BUGA Community
Technical => Miscellaneous Technical => Topic started by: Jimi on May 14, 2014, 10:32:16 AM
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So far I brought the bedford for 1500 $ spent so far 2500 $ think I need another 5000 $ to get it roadworthy.. woundering how much people are spending just to het theres on the road??
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Ok Jimi, the short answer for that is how big is your bank account. I recon most on here would agree the beddies are an endless money pit, but we are obsessed with the bedford so makes it all worth the time and cost.
george
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Here's a list I think I need done ..im not doing any thing fancy to mine....left rear quarter panel..fix..maybe fibreglass if legal...rear doors need some work...seat bases cant find any... left outa sill need to be cut n weld...exhaust pipe....wiring to work properly. .. break shoes ... windscreen+rubber..suspension parts fitted balljoints and so on...man the more I think the more I need doing but thats most of it..lol
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Apart from the rust, once you do things like wiring, brakes, suspension etc you wont have to touch them again.
I didn't include the rust as you often miss some when doing it
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If your not worried about personalizing your bedi, then it might be better buying one that is running and RWC, it could work out cheaper in the long run, I think most of us on here are customising to some degree and are mainly doing it for personal satisfaction so cost can get a bit out of control, but you carn't take it with you so enjoy what your doing and make the most of your time, I am personally up to $6000 and I will properly spend another $6000 easy, and that's doing everything myself, spread over 2-3 years its not so bad, well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it lol ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Yeah I just wana get some number plates on the old girl...then maybe some of my own touches..the rust is what bothers me the most, I dont think its a rusty van, some of you guys could probably fix the rust in a weekend or two....think ill buy a welder and give it a go.. 8)
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Best advice... If you can't weld, do a TAFE course. Buy yourself a cheap gasless MIG (mine cost well under $500), reasonable angle grinder and a jig-saw (and metal blade). Go to your local steel supplier and get a sheet of 1.2 (or 1.6) mm and go for it!- also "convert" the welder to take 4.5 kg rolls of wire- cost lots less and easy to do. ;D
Yes, you will blow lots of holes, but nothing a bit of practice wont fix.
Oh, and don't weld indoors- the fumes are, I believe, toxic. :( :( :(
I am the first to admit my welding isn't perfect, but it's solid.
Bit of filler, splash of paint (from a spray can if desperate) and sit back to enjoy your efforts.
This is my second restoration, far from perfect, but I can say that I did it all myself
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I heard gasless migs where no good?? But there alot cheaper so was hoping they work ok
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Keep a good squirt bottle handy to put fires out as well,
Try make sure all flamable materials are out of the way,
Even a big soaking wet sponge behind the pannel being welded can help.
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How much is it going to costs to get it roadworthy....ppfft how longs a piece of string.. ;)
we have like thrown around $15k so far at ours and that's with Ray and me ;D doing all the work .
she not a show pony van but a bloody good reliable working van/mobile bed ...
so from a stock standard van thats had been sitting for 11yrs (no rust) to a restored daily driver....your looking at $10k + easy..
She got us out to the van nats in Mildura n back...3000km no prob. :D
and were still tinkering with EFI manifolds, venturies and soon a turbo .....its endless mate
and it all depends upon ...HOW MUCH U LOVE YOUR BEDDY ! ;D :D ;D :D
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Haha sounds like where building the taj mahal here lol..but I no what u mean!!! My ambitions atm are just number plates.. trying not to bite off more than I can chew...then the skys the limit.. im getting there slowly. . ;D
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Just remember my custom CF started as a 4 week project, quick roof chop and fibre glass flares and spoiler ... some years later it has the roof chop but is now all steel with a few added features.
For migs, I'd go with gas rather than gasless, use .6 wire for sheetmetal, .8 for steel but can still be used on panelsteel. (not 1.6 and 1.8 as I had put)
Do a course even if just the basics, welding rust is probably one of the trickiest things to do and heat from welding can be your friend or your enemy.
