Body Panel Replacement - A First Timer's Journey...

[Goach2]

Got this for $10!

Online it says a local place carries PPG Epoxy, so fingers crossed that it's true. Then I need to read up on all the specifics of spraying/prepping...
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1977 FI Westfalia

[Goach2]

Local place carries this:
https://docs.td.ppgpmc.com/download/970/2491

Looks like I will need a larger tip for the gun.
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1977 FI Westfalia

[Goach2]

So, it took some time, with all the local paint stores looking at me like I'm crazy for wanting to buy epoxy primer for a vehicle, so I just bought some online from a local company:

This primer/sealer has two instructions for mixing it; as a primer with just activator, or as a sealer with activator and reducer.

I just want to spray a bare steel panel for now and worry about fillers and sanding later. I'm thinking 'sealer' but I've never used epoxy before... suggestions?
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1977 FI Westfalia

[skills@eurocarsplus]

never heard of the stuff

when using as a sealer, it's just that...to seal all of the layers UNDER the body work, meaning that once your body work is 100% done, you seal it then move on to the painting process.

some epoxies DO NOT allow for filler ON TOP of it. in that case, you have to put your epoxy on, THEN a fill and sand primer for the body filler not to react to the epoxy

read your TDS before doing anything. if it's super humid....don't even bother trying to spray it otherwise you're gonna strip it all off and start over
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[Goach2]

Doing lots of reading and making notes, thanks for your input. I did find this:
http://ca.proformproducts.com/userfiles/files/dire...C%20EN.pdf
"Allow 12 hours drying time before applying body fillers."

I will use the primer recommendations. This should be interesting...
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1977 FI Westfalia

[skills@eurocarsplus]

I skimmed it real quick. according to the TDS you can apply filler after 12 hours. they don't seem to mention a window of time for that....meaning what happens if you wait a week...

thing with paint is, it's a bunch of timed steps. go outside the window and you can really fuck yourself.

the stuff I use lays out timetables. I use azko-nobel stuff. not cheap...hence the 5 page TDS

https://automotivecolorms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/TDS_E350-Epoxy-Primer-Sealer-05132013.pdf

this stuff won't allow for filler to be used in direct contact with the epoxy.

doing stuff like this piecemeal usually ends up with a lot of wasted time and product.
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[Goach2]

Ya, filler won't be coming for some time, so I will check with the company for the best way to proceed.
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1977 FI Westfalia

[orwell84]

That’s why I suggested to use something cheap and easy to remove just to keep the rust at bay. Let’s say you went with the best products, primed, filled top coated and it looked great. If you did all the panels like this the paint wouldn’t match and you end up with a lot of unused materials that go bad as once opened, they have a limited shelf life. Make a plan of how you are going to get to final paint. I have tried this different ways and that’s the conclusion I came to. My bus looks like shit. It will look that way until the day it is painted.

[Goach2]

I'm just learning as I go, but from what I've read and been told; if it's going to sit in primer for a while, or perhaps with some rattle-can over the top, then use good primer to keep rust at bay. I don't plan on a finish until the whole bus is done, which will be years, since we use it.
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1977 FI Westfalia

[Goach2]

Finally got some time to do some spraying. Just reminding everyone hat I just want to 'seal' it for now, as I have filler and sanding yet to do, just not anytime soon. How long until I can pull the tape off?

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1977 FI Westfalia

[alaskadan]

You're good to go there. You can pull tape almost right away considering it's just primer with lots of paintwork yet to follow.

[Goach2]

So now that this area is considered 'done' (filler and paint will come later) I would like to move on to the next project.

The rail under the door looks fairly good:

I will strip it down, but the backside looks good too, covered with undercoating. I did fab up a piece at the end, when I had to repair the 'C' pillar. I'll strip it and clean out the weep holes and hopefully it's in good shape.

