spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Apr 9, 2010 13:21:30 GMT
Decided it was time to move Betty news from the resto board to Owners Dafs seeing as I always have trouble finding her thread in there. To start off with, a little lesson in "women don't understand weight limits". Sian's just been out shopping and, unknown to me, decided it was time to do something about the muddy bit behind the shed. When she got back she asked me to help unload Betty's boot: There were "only 12 of the big ones and 6 of the small ones". I make that roughly a round 200kg hanging behind the rear springs but they "fitted in ok". Apparently some man at Homebase said "she'll be fine" as he helped her put them in there. Being the tough little thing she is, she was fine, but Sian did admit that her handling felt a bit funny on the way home - something about the back end wanting to snake when she got up around 50mph ;D
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Apr 9, 2010 14:59:40 GMT
the vans only have a 300kg weight limit
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Apr 9, 2010 15:21:54 GMT
Yep, and most of that is carried between the axles rather than hanging out the back with them ;D
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pauldaf44
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Post by pauldaf44 on Apr 9, 2010 15:23:36 GMT
Just how low was Betty back end sitting?
Oh I have discovered that the tension of the drive belts effects the ride height. Especially if there isn't any ;D
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Apr 10, 2010 18:38:05 GMT
Back end was low, but still had travel to go Meanwhile, I decided it was time to tackle the rusted flange between her o/s inner and outer front wings today. There had been an advise on it last MOT and I decided to get it done while I was in the mood rather than doing it in a sulk nearer the next test. It also gave me a chance to attack the rust that had kept returning along the top of the wing and making very unsightly "rust runs" on the white paint. The only problem was, I'm getting sick and tired of (a) that patch of rust coming back and (b) paint reactions with something in the several typse of paint she's had over the years. There was also the annoying bit at the back of the patch I did last year where Daf had lead-loaded the corner of the A pillar. That meant that I couldn't weld the back edge of the patch and it had lifted slighhtly, cracking the filler, and (again) leaving some not serious but unsightly rust. So, first step today was this: I was planning to bare metal down to the trim strip but, having got that far, I decided it was silly to stop. All signs of rust allso got a good splosh of Loctite rust remedy: Meanwhile, the flange that was the real reason for the work got nice new metal: Having hammered it down flush I managed to get enough heat into last year's patch to solder it to to lead loading so hopefully it'll stay put this time. The patch and the (ex) rusty bit also got a surprisingly light skim of filler: Once the panel was washed down, degreased with thinners and treated to a second wash using POR Metal Ready, it was time for some etch primer. Took the photo of this wet cos it looks nicer that way ;D : By that time (about 6 1/2 hours work) it was getting a little late to start spraying cellulose and I didn't fancy making holes in the primer flatting it then leaving it bare overnight, so that's where she's at until tomorrow.
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Apr 10, 2010 19:42:40 GMT
And one as dusk falls of the primer once its shine had gone. All ready for making pretty tomorrow ;D
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stefan
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Post by stefan on Apr 10, 2010 20:57:41 GMT
looking good Joe
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Apr 10, 2010 21:29:17 GMT
Good work Joe, looking forward to seeing the shiny new paint.
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Apr 10, 2010 22:04:26 GMT
Thanks peeps The general plan now is to tackle a panel at a time back to metal (with maybe the odd touch-up in between times just to keep her tidy) cos it's sooo much nicer spraying onto clean metal than unknown paint. By the time I finish it should be just about time to start again
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Apr 10, 2010 22:17:46 GMT
It's only because you get all the best weather over there! ;D
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Apr 11, 2010 17:22:56 GMT
Well, the best weather continued today so she's now topcoated. It will obviously need cutting back but at least it's even, should be stuck down well and (hopefully) doesn't have rust already starting underneath. If this time hasn't stopped those bubbles then I really don't know how I will! While I was out there I also tackled the scuttle (again going back to bare metal) cos the red oxide primer I'd used back in the field seemed to have adhesion problems and had started to flake pretty badly over winter. Just 5 more panels, a boot, a bonnet and a roof to go now
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Post by dafdaffer on Apr 11, 2010 18:18:20 GMT
Looks a nice job there jo
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Apr 11, 2010 19:20:02 GMT
Yep, I'm happy with it for a roadside repair - at least until the bubbles start reappearing Meanwhile, I'll hopefully be getting a parcel tomorrow ready for the next major job - 75 feet of brake pipe, assorted unions and a flaring tool cos I've decided it's time they all got nice new copper pipes throughout. All three have some corrosion on their steel ones. It's not to MOT advise stage yet but, having had a dual circuit master cylinder blow both sets of seals several years ago, I'd rather not have a failure with single line brakes (no, not even on Isabel!)
