getting back to how it should be

Front end repairs

So just finishing off some of the inside lower front repairs to ensure that the front end of the bus is good and solid before moving on to the next section.

Lower nose inner section getting finished off

Right, you might remember that when we were stripping the van out to begin repairs, that we found that the front windscreen lower front edge had been bodged with filler and gaffa tape! Lower windscreens are a common area for rust damage, even with dry(er) imported vans from the USA.

Dash repairs

Obviously, this will need to get sorted out properly, so first up, the rusted through sections needed to be cut back to good solid OG metal. It is also an ideal opportunity to get the rear dash section out and cleaned up.

The lower windscreen edges were previously bodged so needed replacement

Whilst out, it will make it easier for the rear dash piece to get cleaned up and painted. It will be repainted satin black to help reduced reflected glare on the windscreen which is a nightmare when driving!

Removing the affected area back to good solid OG metal

Easy access

All looking a bit dramatic now with the rust cut out! With the affected areas removed, it is now much easier to work and see what needs doing, although it does look rather weird at this stage!

All removed and getting ready for replacement section to go in

Original replacements

To ensure that the correct profiles are used and matched up to the rest of the windscreen area, a good donor section of a front window is used from Southern Kombi Parts (SKP) extensive range of spares and acts as a donor part for the rebuilding process of the lower windscreen area.

With their usual high attention to detail, this gets cut to the right overall size and then carefully unpicked so that it can get fully cleaned and prepped ready for use in the rebuilt section.

Preparation and positioning is key to ensuring a perfect transformation

Correct fit

Once it is all prepared, it is carefully positioned and aligned to ensure a correct fit is obtained. Measure and check twice before moving onto the next stage.

All surfaces are cleaned up ready to get welded back into place

Once in the correct position, it can get clamped into place. As its a two-part section, the inner and outer sections are positioned separately but need to carefully align with each other when finished.