Stretch · Sep 12, 2016

I've been thinking ahead about the interior (yeah I know the welding isn't even done yet). The easy solution would be to get a complete Exmoor trim package. This, however, does not seem to be so straight forward. I could be wrong but not all of their stuff seems to be available "off the peg" in Elephant Grey.

Still I had a quick look through their web pages and made a nice (anal) little spreadsheet

1965 series 2a station wagon price indication of retrim with Exmoor trim.png

Not all of the stuff I want seems to be available

Not all of the stuff I want seems to be in Elephant Grey

They do do a re-do your original bespoke service but I'm guessing that's going to be 2 grand and upwards. (No haven't rung them up - I didn't give them a chance - I'm hoping to get this done for a lot less dosh - which means DIY)

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So I thought - "I can sow - perhaps it is time to learn how to sew"?

I've done a really crude quick measure of the existing seats and came up with a number (how much fabric I will probably need)

1965 series 2a station wagon estimated fabric needed.png

'Cos I've not done this kind of thing before I've bought shed loads of fabric. Manged to source this stuff =>

1965 series 2a station wagon comparing old elephant grey with a swatch of new.JPG

I reckon it is about as close as people say the Exmoor trim version is (might even be from the same supplier) - and I didn't even have to chase this fabric down via people who supply similar stuff for BMW 2002 boot spaces!

This is a bit of a sticking your neck out solution. The fabric isn't mega cheap. I've never done this kind of thing before. Could be an epic fail. Still there's a friendly Egyptian chap in town who does clothing repairs if all else fails...

(As always - to be continued - and this time it won't even be started until the shorter days and the bad weather kicks in)

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EDIT:

I forgot to say

1) Costs in the first spread sheet are costs I saw on the internet about a week ago - they will probably change
2) Feel free to use my measured estimates of the fabric needed but remember you'll probably make the same mistake(s) as me - so on your own head be it!

LincolnSteve · Sep 13, 2016

A bold solution but fortune favours the brave. Good luck.

Stretch · Sep 13, 2016

LincolnSteve said:
A bold solution but fortune favours the brave. Good luck.

Thanks - let's hope so. I've got the option to borrow as many as three sewing machines. According to the interweb I should get a "walking foot" and to knot the ends of the thread instead of going backwards and forwards at the ends to stop it all from unraveling...

Stretch · Sep 13, 2016

Air cleaner =>

I just derusted one part of it today to try and get the paint correct.

1965 series 2a station wagon air cleaner derusting1.JPG

Painted it with Hammerite silver grey (hammered finish)

Not totally dreadful - not totally correct

1965 series 2a station wagon air cleaner paint comparisson1.JPG

I'm using the paint on the underside of the pot as a comparison as I assume this is the best preserved bit.

1965 series 2a station wagon air cleaner paint comparrison2.JPG

The Hammerite looks too modern to me. It is missing a hint of blue that the original seems to have.

I'm going to keep on looking for an alternative.

boguing · Sep 13, 2016

Yes, there was a Hammerite with a blue tint, but that Hammerite was several generations ago. It used to dry with that hammered appearance (hence the name I'd hazard a guess), my father used to use it on a range of instruments that he sold. I don't know when it stopped having that finish, but I've never used any - everything from the 80s on has been very different, and even more so from 2000 ish onwards. Summing up, the only thing that your old paint has in common is the name. It even smelt completely different!

Stretch · Sep 14, 2016

boguing said:
Yes, there was a Hammerite with a blue tint, but that Hammerite was several generations ago. It used to dry with that hammered appearance (hence the name I'd hazard a guess), my father used to use it on a range of instruments that he sold. I don't know when it stopped having that finish, but I've never used any - everything from the 80s on has been very different, and even more so from 2000 ish onwards. Summing up, the only thing that your old paint has in common is the name. It even smelt completely different!

Nightmare! I've been all over the shop - in reality and on the internet and I can't find a solution that's going to look old. I might have to end up painting it black..

Stretch · Sep 14, 2016

LincolnSteve said:
A bold solution but fortune favours the brave. Good luck.

Stretch said:
Thanks - let's hope so. I've got the option to borrow as many as three sewing machines. According to the interweb I should get a "walking foot" and to knot the ends of the thread instead of going backwards and forwards at the ends to stop it all from unraveling...

Well no going back.

Only forward

It has arrived

1965 series 2a station wagon over 11 meters of elephant grey fabric.JPG

5 foot wide and over 11 meters long. Hopefully plenty for cock ups...

Jam1 · Sep 14, 2016

Good luck.
How many seats are you doing? Are you covering anything else besides seats?

Stretch · Sep 14, 2016

Jam1 said:
Good luck.
How many seats are you doing? Are you covering anything else besides seats?

The plan is:-

Front seats (six cushions)
Second row seats (six cushions)
Back seats (four long cushions)
Five door cards with pockets and crap like that
Four head height cushions

Having seen the big roll I'm actually quite keen to start on the head height cushions. No sewing needed on those bits...

