tow beddie project

[eddy]

well, the campa is about to get turned out to pasture, I found a beddie that I intend to turn into a tow vehicle, have posted some pics in the gallery, lots of potential, windowless swb, 253, 4 speed, salisbury diff, disc front end, HQ stud pattern all round, duel fuel, straight panels, welded rear, side door, hayman reece tow bar, needs a lot of work but is achievable, ...... will make updates as I go,   

[Warren]

Hey Eddy

I had a look at the pictures of the new van, sweet, the only thing missing is the smoke haze comming out of the windows

Warren

[eddy]

sheeses, never mind that brother, I'm more concerned with the black smoke coming out the exhaust ...... 

[Bas NZ]

Eddy, don't mind about the black smoke that's easy to fix, but you would have a problem if it turns to blue, but overall it looks pretty good. 

[eddy]

had a bit of a fiddle with the van tonite after work, had to because the powers that be are sending me back into the fire zone tomorrow, 12 hour shift in the Bunyip State Forest, then I get sent back in again on Saturday for another long shift, this time I get a 4x4 to use rather than the sedan we used last weekend (try driving around a disaster zone in the bush in the middle of the nite in a sedan and to top it off the gps didn't work nor did the radio comms,  we got lost for two hours in the back blocks in the Gippsland fire zone watching the spot fires all around us, was a bit of a worry)  so sad that the firefighter from Canberra was killed today like its not as if the fires haven't claimed enough lives.

I found that this van was previously painted a dark metallic blue, maybe some one in Melbourne recognises it, the engineers cert was made out to a guy in Clifton Springs.

[ben]

scoooooooooooooooooooooooooore....!!!!!

far out man. find of century!!!

[eddy]

was wondering about the diff, keeping in mind it has to be strong enough for towing, I have three options, 1: keep the one on it, salisbury diff off a one tonner with HQ pattern but way too narrow 2: use the 9" with HQ pattern under the campa but again a bit too narrow 3: retrieve my beddie diff with borg warner centre which would require a new centre and restudding to HQ but will give me a wide wheel base so I can fit  flares, which is the better option, if I go the 9" I'm back to finding deep dish wheels to fill the flares or changing the cragars I already have .... hmmmm which way to go  ? any advice/thoughts gratefully accepted

[eddy]

any advice on widening from 8 x 14 to 10 x 15? I have a spare pair of 8 x 14 cragars, how much to change the rim size to 10 x 15 and where can I get it done, and how much for tyres (heavy duty for towing)?

[eddy]

put a coupla pics of the van with cragars fitted in the gallery, take a looksie and you will see why I am bothered by the diff options, the front tyre is about 30 mm out from the front guard so will require a flare kit, the rear tyre is about 60 mm in from the wheel arch so a flare will make it look even more unbalanced .....dooh

I had Sunday off so I stripped out the inside, found some untidy rust over the rear window in the gutter channel, been bogged up so will need to treat the inside panel. Adjusted the driver side door so it closes, adjusted the bonett so that closes tightly. This weekend (if I get it off) hope to strip the flooring and look at the electrics. I intend to redo the interior to better fit and support the cut and tuck panelling. I will be using the white polyester batts in the walls but am considering the rubberbacked foil insulation for the roof, I found a newspaper in the cieling that dates back to 1993, so that indicates how long the panelling has been in place. The interior of the van panels are pretty good rust wise so I am pleased with that and the underside looks pretty good too from underneath just a whole heap of surface rust. I guess I will find the true extent of the rust if any when I rip out the flooring     

[Warren]

Eddy, why not just get the red wheels chromed, they look like they fit proper like aybro 

Warren