71 Dormobile Spruce Up........

[71Dormobile]

Haveacamper would be good to see some interior pics for some inspiration....

Leon was trial and error on the welding, settings depended on the thickness of metal I was welding, generally made sure I had a good clean piece of work then spotted the work to hold it and then filled in with inch long beads so as not to buckle and then ground down with a flappy wheel.

The feed was generally ok, just make sure the tips are the correct size and that the wire feed is in the correct slot based on whether your using 6mm or 8mm. I used 6mm obviouisly for body work and 8mm for chassis areas. Try pulling the trigger and letting the wire come through it should run smoothly and the motor should sound steady without strainning etc. Hope this helps good luck..

 

[Haveacamper]

was thinking that this would look nice in my van

not too sure if any of these interiors are camping suitable

 

[71Dormobile]

Interiors look very nice seems a lot better idea than fitting a 37 year old Dormobile interior back into a freshly painted van although others may disagree...

Any ideas who makes the interiors shown in the first couple of shots?

 

[faux]

This is looking great, More and more nice early bays in the area.

Loving the work.

 

[Haveacamper]

Any ideas who makes the interiors shown in the first couple of shots?

i think the first one was made buy the owners friend who was a kitchen fitter i think. will prob be cheaper than the £4k average some vw fitters charge. i remember seeing a split park next to me in abergavenny post office and it had a new interior in it and the fitter used the wrong screws and the pip of the screw was poking through the laminate. considering the owner must have paid at least £4k for the interior, going by what was fitted, i'd want it to be perfect.

 

[Loxy]

Interiors look very nice seems a lot better idea than fitting a 37 year old Dormobile interior back into a freshly painted van although others may disagree...

Any ideas who makes the interiors shown in the first couple of shots?

Second interior(mustard colour cabinets) is a devon made one, used to have the same in my old 78.

 

[bananacustard]

I'd be inclined to restore the original interior. Original interiors are classier than any modern interiors and often just as practical (just my opinion )

 

[Guest]

ill be putting the respruced devon interior back in, ive tried campin in a few different and new bespoke interiors and i still prefer the og devon my favorite.

 

[leon]

I'd be inclined to restore the original interior. Original interiors are classier than any modern interiors and often just as practical (just my opinion )

I agree, some one told me they were having there's, re-veneered. Sounds like a good option to me, and probably a hell of alot cheaper.

It was johnny, i just remembered! maybe give him a shout about it!

 

[leon]

oops just noticed i was talking devons, dormobiles don't have as much wood do they!

 

[Guest]

theres a fair bit of wood in the dormy too, a kitchen fitter is definitely the way to go if your replacing, cheaper aand usually a better standard of work.

 

[71Dormobile]

Thanks for the feedback all it has given me a more ideas, had considered re veenering the units before but may look back into this as it may prove more cost effective / do able.

Keen to keep the Dormobile shape / theme so was looking at a new cupboard / front doors etc. Re veneering could be done with products made by lathams or egger just seemed hellish expensive as sheets of veneer are £60 - £70 and so are the boards such as vohringer ply but can't seem to get these materials this side of the country.

Then again, against a 2k - 3k bill for a new interior reckon a spruce up may have to be the way forwards. Before I start considering purchasing routers and the likes do any off you locals Faux, Haveacamper, Foxy etc know of a fitter that would take on cutting out a vohringer ply sheet using the exisitng dormy parts as a template? Could then strap the units back together etc was thinking of using the same shape but modernising by dropping in smev sink and a hop etc.....sound interesting or tragic?

 

[Haveacamper]

I dont think i know of anyone who can do that for you mate, sorry. i have been thinkning about when i get around to needing an interior made i may attempt it myself - because to be honest it will only cost you the material if you have the tools to start with. i may have use of the saws at my old school for this so may consider doing that.

However, it would be very useful to have a complete set of templates available to allow people to make their own conversions. it may even be useful to try and get people with other conversions to put together templates. I dare say that there are loads of people wanting these.

it might be worth having it as a FAQ or sticky thread for peoples' reference

 

[71Dormobile]

Cheers Haveacamper think I'll break the piggy bank and try getting a router and go at it from there. Agree on the templates front if you had something in CAD interiors could be a dodddle to have produced for 4 - 5 member on a CNC etc......

Visited the van this week it seems all the hard work down at the spray shop is coming together have seen a massive leap forwards in progress on the van with a high build filler primer and a coat of primer being applied so the van is back all in one colour albeit primer at the mo so am really chuffed, can see a stage where I'll be getting ready to take her back, hopefully in time for the summer hols in early August!!! Although still not totally sold on the colour scheme its gonna be pastel white as original but with a colour half way up from the 71 era it'll be red (chianti, montana), white (pastel), blue, beige (savannah) stillundecided!!!

 

[Guest]

looking good.....

some nice motors in the background, looks like an old jag and a noble or some sort of kit car in the last pic?

 

[71Dormobile]

Cheers Johnny, there have been some awesome motors come through the spray shop whilst my van has been there. The Jag is an e type and the other car you can see is a ferrari kit which is having a severe make over in prep for the Le Man Classic......

 

[combideluxe1969]

good progress of work :wink:

 

[71Dormobile]

Cheers combideluxe1969, went up to BVF at the weekend to dodge the rain showers and try and spot a few vans beige / red and the rest. Got to say I was swung by this one which I think is chianti red but would be grateful for anyones thoughts. The bus was in the forsale section and was very nice. Had been featured in a mag, spoke to the owner who confirmed it to be matched by a spray shop as chianti, but is it the same shade as 71 Chianti?????

 

[Guest]

it looks the right shade to me. Thats hopefully how mine will look except the stainless bumpers 8) .

 

[71Dormobile]

After much delieration I'm sold on Chianti, taken a long time but reckon as an orig 71 Dormy colour it will look the business, esp with my new red and white pop top cover fitted, that should be fun!

Started looking around at interiors at BVF, had talked about sprucing up the interior by pulling off the dormy cupboards front panel and then grafting a new one out of Vohringer or something similar and then also buidling a new cupboard, table shelf etc.

Well low and behold......someones already done it and made a cracking job of it as well. So I'm now sold on the idea of having a crack at it just need to order the timber probably Vohringer, borrowed the saw etc as am just fitting some new doors at home (peace keeping mission in order that I can spend quality time on the bus when it's back :wink: ) so should be spot on... Will also keep my mum happy also as she has kindly recovered all the original bed buddy seats and made curtains etc.

Here are some pics of the interior which if mine turns out half as good I'll be well chuffed. Gonna get some Smev units to go in the unit as well as these look very sleak....