VW T25 restoration

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Vanagon

Original Poster:

32 posts

141 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
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marky911 said:
Late reply, bloomin' nightshifts! smile

Yes my van had a full body refurb about 4 years ago, including all new panels etc and a respray in Audi Polar white. Unfortunately it already has very minor beginnings of seam rash in 1 or 2 places, but at least I know the whole shell is metal, no filler at all. I think these vans are a constant project, especially body wise.

The camper conversion and engine conversion were done 5000 miles ago, so barely run in. It's a 165bhp n/a Legacy engine but still on the vw 4 speed box. yikes It uses a proper bellhousing conversion not just an adaptor plate and the box and diff are strengthened but since the box was designed for 70bhp I don't do any racing starts. wink Great power though.

Vanagon, are you restoring the van to standard original condition or are you doing a camper conversion? To be honest what we are learning is all you really need in the van is a bed. We have a drive-away awning for seating, eating and cooking, as we have a plug in electric stove and there is also an external gas outlet for a gas stove. The fridge and sink in the van are handy but you can buy a plug in fridge anyway, 12v or mains.

I take it you're leaving the original colour scheme since that's how you remember the van? I would and it's a cool retro colour anyway. Looks great.

Do you have a timescale in mind or are you just taking it as it comes? Big project!

Work always gets in the way!

Sounds like you got yourself a good one and it really is a head turner. I've never been a fan of white on cars/campers but have to say, yours looks brilliant! I looked at one with the 2.2 legacy engine in but wasn't entirely convinced by it - especially seen as the owner was clearly tax dodging as it was still registered as a 1.9! Would be nice to have the power for hills but im not looking for speed.

Im going to do it as a camper conversion but im shying away from adding the external power supplies. Just a few cupboards with integrated stove, pull out table of some sort and a 3/4 rock 'n' roll bed.

Im really undecided about the colour scheme. Part of me wants to keep it the same colour but then the other side wants to go bold and have it orange and white - I think from what i've seen, they did the devon campers in that scheme and I want it to stand out so I was thinking Ford Focus ST orange.

I've given myself an initial timescale of 3-4 months to get the welding, respray, engine and gear lever sorted so that I can get it up and running, at which point I then have to sell my car to get more funds to complete the inside and although i've not really thought about timescale for that, i'd like to complete it all within a year. When I picture it now, it doesn't seem that daunting though i'm sure when it arrives, i'll go back to thingking 'what the hell have I done?!' haha!

Marvindodgers

734 posts

215 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
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What a great story. It got me straight off to the DVLA website to check if our old Bay from my childhood is still alive. Unfortunately it has not been taxed since 1994, so it's either dead or sitting rusting away somewhere I guess

Justin Cyder

12,624 posts

148 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
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Seams! shout

marky911

4,417 posts

218 months

Saturday 23rd June 2012
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Vanagon said:
Work always gets in the way!

Sounds like you got yourself a good one and it really is a head turner. I've never been a fan of white on cars/campers but have to say, yours looks brilliant! I looked at one with the 2.2 legacy engine in but wasn't entirely convinced by it - especially seen as the owner was clearly tax dodging as it was still registered as a 1.9! Would be nice to have the power for hills but im not looking for speed.
Erm, interesting point that. Mine is still a 1.9 petrol on the V5. I asked my insurance about that and they said they don't care what it says on there as long as I declare all the mods inc. engine upgrade. I've sent them a detailed info pack on the conversion. I can have any engine in there upto 2.5L and it doesn't affect anything.
I'd never thought about the tax side of it though. I'll look into it.


Vanagon said:
Im going to do it as a camper conversion but im shying away from adding the external power supplies. Just a few cupboards with integrated stove, pull out table of some sort and a 3/4 rock 'n' roll bed.
Yeah, the guy who built mine hates seeing sockets and things cut into the side of vans. It's all hidden underneath mine so no cuts have been to the bodywork.


Vanagon said:
Im really undecided about the colour scheme. Part of me wants to keep it the same colour but then the other side wants to go bold and have it orange and white - I think from what i've seen, they did the devon campers in that scheme and I want it to stand out so I was thinking Ford Focus ST orange.
Sounds cool! You could go wild on the interior with that colour scheme. White vinyl or leather with orange centre sections and orange piping.
That's the only thing I would have done differently with mine if I'd done it. It's just grey, where as if you're going to all that bother it's a shame not to do something jazzy.


