Thread: The Big Black Beastie - one month in...

This may be a bit less showy?

http://www.ralloy.com/images/RAL2048Large.jpg

why/where did he use adheasive? can't for the life of me work that out.

re-proofing the canvas comes down to 2 options: oil or wax.

I used dynaproof wax. It's a bit of a pain to put on. it's a wax dissolved in a solvent, you have to immerse the tin in hot ~60-70c water and stir until it becomes clear, then pour into a painting tray and apply with a brush or roller, working as fast as you can until it cools and start becoming cloudy. then you have to pour it back into the container, reheat and start again.
If you try to use it when it's not heated properly (or the canvas is cold) the wax won't soak into the canvas, but sits on top. which A) looks terrible and won't actually waterproof anything.

Best to do the job with the car parked in full sun.
The advantage of wax over oil is that the solvent evaporates, leaving just the wax behind; meaning it's not flammable so if some clown flicks a cig butt or some embers land on your roof, it's not going to go up in flames.

The downside is that it is does dry a bit stiff, making it more noisy at speed when the canvas flaps in the breeze.

took me 4L to do it the first time (I don't think the army proofs them at all) so it sucked up a lot of wax - I did 2 coats) and that keeps me dry.

I wouldn't have paid them if they bodged it up in the first place. Don't understand why glue was used either

Originally Posted by Vern

I wouldn't have paid them if they bodged it up in the first place. Don't understand why glue was used either

Turns out the lock barrel that i'd supplied him with (which he claimed is the wrong part, despite me getting the part shown in the relevant thread in this forum and having done a bit more research on t'internet) was a couple of mm shorter than the blank one that was in there to start off with - that much is true, i've compared them side by side. I'm sure he explained the rationale behind adhesive usage, but this is over a month ago.

He also didn't manage to fit the door locks as there's something missing that they sit in (if anyone can advise the part number, i'll do it myself, not that there's any point as I tend to leave it unlocked.

So, two good things came out of this (three, if you include the fact that I now go to Super Cheap Auto or Repco for most of my automotive needs now). One, I have an immobiliser. Two, the doors are lockable if the mood takes me. And four, stop being a wuss and do it yerself - that way if you cock it up no-one else can be blamed.

Having spoken to consumer affairs it's not worth the hassle or money to take the store to VCAT. Apparently I should have asked first if it was going to cost...

Originally Posted by Chris078

I used dynaproof wax. (snip...)

Much thanks. I will look into this, although as you say it sounds like a right palaver. Did you leave the roof cargo frame thingy on, or does yours not have one?

Overall the canvas seems ok except for over the drivers cab which doesn't have an inner lining. Presume the FFRs had waterproof inner liners to keep the radio equipment and electric dry?