HZ Van Persian Sand MKII

**Wombat7051** · 17-02-2016, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by juzanobody

Great effort Wombat, are all the patch panels/ joins just spot welded then lead wiped or are some fully Tigged?? Like the roof for example? I see spots & small seam welds in one of the photos. Or even more importantly, is there a spare daughter so someone else could spend some quality time with that cool father in law, once you've finished with him

No more daughters mate but if you are up sunny coast let me know and you can call in and he will give you all the help you need.

What he did being old school was spots with the welder. Far enough apart to not cause heat buckle. Then brass filled the low spots and then grind flat. The lead will only go in the four corners as per factory.
You may not be able to see from the photos but the amount of detail work that he has done is amazing.
Remanufactured the side pieces for the hood lining, replaces the tops of the sides and welded and filled them. Remade a piece for the roll bar / cross over bar. Used the rear drip rail as the join location so no join can be seen. Really old school care.

The next thing we will be tackling is the poor repairs that were done to the van during its life. I have just ordered a new shrinking disk so that we can get then damage laser straight.
I will take shots and maybe a small video when I do it to show how it's done.

Thanks for all the praise it is great and he loves doing the work.

**juzanobody** · 16-03-2016, 02:49 AM

G'day Wombat, Any more progress? I may need you to hurry up (project found, maybe) ,so I can offer your Father in law a working holiday in the Kimberley's 2 coolish months. Would he work for board & Barra?? or have you spoilt him??
Looking forward to next post's

**Wombat7051** · 16-03-2016, 08:25 PM

image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg. Will be on it tomorrow with the disk so I will take some shots. The old man is seriously considering the B&B offer

**Wombat7051** · 18-03-2016, 08:52 PM

IMG_1009.jpg
So this is some repair work down by during its life. So we panel beat it out as best we can. And it left the side looking like this.
So i got a shrinking disk to give it a go.
IMG_1038.jpg
You can see the highs and lows.
IMG_1042.jpg
So after about 4 hrs work using the disk for about 15 seconds then rapid cool with air. A bit more beating and this is the result.
I am amazed at the result it is not perfect but it is a lot better then it was.

**Absinth** · 28-03-2016, 11:51 PM

I have bought a couple of shrinking discs and keen to see how they go. They sent me a video on how to use them and it was amazing to see the panel straighten out with just using the disc. I used to do it the old way, heat up a spot with the oxy in the high area and wipe over with a damp cloth.

looking great though, good to see it's progressing.

**Vombil** · 28-03-2016, 11:55 PM

a number of beaters I know use a slapper. it's basically a course flat metal file and they put a bend in it for a handle. they slap the shit out of the panel. it's all in the technique apparently

**Valencia** · 29-03-2016, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by Vombil

a number of beaters I know use a slapper. it's basically a course flat metal file and they put a bend in it for a handle. they slap the shit out of the panel. it's all in the technique apparently

What you know a beater that still fixes panels
get off
its unbolt and replace these days

**Vombil** · 29-03-2016, 01:53 PM

you'd be surprised mate. they will do anything to save a buck

**Wombat7051** · 29-03-2016, 05:51 PM

A slapper can be used to with a dolly behind and it does level the area. It also puts some cross hatching in the surface.
The shrinking disk made the area very flat however the problem I had was that I had to be careful that I didn't shrink the whole panel too much and loose the shape of the panel.
The father in law was a bit sceptical but he did use it in the end, and as Absinth said he used to us the torch and damp cloth. It was also the way they used to remove hail dents.
I must say I was amazed at the result.

**Vombil** · 29-03-2016, 06:31 PM

any links to the video Absinth is referencing or another like it Wombie? Would love to see the disk in action. seen the shop use an electric tool that has a charcoal?? tip and they make a snail spiral shape on the metal and it constricts when it cools and takes the slop out. pretty cool