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Apr 11, 2010 22:24:56 GMT
Nice spraywork Joe! This may even inspire me to do some of this on Gavina.
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pauldaf44
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Post by pauldaf44 on Apr 12, 2010 7:57:05 GMT
Its already inspired me guess what im going to be making a hash of today
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Apr 12, 2010 18:17:23 GMT
Sian came back in Betty today and mentioned that she (Betty, not Sian) was "creaking" when she moved in the seat. So I lifted the carpet and found a neat 8 inch long stress crack where the front floor joins the inner sill. No rust to speak of, just a nice clean fracture. Quick bit of angle forming and early evening welding and it was all held together again.
But the creak was still there.
So I oiled the seat adjuster mechanism and the creak's all gone now :lol:
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Apr 12, 2010 19:58:18 GMT
Squeeky seat eh? It's always nice when there's a simple fix!! Now if it was Isabel that would be a different matter! ;D
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Apr 12, 2010 20:19:22 GMT
If it was Isabel there still would have been the disconnected floor but there wouldn't have been any metal left to weld a plate to. Oh, no, that already happened with her. Twice.
I must admit, it was nice to find a bit of welding needed that was done, dusted and back together in less than an hour - same sense of acheivement for 1/10th of the work ;D
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kenr
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Post by kenr on Apr 12, 2010 22:09:10 GMT
Nice work Joe, Lovely finish on the wing. I like the piecemeal approach to a total body respray too hehehehe.
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Apr 12, 2010 22:49:12 GMT
Thanks Ken - it's using celly paint and my patent, vacuum-cleaner-powered, HVLP gun.
Piecemeal is the only way I can do it here though. She's in daily use and Sian would kill me if I told her she couldn't drive for a couple of weeks. Plus it's all done at the roadside thanks to very accomodating neighbours.
Now, if I had an enthusiastic stuffed bear to keep her distracted........ ;D
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pauldaf44
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Post by pauldaf44 on Apr 13, 2010 7:33:05 GMT
I sense a surface to Bear missile aproaching
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Post by bettyskeeper on May 23, 2010 18:12:03 GMT
Betty has a new speedo cable thanks to the people who remake VW Beetle speedo cables She tried it on and it just fits
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Post by dafdaffer on May 23, 2010 21:35:20 GMT
Great news ;D
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Jun 3, 2010 13:09:27 GMT
Not quite sure which car this post belongs to but Betty started it so she gets the honours. Sian went to her Mum's this morning and phoned with a non-starting Daf. Her ignition switch failed (really should have taught her about hotwiring before now ) so off I went to recover them. On the way Sheila had a slight exhaust blow which, by the time I got there, was a big exhaust blow and a downpipe that was no longer connected to the centre silencer. Got both of them back and was waiting for the teenager to arrive so I could replace her back brake cylinders when we got a call. She was in a layby after the car gave a loud bang and filled the insides with smoke. She'd topped the oil up a couple of days ago and seems to have not tightened the filler properly. Thanks to the 2 cylinder boxer layout you get a lot of pressure in the crank case as the pistons both go "down" together so a loose cap eventually comes off like a cannonball. And smashes itself to pieces on the road. I love old cars. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Jul 28, 2010 12:34:27 GMT
Ok, just to bring this up to date following the Proboards disk crash:
Betty's ignition switch got fixed, no problem.
Betty did Lichfield and back, no problem.
Betty passed her MOT again, no problem.
Betty did Colchester and back (657 miles) in a day, no problem.
I love these "no problem" cars ;D
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Jul 29, 2010 9:56:07 GMT
;D I carry a large stick to remind her to behave. Haven't needed it yet but she knows it's there
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33grinder
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Post by 33grinder on Jul 29, 2010 12:07:05 GMT
Like this you mean Joe? ;D ;D Cue the words 'I'm going to give you a da mn good thrashing!!' ;D ;D
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Jul 29, 2010 13:18:18 GMT
He taught me everything I know
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Aug 22, 2010 20:35:54 GMT
Poor old Betty is just too reliable right now. Other cars have taken all the maintenance time and she just plods along happily doing whatever's asked of her. So much so I've stopped carrying the stick when we're out in her
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spunkymonkey
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Post by spunkymonkey on Aug 23, 2010 11:19:15 GMT
No balancing act with Sian - if anything, she's just too easy on me (but please don't tell her that!). Betty can be a little demanding at times but she always seems to reserve that for times when it's reasonably convenient, unlike the others who time things for maximum aggro! I'm beginning to seriously think about trying to find a spare engine so that, once Sheila's is done, I can build a nice new clean one for Betty as a reward. No real or immediate need but she'll need one one day and it'd be micer to have one ready built to drop in rather than be racing to get her back on the road when (eventually) the oil use gets too much
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