Vanagon said:
I've given myself an initial timescale of 3-4 months to get the welding, respray, engine and gear lever sorted so that I can get it up and running, at which point I then have to sell my car to get more funds to complete the inside and although i've not really thought about timescale for that, i'd like to complete it all within a year. When I picture it now, it doesn't seem that daunting though i'm sure when it arrives, i'll go back to thingking 'what the hell have I done?!' haha!
Wow! 3-4 months sounds tight. You must be handier than me. smile I've had mine a month I think and am still working through my list of minor upgrades/niggles.
Good luck. It will be one cool van once it's done.

egor110

16,817 posts

202 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
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What a brilliant story, please keep it the original colour.
This van's part of your family history, hopefully your children will have there holidays in it and eventually it will be handed down to them.

Vanagon

Original Poster:

32 posts

141 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
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egor110 said:
What a brilliant story, please keep it the original colour.
This van's part of your family history, hopefully your children will have there holidays in it and eventually it will be handed down to them.
Thanks egor110. I think i'm opting for the colour change instead of the original colour. Its a shame to change it because of the history but I will be happier with colour. The history will still be there everytime I look at the registration. I would love my children to inherit this one day. (I dont have children yet lol!) biggrin

Vanagon

Original Poster:

32 posts

141 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
quotequote all
marky911 said:
Vanagon said:
Work always gets in the way!

Sounds like you got yourself a good one and it really is a head turner. I've never been a fan of white on cars/campers but have to say, yours looks brilliant! I looked at one with the 2.2 legacy engine in but wasn't entirely convinced by it - especially seen as the owner was clearly tax dodging as it was still registered as a 1.9! Would be nice to have the power for hills but im not looking for speed.
marky911 said:
Erm, interesting point that. Mine is still a 1.9 petrol on the V5. I asked my insurance about that and they said they don't care what it says on there as long as I declare all the mods inc. engine upgrade. I've sent them a detailed info pack on the conversion. I can have any engine in there upto 2.5L and it doesn't affect anything.
I'd never thought about the tax side of it though. I'll look into it.
haha, I hope I didn't offend with that comment. It wasn't my intention. I was just very reluctant to buy it knowing that the wrong tax was being paid. I work for one of the leading insurance companies and I know we wouldn't do anything about the tax side as long as we knew what the correct engine size was.

Vanagon said:
Im really undecided about the colour scheme. Part of me wants to keep it the same colour but then the other side wants to go bold and have it orange and white - I think from what i've seen, they did the devon campers in that scheme and I want it to stand out so I was thinking Ford Focus ST orange.
marky911 said:
Sounds cool! You could go wild on the interior with that colour scheme. White vinyl or leather with orange centre sections and orange piping.
That's the only thing I would have done differently with mine if I'd done it. It's just grey, where as if you're going to all that bother it's a shame not to do something jazzy.
I think i've pretty much decided to go for the orange and white so I am looking to do something funky with the interior as the gold/brown seats and door cards wont really go. I'll be trying to do it all myself so I better get learning on the sewing machine! haha

Vanagon said:
I've given myself an initial timescale of 3-4 months to get the welding, respray, engine and gear lever sorted so that I can get it up and running, at which point I then have to sell my car to get more funds to complete the inside and although i've not really thought about timescale for that, i'd like to complete it all within a year. When I picture it now, it doesn't seem that daunting though i'm sure when it arrives, i'll go back to thingking 'what the hell have I done?!' haha!
marky911 said:
Wow! 3-4 months sounds tight. You must be handier than me. smile I've had mine a month I think and am still working through my list of minor upgrades/niggles.
Good luck. It will be one cool van once it's done.
Im hoping it's going to be 3-4 months for the basics to be done. I've picked up the van now and inspected every panel and it doesnt need as much welding as I first thought, which is a bonus! With these vans, im sure there will be little bits and pieces that i'll always want to add!

Vanagon

Original Poster:

32 posts

141 months

Sunday 24th June 2012
quotequote all
Well, she's finally home! And typically, it didn't rain until it was on the recovery truck and the heavens opened!



Unfortunately, I didnt manage to take a picture sat on the driveway as I was too busy letting the tyres down to get it in the garage. - it fits with literally millimeters to spare! We managed to smoke out the entire street getting it in there as the choke on the carb is shot. I literally couldnt see my hands! Despite this, I still couldn't stop smiling!

