. JBJ
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Post by JBJ on May 29, 2012 9:01:06 GMT 10
hi All, When we were at Cowra, I got into trouble for not going to Canowindra with everyone else, because a few came back with really nice offcuts & ends of rolls of genuine old vinyl, from a shop in the town. Our idea in vinyl colours & patterns lies towards what we remember from the 50's & 60's flooring we have seen, & neither of us are fans of black & white checked pattern. So we went out the next day on the chance of there being something the scavengers missed. Found a 4 metre roll 1800 wide that I liked, but Boots wasnt sure about. As it turned out there wasn't anything else we liked, so I bought it for $20. The pattern is very similar to that in our farmhouse kitchen, only gold & cream instead of the red & black in our kitchen. It just fitted in the bed of my rod, so it travelled home undamaged. I rang my favorite vinyl layer, Lee, & he came over on Sunday just gone to lay it for us. He makes a paper pattern, then traces on the vinyl, & cuts it on carport floor. A bit of glue here & there, then plops it into place. A bit of fine trimming to some edges, & presto its done. He is brilliant to watch. Cost me $100 to do job, & he took the offcuts & old stuff away with him. We are real happy with the vinyl we selected, & the laying job is as close to perfect as you can get. Thats one more thing finished. JBJ
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Post by Geoff & Jude on May 29, 2012 12:14:22 GMT 10
hi dennis and sue
that place at canowindra did pretty well out of the vv'ers.
the dj looks great with that down.
and dennis, it's always good to keep 'herself' happy too.
geoff 'n jude
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Post by JBJ on Sept 30, 2012 10:38:31 GMT 10
Hi All,
After towing Deejay to Cowra & back behind my hotrod, I noticed that it swayed sometimes, depending on the conditions of the roads generally. Sometimes would sway just over 80, sometimes at 100, & sometimes not. Keep in mind is it a 19 foot tandem van
So when I picked up a Statesman recently, I thought I would give it a go as a towcar (with windows).
First tow, it swayed badly at just over 80.
So I towed the van just recently to a weighbridge, to check fully loaded weight, & towball weight. I couldnt lift the front of the van on my own.
I unloaded my storage cupboard & barbeque from under the back. By weighing myself on the kitchen scales, then getting back on holding something, I worked out that the tray & contents weighed around 50Kg, all behind the rear axle.
The Statesman liked towing Deejay better without that in the rear, & towed up to 85 on rough & good road surfaces OK with no swaying.
So onto the weighbridge. The guy asked what I needed, so then told me to just get the car rear wheels clear of the platform. That gave the weight on the van wheels. 1560 Kg So then I put the jockey wheel on, loosened the towhitch, & jacked the van clear of towbar by using jockey wheel, while leaving safety chains & wiring connected. That gave the total loaded van weight. 1700 Kg.
So from that I figured the towbar weight is 140 Kg, or just over 8% of van loaded weight. I think that is in the "acceptable" range.
I thought Deejay would have been heavier fully loaded, as when Neil got it registered it weighed 1520 Kg ( by rego papers).That would not have had clothes, beds, food, camping gear, etc in it.
Maybe Boots hasnt put her rock collection in it yet.
So if & when I tow it with the Statesman it complies with all of the rules I can find regarding weights.
JBJ
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2012 17:36:31 GMT 10
Hi Dennis Does the statesman have rear coil springs ... Yes / No. If so...Coils give a great ride but i have always doubted their load carry capacity. I have never towed a tandem axle van but have seen a lot of eem getting down the highway behind cars that are "down in the bum". All seem to get a sway up at speeds over 80kph. Not much ... but noticable. 4X4s seem to handle them better as they are stiffer in the rear and towball hieght is higher giving a flatter tow . looking at them getting down the road "waltzing" I sometimes wander if some of the tandem vans up to 16 foot would be better off if it had a single axle with higher load rated tyres and the axle in the "Right position "with regards to the inside layout of the van. Spose it all comes back to how you pack your van and how much is stored forward of the front axle .. and how much weight is stored up high in the cupboards. Often wander if the camber of the road causes the van to "Heel and tow"as you are towing too. Weight of the van and the centre of gravity being shifted to slightly to the left wants to drag the van out of line from directly behine the car... car constantly wanting to pull it back into line... sway starts up.... Anyway mate.. it can only be solved by a process of trial and error. Just hope the error doesnt end up so bad that the sway becomes difficult to control. Just a drunks perspective...A drunk that has travelled and towed a lot of miles and seen a lot of crazy caravan and tandem axle trailer capers on the highway. Cheers Reddo
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Post by JBJ on Sept 30, 2012 19:32:24 GMT 10
Hi Reddo,
Statesman is IRS, so I think that is part of the towing problem.
I might not use it to tow long distances, but it was real cheap, & its a pretty classy everyday driver.
Still got my hot rod to tow with, & probably will in the foreseeable future.
Feeling a bit sad we cant make it down south this time for Coledale & Tathra, but circumstances are preventing us from going anywhere much at present.
Theres always the future.
JBJ
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