Very rotten Split panel.

[Posty]

Ok I've been working on this van for a while and have been posting updates on type2ireland and ssvc. I thought some of you guys might enjoy it. I know it was way to far gone but this van was assembled in Dublin in 1963. To the best of my knowledge there are less than 10 Irish made vans left so I thought I'd have a go at bringing her back from the dead.
Enjoy.


March 16, 2006

I went to have a look at the P and T van today. Its rough very rough but it will ride again. I bought it! ;D ;D ;D As if I dont have enough problems.

Pics

March 27, 2006,

Now you see what I mean by daunting..

April 11, 2006

I finally got some time to have a good look at the P and T van and it's as bad as I thought. O what fun it will be.... ;D First step is to get the wheels moving again so I can get it into my shed out of the rain. As you can imagine every nut and bolt on the bus is rusted tight so getting the hubs off is proving tough.
On the positive I did get the engine out and all the wheels off. Even got most of the cargo floor or what was left of it out.

The chassis is rusted through in a couple of places and I am worried about it collapsing so I welded in a couple of support bars until I am ready to attach it.

April 28, 2006

I know it doesn't seem much but posty is now rolling for the first time in over 25 years ;D, I feel like I'm getting no where as I haven't even turned the welder on yet. but hey shes moving and every nut is a challenge.


May 14, 2006


the previous owner was the farmer in athlone, he had bought it off the post and telegraph and used it around the farm and to collect the kids from school but the gearbox went or something similar so it was parted up for the next 20 odd years.
I have been in touch with the National Transport Museum? and was contacted by a guy called Thomas Manning who has been researching the history of Irish Postal Transport for the last ten years or so.
Here is some of the information he was able to give.

The earliest use of the VW by the P&T I have come across was in the mid 1950's (see attached photo) . The Post Office fleet was almost exclucively Ford from the 1920's till the late 1940's when they bought a few Morris Commercials and then in the 1950's some VW's Split Screen vans , they had some Bay Window vans in the 1970's when I joined the service and a small number of the Square Type in late 1970's. As far as I know there no other VW vans in P&T colours in Preservation. The National Transport Museum has? Five P&T vehicles in the collection, a 1969 Bedford HA (P&T Green) , 1979 Bedford TK Gangtruck (P&T Orange / White), 1979 Ford Transit Walkthru (P&T Orange / White), 1981 Dennison Tractor Unit (Telecom Eireann Blue/White/Tan),
1987 Renault 4L (Telecom Eireann Blue/White/Tan).




May 27, 2006

OK I soppose its about time I had more pics. After much discussion with the processional's I have put in lots of supports so she doesn't fall apart on me. After having a good look now, the front and real chassis look ok its just the chassis rails that need to be replaced along with all the t sections tophats and out riggers. I have made my first of many purchases with Schofield's which should arrive next week. O god I have committed now!!!!!!!
fixed a few little things, had hopped to remove the dash and save it, but had a little trouble getting it out,it will have to Walt till next week.
The front is the biggest worry so I am putting the feelers out for a front of a split to the roof would be great but In the mine time I will try and fix what I have, this is going to go on or a while. ;D I do love the work.


[/img]

[Posty]

June 28, 2006

Well a little more work done. I spent quite a while leveling 4 patio stones and cementing them in so I could get posty on axle stands. Then I but in yet more supports, the inside on the van looks quite like a climbing fame now. Then I cut out the old chassis rails one at a time and but in the new ones. This took about 2 days longer than I had planned but I am happy with the results.

Tried to save the boxed off section but I think I will just make 4 new ones. I left a cable so I will be able to pull through the wiring loom at some stage in the future.


More to come but it won't be next weekend. I am taking a weekend off work ;D. Going to stags in galway.... A whole weekend with out doing any welding or grinding, what a shame especially when my sheet metal folder just arrived. ;D ;D


September 20, 2006

I bought so many panels at vanfest that I thought I'd better get some of them off the floor and in to the van. Monday I measured and clamped the center chassis sections in, then out, then in... you know how it goes. So I eventually got both sections in followed by the 4 outriggers. I had hopped to get the top hat and t sections in, but I have yet to pick up a gear shift rod tube or tube of the same size. I will need to predrill the top hats and t sections for this tube and get the tube in place before I weld these bad boys in. It would be terrible not to be able to get it in gear .