But I would like to turn my attention to the door, as you can see, now that so much bondo was removed from the wheel arch, it sticks out a lot:

I can tell that someone put a replacement panel over the existing at the bottom, and it's extra thick:

I am assuming I will need to buy a new replacement panel, then cut both off and weld in a new one flush. Has anyone had any luck with a decent replacement? How do you fit it and get the curve right? The door may have been hit, do I try and bend it flush? Thanks!
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1977 FI Westfalia

[orwell84]

California imports caries the autocraft outer skin which is decent as well as the inner skin for the bottom which is made by Klokkerholm. It's not great but it's the only replacement panel I know of for the inner bottom section Getting the door to fit also depends on what you end up with after repairing the sliding rail. If it needs repair, I think it's best to do them all together

Get a contour gauge and make yourself a template of the curve, either from the opposite side, the b pillar or somewhere on the bus where it is still correct. Take careful measurements of the height of the door because once you cut it away you can't.

Getting the curve right will be a combination of tweaking the curve on the door to match your template and probably a little more tweaking to line it up with b and quarter panels as well as the adjustments you can do on the rollers.

One last thing. If some of the inner skin of the bottom of the door is still good, leave it. It will give you a reference for where the rest of the work should go.

[orwell84]

I keep thinking of more advice. It’s better to cut and weld the outer door skin high enough up where it’s not covered on the inside by the braces. This allows you to work the weld seam from behind, back voids up with copper and straighten as you go. You can also paint and seam seal the back of the weld.

I did mine right n front of the bottom of the brace, which made it impossible to get behind. I think your side panel came out well.

Glad you are using your bus. I am doing mine the same way. Someday it will go to the paint shop. But in the meantime, I will drive it ugly. I did a long trip with heavy tape covering unweeded holes. Didn’t hurt a thing.

[Goach2]

Ya, my kids would be so upset if I took it off the road in the summer to work on it.

For the door skin, how about a flanged seam? Then it won't be so important to get to the back of it.
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1977 FI Westfalia

[orwell84]

I hear ya, having a rolling bus is more important than a pretty one.

A flanged seem could work except you can’t flange it where it goes against the inner structure. You could flange sections of the seam where it doesn’t interfere with anything. I still prefer butt welding as I have gotten into trouble with flange seems flattening things that are supposed to have a curve. It becomes really hard to stretch it pull it out...2 layers of metal plus the extra hardness of the metal. Just a preference really. I don’t think a flanged seam that high up will cause problems with rust, especially because you can treat it from the back. Avoid flagging where you have a curve.

[Goach2]

So, sliding door panels are out of stock on the Canadian CIP site. In the meantime, I'm looking at cleaning up the BA6 heater. I haven't used it, as I was nervous about firing it up without having it cleaned out.

Couple questions: Is the fuel line to it a specific part number? Or can I use any FI hose and clamps?
Where can I get the large thin clamps in stainless?
Also, any tips on testing it out on the bench before I remount?

Some pics...

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1977 FI Westfalia

[orwell84]

There are a lot of service manuals for that heater that you can download. You kind of have to figure out the mechanical logic that makes it work and check that all the safety features work, shuts down when it should, etc. High quality fuel line of the same size should work. Definitely worth fixing up.

[Goach2]

Found a good manual, thanks for the suggestion. Few questions:

Is the Warm Air Distributer welded to the cross member? It doesn't want to come out and needs cleaning up:

Anyone know where to get the paper tubes that feed out of the W.A. Distributer? Looks like someone put larger ones over the smaller ones and they don't seal very well.

Also - anyone have a good place to look for the original clamps, but in stainless? I had to cut most of mine off.
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1977 FI Westfalia

[Goach2]

Just looking that the rear-heat diverter flap and the cable is broken. Has anyone found one in North America?

https://www.justkampers.com/us/passenger-area-heater-cable-vw-t2-bay-1967-1979.html

Over $100 in shipping is a little extreme...
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1977 FI Westfalia