1961 Microbus

[Dual Port]

[quote="Mike Kever Kombi"
I guess the whole purpose of this post is just to remind my future self to cover the glass so it doesn't get pitted by sparks.[/quote]


I built a nice sandrail 30 years ago, and when I welded the rearview mirror on I wasted the windshield with pits...

BTDTGTTS........

[Mike Kever Kombi]

busy day today. I think I have everything in the cargo area stripped, and all the pieces fabbed so I can just weld tomorrow. One area I am unsure of is the heater log. It was in a pile of extra parts when I bought the van, and I am not sure how to hook it up. If anyone knows of a good picture of what it looks like I would appreciate it. I have a few pictures but they are from the side and cannot make out much detail.

I am also going to try and keep a log of the hours I have into this project, both for myself, and for anyone considering doing something like this, it will give a rough idea of time involved. I just decided to do this today, so I am going to estimate time in so far. I put in 9 hours today, and with the previous work of gutting and stripping, I would say that I have around 90 or so man hours total (When my brother helps me I count every hour as 2 man hours). So that is going to be the total I am working from, from now on.

Now for todays progress

The pictures with the cargo floor removed

maybe somebody with more experience can tell me if that is original German PVC running down the center

That thin lip, crooked arse Dog leg was driving me nuts.....so off it went

Actually it had to go so I could get access to this section.....I think there must be 2 whole cans of expandable foam holding the van together

cancer removed

The front cargo door got hit at hinge area, so B pillar had to be removed

and hinge frame straightened out

[Mike Kever Kombi]

continued\

The area behind the passenger seat was also rotting away at the bottom so that got cut out

new metal cut ready to be installed.....a photographer I am not

The long side C pillars (?) had to be replaced so the lower skin had to come off

you can see here where it was a little short

and off. I made a filler piece to make up for the 1 inch it was short

The pillars cut and replacements fitted up

rear wheel wells needed some attention

rear hat channel
had to cut bottom off and notch for holes since everything was ran

that will slide under the pipes, hat channel will fit over, and then I can spot weld it back together tomorrow.

I think that all the cancer is cut out of cargo area, and I should be able to get a good day of welding in tomorrow (as long as weather is nice)

more updates to come

[Dual Port]

Something wrong? I can't see the pictures.......

[WideFive]

I can see them fine

Tear it up, Mike!

[wwebner]

I can't see them either.

[WideFive]

Now I can't see them

They are attachments, so probably website issue. Not bad links, outside server or anything Mike did.

[SlashKirk]

It may be because the file size is aweful large on those pics; I suggest that if you load pictures directly to the site that they are reduced in size or pull them off a seperate host server (PhotoBucket etc...)....there may also be a limit of number of pics in a single post?

[Mike Kever Kombi]

http://s1361.photobucket.com/user/Mike_ ... i/library/

photobucket link. not quite sure why pics stopped working. The file size on some is only 2 MB. would not think that is too large.

any way I will inline pics, as well as link.

anyways.....

Did you ever have one of those days?......today was mine.

nothing went "wrong" per se, just never could find my groove

kinda embarrassed by what I got done today. Add 6 hours to total for 96 hours total.

After the rains last night, I decided I should work on getting the door back on, the right side was involved in an accident during some point in the vans life, so the cargo doors are a little wonky. I have tried to get them as best I can, but I think I will ultimately have to replace them. I am going to use them for now, because I have them, but I know toward the end of the build I will not be pleased with them. Aside from the fact that they are not straight, they are heavily pitted from rust and age.

Sadly it took me all 6 hours to get the door and B pillar back on, and I am not even that happy with the work I did, so rather that get angry or keep plodding along, I decided just to wrap it up and enjoy the sunny day.

todays time line

started by getting the door frame back together

door on the van

I am hoping to get the rear hat channel, the rear outriggers, and four jack points installed Monday and Tuesday after work. I have to replace the bushings in my Super as I am getting the shimmy. I have the urethane replacements, and I want to do that Wednesday and Thursday so hopefully things go smoothly (probably not) Monday and Tuesday.

more to come......

[Mike Kever Kombi]

ok, so just loaded my post, and I can see how redonkuless redundant pictures are. Sorry in advance. From now on I will just pull straight from photo bucket. Geesh...who let this guy post anyhow?