1974 PB Wanderer

M

Mozo82

Member
hey everyone, I know I need to get some pics up and will do in due course. I realised I hadn’t done a thread for my van, it’s actually already known on here, I’ll try and find the thread and link it.

Anyway, work done so far - Electronic ignition fitted and a new viper coil (replacing the venerable 1968 one that was there). Fresh ignition leads. Fixed part of the dash and replaced a broken pop rivet on the drivers quarter light window. I’ve adapted some mgf seats too which I’ve nearly finished faffing with to put them in.

Coming up is an escort radiator going in with electronic fan and a Davies Craig management system and water pump. Also I have clutch and brake masters cylinders and new brake hoses and wheel cylinders all round. Also got some single rock and roll seats to put in the back but not sure about the fitment. Also lots of scrubbing of the underside and various spots of surface rust.

I have at least one spare fold flat bench seat and potentially another to sell, although the seat cushions on the first one are pretty much toast.

I’ll update with some pics of the work!
 
I'll endeavour to upload some pictures of the engine bay in its current state. At the moment im cutting and hammering some 3mm steel into brackets for the new rad. I've done one but it needs fettling with the hammer, the other I need to cut out. I'm using cardboard templates to get the right shape and measurements.
 
So thought I'd better update whats happening with Daisy, as she has come to be known. Still a long road but so far the work has run to:
* Mk2 escort rad
* Davies craig pump and computer
* A number of fans in push and pull configurations before finally getting a motorsport type job which works well.
* Removed the mechanical pump gubbins and welded up the housing
* Head came off (due to me pinching a pushrod tube) so it was skimmed, valve seats done, new valves and valve guides
* Decarboned the cylnders, the walls looked pretty good.
* Painted various bits of enhine while they were off
* Rebuilt the weber 34 ICH, float issue I think was causing dodgy idle
* Replaced the master cyclinders with new jobs, scrubbed up the panels from underneath and painted while I was at it
* Went round the brakes, new shoes at the front and one of the cyclinders after a long bleed nipple snapped off (I had them to hand luckily)
* New fuel tank and modern marine grade fuel line.
* Sorted out the dodgy dash and lights wiring (mostly)
* Powerspark dizzy and new coil and leads
* A number of alternators due mostly to my own stupidity
* ditched the bench seats for modified MGF ones and temporarily fitted Scot seats in the back for the kids as came out of a modern Ford Transit. These are great as they are well made, have integral seat belts and are often quite cheap to buy on facebook marketplace
* Welded up a little hole in the front driver footboard
* Cut out rot behind rear wheel wells and replaced with some floor cuts I have. Outriggers were on the brink as the top plates were rotting through. I replaced with 3mm steel.
* Discovered the exhaust was held on by the studs on the down pipe and the singe mount right at the end, so it would work loose and blow. At some point the main hanger(s) went missing. Found the rubber block was still on the chassis and salved another from a floor section I have. Used generic Halfords mount kits to rig something up.

She now starts and stops reliably and runs a hell of a lot better, I'm still fiddling with the tune but am pretty pleased

To do in the immediate term
* Exhaust is a mix of stock pipe and an RC40. It loud and still keeps working loose despite the fixes above. I need to replaces the studs in the downpipe manifold flange I think, they have deteriorated and are not very high so too much torque rounds off the brass nuts. Not sure why so many manufacturers use fine thread for these.
* I can get a steady 60mph from her but at 2500rpm. I have an overdrive box to fit that I rescued from a knackered Commer. Also being a 1974 I'm assuming she has a 5.something rear axle. I've got a 4.22 to fit but also plan to pick up a modified one with a jag diff in it which is in the low 3.somethings. Thats for later, there is also a rover axle kicking about here which is an option.
* The body is getting iffy with little bits of rot here and there. Fixes from previous owners are coming undone due to filler and not fresh metal being used I think. I need to get on these or pay someone as its fiddly rounded bits and as much as I would love to it I dont have the time.
* The interior is non existent as it was ripped out by someone else in the past. Again I think I will have to throw some money at this.
* I do have a Holbay engine and overdrive I picked up but it needs a rebuild. I'm tempted to save my pennies and take the engine back to Holbay to be bored out a bit and rebuilt. Ultimately I'd like fuel injection on that lump as well to get some efficiency (maybe a little power too).
 
At the moment she is pretty loud and obnoxious, there is no sound deadening in the van at all. I'm hoping with some applied and getting the exhaust to really bolt home it will be tolerable. Also with the overdrive I'm hoping 60mph is not so loud (or so thirsty).

Oh and I have reoccurring issues with the tank filler neck, still get evaporation issues/leaks when filling but I'm hoping to have that nipped in the bud soon.
 
Thankyou, this is a compression of 1-2years of work on and off. The thing is from the outside she looks much the same if a bit shabbier. The work has all gone on where it cant be seen (as has been questioned by the rest of the family!). So far I've also forked out to have the van be stored over winter to try and stem the rot's rate of progress. I'll get some photos up when I can.
 
tbh most of the work happened last year, most of the summer of '23 she sat immobile due to no rad and then the cylinder head was off for a long time.
 
Mozo82 said:
Thankyou, this is a compression of 1-2years of work on and off. The thing is from the outside she looks much the same if a bit shabbier. The work has all gone on where it cant be seen (as has been questioned by the rest of the family!). So far I've also forked out to have the van be stored over winter to try and stem the rot's rate of progress. I'll get some photos up when I can.
Click to expand...
Is it worth coating all the rot areas in rust converter or similar as well?
 
yes thats a good idea, I think two of the patches are bad enough but also not too complex a shape that I will have a go myself, the rot is quite deep.
I've bought a load of jelonite rust converter spray!! What I like to do is get rust and paint off back to bare metal, Kurust or jelonite it and then primer and top coat with two coats of everything. It works well but take a long time. For the underside I would like to get a little media blaster but worry about the mess. There is a bit of waste ground down near the railway line here. I wondered if I had a little cheap generator and a big plastic sheet I could drive onto it, zap the underside section I want to paint and then collect up the mess, no harm done.
 
Sounds like a plan. What you want is one of those laser cleaning toys, and a premium bond win to pay for it lol. Do it once, do it right. A nice concept that I quite haven’t got the hang of lol.
 
If you say it quick it doesn't sound much but with thay list you can't. My hat is doffed to your dedication well done that man. Before you know it you'll be camping and cruising with only general maintenance to to - along with the occasional mod to keep it interesting :cool:
 
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