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1967 VW Variant.

11314151618

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,781 ✭✭✭✭Hotblack Desiato


    I read in one of the articles he likes to practice the prosthetic makeup on his wife!!! 😁

    Scrap the cap!



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Very proud of both of them, they have done meself and the missus more than we had hoped for. Johnny's recent achievements with the Emmy has put him in a small talented group of people worlwide. And my other son is also at the top of his profession in financial circles on a global scale.


    What more does a parent want or hope for. We made sure they had a good college education which is a must, and they embraced it whole heartedly.


    Maybe its about time for me too shine too🤣🤣



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman




  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Looks like i wont be at the vw for a couple of weeks. Took the Doblo in for the test yesterday. Failed on a rust small hole on both rear corners on the inner sills. I am not too sure as to the extent until I get it on the lift, which I cant do as the variant has taken up residence there for the past couple of years.

    Option 1. is outside on axle stands up in the air. Not the most comfortable welding laying down, and I am way too old for that shite anymore.

    Option 2. empty the pit of all my vw stash and do it inside standing up with plenty of lite, and a bit of heat.

    Option 3 kiss it goodbye as its now 18 years old and we got good service from it.


    I suppose you sussed it already....................................gonna go option 2. and repair it if remotely possible. And i also have my own car due its NCT this day week. Looks like a busy time ahead.😁



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,100 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    You know what they say, @kadman - "Idle hands are the devil's workshop". 😁






  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    You know what else they say.


    Just when you thought you could see light at the end of the tunnel, you suddenly realize its some fekker with a flashlight bringing you more work🤣



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,100 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    Given the options that you have outlined, I'd first of all jack it up on one side, let it rest on axle stands, and check just what the sill is like before making any further decisions on it. .....small holes in sill panels can turn out to need complete new / rebuilt 😋



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    I will be bringing into my shed where I have a large pit for good access from below. It gives me a good chance with loads of lights to fully inspect whats the options ahead of me. I know only too well about what rust looks like after a bit of digging. A coin sized hole can soon turn into a major panel repair. The only thing that will affect whether I repair or not is accessibility. If I can get to it without major dismantling, then I will repair it.


    If its a major stripdown, then its off to the scrappy with its good engine.. I am getting too long in the toothe to add another resto to the herd. Culling it wont be a problem. I will post up a few pics for the chat



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    Out of the 18 years of service, how long have you had it for? And in that time, how did you find it? or in other words, would be happy to buy one again?



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  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    I would buy another one in a heart beat. We have had it for about 10+ years. One of the best vehicles we ever had in the family. Great engine, even tho it broke a timing chain at about 100K. I fixed that while laying underneath it with a broken shoulder, new chain and 3 new cam followers and four new valves. Now its at 300k. Miser on the fuel and a good workhorse and the engine is easy worked on. Trickiest repair job which I didnt do was the heater blower switch which is a common repair on these. Parts are readily available from auto-doc and are cheap. So its 200k since the repair and all good so far. They have a particular liking for the proper grade oil and will carry on grand. Wrong oil is normally the problem with insufficient oiling of the chain, and thats primarily the cause for them breaking.

    Treat it right and it will treat you right.


    I am just going out now to survey the repair requirements on the inner sill, and get a few pics.Hopefully I can get it sorted, but no inner sill parts available, only external.


    It is a great wagon.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    I managed to inspect the rust damage and was very surprised to see its a minimal repair thankfully.

    So both sills are damaged in an identical area so presumably this is where its common area to fail. I took a couple of pictures and once I get them cut and cleaned up for the repair, it shouldn't take long to weld in. But like many things on car bodywork the prepwork is often longer than the actual welding. The sill edge has surface rust which I am going to wirebrush and clean up just to make sure there is no rust there.

