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Fender Rust (Post #597) 4/5/2022

Big shocker!

I found some rust under the left rear fender wheel well. I know! you are probably as surprised as I am!! (/sarcasm).

There were some signs of rust under the wheel well. I pointed them out in another video. So I decided to investigate. I found a lot of rust.

I’ve watched a bunch of videos where guys fix the rusted body panels and sub-structures. I guess it is my turn. I took a welding class a few months back and this was exactly why I took the class. However, I don’t have the tools I need to do most of these repairs. Not yet, anyway.

I will need:

  • A welder ($400 to How much do you want to spend amount of dollars)
    • Welding hood (already own it)
    • Welding gloves (already own it)
    • Fancy pliers (already own it)
    • Training (already done did it)
  • Metal break ($50 to I’ll probably borrow JagGuy’s)
  • A bunch of wire wheels to remove rust ($6 to $15+ for the fancy name brand ones)

I’m going to take a couple week break. I need to do some remodeling on the house’s master bathroom (Mrs. Okierover will be happy when I get this done.) I’m going to the Midwest Overlanding and Off-Road Expo (aka MOORE EXPO).

If you are thinking, “when will you get the Big White Bus back out on the backroads?” Well, I don’t know. At this pace…probably in the Fall. Trust me when I say…I really want to get her fixed and reliable again. Funding does matter, so hopefully that won’t be too big a constraint.

There will be more on this rust issue as I get back in the shoppe and start to sort out this mess.

Thanks for reading/watching and Happy Rovering.

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D Pillar Vinyl Replacement, Part 1 (Post #596) 3/24/2022

D Pillar Vinyl Replacement

In this video post I investigate my cracking vinyl on the D pillar of the Big White Bus. The Southern Plains is very unforgiving to fabric, even plastic fabric. Mine is cracking and looking pretty terrible. Time to pull it off and get it replaced.

I’m going to need to refresh the black paint on all the pillars and the door frames. I found the part number for a rattle can of Beluga Black. Lots of cleaning, light sanding, cleaning, taping, priming, sanding, and painting, and more painting coming this summer.

And…the headliner is going to need either regluing or replacing…..again. I might go with a fabric that I can stick my souvenir event patches can stick to, just.like.a.real.overlander.

I also find a lovely whole rusted in the passenger side D pillar that will need some repair. Lots of grinding away the rust (rust abatement), welding in a new piece of metal, priming and painting. Good thing I took a welding class last year.

This is part one of possibly two or three videos.

Thanks for watching and Happy Rovering.

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Footpad Repair (Post #595) 2/24/2022

https://youtube.com/watch?v=YuB75PMaZA0%3Frel%3D0

Some time ago I noticed the footpad on my inner fender well would droop when I rested my foot on it. In the beginning I would just put my foot under it and lift it back up. But one day when doing that the footpad broke away from the fender well.

The bolts holding the footpad in place had rust welded to the fender well. So when I was lifting it back into place I was actually bending the fender well pieces, much like you wiggle a wire rapidly to break it. As I’ve said before I really have become accustom to resting my foot on the pad and I wanted it fixed.

So I took some time and investigated and repaired it. I used a Dremel tool with a 60 grit grinding wheel and got as much rust off the inner and outer fender well. While I was behind the quarter panel I also ground off some surface rust.

Once I had it all ground down, I applied some acid etching primer to the metal surfaces. I know it won’t last forever, but maybe it will slow down the rust.

Thanks for reading and watching the video. It’s low quality but hopefully entertaining.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

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Current Progress (Post #594) 12/14/2021

In the latest installment, I chat about my current progress on getting the Big White Bus back on the road. I had to take a week off for family coming in for the holiday, and Mrs. Okierover and I both got bronchitis that decided to hang on for 3 weeks (you can hear the Stevie Nicks in my voice). That slowed work on the to-do list. This weekend I’ll probably need the new heater in the shop as it should start getting colder here on the Southern Plains.

In the video, I show the closed cell neoprene installed. I talk about a small missed part on the heater box install. Also talk about getting a new seat controller ECU and getting the seats out. A few words about adjusting the door handle for the driver’s side rear door.

Then instead of shutting up, I drone on more about my desire to have a new bumper, a storage box/bed, and installing D-rings.

I know the video work needs improvement and as I torture you as you watch them make more and more they should improve. When I’m a big interwebs video star you can say, “I remember when that bum first got started. Man those early videos sucked.”

Your feedback is always appreciated.

Thanks for reading/watching, click and subscribe, and Happy Rovering.

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Neoprene for the Win (Post #594) 12/9/2021

A new vlog (do people still call this VLOGging?) on the continuing saga of restoring my Range Rover Classic. I talk about replacing the spongy floor pan covering with closed cell, marine grade, neoprene. I also talk about a possible plan for the seats to be recovered.

I think I’ll take the seats to a local upholstery shop and have them recover them. I have to get the seats out of the Big White Bus first and ….my seat switch controller has failed. I droned on about that so I cut that part of the video out and skipped ahead.

Tell me what you think of these video posts (vlogs, youtubes, whatever…). They seem to be easier than typing up a bunch of text and posting pictures of the work. They might suck…I don’t know, so if you don’t tell me they are terrible How am I to ever know?

Link to Amazon.com and the XCEL Extra Large Marine Roll, Closed Cell Neoprene Rubber with Adhesive, Size 60″ x 16″ x 1/2″. Made in the USA!!!! USA! USA!

Thanks for watching and Happy Rovering.

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