Day 92: slow going

The aim was to finish off the cab floor and front wheel arch area. I can't remember why but the day started a little late and finished a bit late too. There's not that much to see but it was quite a long day.

First job of the day was a set of small closing patches in the area between the cab step, the front cross member and the A-post. This took more time than I had expected but is all nice and solid now.

Then I spent some time welding in metal in the gap between the cab floor and the front wheel arch. This consisted of an L-section patch with a corner in it (see right hand side of photo). It would have been quicker to use two smaller panels OR to buy the repair patch from JK. Still the result is a solid cab floor and no holes.

The two holes under the front seat were next. One was not so important as it was under the support for the cooker but the one on the right was where one corner of the passenger seat rested on.

As this was a double skinned part of the wheel arch, I made up two small patches to cover the upper surface, and two small patches to go on the second skin inside the wheel arch.

Then it was time to weld.

Whilst I was doing this, Damae was sanding some filler I'd put on the 'new' front door (having spent the morning in town with her favourite aunt)…..

……and sanded some filler that covered the worst of the pitting on the front grille.

After I'd ground and sanded the inner front wheel arch, and finished the small patches, I splashed some RX5 around. Although the new patches are not rusty it had not been possible to get all the rust off the surrounding metal. So I used RX5 instead of zinc rich primer as the RX5 can get into all the nooks and crannies and is supposed to be the bee's knees when it comes to killing rust.

Last job of the day was a bit of sanding and filling on the front panel. In a couple of days the van will go for its first MOT/APK. So the front indicators will have to go on. I'd not welded the right hand corner of the front panel in place until the cab step had been done. Now I could fill the uneven patches around the indicator.

Looking at the pictures it doesn't look like I did much today. Appearances can be deceptive.

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