Fisher's Resto

[King Fisher]

Hi Guys, I have used the Taubmans® Endure which is an acrylic semi gloss paint. It is an exterior paint which is fairly elastic and is easy to apply (the old fashion way with roller and brushes) and should last 15 years. As their site states:

"Taubmans Endure Exterior is engineered with Nanoguard that creates an interlocking molecular structure so dirt is less likely to stick and surfaces are easier to clean. It's tough, repels dirt and resists the elements such as baking heat from the sun, howling rain, and even snow, which is why it has a 15 year guarantee*.

Laboratory testing has proven that Taubmans Endure consistently outperforms the competition on dirt shedding capabilities#. By dirt not sticking to the surface, Endure provides the ideal paint for protecting your most valuable asset, your home. [Vintage Van ]"

(from: www.taubmans.com.au/diy/paints/exterior-paints/exterior-paints/endure-exterior.aspx )

[King Fisher]

Didn't quite get it finished over the long weekend . However we did get two coats of undercoat on the inside of the van.





Got the chain gang back to help on the inside.




We all did the cutting in and inside the cupboards with a brush while my friend went around and rolled the roof and walls.


I'm not the best painter, I think there was more paint on me than the van.




Finally we got to this:

[seeshell]

Hi Kfisher

Wonderful team effort - you all set a cracking pace!

I like your approach to renovation, using as many conscripts as possible. You've certainly got a good friend there - someone who will help you move/paint/bury bodies is a true friend for life.

I have to say I'm following your renovation with a lot of interest - I think she's a beauty, and can't wait to see your colour choices.

Warmest regards,
Seeshell

[hilldweller]

Looking good Would your conscripts like a trip across the ditch when you've finished with them? Happy to supply bread and water

[King Fisher]

I will put it to them, if not I'd happily drop by for a chat at least when I make the voyage over the ditch myself one day . Things are a bit slow on my reno at the moment as I'm currently enjoying the tropical heat in Vietnam, while poor Bessie shivers in the Victorian cold. Next week I'll be able to hug her again, (looking forward to seeing/working on her again), when I return back home, then more pickies to follow no doubt.

[raindrop]

Wow, so much work, but it will be worth it in the end.

[King Fisher]

The last two weekends was spent getting stuck back into Bessie.

It has come time to do some amputation, and chop her legs off for a bit.

Undoing the hurdles


As you can see they were a little tight and bent the threads when we removed them


We had a bit of trouble getting the axle to separate from the leaf springs but discovered a countersunk bolt going through the axle and holding on the lower 3 leaves of the springs.






A bit of a nudge to get things apart


And a cry or is that pry


One side down on to the other


Had to release the leaf springs to get the axel out


Thanks again dad.


Plus we have also been preparing the cupboard doors inside for undercoat.

[King Fisher]

Took the old axles to an axle joint and the bearing size used is a bit of an odd size. One baring a Holden baring fits ok and the other is no longer available aparently (30.1mm- inner baring). Been around a few baring suppliers to look into getting one the right size but no luck. Has anyone else had this problem?

So looks like we might have to look at our options, as we were also hoping to fit brakes to the existing axles. The other problem encountered is that the drums can't get deep enough for the breaks to sit in.

[Cruz]

Hi,
I just replaced the whole lot.
Easy

[seeshell]

Hi All

Your restoration is looking great - and I thought of you and your project when I saw this table.

It has the very unique australiana formica that your countertop has.

www.ebay.com.au/itm/150929064702?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Not long to go now by the looks of it - aiming for Christmas away?

Cheers
Seeshell

[nugget]

Hey Fisher's,

Doing a great job there. I have been following your resto for a while.

Having recently done my own 1950's bondwoods axle up, which is very similar to yours, I thought you may like some prior knowledge.

They are fairly easy to do up. Yours is only 4 leaf springs (mine was 11) the solid steel (heavy) axle and is rusty as mine was.

With the axle I used a wire brush on my grinder and took it back to bare steel (wear safety glasses) then hit it with rust converter and another wire brush. I then undercoated it with gal primer and painted with metal paint.

With the spring I separated each leaf and wire brushed these. You may wish to do this as I found the bolt that holds the springs together was also rusted out. I painted the top side of the upper spring and the underside of the bottom spring, then greased each spring and reassembled.

The spring hinges needed the grease nipples replaced on my van. I de-rusted these and painted and greased the hinge mounts.

With your brake drums, a few things to think about.

My van had brake drums fitted however you can buy a drum with brakes fitted to fit the existing axle (measure between the centers of 2 studs next to each other to get the size you need).

If you are fitting to your existing drum check your studs on drum mount first to see if any need replacing (I needed a new one and welded a new one in). If not de-rust studs.

You said you had problems getting the brakes to sit in your drums. If they are not original brakes designed for your van I would hesitate at retro fitting brakes to these for safety, I would look at replacing the whole drum, which can be brought at a trailer manufacturer or through a brake - wheel store. But your van.

With my brake drum the where originally lined with asbestos and brass drum pads and linings (so take care if this is your situation), I used a heat gun to melt the backing glue then replaced the linings with the new modern style brake pads, these had to be adjusted - shaved to fit my drum properly.

Replace bearings ( if you can find them), repack with grease and new grease cap.

Bearings were easy for me but new grease caps were hard to find the exact size so can't help these.

I have been told that my drums and wheels are off an old Austin, or light truck, as yours is also a 5 stud axle. Your axle is truly a unique worthwhile piece of antiquity to restore.

