Nova Scotian 54 standard restoration

[sgellis]

Panel done. Learned a lot form this part and am quite happy with how it came out. Few bits I may do a little more work on.

Still a lot of pitting in some of the original metal but not thinned enough to be a problem.

Now on to the sides.

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[myklsmyth]

That's a very respectable piece while still preserving as much as possible. Well done sir!

[sgellis]

Inner frame panels ready for blasting and zinc. If I was doing them again would press in the ribs.

Spot welded on the T nuts. They hold very well. First one I put on the wrong side. Thought I could remove it with a chisel but had to grind it off.

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[sgellis]

Getting the front frames finished off.

Had some holes to drill and nuts to weld on. I mig welded the three nuts for the front beam brace. My spot welder was not going to do it and the nut coming off in the frame would be a bad time.

Cleaned up all the welds. Added the wire ties. Made them out of an old washer top that was the correct thickness.

Very soon it will be assembly time.

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[sgellis]

All clamped together. Took a bit of work but everything fit. Made a panel to simulate the pedal pan and bolted it on.

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[djfordmanjack]

looking great !
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[Mr. OGPaint]

Keep making progress, good job!
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https://instagram.com/mr.ogpaint
-
Patrick Hall

[sgellis]

Did a little experiment. I need to make the shift guide tubes for the top hats. I couldn't find 30mm od x 1mm wall steel tube so got some copper. A good coat of zinc paint on everything when it goes together should prevent any corrosion.

To make the flange I 3D printed a jig to hold the pipe in the vice. This jig was only for test fitting but ended up using it. It has a little deformation so will print a stronger one to do the other two

I smoothed off an old chisel and with light tapping I started the flange. After hammered it flat.

To do the other side I will print thinner blocks to fit inside the top hat so the other flange can be made.

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[kadeef 1]

Thank you, wonderful and professional work, there is still much to learn. Thanks for the motivation. Ivan Europe

[sgellis]

Front almost welded. I drilled for all the plug welds to the frame. Everything else was spot welded.

I clamped everything together and welded what I could get at on the center section. Then removed and finished welding it. Spot welder works great but heavy and awkward. I put 4 welds in the wrong place and thought I could break them apart with a sharp chisel but was going to rip the steel. Had to drill them out.

Clamped it back in the jig and plug welded the frame rails on. I still have some welding on the bottom but that will wait until it is on the rotisserie.

Feels good to be assembling

Anyone know how the weld should look here?

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[sgellis]

To clarify my question on the weld. It had a weld bead along the horizontal seam between frame and inner panel. What I am unsure of is if there was any weld between frame and radius of inner panel.

My photos look like there was weld closing the gap on one side and open on the other. With the rust it is hard to tell from my photos what originally existed.

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[jborregoy2k]

Hi Stan, don’t know if these two pictures are what you’re asking for. Took these from the tear down of our 52 dropgate.

Just to note that you should take account of the pedal pan and the front valance position before welding the vertical reinforcement below the tool box.

[sgellis]

[sgellis]

Final fitting of the rear frame parts done. Frame drilled for plug welding. I remembered to add the bolt and nut to the rear cross member.

Made the center frame reinforcements. I tried to make them without a relief cut but was to much work. If I had a power hammer it would have been much easier to stretch the flanges. So just a small cut was needed to get the center bend.

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[sgellis]

Front and back connected again.

I drilled the frame and plug welded the reinforcements and smoothed them off. Then welded the frames together burning into the reinforcement. After added the edge welds and spot welded to have a factory look. I try to keep the welds looking original. Using a higher heat and wire feed than needing gives a strong weld and looks factory.

Will add the bottom weld when on the rotisserie.

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[jborregoy2k]

Enjoy your detailed description of the job, and because of your great generosity we have been able to produce or compare a lot of ongoing resto parts.

We took a more conservative-over-engineered approach to build the jackpoints and outriggers from you plans and re-gauge them to 14 gauge galvanized steel. Was hell of a problem to bend the flanges (actually we pressed them) but got the overall measures like the factory ones.

A 20 gauge structural part like those as the ones that are offered as repros are by far a short live-good-look-stock-purist repair. Yeah, is not factory spec, not OG Patina, No welded original rust, No NOS used pure blood German steel from early 50s, but hopefully will (or should) not be repaired by our mortal souls over this life…

We plugged the welds from the outside, for no particular reason more than be easier to grind and give the stock look, and seam welded the parts from the inside with stick weld electrodes. Yes, may not be necessary and not what the factory made, but we prefer the over-safe approach.

Keep on Stan.

[sgellis]

More assembled.

Rear frame, outriggers, cross member done. All welds to frame were plug welded and smoothed. After I went over with the spot welder to give it a factory look.

I will add the control tubes before the top hats. From an old photo I see they originally assembled in that order.

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[sgellis]

Started the control tubes.

I got 12mm and 8mm with 1mm wall from McMaster Carr. The 12mm lengths were 6' and 8 mm were 2 m. I tigged them together with no filler rod. Left a slight depression but not really noticable.

I bent the 12mm lengths. They are not easy to bend so required removing to make slight adjustments. I did get the joints to all be inside structure so won't show anyway.

_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings)

[Huetti_1989]

how did you prevent the pipes for not burning throught?

I would be afraid to not get the cables in later.

-Christian
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[sgellis]