Hey Kev, It's good to see that you are still going full speed ahead. Looking at all your photos makes me feel like I am back at work almost. I know how it is when you work on some small piece of metal and sometimes you need to bang it with the hammer and cut it and bang it again and the cut it again and again. I know how it can take you a few hours to make just that little part and then after you weld it in and clean it up, it looks like you didn't do anything.
From what I've seen so far I think it will turn out great. I know it has been a lot of work and you still have a lot of work still to do. But I think this is all the hard part. Some of the rest will get finished quick. I bet sometimes you wonder to yourself if it will ever get finished. I have to ask...Did you realize it would be this rusted and this much work when you pulled the van out from the field?
When I first read the start of you project, I thought you were nuts to take on this restoration. I had an idea of how bad it would be rusted. I've done almost the same thing on a few different cars and trucks. Then I saw the photos and seen your abilities and I knew you could do it. Hey, it's only metal, right? Just bang it, pound it, slam it, bend it, heat it, punch it, drill it, work it, and then put a bandage on your cut finger sometimes.
Speaking of banging and pounding. Where is your shop that you are using? I hope that you are not making the neighbors mad with your noise. I know that grinder can be very loud and that banging and pounding can get very old after a few months. How long have you been working on this now? I would have to go back and look.
And I'm going to remind you again. WEAR YOUR EAR PLUGS...ALWAYS. Trust me, I'm 56 and have been doing the same kind of work as you for many years. If you want to hear your grand kids laugh, WEAR YOUR EAR PLUGS...and your glasses and face shield. I've had grinding specks in my eyes over a dozen times. And I once even had a wire from the wire wheel stuck in my eye. And that was while I was wearing glasses. It still happens.
How are you going to get the van to the auto show? Are you going to drag it onto a trailer? It's going to collect a large crowd with lots of questions. And I even have a question. How rare are these vans where you live? Could you even find another one for spare parts? I've never seen one here where I live in America. If I have seen one I've never noticed it.
I've seen a lot of restorations. Some good, some bad, some the owner never even got his hands dirty except when the pen leaked while he was writing the check to pay for it. I always give more credit to the guy who does his own work and does not have an endless supply of money.
Another thing I was thinking about... Have you ever thought about writing a book about this build? Or maybe even an E-book or a DVD? You could provide a little more detail and more photos. maybe tell some of the lessons that you have learned the hard way. I'm sure that when you get it finished you "might" have some extra time to get the book started. But you might have to write it while you are camping someplace in your van. It just might get you some extra cash to pay for the build. I'm sure a lot of people would be interested in the book. Just look at how many hits you have on this thread. Too bad you didn't have something ready for the auto show. It could be just a cheap booklet with photos just like this thread. You could sell them cheap sort of like asking for donations for the project. You can have them made up at the printer/copy stores.....I don't know, just something to think about. :C
