Thread: Walter the Dormobile

Managed to get the rear corner capping fitted.
Still some work to be done where the metal was stretched but it looks a lot better than the odd bits of aluminium that had been bolted over the damaged corner.
All the lights now work, just need to re-fit the trailer plug and wire in a high level brake light I've fitted.

Wardrobe bolted back in place.

Fitted some vinyl to the rear edge of the front seatbox and fitted the seatbelts for the front seats.

There is a cover over the fuel tank cap that was held closed by a wire that went inside the wardrobe. Not that convenient when you want to fill up so I removed this and fitted a lock to the cover.

Fitted the repainted airfilter.

Was going to replace the hoses and coolant but found that I didn't have a bottom hose 'in stock'. I did find an old one so I'll head down to Supercheap and have a rummage to see if I can find one that will fit.

Still lots to do.....


Colin

I undercoated the Masonite headliner last night.
It was left in the formers for a few weeks to thoroughly dry and is holding it's shape, there are some shorter sections down the sides of the opening roof I need to bend but they can wait. I also found that there was a Masonite panel above the rear door, this had been removed and a roll of plastic stored there, I guess a groundsheet when an awning was put on the back. That reminds me, there are some 'teeth' on the rear of the roof that need to be removed, these must have been for the awning.

Next I thought I'd fit the wiper arms & new blades and check the wiper motors.
Passenger side worked OK but the drivers side was very, very slow. I'm hoping I can pull the wiper motor apart and free things up otherwise I guess there are two options.
1. Find another wiper motor (might be difficult).
2. Move the passenger wiper to the drivers side and say that the passenger side was never fitted.

I'm not sure when the passenger side wiper became a requirement.

More work to do and rapidly running out of time.
This weekend is a long one but I'm losing a day cleaning spouting and cutting back branches that overhang the roof (the roof is getting re-painted next week).

Might think about servicing the Defender........


Colin

Originally Posted by gromit

........
I'm not sure when the passenger side wiper became a requirement.

.....

Colin

It probably depends on the state - when I moved my NT registered 1961 2a from Alice to Sydney in 1966, I had to fit a LH wiper.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

It probably depends on the state - when I moved my NT registered 1961 2a from Alice to Sydney in 1966, I had to fit a LH wiper.

Thanks John.
It's already registered so if I can't fix the drivers side motor I can put it on the passenger side and claim it was working OK when I last used it !

I've just got some 3D printed gaskets/seals for the motor in a flexible material (someone at work printed them for me).
The Bakelite insulator (or was it rubber that has gone hard ?) where the power is fed through is more difficult as the original has a brass block moulded into it. The 3D print file had the block with a hole for a wire, If I use this I'll have to use a bullet connector although an online supplier puts a bolt through the hole Kit Wiper Motor Insulating Terminal LAND ROVER Series 1 2 Lucas FW2 Insulators | eBay

I did find replica blocks at over $60
Series 1 2 2a Land Rover Lucas FW2 Wiper Motor Insulator Block Rubber Complete | eBay

Fingers crossed it's just old grease being too viscous causing the problem.


Colin

It is probably the grease or dry bearings.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

It is probably the grease or dry bearings.

Pretty poor, really. After all, it's only 60 years old.

Spent Saturday on the house roof cleaning spouting and cutting back overhanging branches, just a big pile of branches to tidy up.

I removed the passenger footwell 'snorkel', it was made from a series of large plumbing fittings and what looked like a sink outlet.
I guess it was designed to bring air into the footwell but needed a plug installed if it was raining.

I had to make a new blanking plate for the bulkhead and also blank off the hole in the wing.

Took a few measurements and cut a hole in the transmission tunnel for the overdrive lever. The floor panels & transmission tunnel need painting next.

Installed some vinyl in place of the rotten Hardura. I will have to buy some Hardura for the transmission tunnel but everywhere else the vinyl looks similar to the hardura but won't hold water & rot !

Bled the brakes yesterday.
One leak from a slave cylinder, couldn't have fully tightened the tube nut years ago when I overhauled the axle !

Long travel on the pedal, went round and adjusted all 4 brakes but didn't get much better. Possibly needs a decent run and some braking to bed in the shoes.

I'm now looking for an on/off valve to allow me to connect the Smiths heater back in.
I have a couple of brass valves, tapered seat metal to metal seal but they are 1/2" BSP. Looking for a 3/8" alternative without much luck.

Colin