Astravan Pickup....

[Rad666]

nice work there, please dont ruin it with a gay spoiler. subtle ftw

[vantastic007]

Don't worry, should be fairly flush with the roof line like the standard Mk3 saloon one (as this is what it is!). I am trying to make the whole thing look OEM if possible, with a few subtle tweaks.

Cheers

[vantastic007]

Went to a Harley Davidson exhibition which included some amazing custom bikes and choppers...
Jaguar...

Trike

Big back wheeled monster


The attention to detail was amazing....

[big e]

Big back wheeled monster

Now that is stunning..

[vantastic007]

Started welding in the filler pieces where the body is wider than the van back...


Will do some more spots and then move on to welding up round the bottom and the gaps at the top.
Cheers

[rc]

good to see some progress

[vantastic007]

Bit more welding tonight...
Down the sides of the bottom section...


View of where the new panel meets where the old bulkhead used to be...

View of the whole thing so far...

[astra2004]

looking alright mate,glad you carried on.

[calibra-keith]

looking better than i was expecting even at the moment, iv never really seen many of these projects get finished be interesting to see it finished

[vantastic007]

Cheers,
I finished the mini!
I felt quite bad not finishing my standard 8 project (before the mini), hate to see a car go to the scrappies when you have spent time, money and effort on it and never got it on the road. I did sell the panels and the engine etc but still didn't get my costs back entirely.
I really want to be out and about driving this, so that should be enough motivation.
I've got some GSI side skirts coming of the good old 'bay which I will modify as required, I need a bit of rake on them as the back is going to be higher than the front a little, but I want the skirts parallel to the ground, if you know what I mean..

[vantastic007]

Uploaded some pictures from the weekend, did a service and the ARBs on my daily...




My side skirts arrived today... I now need to know where the clips are fitted to the bodywork that the skirts clip on to, is this information available anywhere? I don't have a car with the fixing holes on to go off!!

Probably won't use the bits for the door bottoms as the skirts were for a 3 door (the van has the same doors as a 5 door).

[vantastic007]

Hello folks,
Not been a lot of work on the pickup recently as my little girl developed type 1 diabetes and was very ill with it (ambulances etc...), she is fine now, just has to have 4 injections a day for ever more poor lass.
Found a picture of her next to my old Mk2 and my mate Steve's car. He kept asking me to swap (lol) but in the end I did swap it for a laptop!

[GaryVaux]

Good to hear your daughters ok now! Back to the pickup, id trim the door sections of the skirts to suit the door, and plastic weld whats left onto the quarter section (so it looks factory)

To fit them, the method ive used in the past is to fit all the clips to the skirt, put a blox of tigerseal/sikaflex onto each clip, then prop against the body work (trolley jack, blocks of wood, masking tape etc all helps) leave overnight, then repeat on the other side. its quick, strong, and less chance of it rusting drilling holes in the sills etc

[big e]

Sorry to here about your daughter mate, thought my lad was having a stroke last year turned out to be epilepsy, scares you ****less dont it..

[vantastic007]

Gary - sounds like a good plan that - would look more OEM that way. Like the idea with the clips - cheers.
Big e - there is not much that can scare you more than your kids being whisked off in an ambulance! Worst still, she went to Stepping Hill hospital the day that that nurse was found to have killed some people with saline and insulin (exactly what she was being treated with!)
I am hoping to get the back water tight before the weather gets bad. I can do the plastic work etc in my shed.
Cheers
Matt

[Vsixvan]

ive just read through this thread mate... good progress

[vantastic007]

A little update. Cut the piece that will form the rear scuttle, between the rear bulkhead and the bit that opens...
Here is a trial (ignore the support in the middle!).



Cut some angle brackets yesterday, once I get them welded into place I can finish the scuttle panel piece, then try to get it all a bit more weather proof.
Cheers.

[_Joycey_]

Just read this start to finish, amazing!

[vantastic007]

Right, winter is coming, I know this 'cause I have had to do the yearly central heating repairs.
So to stop the water collecting in the back of the pickup I have made a wooden cover to go under the tarpaulin (old gazeebo).



Should keep the worst of the weather from collecting in the back!
I will try to get the bits that are not attached to the car done over winter and possibly some of the stripping of the donor.
Cheers for looking....

[vantastic007]

Ok folks,
Time to dust off the project and start getting some work done... Need a few dry days to dry out the shell as the weather has got in a bit, hope there isn't too much new rust to contend with.
Talking of the weather, went and knocked a nice chunk out of one of my golf's alloys on a curb hidden in some snow! Got a set of four wheels off ebay with tyres, so I will be trying a bit of wheel refurbing when time permits also.

[vantastic007]

Right then....
Now the clocks have changed, some progress can ensue...
I have been getting some of the small jobs done while the weather etc. have been against me, but still not a lot to report since last year.
Finished the single wiper and got all that painted and boxed up out of the way.

I have nearly finished making a scuttle panel that is symetrical without the second hole for the now-removed wiper. Photos to follow.
Gave the donor's engine a run last night and the boost pipes could be seen swelling as the revs went up, so I guess the turbo is not seized, but I guess the tubes will need replacing!
Still no smoke and starts straight off the button - so the engine is going to go straight in with as little messing as poss.

Cheers for looking... As I said more stuff to follow soon.

[bunnymofo]

sorry if you have posted it in teh thread already, but what are you doing with the cut edges of the sides ? im intending to do this to my van nut wasnt sure what to do that would be strong and look ok. maybe weld box section along it? but im not sure.

[vantastic007]

The mini had a box section welded to it, but it was far more than it needed, as the astra van body has two skins along where I cut it, once the two skins are welded together and a length of angled steel is welded in, that should be fine to put a rubber sealing strip along. I should be doing that be fairly soon, so watch this space!
Cheers

[bunnymofo]

cheers

[vantastic007]

Did some work while the sun shined today!
Also managed to dry out where the water had got in!

Welded some angle brackets onto the bulkhead.

Removed the carpet as it was water logged.

Cut the brackets down and sprayed them with "weld thru" primer.

Welded the panel onto the brackets, ground off the welds and sprayed some primer on.

Should be more soon....

Cheers