Charlie's new home

stable

stable

0
Hello people,

About time I introduced myself and what's been going on. Never thought I'd own a commer - never crossed my mind until about a month ago when we decided to stop spitting the LWB iveco work van between work and leisure.

Picked up Charlie couple of weeks ago and put him straight in for an MOT. Nothing major came up but I want this truck to be 100% for spring so been ripping through the rust to get the worst sorted for winter.

Hope for a respray mid Winter with interior to follow. All as time allows. With 2 vans already, 2 cars and 3 motorbikes - all of different vintage, all in need of TLC in differing amounts we shall see, but what's one more ah!

Day after getting him back...
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Chopping - lower quarters a right off. Fluted quarts savable (previous) repair panels riveted in...
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Whole front panel detached from seam :/
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Panels arrived this morning and welded straight in..
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So plated a few spots on chassis for MOT. Got the outer front valance sorted. Pretty pleased with progress what with 2 kids and holding down a job! Now to finish off welding / grinding. Clean off all the many layers of paint on the cab and clean him up with some high build primer.

Got some bits nad bobs on the way so I'll be sure to keep you all posted.

Tom
 
Excellent, great to see Charlie Commer getting a new lease of life[^]
I didn't bother with the inner valance, it just traps moisture and dirt and it's not structural. Cut it back as far as you can to make it neat.

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Good job you didn't brake too sharply, or the front panel might have detached itself! ;)

Look forward to seeing your progress.

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'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'
 
Not much doing atm. The quick work of getting new valance in has finished. Patched some areas around the headlights.

The tedious work of repairing the gutters, re fabricating the bottom outer corners was 'fun'. It's very very tedious. Desperate to get some paint on him but going to be a while until got all the fiddly bits dealt with on the cab. So tricky to get into a flow with the weather going rapidly down hill and shorter evenings. Ho hum.

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Well I have been busy with work and life so as always fun seems to be squeezed into 30mins here and there. I was watching all the new metal going rusty in the rain - but with no MOT I simply can't move it about upto my workshop. So decided to neutralise the rust, remove the rest of the paint and zinc paint it even if some of it has to come off again. Still not quite cracked the welding. But recon 2 more sittings will see the back of it.

So at least now I can stick him in for the MOT. Then maybe i'll get a move on!!

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On this forum we're not adverse to looking at pictures of other vehicles, be they car, van or motor bike, so long as they're not too modern, in fact, the older the better, just as in humans, the older the better.:):):D:D:I

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Yes couldn't take my eyes off him for the rest of the day :) Once the whole cab is done i'll be happy.

That's another story parked next to him - a VW LT35, just dropped a TD lump into it... I say just, took 3 years.

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Don't tempt me Lulu, I got a shed/drive/yard wedged with 'ongoing' projects. I seem to be a one man vehicle rehabilitation center. The fact I don't have time or the money doesn't seem to register.
 
Well done tom, the vans looking great. Like Les says the more pictures the better. When's the mot? What colour are going to go for when you get round to it?

Member of the non-Facebook club.
 
MOT - hmm, have to wait for a few people to pay me. Joys of self employment! But maybe in a week or 2.

I think i'm going with the original colour sceme. Seems fresh and bright so why change...

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Tom
 
I'd love to find some original mirrors, or at least close match... anyone got any ideas?

Finding it very hard to find just the right ones off the shelf.

Tom
 
I think old Landrover ones are very similar, they might fit the arms you've got.

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More questions than results so far I'm afraid!

Been getting the odd ten minutes in here and there just to tidy him up for the MOT in the new year. Then the big push to get him sorted for summer!

Moving him around the yard he seems to be very difficult to get first / reverse when warmed up. From cold it's not too bad but once engines up to temp it's a right bugger! Definitely gets worse with engine temp. To the point that you really have to force it in to gears [B)]

I changed the clutch slave cylinder over for one supplied with the van when I bought it - it looked worse TBH than the one already on it. But gave it a go as advised by previous owner it needed doing...

The clutch feels nice - bites well and early. But summits up.

Any ideas??

thanks,

Tom
 
It's probably the linkage bushes worn, there's one where the bar goes through the cross member behind the front grille and another in a bracket next to the gearbox. They are very cheap from Martin and not to much of a job to do, front one is a bit fiddly.
Alternatively have you checked the gearbox oil level? Top it up with 20/50 and see if that works.

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