May the bug be with you. muhahahaha
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thats probably something that no-one hear wants to think about..... :D :D :D i was lucky, i phoned a friend....then started spending cash, all of it, then more, then more, then more....................fade out.............................but, we just love our beddies! ;)
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I'm still working on mine after two years, still haven't got plates for it. Doing most of the work myself and getting good at welding (oxy). Definately easier to weld around the 1.4mm steel guage and I wish some told me that when I first started. Have learnt heaps and beddies are pretty basic. but you know, enjoying the journey and all that. Keeping it a cheap affair is tough though.
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First thing to do is to throw all the receipts away. That way it's free, right?
Don't know how much I've spent on mine but I've done nearly all the work myself so that cut the costs a bit. However it's all the little bits that add up. I might actually finish it this year if I pull my finger out which will be great as I only bought it back in 1985 so it's taken a weeee while. Has chalked up about 120000 K's over that time though so when I get it back on the road this year it might be time for a 500HP crate motor. ;D
Bugga, never really finished is it.
Cheers,
Garry.
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I could have bought myself a brand new Jap or European van for what I have spent on my Beddie over the years, but no matter how flash with all the mod cons it still wouldn't be a Beddie would it.
I'd rather push my beddie than drive a common new van :) :)
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And Your safer in a beddy than a jap van
If ever in an accident.
jap vans have no strength in the front, thus legs can get badly damaged
In a front collision.
Dont even get me started on how dangerous a VW Combi
Is with their soft no strength fronts.
I love bedford vans:)
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Totally agree with you Marty, coming back from a show in late 70s, I was in a convoy of about 15 vans, when a rear drivers side wheel came of on a Holden Hz, he was about in the middle of us, the wheel shot forward and travelled down the opposite side of the road for a bout 100 meters then head on into a combi van, which it used as a ramp to catapult it into the air, every body quickly shot of in all directions trying to avoid the wheel on its down ward plunge, the combi driver was lucky to survive, only because he had a bull bar and stone guard, the wheel had destroyed the bull bar and had entered the front section exiting through the roof just after the screen, the driver managed to pull it up straight but was trapped under the column, face was cut up but very lucky to live, the wheel ended up 150 meters away in a paddock, very very scary stuff, the combi was a complete writ off
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Ahh Busy are you building an armoured car?? 1.6 1.8 wire??? dont ya mean .6 &.8??
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Oops, yeah .6 and .8 good spotting, thanks Merlin
Have been fixing a fence and palings come in 1.6 and 1.8m
at least i got part of it right ;)
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;D haha ,
Hey Busy,
Lucky your not a doctor prescribing medication
:D
Wow :( just read that Graham :O
I thought kombi,s were dangerous but far out thats worse than i thought.
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Thought I would revisit this old thread...
My Bedford I bought for $1800 and it was licensed with a dodgy 253 in it.
I have gathered all the new engine stuff so it will be a very strong and reliable motor once done.
The expensive part is gonna be the body work.. I need heaps of fibreglass.. I want to fill in all the windows, scooby kit and cut in some new taillights.
The interior is empty atm and will need the dash redone, as it looks like someone tried to cut it in with an axe.. LOL
The more I get into the dash the scarier it gets.. starting to wonder if a new wiring harness would be the better option
My budget is another $4000 to get it looking decent.. really worried about a canary as I doubt putting these over the pits would be an easy thing to do.. so glad it is already licensed and I live in WA where you don't have to put them over regularly
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ahhh your plans sound great !!!! ....good luck keeping to your budget thou?
please keep us posted on your progress with heaps of pictures :)
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I bought my van For $1,300 in 2009 . Lucky l had my friends dad " Cliffy " helping me out
a lot saving me a fortune .
Overall i spent approx $6,000 and the van still looks the same .
Got a roadworthy check , all up that cost me about $800 to fix problems .
Had it already then got rear ended , had to get 2 rear barn doors plus tail-light lenses and housing
adding another $600 to the tally .
Good luck with your roady . l dont think they go over the pits in Victoria any more . The mechanic
doin the R/W check now has to take photos of the van as he is doin the inspection . Eg takes pics
of odometer , brakes etc and the problems before and after . Once at Vicroads l believe they check
vin and engine # . They might inspect other areas but that depends who you get .
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hey.. does anyone know the story about converting to V8's
someone contacted me about 12 months ago about buying my van because it has the v8 conversion and it cannot be done anymore.