LordOWar · Sep 14, 2016

Good luck with the trim! I tried to recover the dash and the results were disappointing. I bought the magic glue and vinyl sheet from marsland trim and I have had 2 issues, first is that I am most definitely not a trimmer as there were a few creases that need to be taken out. The multiple angles along the front where the main cause of creases, a second pair of hands may have helped. Second problem was the glue, where I have over spray on the board I had everything on the glue is fine but under the vinyl sheet the glue is very sticky and I can peal the sheet off grrrr. I may have to cut some more sheet and test various glues.

Stretch · Sep 15, 2016

LordOWar said:
Good luck with the trim! I tried to recover the dash and the results were disappointing. I bought the magic glue and vinyl sheet from marsland trim and I have had 2 issues, first is that I am most definitely not a trimmer as there were a few creases that need to be taken out. The multiple angles along the front where the main cause of creases, a second pair of hands may have helped. Second problem was the glue, where I have over spray on the board I had everything on the glue is fine but under the vinyl sheet the glue is very sticky and I can peal the sheet off grrrr. I may have to cut some more sheet and test various glues.

Luckily my dashboard is metal so I won't have that kind of trouble...

...from what I've seen (TV + interweb) heat gets used a lot to shape the covering so that it doesn't pull off the dash again. I think heat also helps some of the adhesives used.

Stretch · Sep 15, 2016

Nice surprise:

I assumed the valve cover would be rubbish - as it turned out it wasn't at all! It cleaned up really nicely and still retains a feeling of age which is nice (I don't want to have everything looking totally brand new - I want to create a feeling of well love and looked after rather than better than new)

I had actually stumbled upon a very reasonably priced old original boxed part (probably from 1980s) and had got that in anticipation of renewal - this now can be sold on or traded (sometimes with traders they like this kind of transaction - sometimes butters them up!) for other parts.

All is good!

1965 series 2a station wagon valve covers1.JPG

1965 series 2a station wagon valve covers2.JPG

Stretch · Sep 15, 2016

Thermostat housing =>

Thermostat was a bit stuck!

1965 series 2a station wagon thermostat housing1.JPG

1965 series 2a station wagon thermostat housing2.JPG

1965 series 2a station wagon thermostat housing3.JPG

1965 series 2a station wagon thermostat housing4.JPG

Stretch · Sep 15, 2016

Hand brake lever

Split pins removed - comes apart easily

1965 series 2a station wagon hand brake lever2.JPG

Unscrew the button to...

1965 series 2a station wagon hand brake lever3.JPG

Withdraw the pin from the other end

1965 series 2a station wagon hand brake lever4.JPG

Washer was stuck inside the tube but came out whilst I was wire brushing

1965 series 2a station wagon hand brake lever5.JPG

What makes this Land Rover nice =>

1965 series 2a station wagon hand brake lever6.JPG

1965 series 2a station wagon hand brake lever7.JPG

Proper button - chromed

Stretch · Sep 15, 2016

Stretch said:
...

What makes this Land Rover nice =>

View attachment 107435

View attachment 107436

Proper button - chromed

Holy <BEEP>

Has anyone tried buying a new of these recently?

Part number 242108

It must be the nicest part of a series 2a...

...may be I should have just bought one of those and be done with it all

LincolnSteve · Sep 15, 2016

£23.36 plus VAT!
Bloody teacakes!
That's one expensive little knob.

Stretch · Sep 16, 2016

LincolnSteve said:
£23.36 plus VAT!
Bloody teacakes!
That's one expensive little knob.

I had a strange feeling - a motivation - to get out the metal polish

1965 series 2a station wagon hand brake lever knob1.JPG

It is pitted but not as bad as before.

1965 series 2a station wagon hand brake lever knob2.JPG

It is an easy bit to change so I'm going to spray on a coat of clear high temp varnish to slow down the rusty bits and see if that adds "character" to the project or if it irritates the heck out of me and I then go off and buy one of those polished aluminium versions on ebay that are just under 22 quid including VAT

(Still a stupid price - will probably chase down good second hand)

Stretch · Sep 16, 2016

One of my Craddocks orders got here today so I've been fitting stuff to stuff

1965 series 2a station wagon fitting bush to flywheel1.JPG

1965 series 2a station wagon fitting bush to flywheel2.JPG

Replacement flywheel is now ready to go on (wrapped up and in the roof space).

I've been fitting bearings to differentials too but have struck another delay with shims - dag nam it - there's always something.

Today, however, was a red letter day.

FIRST BIT OF GREEN!

1965 series 2a station wagon first bit of green.JPG

I know this isn't much (just a bit of steel that goes on the transmission tunnel for the high : low range selector on the gearbox) but it was good to see how the coach enamel from the paint man performs. I t d r i e s s o o o o o s l o w l y...

...holy crap it is going to give a whole heap of trouble later on - I can just feel it. Keeping it dust free during drying is going to be a struggle.

Still it looks like it will harden to a pretty good finish. May be I can buff out the dead flies in the 50 dollar paint job manner (http://www.rickwrench.com/50dollarpaint.html)

When I sprayed it first I was really worried I had been given the wrong colour. When it went on it looked like some sort of yellow green poo. Had me thinking oh crap all of it has to go back - but as it dried it changed colour. Well weird. Just as well it did!