HELP NEEDED MAKING FRONT BUMPER/VALANCE/SKIRT FROM METAL

[tim1987uk]

HI, I WONDER IF ANYONE CAN HELP ME. I SAW GOING BACK A LITTLE WHILE ON ONE OF THE ASTRO SAFARI SITES, SOMEONE WAS MAKING A FRONT BUMPER / VALANCE/ SKIRT OUT OF METAL USING TUBING AND SHEET METAL. THEY HAD PHOTOS SHOWING PROGRESS. I HAVE NOW SPENT HOURS AND HOURS TRYING TO FIND THE SAME PHOTOS AND INFORMATION!!!!! BUT I CANNOT COME ACROSS THEM AGAIN SINCE THE BREAK DOWN OF THE OLD SITE AND NEW ONE STARTING UP. PLEASE IF ANYONE KNOWS WHO THE GUY WAS OR A THREAD LEAD, THIS WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED AS I AM IN THE UK AND CANNOT OBTAIN AFTER MARKET FRONT ENDS. GUESS I SHOULD HAVE SAVED THE PHOTOS AT THE TIME BUT HEY NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THIS DIFFICULT TO GO BACK THROUGH EVERYTHING. IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANYTHING SIMILAR IT WOULD BE GREAT, THANKS
TIM :-k

[SoCalli V8]

That would be BoopVanner / Dave, checkout his site and look in his members photo album http://www.vandomain.com

[tim1987uk]

HI, DARREN, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET INTO VAN DOMAIN.COM BUT WAITING TO BE MADE ACTIVE, I CANNOT GAIN ANY ACCESS YET AS I REGISTERED YESTERDAY, THANKS FOR COMING BACK TO ME.
TIM

[tim1987uk]

HI ALL,
WELL THIS ALL STARTED WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR A KIT AND DID NOT FIND ONE IN THE UK, I DECIDED TO MAKE MY OWN SO I HAD A LOOK AT WHAT METAL I HAD KNOCKING AROUND AND FOUND LOTS OF IT.
THEN I HAD TO DO MUCH THINKING AND SEE WHAT I COULD DO WITH IT, SO OUT CAME THE GRINDER AND DICE CUTTER TO CUT THE 4" PIPE IN HALF. NEXT WAS TO CUT THE HALF PIPE MANY TIMES TO BEND IT TO THE SHAPE OF THE FRONT VAN BUMPER. WITH THIS DONE I COULD CLAMP THE TWO TOGETHER AND START TO TAG WELD THE CUT, CURVED PIPE IN PLACE, AS I BEND IT. OF COURSE THIS DOES NOT GO RIGHT FIRST TIME AND YOU HAVE TO DO MORE CUTTING TO GET IT RIGHT. ONCE THIS WAS DONE I WANTED TO SEAM WELD IT ALL BEFORE ATTACHING IT TO THE BUMPER WITH WELD.
THEN I HAD TO REFIT THE LOT BACK ON THE VAN TO HAVE A LOOK AT IT & SEE HOW LOW IT WAS, READY FOR MORE WORK.

THE NEXT THING TO DO WAS TO TAKE BOTH ENDS AROUND THE SIDES OF THE FRONT OF THE VAN AND GET THIS RIGHT. THIS WAS NOT THAT EASY AS YOU CAN NOT SEE BOTH SIDES AT ONCE. EVENTUALLY I GOT THERE. THEN CUT THE EXCESS OFF TO THE SHAPE AND SOME MORE TAG WELD. OFF IT CAME AGAIN FOR MORE WELDING. BACK ON THE VAN FOR MORE MARKING & CUTTING, THIS TIME I COULD SEE IT NEEDED TO BE EXTENDED ON THE BOTTOM, ABOUT 3.5" OF METAL, & TWO 3/8" SOLID RODS OF METAL ONE TO GO ON THE BOTTOM TO MAKE IT STRONGER AND ONE BETWEEN THE CURVE AND EXTENDED SECTION, SO MORE TAG WELD TO HOLD IN PLACE, THEN OFF AGAIN AND SEAM WELDING IT ALL UP. I PUT IT BACK ON THE VAN TO SEE HOW MUCH ROOM WAS UNDERNEATH AND IF I COULD GET IT OFF THE DRIVE. I TOOK IT FOR A RUN AROUND TO SEE IF IT WENT OVER THE HUMPS AND SLEEPING POLICEMEN IN THE ROAD, WHICH IT ONLY JUST CLEARS.

IT WAS AT THIS POINT I DECIDED TO TAKE IT OFF AGAIN AND CUT SOME HOLES IN IT FOR LIGHTS THEN PUT A LIP ON THE INSIDE OF THE HOLES SO IT LOOKED BETTER. I ALSO DISLIKED THE NUMBER PLATE IN THE MIDDLE, I WANTED IT ON THE SIDE. IT WAS TIME TO MAKE A BOX FOR IT AND THEN CUT THE HOLE SO I THEN WELDED EVERYTHING UP WITH THE LONG TASK OF GRINDING IT ALL DOWN BEFORE I PUT IT BACK ON AGAIN FOR THE FINAL LOOK. THIS WAS OK SO OFF IT CAME AGAIN, BEARING IN MIND I HAD TO USE THIS VAN WHEN DOING ALL THE WORK ALL THIS TIME.

NOW IT WAS TIME TO START TO SKIM IT WITH F/GLASS ON ALL THE JOINS OF WELD AND START THE TASK OF RUBBING DOWN, WITH A FINAL SKIM OF PUD ALL OVER JUST TO FILL IN ANY LITTLE DENTS & HOLES, SO IT WAS ALL SMOOTH ON THE FRONT OF IT AND ON THE BACK I USED SEAM SEAL ON ALL THE WELDING TO STOP RAIN OR DAMP FROM GETTING IN. THEN WENT OVER IT ALL WITH STONE CHIP SPRAY AND ON THE FRONT I JUST SPRAYED IT WITH AN EDGE PRIMER FOR NOW.

OVER ALL AS IT IS NOW I THINK IT LOOKS GOOD. WHEN I DO THE REST OF THE VAN I SHALL HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE TO IT.

I SHALL PUT AS MANY PICS AS I CAN.

I HOPE I HAVE NOT BORED YOU WITH THIS.
TIM

MORE PICS LINK TO AS UK = http://www.astrosafari.co.uk/forums/tm. ... 22&mpage=1

[LiftedAWDAstro]

First thing, turn the caps lock off. You don't have to yell at us.

Second, I can't see the pics. The link requires me to register.