October 03, 2006
Have finally got most of the important chassis stuff in. I was worried about getting the tube for the gear shift rod in right but I am happy with the results. I still need to weld the inner sills in but the tophats and t sections are in. I haven't found suitable tubbing for the cables yet so I will have to drill the holes and run them through later.

Its going to be a nightmare attaching the posts to the sill on the cargo door side as that side is just dangling from the roof, and I would love to have doors that closed.

I wish I could give it more time but isn't that always the way.

out with the old

and in with the new


January 14, 2007


My new years resolution is to actually work on the van and not just stare at it for hours trying to figure out where to start. So inner sills,rear jacking points in, as are the inner wing repair sections.


[i

more fun next weekend. ;D




January 21, 2007

A little more done, front jacking points in, tidied up some of the unsightly welds and applied a little primer to the bare metal bits as they will need to be replaced by the time I finish at this rate.







I decided to toggle the side panel and over lap the new sill. The sill has yet to be welded in but you get the idea.


January 28, 2007

As I mentioned last week I toggled the offside of the van to fit the new outer.


Its the first time that I used my new toggle punch tool and I like it. ;D I used rivets to hold the panel in place and plug welded it from the inside. It looks pretty good but I think I will stitch it up from the outside over time so as not to warp the panel. The less filler needed the better.

Inside view need to make up a tophat support section to replace that piece on wood .

The outer sill didn't fit as well as I had hoped not sure if its the panel or me as I have never done any of this before. It might even be the van????

So I had to make this.

Looks better now but would like to have a good van beside it to check the angle properly.

Well all in all it wasn't a bad few days but the realisation of how bad this van is, is starting to hit me . Just as well I like a challenge.
More fun and games next week.



February 05, 2007,

More work on the treasure chest if thats what its called ???. Looks ugly as I haven't dressed the welds yet but I was in a mood for making bits as opposed to grinding stuff >.



Saved the ribs as I just can't make them in sheet metal. I've tried but they have yet to look right >.

Drivers side B post repair. The 1.3mm sheet metal is a little hard to shape but I reckon its a lot stronger for the post repair.

The problem with the bulk head :.

The donor bulkhead just so happens to be from another P and T van that was chopped up for parts back in the day when panels were not so easily available and the van was cut up just for parts

Easy access to grid those hard to reach bits . I won't repair the bulk head until I'm finished in there.
img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1298742.jpg[/img]

My brother gave me a hand and spent few hours with a wire brush...and a drill to get some of that rust back to bare metal. All I need now is a volunteer to grind back some of those welds and I would be sorted..



I bought a b post repair skin but regret not buying the whole post with adjustable plate as making this is proving to be quite a task. I'm making it in 2 sections. I've started but its going to have to wait until next time to finish it.

February 19, 2007

The b-post is in and the door is closing pretty well considering the state of the bottom of the door.

Needs tidying I'll have another go at the bulk head repair as the welds look unsightly. Its either that or buy shares in a filler company.


Well after sanding the inside back to bare metal I was faced with a few holes rusted through here so I cut a nice round hole and welded in a batch. It will be a patch work split by the time its finished.

It takes along time chasing those pin holes but ha another hole filled.


OK this wheel arch is pretty good on the engine bay side so thought I'd have a go at repairing this side rather than replacing the whole thing.


I welded a few bits of scrap metal together to form a rip shaped dolly.

and there you go yet another hole filled.


I got a visit from my the boss, I think she wanted to see the other female that I'm spending so much time with. The door is just clamped on so It looks a little more like a real van.








March 04/07


March 04/07

C-post is in, so I have now removed the climbing frame that was keeping the roof from failing on the chassis . I won't miss it as I have lost count of the times that I have whacked my head off it.



