Charlie's new home

[stable]

Great minds think alike, I did as you said Panky at lunch and so far all seems good. It was raining on the way home so might have kept things cool. I wonder if the clutch is just bloody warn. This being my first Commer I don't really have a base line so my perspective isn't all that good. I need to get back into 'classic engineering' techniques.


Hopefully I can stop moaning on about such trivialities - just want the niggles sorted before I start my month on him.

 

[Panky]

I'm thinking the carbon thrust is on it's last legs, or a bent operating fork, if it was a worn plate then I would have thought it would be slipping. But strange it only happens when hot. Is the bleed nipple on the highest hole in the slave cylinder?

 

[stable]

Well racked up a fair few miles today and it's quite warm here in mid Wales and he seems to be behaving himself. I think ultimately taking a closer look at the clutch will be on the to do list.

Wondered if anyone could offer there opinion. The front grill aperture steel work is a bit of a mess. I always liked the earlier front ends so played with photoshop and a pic of Ted's autohome (sorry for the steal!)

to this....

what's everyone's thoughts, both morally and mechanically. I read that the grill was added to increase airflow for the bigger engines.. I can't see it myself...

 

[martin maltas]

The first series of vans had no grille and tended to overheat, so they added a grille.

www.commervanspares.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/commervanspares

 

[Panky]

The slightly later ones had a rectangular hole with a mesh over it and the same three chrome bars. that would work and look great[8D]
For instance

 

[stable]

hmm, food for thought certainly. I do like the clean lines of the solid front - maybe a well placed aux fan could do the trick. Might be over complicating things...

 

[andrew]

I do like the the solid front but sometimes you have to be practical and the old grill did allow lots of air in to prevent overheating.

Member of the non-Facebook club.

 

[commeracer]

Function over form

"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
Founder of the 6 speed club

 

[renaultvation]

Here's a pic of Rupert (with envious admirer), showing the original front end. The heater is permanently on in Rupert to help dissipate heat, so it's windows down in summer! Note that the flutes run across the full width of the front above the bumper.

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[stable]

Hi guys,

Been a busy few days in the mix of a respray. I'll get some pics up asap - bit flat out tbh. Lots of boring prep work and patching.

Re fab'd the gutters down one side of the front panel too which makes me much happier (and able to sleep now I've managed it).

Thanks for the heads up on the paint code panky. Think it's gonna be a trip to the paint shop to get it all sorted though.

Couple of questions that have arisen...

How do you get the exterior door knobs off?

Are there quarter light rubbers available anywhere?

thanks,

Tom

 

[Panky]

Quarter light rubbers are extinct with little hope of ever seeing any new ones
The door handles are held on with two little nuts on the inside of the door that are a swine to get to, advise taking the door off to remove and replace them otherwise you might end up with a selection of nuts and spanners lost in the bottom of the door - they don't rattle too much

 

[stable]

So time for an update!

3 long weeks of 9-5, 5 days a week on Charlie. Feels slow going as still have a lot to do. Cab and tidyin up the inside of the box. That's after I put all the trim, screen rubbers and lights back on. Oh and paint the doors! But sayin all that think it's worth it.

New gutters... fabricated with a lump hammer and vice but very pleased with results but must invest in some better metal working tools. I did it a little different from Colin's but not a million miles away. Many thanks for the pointers all the same.

Some respray 'highlights'...

Pulling off the winters zinc protection and tidyin up

Patching old 'vents' to be replaced with some trick SSteels ones

One of the many pleasures was gettin a strategy to acess, clean, prep and paint 2 tone around cab top and in here... gives me shivers - but did it!

more prep

re skinning back panels

here we go

first the green

then the cream

placed some trim on as a reward... needs a buff

he's getting there

For the record I used a 1k paint system. Not cellulose but seems similar in use. I don't like the high gloss of 2 pack on old vehicles nor the Isocyanates I'm not a pro paint shop by any means! But interestingly I popped to my local paint shop - border automotive in Hereford and he had an original Crysler paint book with all the codes and swatches in it for the Berger sunbeam lists! So I have the actual original colour which i'm chuffed about as there was nothing even close on RAL or BS codes. So give them a shout if you are wanting any original paints, they are super dooper helpful which a lot of paint shops arn't I find.

All for now!

Tom

 

[Panky]

Just brilliant, what a fantastic job Out of interest what is the colour called?
I can get it nice and shiny off the gun with celly but have to put up with the runs

 

[stable]

Thanks Panky,

It was Oasis Green in the end.

It certainly needs some work to get some shine from it, I'll wait and see how it ends up. Seemed to go on well, the cream needed a lot to cover the grey primer so had to go steady there.

Tom

 

[colinthefox]

Jus' lovin' that gutter.

 

[stable]

Got him home today. Few jobs to tidy him up like fitting new windscreen seal but planning on getting away this weekend so limped him back so I could get them done while cleaning him out tmrw. Finished the oak running
strips - although only partly fixed so a few gaps here and there until I finish that up - (which you can see here along with masking tape yet to completely pulled!)...

Think I'm going to put oak strips over the panel joins too rather than plastic strips. But that's a job for another day.

Next stop the interior :x Well after I sort those wheels out.

 

[andrew]

Great job, looks superb.

 

[Panky]

Great stuff, with all that exterior wood trim you'll end up with a Commer traveller

 

[Miss Piggy]

Love the timber work but make sure you sica-flex the back and if you bevel the top away from the van a bit it allows the water to run off and won't sit in the join.
In regards to the clutch issue i recently had the same problem with my Holden Barina, the clutch would not work at all after the engine heated up ended up the clutch plate needed replacing don't know why as i hardly drove the car , maybe thats why, just a thought.

 

[stable]

Just been playing around with timing to try and get a happier running van. I'm finding idle lumpy, lumpier still when hot. Was getting bad pinking too. I retarded the timing which helped in both respects - seemed to improve top end but knock back low pick up. So brought it forward a touch. But still a little fussy idling when hot.

I have the SU carb on him. I noticed there is no breather from the crank going onto the stump on the SU.... anyone any idea what this actually controls on the carb?

Tom