    Two holes here over a 6" length so planning on a 6" x1 1/2" strip. This is the drivers side, and the passenger is identical.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    Yes, not so bad at all...well worth a good clean and weld in a few pieces. I'd say that as it's in identical places, the chances are that there were drain holes in these locations, and over time they got blocked. Be good to see just how far you can drive it.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    As i always disconnect the battery, and alternator when I am welding on any car, I checked out the net just to see what common practice is now. It seems i may have been wrong to disconnect all these items when welding, and that the battery actually acts as a buffer for mig welding cuurrents, and its best to leave them connected.

    Everyday is a school day.😉



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Plan B is now initiated.


    Had a better opportunity to closely examine both corners at the rear. I decided I would only be rushing it to make the re test deadline. So have decided in the interests of safety and a better job, to remove the fuel tank and do it with inner and exterior replacement panels instead of patches. So no rush on this now. I will use it for the remaining 3 weeks, and then park it up until the weather gets god enough to do some work outside.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    A lot of the stuff I worked on would have had the battery removed + the engine, gearbox and suspensions, so it didn't matter, but for other MIG welding, the battery was left connected, and no bother. I even MIG welded full diesel tanks, and it worked. But it's not something you would want to try above the fuel level..... LOL🙂



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    I think that's a very good idea, especially if only the skills need attention. You do not see too many of them, especially at that age around, so soon they will start to become a collector's item.😎



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    I have the Clio up for the nct this week. I am confident that it should go through ok. And then back to the variant all going well. I just have to remember to SORN the Doblo at the end of the month, and then its into hibernation for a while.

    Post edited by kadman on


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Off to the NCT again for the second time in a week, for my Clio. I decided to hold off on the Doblo repair as I wont make the re test date with it, so its Clio's chance today. I expect it to pass ok if they dont come up with some "visual" that I have missed. Anyway 6.25 is the time.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    Good Luck!! The wifes 152 Superb was in last Sunday @ 19:000 hrs, failed on P/S rear shock (nearly always PS suspension failures...pot holed country roads.) but for 140'000 Kls from new, thats not bad. I got two new shocks and put them in yesterday, and back for re-rest now on Friday @ 17:00 hrs.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    I went in last week with the clio. It failed on one outer track rod end, and 1 broken rear spring. Indeed the coil spring was broken an inch from the end along the coil, 1 piece an inch long. And the track rod end had minimal wear, but wear all the same. Fair dues. I put 2 new coil springs and one new track rod end, and also replaced all the leds with new from a cuttable strip in the middle high up brakelight.


    Brought it back in this morning, and it passed, but back dated to last october, damn. But its doing less than a 1000 kilometres a year anyway. I now have the Doblo to do which is in the shed over the pit with the diesel tank removed, and now have plenty of room for repairing the 2 rear inner cills. I have a week before I have to re book, so I need to get the skates on.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Nearly finished all the cill repairs welding on the doblo. Not the prettiest because access with the rear axle on and from a pit is tricky to say the least. Grinding the welds is gonna be tricky, I am tempted to leave it as is for the testers to see that its been welded and not silicone masticed instead.

    Its a total pain with the axle in the way, but I think it will pass all the same once they see welding. Fingers crossed



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    As long as there's no rust visible, it shouldn't be a problem. You have completely finished welding the sills and all is left is to dress the welds and seal it up? I'd chance brushing on a bit of black paint anyway, even if the welds are not dressed. Make it look a bit more finished. You can do a more professional finish later.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Yeah, thats what I am thinking, 2 small end patches at the end of the sill tunnel at the wheel arch is all thats to finish. tester said its ok to put a bit of primer on it, so long as they can see the weld.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Just finished the Doblo now, and tomorrow its on with the wheels and off the jacks. I have replaced the rust with fresh metal and welded them in place. Access meant it was extremely tricky to get to finish the welds, so hopefully they will suffice. I will know for sure next wednesday when i go in for the retests.


    The first couple of pics show what failed the test due to 2 holes about 25mm in diameter.