You can just see the replacment floor through the huge hole in the bulkhead. It will be a long time before I get to weld the floor in but it cheered me up no end to sit it in place. ;D

Ok now I am worried, you can see below the different height between the side panel and the cargo door. The posts have been measured up and are stop on, so I am hoping that there is this much adjustment in the door hinges. The hinge pin itself on this upper hinge has sagged a lot. I can't adjust the hinges yet as the screws are rusted tight so I will have to drill them out.





April 08, 2007

I haven't done any work in ages as I been planning on moving the van a bit closed to Kilcock where I am most of the time. The 140 miles round trip was starting to get to me.
So on Friday I Borrowed a Jeep from a mate and a trailer from the friendly forester and off I went with the van to Navan to its new home. The cargo doors did open on the m50 at the road works so I couldn't pull in immediately and had a vision of all the panels sitting inside falling out into oncoming traffic. And it did take me a while to realise that you cant really go over 50miles an hour with out the trailer wanting to pass you by .



May 04, 2007


I Have spent the last while getting the new workshop sorted. Put the safari windows in for the laugh. ;D It will be a while before I need windows.


Now that I have the van on level ground it was time to measure everything again and check for mistakes. Anyone that has seen the shed that I started the van in will know why.

Well it was better than I thought and I am pretty happy with the center chassis sections. I did have to move the c post up 5mm , thanks Darren for the help.



I have removed most of the short side panel and the rear cargo door with Kierans help. I drilled most of the spot welds out and cut the rest out. I still have more to drill out in order to have the belt line nice and clean ready for the new panel. All the inner supports are badly rotten so I'm hoping the donor panel that I have yet to pick is better. I will be down to get that next week Crazy. I hope it will fit in Kieran van. O Ya Kieran can I borrow your van.


Here are some pics of the back, I have now cut a big hole in the panel above the engine bay to make life easier for myself as its all going to have to be replaced.


cant find anyone that makes the panel below that the petrol tank sits on or the panel above the engine for that matter so I am looking at my options. I want to have it look as close to original as is possible with a van this rotten so I will do my best but its not going to be easy. I could fabricate it but making sections this big is a nightmare. If this was the states it wouldn't be a problem as those guys are cutting vans much better than this but the postage is a bitch. I could cut it out of a dead bay and make it fit. There are a few other options but either way its not going to look original. Watch this space to see how it works out. On the plus side if I'm not happy I can always cut it out again.

Posty hand Built in Ireland twice. O0

September 04, 2007

Finally back to work after having the summer off. Can't wait to see some progress. Lots of new panels to be bought soon so I'll have no excuses. This is Mondays effort, will update todays as soon as i upload the images.

Test fitted the floor.


The side panel a acquired from Mr Crazy



Will need the lower wheel arch repair panel, which I have somewhere.


Both donor and original tubes are to bad to repair.




Tried to fab my own but not too happy with the results so i think I'll buy one.



September 04, 2007

Todays effort.


Im back putting in supports to keep the roof up.


Entire short side and rear corner cut out. I removed it from the middle of the beltline down but I removed the whole belt line from the rear corner as it was really badly dented.


Looks pretty scarey now .


Rear valance mounting bracket is in bits >


So I made a new one ;D

I Just need to tidy up. I have ordered the rear tube,engine side plates and engine lid hinge panel in case your worried about the big holes.


Did some repair work of the donor panel and sized up the new repair panel. The corner is rotton at the bottom but I have the repair panel for it. The thing was covered in filler and small holes that I will have to weld up. I sorted out some of the dents in the corner, I'm not finished yet but It will clean up ok.


Its all clamped together to see how well it fits. Its not easy getting it all in place and clamped on my own.
Its going to take a bit of fiddling to get it perfectly in place before welding but not bad for a days work.



September 10, 2007

As bad as this panel looks I was very glad to get my hands on it ;D


The donor panel has seen better days >
Replacing the rotten sections
Punching the rips
Starting to look a little better
The is why it needs to be replaced
Paint always makes things look better.

September 11, 2007
Didn't get much done today, life gets in the way sometimes. The gearbox is out and I have cleaned up the rear chassis, nearly ready for paint. There was a wheel borrow full of dry mud that coated the entire area. Some how it preserved the metal. Its amazing no holes . great to find something that doesn't need to be replaced.


