Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[ukdave2002]

There was a thread on this van , started by Rick some 4 years ago? but I can't find it ! I bought the van off Rick 3 ish years ago, and it's sat in storage ever since.

The van is an ex GPO Telephone engineers van, plan is to restore it to GPO spec, so I have been collecting stuff like the original ladder rack and internal racking.

In March 2012 a couple of things happened; The Morris Register wanted a commercial to show at the Event City car show in Manchester, and I was moving my storage. So for the first time in 3 years I had a really good look at the van, the brakes had never worked (Rick had suspected the master cylinder), oil pressure (on the cars gauge was very random) and most of the electrics didn't do to much.

I decided to revamp the entire brake system, made a complete set of pipes up, the front brakes were standard Morris 8 brakes I had a set of linings and refurbished wheel cylinders in "stock" so no problem, the rear brakes were completely different ..after a bit of digging I found out that later Z vans were fitted with the post war minor axle and brakes, what a result as post war minor brake stuff is readily available and a fraction of the cost of Morris 8 bits . The master cylinder was passed its best;I had a better one that responded well to new seals!

The odd oil pressure sorted its self out I suspect the gauge pipe was partially blocked? but its all good and constant now.

Brakes sorted I looked at the electrics, unfortunately the van has been re-wired mainly using brown cable anyway all faults pointed to the control box and a couple of corroded terminals, I cleaned these up an adjusted the control box and everything apart from the real lights came to life. The rear lights for some reason had been disconnected, a quick bit or re-wiring sorted these out.

So all this done I booked the van in for an MOT this afternoon, a couple of hours before hand I gave it the last once over..... and found a problem I had somehow missed there was play in the off sided kingpin ..... 2 hours to the MOT..do I cancel?


Idea; I have a worn Morris 8 layshaft (5/8"s ground bar same as the kingpin and some new oilite bushes for the same, planned use was for a gearbox rebuild) the wear on the layshaft was at the 2 points where it sits in a bearing, and ther is enough unworn bar to make a kingpin So I quickly stripped the offending stub axle down and yes there is a god! the external dimensions of the oilite bushes are also correct reamed the bushes , ground a flat on the cut layshaft for the cotter pin, turned a new thrust washer, cut the layshaft to size, drilled a hole in the bushes for grease and the job's a good un!

So this afternoon we went for an MOT......all good except for "sharp edges" on the body work... IE non structural external corrosion, the NT explained that if someone could brush past and cut themselves this would be a fail... he went off and came back with a roll of gaffa tape, and instructed me where I needed to apply it!

So today we got the MOT albeit with a few bits of odd bodywork additions:P



Dave

[Rick]

Nice bit of pre-MOT improvisation going on there great to hear that it has its MOT, any plans to take it to local "do's" in the near future?

RJ
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[ukdave2002]

[Rick]

[ukdave2002]

Yes, probably do that, I was planning on taking the MGA (in whatever state it is in!!), and the z van with possibly the un-restored 8 tourer to the Horseshoe

Could leave them there and "blast" up to the barony in the Z for a few hours.

Dave

PS I'm after these bits for the Z if anyone can help http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=82796#82796

[buzzy bee]

I look forward to seeing her! Just made a post on your wanted thread asking after pics etc, and now have seent his thread... lol

Which show has changed their dates? They never normally clash. I wonder if I am at a rally, if not like I said elsewhere I think the Horshoe will get my support, as much as I like the barony do, I like the informalness of pub do's..

Cheers

Dave

[ukdave2002]

Have completed a couple of jobs on the van.... firstly I haven't touched the engine since owning it, it runs pretty well, apart from the odd misfire when hot, nothing that would stop you running it, but needed sorting. I put it on the engine scope and the trace indicated the HT peaks and dropped very quickly on a couple of cylinders; classic high resistance HT leads. I put new leads on and the misfire has gone, and I have to say the van runs far better

At some point in its life someone added rear windows:



Plan is to return it to a GPO Telephone Engineering van...so the windows had to go , I was concerned about welding in metal, given the size and possible distortion, so for the first time used a 3M vehicle panel adhesive, this stuff is used by manufactures and in body shops to replace non structural spot welding. Made some repair panels with a joggled edge.


and came up with a way of holding them in place!


Pleased with the result; it will need a smear of filler before the paint;


Now need to sort the wings out, I did wonder if it took longer to put the windows in, than it took me to to put the metal back!!

Dave

[Dave King]

Hi,

I may have a couple of NOS steel wings available, but it depends on whether I can get my original rubber wings to a reasonable standard. If you're not in a hurry, I'll let you know.

Dave

[Rick]

[Dave King]

Thanks Rick,

Thanks for the welcome!

I think I managed to post on another forum as well! I'll get the hang of the site eventually...........

I've been trying to get this van restored for about 8 years, but I'll post a few pics of it's progress at some point.

Thanks again,

Dave

[ukdave2002]

H Dave

good to hear from another GPO Z van restorer

Have sent you a PM, be good to see some pics of your van, I love driving mine around, apart from the rear view; which even with the large van mirrors on each side is decidedly dodgy

If you are building a telephone engineers van I have some spare racking


Dave

[clan chieftain]

I passed my driving test in a Post Office Telephones Z type van. MYF 229. Amazing how you remember these details after 47 years.
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The Clan Chieftain

[Rick]

It looked great driving away from the show last weekend, faded paint is definitely the way forward

R
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[Dave King]

Hi Clan Chief,

Do you remember where the regulator box fitted to the bulkhead?

One of my ex-colleagues drove a Z van, he told me about the battery cut out switch that was fitted to GPO vans.
Mine has one!

Dave

[ukdave2002]

Hi Dave

Sorry I thought I'd posted a pic of mine must be old age

The GPO vans have the compensated regulator, the civy vans had the simpler cut out with the high and low charge positions on the lamp/ignition switch.

Here is where mine (RF95 compensated control box)is located, you can see the holes above it where the cut would have been fitted on the civy vehicles:





Many thanks for the pictures of the locks