After a thorough check of the bodywork, its actually not as bad as I originally thought. Only the drivers step and the front panel needs to be welded. The wheel arches, which I thought needed replacing have only rusted slightly and not all the way through so I may get away with a thin coat of filler. (not ideal as I wanted it to be filler free but i'll see how it turns out!)

Here's a few more close ups to show the condition. I'll add some more when I get her out of the garage again - which will be when i've bought a fire extinguisher and attempted to repair the choke!



Nice tidy floor. Only very minor bubbling in the paint and no rust at all on the underside.



I think this is the only picture that scares me! You can actually see on the accelerator, where chemical metal was used when my father owned it, to re-attach it as it fell off!



Rusted driver step - better picture to follow



I'm pretty certain that the garden hosepipe fitted (middle left, between the HT leads) shouldnt be there!

All the panel seams have been coated with rust proofing when the previous owner was sanding the bodywork down. Although I like the fact that you can see the joins in these vans, I've seen a couple of other vans where they have been filled flat so they're not visible. Im after suggestions on this as to what you think about doing this and also, what I would use if I decide to do it...

Vanagon

Original Poster:

32 posts

141 months

Friday 29th June 2012
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Well, after about an hour trying to remove the spare wheel from under the front (bolt was rusted solid) ive managed to get it off with WD40 and brut force and get the gear stick mechanicals out. Taken some advice from 'Just T25's' in Birmingham and they're going to weld the gearstick by inserting a solid metal rod inside. They seemed pretty confident that it wouldn't snap so i'll give it a go. At least it will do until I source a new one.



Image of the gear link housing. 4 tiny bolts and off it comes! Though it would have been useful to have a ratchet with an extender bar as the water pipes were a bit tricky to get around. - next thing on my shopping list!



After removing the box. Only a slip pin holding it in place.



Linkage completely removed



The offending parts!

Im really amazed at how easy that was to take out and should be just as easy to put back - a roadside repair would be a breeze... if you carry a spare! Might be worth considering seen as they're prone to snapping!

So, thats being sent off for repair and as the standard pierburg 2e3 carb is shot, the same company recommended a weber carb in replacement as they're better (apparently!) Not exactly cheap but as I would have spent £200 getting the old one fixed, the new one isn't that much more.

Whilst im waiting for these to be sent to me, i've already made a start on the bodywork. All of the panel seams are to be flush with the body. I've chosen to do this as I think it will look better and also, the seams are the places that get hit hardest with rust so hopefully it will offer a bit more protection.

I'll get some pictures of the bodywork up soon!

mike9009

6,917 posts

242 months

Friday 29th June 2012
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Personally i wouldnt de-seam your van. It would always raise suspicions for me as to whether it was rusting badly underneath or not, although you are saying this van is a keeper?

Also i prefer the seams on older vehicles, gives them more character and orinal feel. I always hated original minis that had been deseamed.

Glad your van looks better than you thought and much better than the restoration project posted earlier!

Keep us updated....

Mike

Vanagon

Original Poster:

32 posts

141 months

Friday 29th June 2012
quotequote all
mike9009 said:
Personally i wouldnt de-seam your van. It would always raise suspicions for me as to whether it was rusting badly underneath or not, although you are saying this van is a keeper?

Also i prefer the seams on older vehicles, gives them more character and orinal feel. I always hated original minis that had been deseamed.

Glad your van looks better than you thought and much better than the restoration project posted earlier!

Keep us updated....

Mike
Hi Mike!

I was really undecided about doing it but one of the rear panels does have some rust spots near the seams. Ill put a pic up so you can see. I dont think it justifies a panel replacement but it looks really tatty. Im taking pictures galore of the work im carrying out to it so if I did ever decide to sell (which I doubt) there will be plenty of pictures to see as to the condition. I think without these, i'd be dubious about the state of it behind the paint!

Overall, im making good progress but thats largley down to it being such a solid shell and chassis.

Is there another restoration project on here at the moment?



Driver side rear

mike9009

6,917 posts

242 months

Friday 29th June 2012
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Vanagon said:
Hi Mike!

