This van reached out for help

[Mont3]

Hi joelsplace. I just read my post and yes, should have not used crossmember but trans bracket. I have both a 3spd one which fits and the car one that is short. Sorry, sounds like having the car trans in isn't mucheck help loaded or not. Gonna keep looking for a 4spd semi-local to up here.

[Mont3]

Been a while since I've posted here. Been very busy with work, life and getting this FC dismantled. With my engine near completion, I have turned my focus on pulling the van apart after getting a closer look at it. Have some pretty challenging areas of rust rot to deal with.


I was able to gut the FC out completely and get her loaded onto a cart I build for it. I have the cart secured to the body at the front mounting holes for the cross-member. This past week I was able to drop it off at the sand blaster. My hope is to get it back in week or two and to get into the garage where it'll stay and be worked on thru winter. We'll see how that goes and should be interesting.

[flat6_musik]

Wow!! You're motivation is giving me an adrenaline boost to work harder on mine! Nice!

[Mont3]

Wow!! You're motivation is giving me an adrenaline boost to work harder on mine! Nice!

Thanks!. Been plugging away at it and hope to have it at the house this week if all goes well. I can then see the real issues with it in bare metal. I left the larger panel areas and the roof alone as I'll sand those myself but the lower end needed some blasting to clear out rust and expose the suspect areas. More to follow...

[doug6423]

Engine looks good!


Sent from my iPhone using Corvair Forum mobile app

[Mont3]

Alot has been happening since I got the Corvan back from the blaster. Was a bit challenging getting into the garage as I live on a incline so getting the shell off the trailer an into the driveway was a bit stressful. Just didn't want to see the shell going downhill and into someones home Anyhow. I'm glad I got what I needed blasted as it revealed some new issues but mainly in the lower area I had seen with a few new spots. I'm happy with what I'm working with and have started to carve out the rot and as well as getting pieces trimmed up to put back in. Here are some pics of my progress thus far...

[Mont3]

And some pics of my progress and challenges.

[joelsplace]

That is a lot of work. Good progress!

[crukab]

Just read thru this thread, way to go !!! Looks like a good solid project body wise. What do you have for a welder ??
I Started out as a Muscle car guy in the '70's, moved to Colorado in '79 & fell in love w/ Vw trucks, now I'm looking at a rough '61 Rampside, just for a change......

[Mont3]

Just read thru this thread, way to go !!! Looks like a good solid project body wise. What do you have for a welder ??
I Started out as a Muscle car guy in the '70's, moved to Colorado in '79 & fell in love w/ Vw trucks, now I'm looking at a rough '61 Rampside, just for a change......

Thanks crukab. I have a Hobart 140 I used on my squareback and now this van. Well if you're a single or dual cab vw guy, that Rampside would fit right in. I beleive if the rot isn't too bad, it can be saved. Wish you the best on your hunt!

[crukab]

Just read thru this thread, way to go !!! Looks like a good solid project body wise. What do you have for a welder ??
I Started out as a Muscle car guy in the '70's, moved to Colorado in '79 & fell in love w/ Vw trucks, now I'm looking at a rough '61 Rampside, just for a change......

Thanks crukab. I have a Hobart 140 I used on my squareback and now this van. Well if you're a single or dual cab vw guy, that Rampside would fit right in. I beleive if the rot isn't too bad, it can be saved. Wish you the best on your hunt!

We have Both ^^^ Single & Doublecab Trucks , a Rabbit truck too. I have a Milermatic 140

[Mont3]

Just read thru this thread, way to go !!! Looks like a good solid project body wise. What do you have for a welder ??
I Started out as a Muscle car guy in the '70's, moved to Colorado in '79 & fell in love w/ Vw trucks, now I'm looking at a rough '61 Rampside, just for a change......

Thanks crukab. I have a Hobart 140 I used on my squareback and now this van. Well if you're a single or dual cab vw guy, that Rampside would fit right in. I beleive if the rot isn't too bad, it can be saved. Wish you the best on your hunt!

We have Both ^^^ Single & Doublecab Trucks , a Rabbit truck too. I have a Milermatic 140

Very nice collection there. If the Rampside comes home with you, it'll fit in just right!

[Mont3]

This past weekend I was able to remove the passenger side lower end and clean the area up to accept the donor. I've removed the rot from the donor piece and fab'd up a patch piece to put in once my rust encapsulation paint gets in. I still have the gas spout area to deal with as I've been studying the best way to address that area. So many curves, layered pieces and overall corners. I have two smaller areas to contend with on the passenger side and the dogleg should be done. Then onto fabricating the lower corners of the floor that make up the front wheel well area that meets the cab floor. Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

[Mont3]

This year has had its ups and downs. Lost family members (not to Covid), work and started going back to school. However, I've been working a bit on my corvan. I ended up taking the lower end of the driver's side off to correct some rot issues. I also removed a portion of the outriggers to rebuild them as they were shot. None of this was possible without removing the cargo floor. Spent two evenings drilling spot welds out and removed or snapped off a few body bolts. I have been studying the pillars as well as I'll have to rebuild the lower ends of them so they'll all tie in. Thus far I'm happy with what I've found as it's not too bad. Between work, school and having the deal with family estate matters, it's been slow going. Here are some pics of my progress thus far. Not sure why the pics came out on their side. Not for the faint at heart...

[gbullman]

It amazes me what some of you guys can call not too bad. I consider myself a decent mechanic, even to the point of fabricating mechanical solutions at times. Body work to me is often creating something out of nothing and hats off to those who can do,that.

[doug6423]

That looks like a lot of work!

But, from personal experience, having a car in the garage is good therapy when the rest of the world isn't being nice to you.

Keep at it!