Observatory's Restoration 60s Ambassador Viscount D919

[DC3Td]

Bet you`re going to put some support structure in place for the cabinets now eh.

[Observatory]

Hi Gordon, sent you a personal message with detailed explanation - the short answer is - yes - cabinetry will be firmly attached. 

Top right bulkhead frame in:

• test fit of new timber with ali cladding/flashing attached for template - fits nice
  
• the beam is blackbutt - glued/screwed (pre-drilled); diagonal is meranti glued/nailed (pre-drilled into blackbutt)

[DC3Td]

Yep. That ain`t going nowhere for sure.

[Observatory]

...more bulkhead framework:

• Lap joint beam repair - glued/screwed/clamped. 
  
• 3mm ply neatened up glued/stapled. 
  
• Cover panel - 3mm in place - glued/stapled/gap filled. 
  
• Cabinet shelf pinned (one nail) to wall for alignment... looks level
  

 

[Observatory]

Top cabinetry, paint and some creative dry rot intervention:

• A lick of paint. 
  
• EDIT 22/6/15 ...and I say you can never have enough clamps... clamps are good
• Front top cabinetry pressed up hard against the top side wall cabinetry (screw/locked in position by the new blackbutt beam) 
  
• EDIT 22/6/15...another lick of paint (and some surface filler)
  

[Observatory]

Cutting-out and sizing new front bendy ply panel:

1. Penciling around old front panel for size then cutting out with jigsaw. 
   
2. Checking size & fit
   
3. ...checking size & fit
   

[Observatory]

Front beams in:

• Middle beam nailed back in.  (To find position - spotted the old nail holes on side wall + spirit level and matched the distance from top beam to middle beam at both ends i.e. 150mm).
  
• Top beam glued/screwed. (Beam joints chiseled out; top curved edges of frame filed down 1-2mm beforehand; to allow for thicker new front ply panel to sit flush i.e. level to the corner window sills). 
  

[Observatory]

Front bendy panel going on:

• Lots of glue, but only on the top beam and the first bend so far.  (Plan: to attach the panel in sections until the bottom is reached; so as to not get too far ahead and have the glue dry too early).  
  
• Counter tension to the spring in the ply and the flex in the top beam while the glue dries.
• Gluing 2nd beam - used lots of 25mmx2mm gal flathead nails 100-160mm apart on both beams - starting in the center of the beams and working out to the edge of the panel so as to not get buckles in the new panel. (Gordon gave me that tip cheers!)
• Some clamping and bracing to make sure there's a good join on the middle beam.  (to be continued.......)
  

[DC3Td]

Gday Pete. You remember all these tips might be called in one day.....just tallying up the beer count thus far...hmm,looking good.As usual,great work & attention to detail.cheers gordo

[Observatory]

Beer bank is nice and healthy Gordon..

Front panel on and painted:

• String-line to find beams/benches. 
  
• Snug fit. 
  
• Outer view. 
  
• Paint: exterior water based paint to seal the grain esp. end grain.  (oil based would destabilise the ply)
  

[Observatory]

Bracing the front wall panel:  (interesting how the brace stud is curved while the side wall frame is straight - thus the stud tensions up the ply panel nice and firm - giving the front end a slight nose). 

• Bracing stud glued and nailed at the top into the beam; stapled at the bottom; then stapled from outer side - top to bottom.  NOTE:  Alignment for brace stud obtained by attaching table track and finding original screw hole into floor ali cladding panel (not in photo). 
  
• Painted.  
  
• EDIT: Fr 3/7/15  test fit cladding. 
  

[Observatory]

Polystyrene insulation:

• found a neat technique to get foam size: press it against the frame to take an impression; then cut with a hot knife. 
  

[mibosa]

Thanks Pete for that helpful hint. I have almost removed all my aluminium skin and going through the process of polishing each sheet and was pondering the other day how I would go about cutting my foams for the insulation. Have you decided what product you are going to use when putting your outer shell back on and the j mouldings?