    Passenger side.


    Drivers side.


    Passenger side repaired.

    Drivers side repaired. Hopefully this will get me through in the short term , as i see more welding coming down the pipeline if I want to keep it. Otherwise its a full sill panel repair later in the year. Not overly concerned as we have it 18 years and put over 200K on it, so not bad really for a 1.3 multijet diesel.



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  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Tester was happy with the repair, so was I when i heard that. So back onto the aquareback monday. Friday i will be traveling to collect an alternator and bracket for the kombi so back on track.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Now I also know what level of repair is good for the nct. Up to this I have never tested any welded repair there, so I have gained a bit of valuable knowledge on this time around. Every day is a school day.

    Post edited by kadman on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    And meanwhile, after all the X mas, new year fun and games have died down (or should have....._) back to the real world. Whats happening in the wonderful world of Car restoration?

    Jim.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    At long last I am back on the squareback this morning. Back drivers wing is bad and not worth repairing to be blunt about it. But second hand squareback wings are rare and expensive. I have one for the passenger side should i need to replace it. Drivers side needs a lot of repairs along the perimeter of the wing where its attached to the body. I have started on the edge along the tailgate which is the worst. So I will work on that and see how things progress. I have already done the lower section, which for the moment will suffice. I am hoping to source on within the next 12 months, fingers crossed.


    So thats the plan , barring any interruptions.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Major interruption.


    Mum has just been diagnosed with dementia so 95% of my time now is on mums restoration😁



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  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,100 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Kadman, that's terrible, terrible news, I'm so sorry to hear that. Hope her condition is manageable (and that it can be stopped from getting worse).

    Keeping everything crossed.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    So sorry to hear that Kadman. I hope that it will remain manageable. For sure, its a hard row to hoe. Here's hoping that it will not progress beyond a manageable stage.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,771 ✭✭✭meercat


    Ah kadman I’m really sorry to hear this terrible news. Take care of yourselves



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Thanks guys. Toughest part is to organise a proper assessment to make sure the medication is correct. Seems to be the norm that the general GP assessment is sometimes misdiagnosed, so its imperative to get the proper guys to do the assessment.


    But at the moment thats proving nigh on impossible. But at the moment mum is no 1 for helping, after all she is 91



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    hey folks, just to let you know we have a plan of action in the process of being organised, so the road ahead will start getting a bit smoother. Lots of services out there for help, once you manage to find them which we have. So all in all a good weeks worth of progress in the right direction.


    So all in all I see an opportunity to be able to get back on the fasty, and hopefully Jim wont catch me sneaking back into the work shop, although if he does, I'll just book down the absence to compassionate leave.

    Thanks for all your kind sentiments😉



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    I have decided to put the squareback on the back burner, and cull the herd, by moving on my 78 VW T2 kombi.

    I have a bit of engine work to get the T2 running, as the previous owner cross threaded number 2 plug, so that needs sorting. Normally its an engine off job, but the type 4 2 litre engine has good access to do it directly in the car without removing the head. I am going to reverse chase it with a tool that chasers the thread from the combustion chamber outwards. So I went off to buy the chaser, but not available locally. So it had to be ordered and wont be here until late next week, so I said to hell with it, I will make one.

    Off i went to get a suitable 120mm bolt with a 14mmx1.25 thread and we were good to go.

    First job was to drill a pilot hole the full length of the bolt on my woodturning lathe.

    Bolt drilled, then it was time to countersink the threaded end, and then slit the bolt. Then i had to recess the bolt at start of the threads for clearance. The3n add a long threaded rod that allowed for adjusting the correct amount of flare to start the chase. And this is what i ended up with.

    And then all i needed was a cylinder head with a damaged head to try it on, and I had a candidate. I offered in the tool to the head in a closed position, and once it was in i tightened the inner rod and the end started to flare as you can see in the pic. I reversed it out and actually repaired the damaged head that had been taken off this engine before I bought it.

