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Anon
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What a blast!

As many of you are aware, I had an improptu barbecue in my van (6 berth petrol auto on CF 270/280 chassis)last September, which left me with 29% burns, lucky to still have my lower right leg, and apparently luckier still to be here talking about it!

The staff at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford are absolutely magnificent - but I don't recommend finding that out the same way I did!!

Sadly, the van didn't do too well either.
At the ripe old age of 28 when I bought it, I was expecting to have to do some remedial work on the woodwork, eventually.
Little did I know!
I suppose I should have had some foresight of what was coming by the smell inside (no - not the gas) of damp.

Anyway, I am now 99% healed and am now starting the healing process for the van, albeit that it is a slow process, what with teenage kids and the trouble they bring home with them at times, and Kim in her position, and other things on the go as well.

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Sun 05 Apr 2009 @ 08:37 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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At first sight things didn't look too bad.
The side was bowed out a bit, but will hopefully go back without too much trouble









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Sun 05 Apr 2009 @ 08:43 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Even on the inside it didn't look too bad - at first.....






.....but then - looking forward behind the wardrobe....



.....it started to become clearer just what was coming.....

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Sun 05 Apr 2009 @ 08:52 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Obviously there was more damp damage than appeared to be the case (typical CF did I hear?) so - time to start stripping and investigating.



The area at the back of the sink/cooker exposed - revealing culprit number one.

Having looked at the brochure for the Pioneer, it is obvious that someone has, at some time, already had it all apart, and reversed the wardrobe and kitchen areas.
To do this they had to seal off the old vent for the water heater and install a new one - only they didn't seal it very well .... and they didn't seal the new vent very well either



The wooden blocks surrounding the vents are absolutely sodden, and during a heavy rainstorm the water was dripping from the new vent

This damp has spread along the rails turning them to mush in some places

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Sun 05 Apr 2009 @ 09:06 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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So - time to really get (st)ripping out.

The top area above the forward side window - I'm gonna have to strip right to the front.



The upper area.....



The window itself....



The bottom area below the window....


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Sun 05 Apr 2009 @ 09:13 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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The final shot for now is the area behind the sink/cooker



Any chippies out there who fancy some unpaid hard work?
Hmm - I thought not ! LOL

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Sun 05 Apr 2009 @ 09:16 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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:o thats an epic rebuild you got going on there. very sorry to hear about your accident , glad your ok and healing though.

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Sun 05 Apr 2009 @ 19:55 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Thanks Stumpy.
Hoping to have it done for Hatton in August, but time is something that is always in short supply, especially when you're ancient and knackered!;D

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Sun 05 Apr 2009 @ 20:13 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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WOW!!! I had no idea Allan.
I'm pleased you have mostly healed OK .


A big job ahead, but everything is fixable, with the right attitude, which you seem to have.
Please keep us posted on the progress.
Good luck.

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Sun 05 Apr 2009 @ 20:55 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Thanks Jeff.
I will keep you all posted - but don't hold your breath!

It's slow going at the moment, partly due to lack of time and partly because of the way somebody previously put it back together.
Once I clear the damaged stuff I'm hoping that it will be a bit easier renewing everything

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Mon 06 Apr 2009 @ 10:00 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Brought over from General Chat:

Hi Allan,
Been having a fresh look through your blog...before the big meet!!!!

Have you taken the side off yet? If not, then good..as we will need to photograph and measure all the remaining timberwork before ripping it out.

As for the ali sides - methinks we will need a couple of large sheets of 22mm ply or mdf to act as 'bread' with the ali sheet as the jam in the sandwich to get it back as flat as possible (unless you just happen to have a couple of spare profiled ali sheets to match!!!!)

Did you keep any of the furniture you took out - even if it was damaged we can use it as templates for new wood. (This goes for the rotten timber in the side framing also).

Remember doing this on my fathers Bedouin over 10 years ago - replacing rotten wood with good wood - painstaking, but taken methodically it works well.

Would advise against using mineral wool for the insulation as it can soak up condensation and sag with gravity. I would go for the stuff housebuilders use in dormer roof situations. It is a pink, dense foam with a foil back. Will dig out the specs etc from work next week.

I do hope we can sort out a week to help you - preferably in June when 1) the weather (should) be better and 2) my new holiday year starts (none left now until June 1).

Flo and I send our best wishes to you both and wish you well with your treatment..

Carl

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Sat 10 Apr 2010 @ 23:10 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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If working out the next stage- if customising or trying to renew- get some fridge freezer cardboard boxes from currys or similar (theyre willing to get rid) and use them to make a fitted template- makes life easy once youre satisfied (cut them to shape with a breadknife) and use to sort out material requirements and shape. I do this all the time at work and find its a handy way if getting things right!

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Sun 11 Apr 2010 @ 00:42 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Carl, if you're happy taking the lead on the body then put me down for bench hand with own kit (as much as I can cram in the car anyway!). If I get about a month's notice then I might be able to book out a full week; otherwise it's pot luck whether I get a week clear off duty.

Allan, what do you think about hitting the van with a full mechanical seeing to bearing in mind that it's not been driven for a while?

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Sun 11 Apr 2010 @ 02:09 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Hi Allan / Hi Phil...

No probs Phil about the body...although I am a bit worried about trying to get the ali to sit flat again - as ali stretches when deformed it cannot go back perfectly flat again.:# I think this is going to take some 'consideration'----couldnt get to sleep for thinking about this aspect last night:( .

