Type49

More work on the rear axle today, bare housing has been stripped, rust treated, etch primed and painted satin black. Will be checking diff, cleaning, painting and hopefully fitting it to the housing today. Pics to follow.

And the brackets welded onto the axle.

After a really busy start to the year and then Covid I have finally managed to get some more time on the van. Have started fitting the anti- tramp bars...

Etch primed and another job done.

Started prepping the drivers side front panel to accept the new indicator assembly.

Rechecked dash and dash top all fit correctly.

Gotta love a long weekend for working on the van. Converted the dash to RS spec with correct dash bracket and etch primed.

I wish i could work on this full time.... Making some good progress this weekend.

Tidied up the new shape, etch primed it and fitted the lamp.

Another nice little mod I'm going to do is fit Hillman Imp/Hunter front indicator/park lights. All the works Mk1 Escort rally cars ran these lights and i also fitted them to my rally car when I built it. So after I made I template of the light unit I set about modifying the front panel.

Have started on the rear brakes too, all stripped and ready for some sandblasting...

Have also stripped the alternator. Will be vapor blasting the alloy housings.

Van is now back in the workshop in readiness for some long weekend loving.

Both side panels have now been rolled and bonded in. Just waiting till the bonding agent cures before it comes off the hoist.

No, I'm going to leave them standard, although will probably gently roll the edges.

Both front flares have now been fitted, and what an awesome job he's made of them...

Have also been sandblasting, priming and painting other smaller parts.

Panelbeater has been busy this week, both side panels have been removed, rolled and prepped ready for refitting.... He has also prepped the steel sport front arches ready for grafting onto the front wings.

For those eagle eyed spotters out there, well done for seeing the steel sport/twin cam front flares in the back of the pic which will be grafted into the front wings. I've had these sitting around for about 25 years! It is now their time .

Chocolate fish for the first to identify what this rear axle came out of originally.

While Phil had been tending to the bodywork more progress has been happening with the rear axle. I started from the outside and sandblasted the brake drums and machined them in our brake lathe.

He removed the panel and rolled on edge into it to see what it would look like. As it turns out he can reuse the original panel with some clever magic he does when I'm not there taking pics!