HJ Sandman van resto

**stickthis** · 12-08-2010, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by GTS

I added some bracing to the front apron last night. Both top corners were cracked so I welded in a piece of metal to strenghten them, and did the same on both the front guards.

Well done mate. This is something that EVERYONE should take note of. ALL fronts crack there. Its a BIG must. Well done.

**GTS** · 12-08-2010, 08:51 AM

Both top corners of the apron and the guards had cracks. The metal is sooooooooo thin in that area ya just gotta be carefull not to grind on the edge......like I did on the left hand side

.....oh well, it only wasted 1 hour of my life fixing it up again

**hainzy** · 12-08-2010, 12:10 PM

Great job. Love following these resto threads. cant wait to see it in a coat of pain.

**GTS** · 12-08-2010, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by hainzy

cant wait to see it in a coat of pain.

That makes 2 of us

I'm sooooooooooo over the rust repair thing....

**GTS** · 16-08-2010, 09:02 AM

What a weekend....... I finished welding in the bit behind the r/h back wheel. I just have to make the folded section that goes back under the 1/4...

Cut out the only bit of rust in the gutter and repaired it....

Finished off the front apron...

And cut and tacked the rear beaver panel into place...

**Absinth** · 16-08-2010, 08:20 PM

Is that a Rares rear beaver panel? How did it fit and how close is it to the original?

**GTS** · 17-08-2010, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by Absinth

Is that a Rares rear beaver panel? How did it fit and how close is it to the original?

Yes it is a Rares panel. The fit is pretty good. I didn't have to do anything out of the ordinary to make it fit in the hole and I finished welding it in last night. There were a few dramas getting the bottom lip to meet up with the inner panel but nothing a few G clamps couldn't get over. The only problem with it, and I've already sent pics to Rares about it, are the lack of holes. There are no holes in it at all nor the recessed section that goes from the lower part of the panel up, and surrounding, the spare tyre winch hole. I'm going to cut that section out of my old panel and weld it into the new one.