Regards,

Bob.

[Observatory]

Glad to be helpful Bob.  Still leaning toward non-acidic clear silicone for the waterproofing seal of the van.  Have considered other products i.e. polyurethane; butyl mastic tape and caulking; but for me it comes down to the adhesion strength; ease to remove later on;  and pliability to weather conditions.  Silicone seems to be midway on each of these points; compared to mastic and polyurethane sealants. 

Cheers,
Pete

[mibosa]

Thanks Pete. How come everything else in my life is all about risk management and being able to make ultra quick decisions, but that this topic is really getting the better of me? I am doing so much work and my ultimate priority is the waterproofing process. I have heard so many others doing so much work and then end up having that pinpoint leak.

Probably just as well that we aren't like the USA with the possession of guns in the manner they do, otherwise if I woke up in the middle of the night hearing a dripping, I would go outside and empty so many rounds into the van in frustration. And then wonder if the other half managed to wake up and sense my frustration and get out!

Thanks Pete, great work!

Regards,

Bob.

[Observatory]

New front metal securing plates:

• The old..
• The new -  gal steel (a bit overly thick, but should just sneak in under the cladding; they were giving them away! )
• Damp course to separate cladding and chassis; i.e. prevent electrolysis. 
  

[Observatory]

Fitting front-end cladding: 

• I told you I could fit into this old cladding! (just had to breath out - hold it there)  -
  
• Had to sand a couple of mill off the corner of the new ply panel; to get the front cladding to fit snug.   (i.e. the ply panel was sitting past the side cladding by about 2mm)
  

[Mustang]

Jul 20, 2015 14:49:15 GMT 10 Observatory said:

Fitting front-end cladding: 

• I told you I could fit into this old cladding! (just had to breath out - hold it there)  -
  
• Had to sand a couple of mill off the corner of the new ply panel; to get the front cladding to fit snug.   (i.e. the ply panel was sitting past the side cladding by about 2mm)
  

Been there, where you are:


Works out in the end.

[Observatory]

More cladding alignment:

• Used the ali flashing of the corner window to match the original hole in the front end cladding for alignment then pinned it to the frame. 
  
• more cleaning and prepping
  

[DC3Td]

Gday Pete.You must be doing something right - over 9000 views.You should have thought about pay per view! gordon

[Observatory]

Test fitting front window before screwing window frame together. 
Hey Gordon, I reckon this front shelf is almost ready for the spirit level. 

[DC3Td]

  Hey Gordon, I reckon this front shelf is almost ready for the spirit level. 

Gday Pete. You`ve certainly deserved it!. Cheers

[Observatory]

Alignment for front window frame assembly:

• Used the original window shelf beams as templates to pre-drill the "top and bottom shelf attaching screw holes"; METHOD: clamped the old and new shelves together; drilled through the old shelf beams holes for correct alignment.  ALSO: while still clamped; penciled the position of the two new studs onto the new shelves. 
  
• Test fit top shelf with 8 screws into original screw holes.  Fits good! 
• EDIT 6/7/15: some shining and polishing to rejuvenate from the weathers of time...
  

 

[Observatory]

Alignment/securing front window/bottom to beam:

• alignment obtained by attaching old j-mould i.e. j-mould determines the distance from "wrap window stud" to edge of bottom shelf.  THEN: drilled the 5 holes into the beam (i.e. through the pre-drilled shelf holes). 
  

NOTE: With front window securely in place - it's time now to make new wooden "wrap window" frames. 

[Mustang]

I have recently renovated a later model, the curved frames were made of multiple layers of ply,totally rotted. The aluminium shoe was also buggered.
I eventually got the curve right using Tasmanian hardwood, (not a matter of tracing a pattern around the original bay) cant believe why Viscount would not have used solid timber in such an important area.
Now happy with the job as its better (I believe) than the original. Rear window frame   (Scroll to bottom of page)  
You are doing a magnificent job.