    So decided to go directly to the damaged engine in the bus and give it a go. And it was complete success. The top damaged threads are always going to be damaged if you want to use the same size plug as the original, but luckily 2/3rds of the threads lower down are clean and in perfect order. The plug seat was cleaned up and a new crush washer installed. Plug was torqued down to the correct torque and tightens nicely. Good result. And the tool after removing looks like this



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭MrCostington


    That's amazing that you made that, well done!

    But it's a pity you forgot about my thread here that you were active on, you could have used mine :)



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Just re read your thread. I always knew about the thread chasers but could never source on near me, so had to order from the UK. Still only 35 euro. On the subject of loaning your thread chaser, thanks, but I would never borrow someones expensive tools. I think its the biggest way of falling out with good friends, so neither a borrower or a lender be is my motto. But thankyou for your kind offer. I assume the merc is still performing well.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    Great job, well done!! And a cross threaded plug hole is so simple to do, especially in a VW engine. And after extracting the packing, a good long blast of compressed air. Good to go again.

    Glad to see you back in action again.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Ah sure you know yourself working on a vw dub is great therapy😉



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭MrCostington


    I got mine in Vinny Byrnes in Dublin, a Sealey one, about the same price. I know what you say about lending etc, but it was not expensive and I hope I'll never need it again!!!! Anyway you got sorted in the end which is the main thing. Yes she is going well, looking forward to some shows, hopefully the summer will be better than last year. I've not removed the plugs since :)



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    I decided to check plugs 3 & 4 on the opposite head for good measure. I needed a 2 foot breaker bar and a fair bit of swearing to remove them. I cannot understand why folks put so much brute force when replacing plugs in an alloy or aluminum head. There really is not need lads. Hand tight, then gently with the ratchet until its firm, then 1/4 turn thats it.

    There is no need to fusion weld the crush washer with force, it doesnt need it, if it does then there is something wrong with the plug threads or the seat, or both.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,182 ✭✭✭Jeff2


    That really is great work and I can't believe I never heard of this tool to fix the plug thread going from the inside out.

    I'd put a hoover on reverse to the exhaust in most things with the inlet valve closed and exhaust valve opened. The blowing the grit out the plug hole.

    I wouldn't use the tool more than a few times depending on what metal it is made of as you could end up with half of the threaded part in the cylinder after breaking away from being opened and closed a few times.

    Just my opinion but great thread.



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Good point on the bolt type. I used a 10.9 high tensile steel bolt, and it was a tough cookie to drill the pilot hole through. Plus the fact that the head is made from a soft aluminum alloy and it was only clearing the thread as opposed to tapping a thread i think I was safe enough with small increments of chasing. But fair point, the last thing you need is a bit of a thread disappearing into the cylinder.

    Every day is a school day.😉



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    Now that I have decided to move the 72 T2 Kombi into first place for resto for the time being, I will be starting a new thread of its own so as not to confuse anybody when I post about which vehicle I am working on. So when I cobble a few pictures together I will post up what I am doing. 1978 VW T2 Kombi from South Africa.



  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 60,632 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gremlinertia


    Oh nice one I really enjoy following your work



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,580 ✭✭✭jmreire


    Just checking in to see if everything is going OK? (and no, I'm not wearing a white coat, or looking at the clock……LOL)



  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    No matter what coat you are wearing, I was never afraid to tell boss, foreman, or whoever to hitch their wagon, and get out of dodge. The only hombre that I would be wary of is, the missus, she is known to shoot from the hip, and has a keen eye.Ha ha.

    On the woodwork scene at the moment, just finishing a telephone box for an uncle. Its nearly there now. Also working on a trike with a vw engine, and a seperate engine on the bench, so its not all woodwork at the moment. Sure variety is the spice of life😀



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  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,125 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    I will update a few more photos of the kombi later this evening , if i dont get bogged down with other things.



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