Is there another restoration project on here at the moment?
I was referring to the one paddy n murphy linked to earlier in this thread..... wink

Mike

Vanagon

Original Poster:

32 posts

141 months

Friday 29th June 2012
quotequote all
mike9009 said:
I was referring to the one paddy n murphy linked to earlier in this thread..... wink

Mike
Haha ohh yeah. They're brave for taking that on! biggrin

PeanutHead

7,839 posts

169 months

Saturday 30th June 2012
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I like the idea of a new colour, but by the time you get it on the road I think the brown and cream will be totally IN. hehe
The OH work partner use to do upholstery for the motor trade and maybe of some use when you get to deciding on what you want to do in that area.
Enjoying the thread and keep adding pics.

russ_a

4,568 posts

210 months

Monday 2nd July 2012
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Let the spending commence smile

Vanagon

Original Poster:

32 posts

141 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
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Its been a while since I put anything up on here so I thought i'd just add a couple!

This is how the driver side lower rear wing looked when I bought the van...



And after about 6 hours of filling and sanding, heres what it looks like now.



There's hardly any filler on there to be fair. Its mainly in the seams and then feathered off to provide a smooth finish. Its still not quite perfect but the primer has been put on to show the imperfections so I can finish it off.

Im really happy at how this has turned out! but its taking a lot longer than I thought it would! biggrin

and for those eagle eyed viewers, yes, I even managed to cut the bushes back outside the garage! lol

marky911

4,417 posts

218 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
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Looking good vanagon,

keep it up. I'm sure at some point your enthusiasm may wear thin but it'll be worth the hard work when it's back on the road.

It's worth taking the time to do things right too. A little skimping here or there at this stage could mean the rot setting in quicker a few years down the line.

My seams are just starting despite new paint and panels a few years ago but they're always going to need attention these vans, especially with our climate.

Can't wait to see the finished article, although I'd guess at that being next spring, do you reckon?

Vanagon

Original Poster:

32 posts

141 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
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russ_a said:
Let the spending commence smile
my bank card has already run off! biggrin


Vanagon

Original Poster:

32 posts

141 months

Thursday 12th July 2012
quotequote all
marky911 said:
Looking good vanagon,

keep it up. I'm sure at some point your enthusiasm may wear thin but it'll be worth the hard work when it's back on the road.

It's worth taking the time to do things right too. A little skimping here or there at this stage could mean the rot setting in quicker a few years down the line.

My seams are just starting despite new paint and panels a few years ago but they're always going to need attention these vans, especially with our climate.

Can't wait to see the finished article, although I'd guess at that being next spring, do you reckon?
Thanks marky911!

Im sure i'll get tired of sanding soon, especially working 9-5 then straight into the garage until 8 or 9 but ive got the luxury of having a full weekend to myself coming up so I can just crack on and make some real progress! Definitely worth taking the time over it. Ive still got a car so im not in any rush (despite wanting it on the road now!) to get it finished but im not gonna slack on working on it every spare minute.

Not good about your seams... are you going to touch them up? The climate here is ridiculous! I may do a richard hammond and build a boat around it!

When I initially got the van, I thought 3-4 months for it to be on the road but ive realised the preparation is immense! Ive also discovered that the brand new spark plugs fitted are covered in oil from the piston chamber side so ive bought a compression tester to see what the state of the engine is like. I knew it was problematic when I bought it but im considering a full overhaul. Ive read the haynes manual several times and also found some really good step by step videos on youtube (vanagon head gasket step 1 - 5) which goes all the way through to replacing piston rings and im feeling confident I could attempt that. It will mean I can clean and paint the engine and bay too, which was something I was hoping I could do. Im thinking more along the lines of 6-8 months now.

marky911

4,417 posts

218 months

Saturday 14th July 2012
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Mornin' Vanny,

well at least you're making good progress and getting stuck in. I hope the engine is a simple fix. Youtube is brilliant. Doesn't matter what project I'm doing, I always type it into youtube and see how it's done. Really is amazing. Don't know how our dads managed without the internet. wink

Just leaving my seams for this year. Need to see how much we actually use the van. Been a dream for a long time but we are still yet to use it. Just had to cancel Cambridge this weekend!

If the van is a keeper (which I hope it is), I'll get the bodywork done again and maybe a pop-top fitted. It's very, very minor tiny bubbles here and there. Nothing as far as T25s go, so not too worried.

Anyway, it's the weekend, so you should make somemore progress eh. Have fun.

PS. It's apparently only 10 wires to get a Subaru engine in there. wink
You can get a donor car for a £1000 and the conversion parts for £1000. Will probably add £2k to the value of the van too. Very desirable. Drives like a car then.
Must admit though I couldn't do it! I know my limits.