Reflex Silver T28.....First van build

[Bigsidavies]

It’s not all that bad to be honest! I had a mate help who has done it before so that have some confidence.
The big learning is to make sure you cover the rest of the van body to prevent the sparks settling on the paint! Had to do two wounds of decontamination to get them out of the paint the next day once the bond had fully cured! Pics to show the contamination levels!

First session

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2nd session

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That’s why it’s best to use a nibbler or shears. No sparks. Still need to cover the van, but only below the window panel.
Also, don’t forget to have a really good fish around with a strong magnet inside the panel crevices. Any bits will fall down into there between the inner and outer skins when you cut. I got absolutely loads out of all my panels using a magnet and then finishing off by scraping around with a magnetic screwdriver to get the last few bits.

 

[timthetinyhorse]

That’s why it’s best to use a nibbler or shears. No sparks. Still need to cover the van, but only below the window panel.
Also, don’t forget to have a really good fish around with a strong magnet inside the panel crevices. Any bits will fall down into there between the inner and outer skins when you cut. I got absolutely loads out of all my panels using a magnet and then finishing off by scraping around with a magnetic screwdriver to get the last few bits.

Yeah I hadn’t though about inside the panels actually will have a look at that tomorrow and give it a good clean out cheers.
Yeah I imagine a less spark producing device being much better but it’s just what tooling was available! Will consider buying something If I decide to put the barn door windows in though

 

[timthetinyhorse]

Been a busy couple of days on the van, sound dead and acoustic foam insulation is just about complete! Still a couple of little tight spots I need to get at but works getting in the way
Found the whole process to be rather therapeutic! Next job is to get the top half of the bulkhead out (the lower is staying) and then get all the voids and some other areas further insulated with thermal fill insulation.

 

[timthetinyhorse]

That’s the top half of the bulkhead and the brackets out.

 

[Dickieboy3]

Welcome to the forum great to see another North East member.
Enjoy your van.

 

[timthetinyhorse]

Welcome to the forum great to see another North East member.
Enjoy your van.

Thanks Dude! That Seaton Sluice Campsite in your pic there? Delaval Arms is my regular watering hole! Surf up and down the coast with my lad so get all over the Northumberland coast.

 

[Sackmycook]

We are regularly around Bamburgh and Seahouses and up to Berwick.....

 

[timthetinyhorse]

We are regularly around Bamburgh and Seahouses and up to Berwick.....

Some of the nicest places in the UK.......

 

[Dickieboy3]

@timthetinyhorse ..yes we enjoy going there it's a 30 minute drive for a great view. Loads to do and the bar you mention we have visited everytime we stay there last visit was October last year

 

[timthetinyhorse]

@timthetinyhorse ..yes we enjoy going there it's a 30 minute drive for a great view. Loads to do and the bar you mention we have visited everytime we stay there last visit was October last year

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Amazing, yeah I'm from Blyth 2 min down the road! Will be in the Delaval tonight!

Think I will head outside now and debadge the van.

 

[timthetinyhorse]

Gave the back end a bit of a tidy up, much prefer it with the badges off!



Also Gtechniq W7 removed the glue like nothing else can!

 

[timthetinyhorse]

Fitted like a golf door seals today and cleared all the treasure from previous owners from the front of the dash ready for transporter HQ seal…..

 

[timthetinyhorse]

Finished the insulation today! Next up it’s carpeting the metalwork before carpeting and fitting the ply….

 

[timthetinyhorse]

Last day and half have been spent carpeting.

It’s certainly no professional job but I’m pretty pleased with how it’s turned out for my first ever attempt at anything like this.

Did the jack cover for good measure

 

[T6ChrisO]

Cant fault anyone who's willing to have a go at things themselves. Looks good to me!

 

[timthetinyhorse]

Cant fault anyone who's willing to have a go at things themselves. Looks good to me!

Cheers, yeah it’s nice to give things a shot. With all the sound dead and insulation it’s a whole load quieter too

 

[timthetinyhorse]

Finally got round to carpeting my rear door panels this week after work! Fairly happy with the outcome.

 

[timthetinyhorse]

No updates for a while on this but here is a little one.

The van had a very hard life as a hire vehicle prior to my ownership so the paintwork is rough as toast and it’s been irritating me for a while so decided to do a very quick hand polish to try smarten things up until I have time to go over it with the orbital and correct it properly so I did the unthinkable today and went to the local hand car wash (paint couldn’t get much worse) to get the weeks of dirt off and unveil the state of the van

Quick picture of the rear quarter paint for reference:



Give it a good hand polish with the old faithful and easy to work with AG super resin to lift the paint a little (did an ok job too) and then a coat of AF glisten spray wax just to give some shine!

It’s miles from the standard I expect from it as an OCD car cleaner but compared to how we got it a vast improvement has been made! Couple of issues to address like some rust on the slider (I will sand this back and paint) and fuel flap don’t fully close but I have to live with that as my ply for floor and roof just arrived so that’s next!

Few pics of the current stage.





The bad!!

 

[Bigsidavies]

No updates for a while on this but here is a little one.

The van had a very hard life as a hire vehicle prior to my ownership so the paintwork is rough as toast and it’s been irritating me for a while so decided to do a very quick hand polish to try smarten things up until I have time to go over it with the orbital and correct it properly so I did the unthinkable today and went to the local hand car wash (paint couldn’t get much worse) to get the weeks of dirt off and unveil the state of the van

Quick picture of the rear quarter paint for reference:

View attachment 155416

Give it a good hand polish with the old faithful and easy to work with AG super resin to lift the paint a little (did an ok job too) and then a coat of AF glisten spray wax just to give some shine!

It’s miles from the standard I expect from it as an OCD car cleaner but compared to how we got it a vast improvement has been made! Couple of issues to address like some rust on the slider (I will sand this back and paint) and fuel flap don’t fully close but I have to live with that as my ply for floor and roof just arrived so that’s next!

Few pics of the current stage.

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The bad!!

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For the fuel lap have you tried putting some oil or grease on the spring inside? Mine did this the other week and a little spray grease fixed it.

 

[timthetinyhorse]

For the fuel lap have you tried putting some oil or grease on the spring inside? Mine did this the other week and a little spray grease fixed it.

No haven’t looked at it but your likely correct as it’s filthy under the flap, Years of being unloved! Will get some GPC or Citrus cleaner on it at some point then give it a bit lube