TheSamba.com :: View topic - Buggeee's 1966 Sportsmobile Camper by Travel Equipment Corp

Fri Apr 01, 2022 5:40 pm

More preparations

Sat Apr 02, 2022 2:03 pm

..and more preparations

Sun Apr 03, 2022 1:42 pm

Progress

Mon Apr 04, 2022 6:11 pm

Inch by inch...

Tue Apr 05, 2022 6:53 pm

Wed Apr 06, 2022 11:44 am

Good gosh almighty Buggee, you are a machine! I'd say "inspirational" but "scary" comes to mind! Hope Eastwood is giving you some great promotional discounts for the product placement! :wink: :lol:

Wed Apr 06, 2022 12:25 pm

vamram wrote: Good gosh almighty Buggee, you are a machine! I'd say "inspirational" but "scary" comes to mind! Hope Eastwood is giving you some great promotional discounts for the product placement! :wink: :lol:

Hey V! I've been hiding out with these big dogs in the Splitty Bus forum, you should see what they do over here!

I got that Eastwood thing years ago when one of my minions thought he was getting into welding and fabrication and it's been sitting in the corner ever since. :shock: I suddenly realized it could be used for something. :D

I'll be back on the Super Duper as soon as it's warm enough to start painting again. Really good to have you stop by.

Thu Apr 07, 2022 5:35 pm

Hunting pinholes with a bright light

Welded up the pinholes. Final grinding inside and out, mostly on the outside.

Persuaded a little bit of warp into submission with hammer and dolly and blocked the area with 60 grit for some bite.

Let the healing begin.

Sat Apr 09, 2022 5:34 pm

All of this, just to mount a battery! Somewhere in my mind, before commiting to this process, I actually considered setting a piece of plywood in there just to get the summer started early. :shock:

I blasted the Autocraft battery tray clean of the shipping primer, and welded it in. I had a hard time welding upside down under there but did not burn through the corner. I'll take that as a win. :D

It's ugly, it's all metal... And it's mine. (p.s. those those little specks of light in the picture are not pinholes, they are reflections from the flash.)

Sun Apr 10, 2022 5:28 pm

I just fabricated this splash panel from scratch! I feel like I'm flying. My own personal mountain top. :D

Sun Apr 10, 2022 7:23 pm

You do nice work! And have a great attitude about your project.
Keep it up!

Mon Apr 11, 2022 6:35 pm

Well, I have no idea why this little wall is here. But it had one then, and it has one now.

Here's how that exercise in origami went down in my barn...

Fri Apr 15, 2022 11:17 am

Just a little progress. The tail light is cut out using the chrome ring as a stencil. Duraglass has been sanded down and a skim of Rage applied. Its an exercise in self restraint to not refinish this entire corner panel, but this is not the time for elective surgery. Birds are chirping.

I'm using 3M Panel Bond as the seam sealer in the joint of the battery tray to rear corner. Since the spot welds supporting the battery communicate directly to the exterior skin, I want to spread the load as evenly as can be possible. My imagination has that heavy battery working on the exterior skin over every bump and getting dimples or something.

Sat Apr 16, 2022 8:35 am

Buggeee wrote: I'm starting in on the battery tray so I can have a battery.

Be gentle, this is advanced level for me. I have been studying....

I'm also diving headfirst into the battery tray as my first real attempt at a repair here: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=723551&start=40 - if mine turns out as good as yours has so far Ill be happy!

Buggeee wrote:
I found this fiberglass treat.

This looks very similar to the story on my rear corner too...

Sat Apr 16, 2022 2:47 pm

Mr Margaret Scratcher wrote:
I'm also diving headfirst into the battery tray as my first real attempt at a repair .
We'll keep chipping away at it from both sides of the pond!!! :D

Sat Apr 16, 2022 2:50 pm

Feels good to have this corner in primer!

Sun Apr 17, 2022 1:56 am

Buggeee wrote: Mr Margaret Scratcher wrote:
I'm also diving headfirst into the battery tray as my first real attempt at a repair .
We'll keep chipping away at it from both sides of the pond!!! :D

Yep yep!

Sun Apr 17, 2022 4:24 am

Super nice job Buggeee, what tool did you uses to cut that curve out so nicely? You are a master artist and I love your work. =D> =D> =D>

Sun Apr 17, 2022 9:34 am

LAGrunthaner wrote: ...what tool did you uses to cut that curve out so nicely?...

Thank you L! The support and positive vibe in this community is fantastic.

Here's how that went down.

Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:54 am

Awesome workmanship, if wonder if your bus realizes just how lucky it is you are now the owner. Carry on, I will be following. :D