'Let's Go! Scotland-Croatia and onwards in our Kombi!'

[mcdonaldneal]

I had been stymied in my attempts to repair the final cabinets, in that I had lost my 'G' clamps! I have found them, in a box, with a foot operated water pump I am repairing.
The worst bit is the panel facing you as you come in through the sliding door. It's horribly water damaged and basically falling apart. My plan is to repair it as best I can with wood glue and then brace it with a facing 'skirting' board, which I am also treating with wood stain.
I'm basically tackling one small section at a time, this is the first one.
We'll see!

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

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[mcdonaldneal]

While I'm waiting for the glue to dry, I thought I would put on the Wheelskins steering wheel cover I was kindly brought by Dasdachshund from the States.
I have the slightly padded late Bay wheel, and after much searching and checking I went with the BX size that is recommended. It's for a smaller diameter wheel, with a thicker grip, so the assumption is that it will stretch over the wheel.
Sadly, it's so super tight, I cannot get it over. Being a cyclist, I'm used to trying to get a tight tyre on a rim and even with quality metal tyre levers I only succeeded in starting to split the leather. Oh well! Never mind! I doubt I will go to the bother of ordering another from the States, but for interest, does anyone know if the BX is the correct size, or not?

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Tcash]

Don't know about the bx.

But soak the cover in warm water to stretch it.

Wheelskins Installation (tech tip)

Good luck
Tcash

[mcdonaldneal]

Cheers Tcash.
It's no good for anything else, so I might as well give soaking a go!
I'll let you know...
_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[dasdachshund]

Sorry it didn't work, Phil, hope the other one does.
Let me know if you want another or a different size and I'll get you another no problem.

-dasdachshund

[mcdonaldneal]

[mcdonaldneal]

While the glue is drying on various bits of cabinet clampetry, I am starting to prep the floor for painting. It's generally in a pretty good state, the main issue is that the self tapping screws that held the subfloor in place (unnecessarily!) have got a bit of rust around the holes. Of course the metal floor will be invisible under the flooring, but I don't want it to be a rust trap out of sight!
My plan is not for totally correct paint, colour wise, but I have a tin of grey rust treatment paint, so that's what will go on!
To start with, I ground out the screw holes with a dremel stone. Unfortunately, the stones don't last that long, tackling a ragged metal hole!

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

Cracking on with the floor...
Washed, and keyed with Scotchbrite-type pad. I did put some rust converting POR 15 metal prep, then rinsed with water and Isopropyl alcohol, which helps to dry everything off.
First coat of rust treatment paint on. Now need to wait 24hrs before the second coat.

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

You'll see from the pic above, I have stopped the new paint before it becomes visible under the flooring.
The section from there to the door is down to the bare metal, but quite nicely 'patinated' with the paint worn through by nearly forty years of feet, showing the grey colour of the floor, the body colour and the primer.
I could take the new paint right up to the edge, which would be protective, but I'm tempted to leave it and wax over it, as a memento of wear and tear. Of course, I'm planning new flooring...
You'll say 'do what makes you happy' but tell me what you guys think!...

Of course the casting vote will go to Shona, so I have no say in the matter!

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Tcash]

I would plug the screw holes altogether. I do not think it is necessary to screw the sub floor down, but if you must. Screw it to the Center seat brackets, so they do not go into the floor.
Looking good
Tcash

[mcdonaldneal]

Planning to plug all of the small screw holes. The big holes are to secure the cooker cabinet, but I will seal the gap.
As predicted, Shona had something to say about the edge painting!
She thinks it is best painted the original floor colour!
Anyone know a paint colour or code for that?
_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Tcash]

Paint Codes and Formulas

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/search.php?search...ults=posts

Type L20A in the wild card box
http://coloronline.glasurit.com/index.php?

GD
Tcash

[mcdonaldneal]

Thanks Tcash, they're good links and L20A is the Marino Yellow code (ie body colour). What I was wondering about was the cargo bay colour which is painted over the top, in the floor area, a kind of greenish beige. I wondered if the cargo floor was painted the same in all buses?
I'll have a search, and post up if I find anything, but if anyone knows off the top of their heads, feel free to post!

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

The split and swollen particleboard 'repairs' are coming along nicely (ie cosmetically, they look not too bad! )
The remaining problem area is the board along the bottom of the fridge. It would be impossible to repair properly with the fridge in situ, so I've looked at how easy or difficult it would be to take the fridge out. It's held in place by two screws (easy!), the gas supply line, 12v and 240v power cables and the vent at the back, which is partly sealed with 30yr old duct tape!
If a jobs worth doing...
Looks like I'll try and tackle it over the weekend...

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

Well, in with both feet!
I removed the vent from the outside, easy enough, just pulled out after removing the screws.

Then undid the gas union and disconnected the electrics. One big shove and it was out. I might not do much more than vacuum everything clean, blow out the passages with compressed air and glue the bottom. At least the floor isn't rusty at all (despite the base boards being extremely swollen!

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

I've done a superficial clean of the fridge; vacuum, compressed air and a wipe down. I can't find a manual in English of this exact fridge (Electrolux/Dometic RM210). There isn't a jet easily accessible, and I don't want to dismantle the burner assembly. It was working beforehand, so I'm mainly cleaning up at this stage. The edge of the fridge door is a bit rusty, so I've rubbed it down, POR metal prep and have done a couple of coats of white rust treatment paint. Just a freshen up!
The cabinet at the bottom of the fridge is not very easy to clamp, but I've done my best!

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

I finished painting the front of the fridge this morning, and I have found a manual on the net. It's not as grainy and out of focus as the one I had before, and gives some tips for maintenance...

Thanks to this, I exposed the jet, near the burner assembly. The jet wouldn't come out, but I cleaned it with alcohol and blew it out. I also cleaned the burner assembly and the flue before reassembly. There were a couple of exposed bits of wire, so I put some heatshrink over them. I think that's me done with the fridge for now!

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

There is a water damaged part of the bottom of a couple of the cabinets. I'm still trying to repair rather than replace, and keep the original Aussie Dormobile cabinet look. The part where the laminate is stripped off was always covered with a facing board for strength (there was originally a foot operated tap there) and I've sanded and stained the board to help it blend in. The board is not there in these pics.
I've used the same woodstain to colour the stripped laminate at the bottom (although that will be covered up). It's verging on pointless though, as the particleboard is so full of holes it has little strength. Eventually, I'll (get someone to) make a whole new front panel.

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

I had been planning to clean and paint the floor of these two little cupboards. There is a little surface rust. The fridge compartment though, has a platform made of the dreaded particle board, which is swollen and basically disintegrating!
I've bitten the bullet and levered it all up, and I'll make a new platform out of marine plywood or similar. Just prepping for paint now, no picture!

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!

[mcdonaldneal]

I sometimes feel as though I've opened a can of worms!
The cupboard where the water pipes go through the floor was also a bit rusty, and the plumbing was cobbled together at best, with 30yr old Australian duct tape, so I've disconnected all the piping, levered up the glued down hardboard covering the hacked hole, and I am sanding, grinding and cleaning for rust paint. We never really use the water tank at the moment anyway, so at least I can ask a plumber friend for advice on connecting it up cleanly when it's all painted.

_________________
1978 marino yellow Bay Dormobile camper
1969 signal orange Karmann Ghia convertible
1976 martini olive Bay Dormobile camper

Stop dead photo links! Post photos to The Samba Gallery!