I think I took a fair few pic's of this process so you may wish to check out my thread.

vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=photo&action=display&thread=6533

Keep up the good work and hope this helps.

Nugget

[King Fisher]

Starting to get a little slack with the blogging. So a couple of weekends ago we went to the 100th steam rally at Lake Goldsmith near Ballarat to try and catch up with some of the old vans. I was hoping to have my van ready in time for this but fell a little short in the time line, oh well new target Christmas... Great weather and great day out. Plenty of pickies. ;D



Also got a few great ideas from other vintage vans.
I liked the solution to the side step on this van:


My side step was rusty but, became a bent piece of metal after we loaded the van on the trailer to bring it home. I have since removed the step and I am currently using a log as a step up, but I do like this idea of a handy box step (Maybe extra storage , should be easy to make one).



Saw a van with a similar colour on the roof, as mine


And a bit of a chat about axles, and wheels, brakes, photo's etc.. etc... etc... {By the way I have currently taken 1739 pickies of Bessie and the work done on her, and only 254 photos at the steam rally ;D}



While I was away for the weekend my good friend was painting my cupboard doors and drawers. Thanks buddy.

[King Fisher]

Last weekend started with reassembling the table and seat lids


Then we polished all the interior metal bits, getting the old paint off all the fittings was a bit of a bugger...


While I hung the cupboard doors




And put back on the original knobs





Slowly starting to get more liveable.

[Roehm3108]

Getting betterer and betterer guys ;D ;D ;D What's the secret to getting so many women working on your team AMAZING ;D ;D ;D

[King Fisher]

Have been putting back on the lights and fittings slowly. Started with the roof lights first.


Originally the front roof light was the only 240v light and all the other lights were 12v. Both used the same fittings, with standard 240v female bayonets. The original 12v fitting used a 12v globe which had a standard 240v size bayonet on it!!! . I converted the front 240v fitting to 12v but still kept the original bayonets so I had to crate a globe that fitted. I used a 12v car tail light globe and a household globe bayonett. Works well as it's hidden behind frosted glass. So all the lights are now 12v


Then the side lights.






The one thing I wonder is where I will ever be able to find replacement globes for these lights. Does anyone have any ideas??? They have one element connected to two contacts on the bottom of the small bayonet (same size as modern 12v globe bayonets) and have a lovely big triangular shape to the globe.


In order for my new switches to screw on to the wall, I had to put some blocks of wood in the original hole. Unfortunately I will have to carefully fill the original screw holes later as the new switches don't quite cover them - Darn.


While I was doing the lights 'wiffie' was polishing the silver trims around the benches.


The original long art-decor light under the bench I converted to LED by installing 2 LED strips with 12 white LEDs on each strip. Works great and looks good too. So far it's the only LED light inside the van.


Where the red wire is, there is now a second switch which will later be used to turn on a discrete 12v extraction fan in the flue above the cooker.

[Roehm3108]

Good idea installing an extractor fan. Might think about that myself ;D ;D Is that 30 amp wiring you're using on the whole electrical system? Should carry the current well.

Ray

[King Fisher]

Nearly all of the 12v wiring is still original, and is all similar capacity. Who ever wired it from scratch sure did use decent wires . Which is good as I didn't have to change any of the existing wiring (Just added a few), I know it's a bit of overkill in the rating of the wiring, but should help reduce the voltage drop... Ie: brighter lights

[ruby6689]

Jun 8, 2012 16:21:21 GMT 10 King Fisher said:

Yea, I'm pretty happy with the results. Not bad for an IT geek if I say so myself... Sorry to be so proud... But... My words for anyone with wooden windows that need replacing, "it's not as hard as it looks."

You should be proud, you have done an amazing job. And thank you for the words of encouragement re wooden windows, we are about to tackle that job ourselves. As a couple of sales people without a trade between us most of these type of things look daunting.

[2up]

Hi Fisher, how did you go with the axle and wheels?

[King Fisher]

My advice is to have a careful look at how the windows are currently constructed and the materials used also have some good tools. If you don't have many tools now you soon will... ;D ;D The right tools can make or break the job. Also don't rush it, take your time and do a good job. You will learn so much as you go. You will find the resto will be very rewarding and challanging at the same time. It's amazing how excited you can get over a piece of 50x35 wood ;D Good luck guys and I look forward to watching your resto also.

[King Fisher]

Nov 16, 2012 6:54:31 GMT 10 2up said:

Hi Fisher, how did you go with the axle and wheels?

Axle is sorted (Dad's organizing that), using Holden H? HT rims, with cable brakes. After asking around the majority of people have recommended the cable brakes as they are more reliable and are easier to maintain in a good operating condition.

[2up]

Hey Kfisher, sorry I have an alteria motive here, are the wheels 16 inch , centre diameter?and what is the PCD? Cheers Les

[willow5075]

Great series on your reno,. We are just beginning but will be looking to do the roof with canvas so I'll have to show this to the MOTH for reference!

[DC3Td]

What a transformation KFisher.A very remarkable interior. Wall light globes remind me of older style fridge globes. gordon

[seeshell]

Hey Fisher -

Here's a 12V bulb with a BA22 base which might just be the ticket!

www.ebay.com.au/itm/809-12V-24W-BA22D-LARGER-BASE-BUS-INTERIOR-BULB-/230869922112?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item35c0eb7140

Looking fantastic for sure - can't wait to see the big reveal!

Cheers
Seeshell