September 19, 2007

got some panels so had to go and play with them ;D.

Rear tube in and a few other bits.

Thats all for now....



October 31, 2007,



I made up new hinge plates and installed them in the c-post and made the lower c-post before welding the panel on.


Pretty happy with the cargo door gaps. The rear hatch gaps still need a little work.


If it looks straight it is straight.

Hinge panel welded in place as is the rear tube and the panel that goes below the fuel tank. The right engine cover plate is also in.

Outer sill ready to go in.


Will be ready to repair the door lowers as soon as the sill gets welded in then its on to the bottoms of the rear corners.
Roof and front clip finally arrived in the country today too ;D



January 23

As it has been too cold to go to the workshop lately I've been going a little bit in my garden shed.
The front panel I picked up is LHD and the dash was cut.

As luck would have it i found a salvageable Rhd dash in a ditch .


I will have to cut this hole for the otherside now :


All welded up might need a little filler

Old cut cab floor removed and right chassis leg removed. The handbrake and gear stick mount had been removed >.

Thanks to Gerry for this piece I was missing ;D. Its amazing to the untrained eye this could look like scrap metal
But we know better O0.

[Fab4Fan]

wow nice work!
Im lovin all the progress pics.

[draginwagen]

Awesome work. That lower nose was gone.
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[Kman07]

Wow! That is some crazy dedication! Looks good keep posting updates we all love build threads.
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[EverettB]

Wow, that is crazy. Thanks for posting all that.
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[Culito]

Holy crap!!
I'll be watching this one. Don't give up!!!
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[Krmnnghia]

unbelievable! 99% of the people on this site would have let it die. Nice job man!

Right Click>Bookmark This Page

[Aircooledfool]

You Sir, are a mad man!!

Awesome progress! MY first thought was, "Did he say he BOUGHT that?"
And that was actually my final thought as well... But I love the progress.

Are you going to go with the original P & T logo?

[mustard_madman]

HOLY CRAP@!


That thing belonged in the VWs going back to Earth thread. i guess that thing has a bit of history to it, but good work man. When you are done, yow ill have built your own bus...
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[RUSTY67]

Cheezzzz.... that one was realy crusty man!!!

I thought that my combi was bad, but this one ??

Keep up the good work, Nice logo to!!!

Respect!!!

Arnold.
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[ruzlkampf]

Wow! My face hurts I was grinning so much watching this build-up! So very cool seeing the vision become a reality. Really admire your commitment and tenacity to see this thru.(AND it looks like you and the "boss" are having a blast too!...very cool)

Definitely post more pics as you progress! Wow.

[mackteck]

hi, I live in trim,
I'd love to come over and see the progress some time

cheers,
jason.

[volksfahrer.nl]

You would have my bus finished in a day!
Awesome work!!!

1 question:
Did you toggle the sheetmetal of the bus or the repair painer on the rocker replacement?

Thanks!

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66 panel

[mike yapps]

HOLY CRAP!! That's impressive!
Most people would've just ran away in fear from that hulk of scrap. It's great to see someone is able to see a diamond in the rough and resurrect a piece of history. I'm definitely going to watch this build just to see the final product.
Great job!

[66311]

I have gotten plenty of advice to sell this rather than restore. I have stubbornly resolved to keep it many times now. After reading your thread I am more than a little inspired to continue this relatively easy restoration I have on my hands.
Thank you very much! I look forward to seeing your progress on the delivery.

[Posty]

Yes I intend to repaint it in the original colors and sign writing.

I toggled the van as opposed to the sill but if I was doing it again I'd toggle the sill and slide it behind the panel to the inside of the van if that makes any sense.

mackteck pm me your number and I'll give you a call next time I'm heading down to do some work. Van is 15 minutes from Trim.

66311 more pics of your bus please. Dare I say it, it doesn't look that bad. I think they should all be saved. With the availability of panels these days there is no reason to cut up buses. I think folks should remember that there is a finite number of buses and once there gone there gone.

[Patty B.]

[jeremyrockjock]

That is very ambisous and awesome.
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[vwdude199]

this is awesome