Thread: 2a GS Refurb ARN 178-334

Well the sun was out, I managed to get the grass cut yesterday so I had some Land Rover time !

The IIa hasn't been out for a while so I moved it out of it's shed and down to the garage, the aim was to tidy the electrics at the front.

The brakes work but the pedal is low, I need to replace the brake fluid so I'll do that next sunny weekend and see if i can get the pedal higher. Probably worth pulling all the brake drums and checking everything again.

I managed to attach the wiring loom to the inner wing.
Sidelights and indicators worked (but I need to replace the flasher can), missing volts at the headlamp connections so I need to check the dipswitch and headlamp switch. Probably also the blackout switch.

The drivers door top hinge needs packing out, not sure why but I've had to do this on other vehicles. It closes too tightly on one of the seals.

The front seats need re-covering plus I need to make cushions for the rear seats.
Then the hardtop needs removing so I can re-fit the hoops which are in the back along with a lot of spares parts I need to find a home for !

Washed the dust off it an put it away in the shed.

Colin

I noticed that the dipstick holder had broken free on the LH tank so I decided to remove the tank, clean, fix the dipstick holder and paint.

One of those jobs I wish I hadn't started !
Dropped the tank and found that it had separated from the cradle it's soldered to.

Looks like there was quite a gap between cradle & tank with solder really only holding around the edges and the holes through the cradle. The gap held water and caused corrosion.
I've melted off the solder 'bosses' and the solder around the edges. I'll de-rust, paint and Sikaflex the tank to the cradle then solder the dipstick holder back in place.



Colin

Originally Posted by gromit

I noticed that the dipstick holder had broken free on the LH tank so I decided to remove the tank, clean, fix the dipstick holder and paint.

One of those jobs I wish I hadn't started !
Dropped the tank and found that it had separated from the cradle it's soldered to.

Looks like there was quite a gap between cradle & tank with solder really only holding around the edges and the holes through the cradle. The gap held water and caused corrosion.
I've melted off the solder 'bosses' and the solder around the edges. I'll de-rust, paint and Sikaflex the tank to the cradle then solder the dipstick holder back in place.



Colin

G'day Colin,

What Sikaflex product in particular will you use to secure the tank with? Will you re-solder the edges to maintain the tank's original appearance? Last of multitudinous questions. Will you be lining the inside of the tank with a commercial sealing product - if so what one?

Kind regards
Lionel

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

G'day Colin,

What Sikaflex product in particular will you use to secure the tank with? Will you re-solder the edges to maintain the tank's original appearance? Last of multitudinous questions. Will you be lining the inside of the tank with a commercial sealing product - if so what one?

Kind regards
Lionel

Haven't chosen which Sikaflex yet, a trip to Bunnings on the way to work tomorrow. 221 looks OK.
You can't see the solder under the paint so just Sikaflex. Soldering the edge would cause problems with the Sikaflex anyway !
Inside of the tank is rust free.


Colin

I cleaned & neutralised the rust on the cradle and the area where the cradle attaches to the tank.
Then out with the paint stripper.
The black paint on the tank came off easily but the camo green areas where the IIa had been repainted multiple times took a few coats of paint stripper and a lot of scraping.
Tonight I primered the cradle and underside of the tank ready for the Sikaflex.
Next it was time to solder the dip tube back. As it's close to the sender I thought best to remove the sender and re-fit it with a new gasket afterwards.
4 screws came undone easily, two were stiff so by carefully rotating backwards & forwards one came out and the other one.....sheared off !!!

Determined that the screws are 3BA and luckily had a tap & die.
Centre punched & drilled the broken screw with bigger & bigger drills then ran the tap down and cleaned out the remainder of the screw.
Cleaned the other holes and the screws with tap & die.
Soldered the dip tube back in place.
Made a new gasket then hunted through a box of Land Rover screws and found a 3BA cheesehead screw to match the others.

Hopefully I'll Sikaflex the tank back in the cradle over the weekend, need to dig out some clamps to hold everything in place while the Sikflex cures.


Colin

The tank is now 'glued' back into the cradle.
Etch primered tonight ready for painting over the long weekend.

The inside is spotless, looks like the Army fitted a new tank but it was never filled.


Colin

Refitted the fuel tank yesterday.
I've always struggled with a piece of wood on a trolley jack to get tanks out & back in.
I remembered a hydraulic lifting trolley that I inherited from my father in law, using that made it so much easier.

The bonnet was removed for stripping and replaced with a spare. Now I just need to remove multiple layers of olive drab paint !

Lots of work round the property to do now so it may take a while to get the bonnet painted and back in place.
Trees to cut, downpipes & spouting to replace.......it never ends.

Colin

After a lot of paint stripper and a lot of scraping I've managed to remove multiple coats of Olive Drab.

I've sanded the paint on the underside rather than strip it.
Just need to panel beat a couple of minor dents, rivet the spare wheel mount back on then it needs to be sprayed.


Colin