My New Baby!!!

The only disappointment I had when the van arrived was that I was expecting a water tank to be slung underneath.....yes it may have been rusty, but it was a start. I found what appears to be a water tank, behind the passenger side banquette. It's plastic, is about 1ft x 0.75ft x 4.5ft, with a filler neck behind the passenger side front seat...result!!!!
 
Good find:) - what's a passenger side banquette:I

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Summer's Coming.....
Trust me
 
quote:
But don't listen to the advise about fitting a 2.0 litre Pinto


That's you off the cake list [}:)]

Jon&Cara-Gramarye Fontaine
 
I looked though the info that came with the van, and there is a stack of period reviews of loads of commer variants. These are stamped as coming from the AA Archives, I will bring them to our first meet!!!!
From reading this bumf, I have come to the conclusion that the van is a Clearway Conversion.
Brakes and service kit ordered from Mr M.
 
While I am waiting for the new brake bits to arrive, I managed to get a jack tall enough to get the commer of the ground.....it took some jacking lol.
As previously mentioned, I have a solid brake pedal, and on further inspection, disconnecting the copper hose from the master cylinder enables the pedal to be pressed, squirting black brake fluid out...so I guess that this is functioning, although the system now has air in it.
I bled the brakes today and the solid pedal is back, so I thought I would crack off a bleed nipple to see if this eased the pedal......nada!!!
Next step was to disconnect the copper brake pipe to the passenger front wheel cylinder, and after applying lots of pressure to the pedal and using an Ezi-bleed, I got a few dribbles of nasty black fluid, but no where near enough. I have soaked the flexi hose unions and will work back from the wheels till I can get fluid. I am guessing at crapped up brake lines, as after removing the bleed nipple it was blocked with gritty debris at the master cylinder end.
I have made brake lines before for the mini, so will look into knocking some up.....any-one know if the unions are the same size throughout, and how much brake line I will need???
 
Oh...and whilst there was air in the system, the front wheels turned freely-ish, and with the system bled they were very stiff once more.
 
I renewed quite a few pipes on Harvey (thanks for the loan of the swaging kit Jimmy:))and from what I can remember the unions were all the same. I did re-use a couple of the ends as I was a bit short and they were in good condition. The single circuit system is as simple as you could get with one piece virtually the legth of the van, one the width of the rear axle and a couple of bendy ones to the front wheels so a rough estimate with the tape measure should see you right. I also advise you re-new the pipe from the reservoir to the master cylinder as this rots out and spills fluid everywhere (as well as depositing crap in the master cylinder), I replaced mine with heavy duty hose from a local industial supplier - a metre length was just right and cost a couple of quid.

th_DCP_9918.jpg

Summer's Coming.....
Trust me
 
The brake flex hoses may also be causing problems.If they have collapsed and are stopping fluid returning back up to the master. Could be the reason you can only turn the wheels when the nipples are open ;)

http://www.commervanspares.co.uk/

http://www.yorkshireclassiccampers.co.uk/
 
quote:
Originally posted by nickclubman

From reading this bumf, I have come to the conclusion that the van is a Clearway Conversion.



I don't think it's a Clearway, as I have 2 and the roof is a different shape. Can't find any leaflets in my collection that show a roof that shape [?]

http://www.commervanspares.co.uk/

http://www.yorkshireclassiccampers.co.uk/
 
quote:
I don't think it's a Clearway, as I have 2 and the roof is a different shape.


But it's the right colour! ;):D

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'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'
 
Fronterect.jpg

dashgrenade.jpg

Photos "erect" as requested, Also a pic of the dash, I know you can't see owt, but believe me there has been a lot of work going on tidying up and fixing birds nests, I removed a carrier bag of wire that was not needed and countless connecting blocks, all replaced with OEM bullets and connectors. I also removed 3 sets of windscreen washer tubing!!! ALL electrics now working, new horn fitted. Only issue is that the hazards only work when the key is in and switched till the now working ignition light is lit. I don't live from vehiclewiringproducts.co.uk, so have been spending bits and bobs there, and fitted a split charge relay, and some fresh warning lights to the dash.

I fitted the new gear knob also a little favourite of mine.
I also removed the paint from the bumbers for a bit of pitted bling!!!!
I also had a big clean up of inside. Hopefully now it's just brakes then the dreaded MOT, bring on my parcel of brakey bits!!!!!
 
Oh...and because we are cheapskates, we dyed the curtains, just till we come to agreement on the colour scheme!!!!
So can any one shed any light on what conversion this is. The interior is pure clearway, down to the layout and annoying push to open cupboard doors.
 
Is the conversion, or at least the roof a Commer Sun-Tor Major? Source....page 142 of Martin Watts's Classic Camper Vans - The Inside Story! :D

Jon&Cara-Gramarye Fontaine
 
umm pic's :p
well I am blowed if I know :I
what should the clearway roof look like ?
I would guess some one has grafted the roof on just the top bit it does look quite new from the pic's it has been known for strong winds to rip the roofs off [:0]
It's not a boat is it on the roof [?]
woolfy's roof was similar on his camper,
love the gear knob :D & very tidy dash [^]

Commer Dandy by Dandy Caravans
The Colonel Mustard
 
I'm certain it's a Sun-Tor Major roof, but as you say Chris it's been grafted on as it isn't that conversion.

Jon&Cara-Gramarye Fontaine
 
Hoses well and truly collapsed. Replaced one side so far, hose, cylinder and pads. After working on minis, everything is a lot heavier on a commer.....b*ggered lol.
 
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