The San Fran Van

[TommyP]

Found a pic of it that might help:

Here’s it on:


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[S49]

Are dads L reg August 1993 van had square bumpers and a three part panel but some with early bumpers did indeed have a one part panel.Sounds like a job for zipzappap

[Hans]

My n reg got a square bumper and a one peace grill, just like the one from Tom's pic

[Hans]

But the 2001 had the same Crossmember with a round bumper

[S49]

The bolt on wings came around N reg our doka is a june model and has bolt on wings. A stab in the dark would suggest the first one part front panel was about 1994??????????

[fifet4]

One of the first jobs i tackled on the van was the rear quater panel. With very little welding experience to that point I ended up going over it with the welder 3 times. Between that and grinding the life out of it, again inexperienced, I've warped the panel to buggery. Its a complete mess and I can admit it. Between today snd yesterday I've been trying to fix it.. started off by flattening the welds off better. Then I set about it with my panel beating set i got off Gumtree for £10 about a year or so ago. There should be more dolly's but who knows where they are? First attempt at panel beating ever, I think I done no bad. I couldn't get in to parts of the panel to bash it, D pillar, rear tub support.
Did my usual filler procedure, Bridging filler then cataloy. Bridging filler went on nae bother but the cataloy went hard in about 2-3 minutes. It should be about 15-20. Mixed up a 2nd batch and same again. I managed to get it on . I'm doing my usual golf ball of cataloy to wee pea of hardener, always worked before?? I know old plaster can go "off" and set similarly in 2-3 minutes. Does cataloy have a shelf life? Its about a year old... ish. Could the sun today affect it? (About 20°)
Anyway, luckily I'd already ordered some finishing cataloy for the job so pressed on with that. I can describe the finishing cataloy as more buttery than just normal easy sand cataloy. Built up and sanded back about 4 layers before giving it a guide coat of paint to sand back. This shows the high and low spots. Low spots are the dark bits. Used my random orbital sander on the first few layers but then started using a 12 inch bit wood wrapped sandpaper to help with getting it flat . Still another few layers to go till its right.
Any panel beating/cataloy tips welcome

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[SteveT4Pembs]

Guessing the filler went off quicker due to the temperature but I’m no expert. Van’s going to look the nuts when it’s done

[TommyP]

My first attempt at welding was the sliding door on the campervan about 5-6 yesrs ago. Fuck me did I make a mess of it. I butt jointed then tried to seam weld it. The gap varied between touching and 5mm. It was a total mess and similar to the surface of a Peruvian coastal road. I felt that no amount of corrective paste would straighten it out so started again with another panel and that’s when I took to swagging/joggling panels from that very point. Still wasn’t brilliant and my welding still looks like pigeon shit to this day but penetration is good so it’s strong and that’s all I care about. I keep meaning to do a course as there’s a place near me that does a days intensive 1-1 tuition for about £100.

I’ve found that if the panel is hot the corrective paste does go off a bit quicker but I’ve no idea what “cataloy” is. Sounds like a variety of cabbage to me.


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[fifet4]

Tommy I'm 42 years old and my whole life ive genuinely thought body filler was called cataloy. Like Americans call it bondo...until your post. I'm like, eh?, whats he mean? I just ebay searched cataloy and its just a brand of filler. Mind blown, I say cataloy to everyone and they know what I'm on about. Every days a scoolday

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[Fruitbat]

Tommy I'm 42 years old and my whole life ive genuinely thought body filler was called cataloy. Like Americans call it bondo...until your post. I'm like, eh?, whats he mean? I just ebay searched cataloy and its just a brand of filler. Mind blown, I say cataloy to everyone and they know what I'm on about. Every days a scoolday

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yeah catalog , I thought wtf is this stoner on about now

[fifet4]

Filling is a skill in its own right. I've filled and sanded probably about 10 times and its still no right. Its pretty damn close though.

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[TommyP]

Tommy I'm 42 years old and my whole life ive genuinely thought body filler was called cataloy. Like Americans call it bondo...until your post. I'm like, eh?, whats he mean? I just ebay searched cataloy and its just a brand of filler. Mind blown, I say cataloy to everyone and they know what I'm on about. Every days a scoolday

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Oh fair enough. I just know it as ‘corrective paste’.

42?? Fuck me was your paper round all of Glen Coe?

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[Fruitbat]

42?? Fuck me was your paper round all of Glen Coe?

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His paper round was the north coast 500

[fifet4]

Listen to you pair of Adonis's tae.

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[TommyP]

Listen to you pair of Adonis's tae.

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I have the body of a god. The fat Buddhist one.

I was pleasantly surprised to see you knew what an Adonis was though given you’ve no idea what filler is.

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