Allan - If ok with you, I would like to pop up one weekend before 'the big meet' to measure up and see the problems 'first hand'?

Phil - was thinking maybe taking week commencing 14th June?

Shame we cannot get the van down to the workshop in Gillingham (Dorset) as it would be under cover....

Speak soon - feel free to pm me with any queries/questions.
Carl

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Mon 12 Apr 2010 @ 13:25 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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I'll get a request in for 14-20 June then; might know by the end of this week.

Recce is a good idea. Let me know when & I'll try to be there.

Would it be possible to rebuild sections of timber work (frame & inner skin) so that stretched alloy panels can be pulled back into shape as they go on? If there's no fittings attached inside then would some temporary braces be enough to keep things flat?

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Tue 13 Apr 2010 @ 01:22 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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luckily the pioneer skin is in narrow horizontal sheets with the joins where the colour changes. originally there would have been horizontal timber bearers behind these joins with the edge of the skin fixed through to the timber. I am hoping that with new wood and good screws with a c o a r s e thread this will pull the edge of the skin back into shape. with a good dose of sikaflex on the screws and joint we should keep the damp at bay. in addition, good quality builders adhesive on all the other timber frame members and some careful pressure applied from the outside should help it all go back into shape.
thank goodness we are not dealing with a single sheet the size of the van side!
I think it was this fact of smaller sheets with joints that saved allan from more serious injury - a single sheet would have contained the explosive force better and reflected it back into the van.........

will try to arrange a suitable date with allan for the recce...
speak soon
c

(edited to avoid the censors knife - i can only assume the word ......c o a r s e .....has some strange conotations to somebody..)

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Tue 13 Apr 2010 @ 01:46 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Oh Wow! You 2 guys have just blown my mind
It's taken a bit longer to get back here to start thinking about this than I had expected, but I can now concentrate having disposed of all my paperwork jobs.

First things first - the van is exactly as in the pics I posted - haven't been able to do anything except check that it has dried out, and turn the engine over occasionally.
I will have to turn it around so that the damaged side is readily accessible, but that will be no bad thing from point of view of standing on a different bit of the tyres.

As for a recce run - anytime that is suitable for you is suitable to us. Just please let us know of anything you need us to get in and it'll be here - food etc supplied of course.
Don't worry Phil - I have 2 x 1 pint mugs which can be constantly refilled

The first problem which will probably need addressing is the cause of all the damp.
Someone in the past did a revamp inside. If you look at the diagram of the 6 berth Pioneer in the Brochures section, it shows a cupboard opposite the side entry door, with the galley further back. This was switched around.
Trouble is, the old chimney flue and the new chimney flue weren't sealed in properly, so the damp has got into the roof frame in the middle, and spread down the side of the van frame as well.
The cupboard and drawer unit are still VERY firmly attached, which is another reason for the skin coming off, to be able to remove them, or work around them.

When the skin does come off, I have plenty space in the back garden for laying the skin flat.
It appears that the skin panels have been stapled in place for the most part.
Quite apart from laying flat when off the van, my thought on replacing the skin was start at the middle and work out to the edges, using a baulk of timber to help press into place while stapling/screwing, thus spreading any slight residual stress evenly.
As Carl says, it's lucky that it isn't one large skin.

I have retained most of the furniture, although not necessarily in one piece! However, if necessary we can get some new or s/hand bits as replacement.

Insulation is solid foam "squares" cut to fit in to individual spaces in the framework - I have all of these that weren't damaged in the blast. It is readily available at B & Q.

As for the mechanicals Phil, I will say a definite yes to that please.
I know that the gearbox (auto) oil definitely needs changing - dirty grey colour If I remember correctly ATF is RED.
I took a helluva risk driving it up from Hastings when I bought it, but I was determined not to let it go.
Performed almost perfectly, the only let down was when queuing at the Dartford Crossing when it kept cutting out.

Well, that should be enough for going on with at the moment, but, of course, any questions then please ask.

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Tue 13 Apr 2010 @ 04:23 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
bluebedouin
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Andy Capp wrote:

...(edited to avoid the censors knife - i can only assume the word ......c o a r s e .....has some strange conotations to somebody ..)

Only the last four letters!
;)

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Tue 13 Apr 2010 @ 18:39 View bluebedouin   Email bluebedouin   Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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Andy Capp wrote:
luckily the pioneer skin is in narrow horizontal sheets with the joins where the colour changes. originally there would have been horizontal timber bearers behind these joins with the edge of the skin fixed through to the timber. I am hoping that with new wood and good screws with a c o a r s e thread this will pull the edge of the skin back into shape.


To avoid distorted edges on the outside, perhaps some screw on metal trim will help to hide irregularities and help to flatten the join. If a section which has a rubber infil to cover screw heads is used,this would provide further protection for the panels...

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Wed 14 Apr 2010 @ 08:50 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
Anon
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I think it may come to that Mike - if only to try and add some more damp protection....but I can see where you're coming from...

Will need to make a good list on the recce week of materials.....sorry Allan!!!!:#

Also, I fear we may need to remove more ceiling panelling than has come down so far - it looks mighty wrinkly in some of the photos...

I think we may be making use of these guys.......
https://sslrelay.com/olearymotorhomeshop.co.uk/sess/utn;jsessionid=154bc69a18e144f/shopdata/index.shopscript
cheers
carl

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Thu 15 Apr 2010 @ 06:22 Edit this messageQuote this messagePMQuote this message
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