Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT My new garage in Wales

[Zebedeewesty]

Spare wheel fitted. I quite like the look without the chrome hubcap. Seems the rear bump stop mount has rusted off and its just sat inside the rear spring.

Had a walk through Toch woods.



Black Pool Mill on the Cleddau Ddu.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Massive snow fall in Pembrokeshire.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

No wonder I struggled to get the cover off the van. The whole area of the roof rack (about 4ft x 4ft) was covered in 3" of solid ice.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Opened the van this morning and there was a small frozen puddle of water in one of the floor indents where the cables run under the pedals. Not sure where its come from though i was in there with wet boots yesterday and its parked on a slope nose down. Its not rained at all overnight.

Bit crispy underfoot this morning.

 

[Prospecter]

Hopefully just boots water. Gorgeous day for a walk. Happy pups.

 

[brit vet]

We've had it pretty bad in the north west with sub-zero temps for a week and snow three days straight. This was day one..



The two Rotties are having a ball playing outside, the smaller dogs hate it as the snow reaches their bellies. I've given up on trying to move IT off the drive and paths in the hope it will be gone SOON

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Hopefully just boots water. Gorgeous day for a walk. Happy pups.

Don't think its wet boots as i dried it all up and there was another puddle.
Its been above freezing so the ice on the roof has been melting and running down the windscreen.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Windscreen looks sealed all around as the sealant has squished out the surround all around. Wondering if its melted frozen condensation or maybe the cab door seals as the cab steps have a little water pool in them too.

Its getting a bit thin in the woods.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Foggy again this morning.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

First proper rain since the windscreen went in last Monday and the whole cab floor was covered in 2" of water.

 

[captain14]

A friend who worked at an automotive shop made a bracket to hold a nozzle high to run water over problem areas trying to trace water leaks.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Its definately leaking from the top edge. The floor had drips in a dozen places from the middle 3/4 of the top edge. It also runs round the screen under the trim and drips out the bottom corners where the bulkhead meets the side panels. It filled the autobox ECU with water. Its a Pilkington screen which is the same as main dealers sell so should be a good screen.
They're coming back tomorrow afternoon to hopefully sort it.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Just one guy arrived as they had no windscreen available and didn't want to chance this one breaking and not having a replacement. Sprayed water over the screen with a hosepipe and he confirmed where the water is getting in (along the top edge and bottom corners). Nothing he could do though. Think it was possibly the cold and damp day it was fitted stopped the adhesion promoter working properly.
Gonna be back in the next couple of days to remove and fit.

No point fitting any of this back in until after its confirmed leak free.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Trying to decide who is going to chew on the bone.

Another foggy morning.

 

[Prospecter]

Beautiful! I think I would rely on the dogs for a tow up some of your hills.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Beautiful! I think I would rely on the dogs for a tow up some of your hills.

Lucy is great uphills. "Pull, pull, pull" and away she goes. Wouldn't like to attempt it on a mountain bike or sled though.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Windscreen is getting replaced tomorrow morning. First job of the day. Hopefully this one seals OK.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Old (new) windscreen nearly came out intact. 90% through cutting with the cheesewire and it snagged on something, snapping the wire and cracking the bottom corner of the screen. So close. Only 2" left to cut too.
Not the fault of the original replacement as it was a paint adhesion problem in a couple of places along top of the screen surround. Never ideal painting anything outside in winter.
Cleaned up, wire brushed and sanded again, degreased and new windscreen stuck in. Hopefully thats it leak free now.

New sliding window seals needed. The one the window closes into at the front is missing completely on the passengers side too.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

The girls weren't pleased about not getting out for a walk first thing this morning. Sulking.

Went down to the reservoir this afternoon with them instead. Took a different route round for a change.



Lucy still hasn't passed her driving test.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Removed the front bumper to gain a little better access to the passengers side front outrigger. Didn't fancy catching it with the angle grinder.
Its pretty solid for the original 30 year old panel.

Just a couple of holes, one at either end which i need to fill with some 2mm steel.


Chopped a small chunk out of the outrigger. The rest is solid.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Misty morning again and now a slight bit of drizzle too. Don't think i'll be welding outside today.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Spent the afternoon lying under the van wirebrushing some flaking underseal stuff off the chassis outriggers and making a small repair panel for the end of the drivers side outrigger. Full of mud like the passengers side one. Still can't see how it got in unless its just very fine silt thats built up over the years.
Painted the front bumper crossmember with some bonda red oxide primer. My latex gloves all decided to just come apart when i tried to put them on so hands are covered in red now. Supposed to come off with cellulose thinners but they lied.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Couple of repairs done to the ends of the front outriggers. Just waiting for some 2mm steel to arrive so I can sort the two holes in the front bumper crossmember now.
Found the extension nozzle from the cavity wax aerosol also fits the primer i bought so sprayed a load in through the drain holes so cover any of the welds and any metal that had the paint burnt off.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Rain overnight and the floor is still dry.
Hopefully that means its leak free and i can add the DAB aerial, get the radio installed and refit the carpets and seats.
Will see after storm Eowyn dumps the expected amount of rain i suppose.

Found this barcode under the underseal on the passengers side chassis rail. I assume its build info or VIN info as T7T7 is the paint code. No idea what the rest is though.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Bit of Tetrosyl Tetraschutz sprayed over the repairs so it matches the rest of the wheel arch. Did the inner sills too.

 

[Prospecter]

Blends in nicely. Looking good!

 

[Anne Gordon]

Wow, what an upgrade from your previous garage! The new detached garage looks fantastic, and it must feel amazing to have so much more space to work with.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Heavy rain over night and theres a big puddle in the drivers side footwell again.

Wow, what an upgrade from your previous garage! The new detached garage looks fantastic, and it must feel amazing to have so much more space to work with.

Yeah, being able to actually walk round the car is a big plus point.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Weather looks like it could get interesting over the next couple of days.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Managed to get the ends of the bumper crossmember welded up and painted in red oxide while the weather was dry. Not particularly pretty but its hidden behind the bumper anyway.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Little bit blowy still in Pembrokeshire though the worst of the weather blew through overnight. The house and garden survived with just a seat blown over, though my FIL's Barbie shed (its made of plastic) moved off its base slightly and is now up against the fence. Its got a big ride on mower and garden tools in so isn't exactly light.
No idea why it was never secured to the slab as the instructions said but thats my FIL for you.

Had a walk to see how many trees were down. None that i could see, though one on the other side of the road from us has gained a bit of a lean.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Had a dry day today so got the front bumper crossmember painted in gloss black. Looks a lot tidier now.

This is how much the barbie shed has moved. The week old new fence stopped it heading down the bank and onto the road. A couple of the fence posts are now a bit loose though. The old fence would have been flat as all the posts were rotten at ground level.
Gonna be entertaining tomorrow trying to get the lawn tractor out of the doors with the position they are now in with that tree.

 

[zanyad]

Gonna be entertaining tomorrow trying to get the lawn tractor out of the doors with the position they are now in with that tree.

Oof. Good luck!

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Oof. Good luck!

Yeah, it should be fun. It barely clears the door frames when the door isn't obstructed. I think the doors are gonna have to come off and maybe the corner panel too. The doors are a bit twisted out of shape now anyway as they won't open.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

More strong winds are forecast for tomorrow and monday so it seems a bit pointless emptying it and trying to move it back only for the wind to move it again. Maybe if it comes from the opposite direction it will blow it back into place.
Really need to figure out a more permanent solution to keeping it i place.
Ground anchors through the plastic honeycomb floor into the slab will hold the base down but then the walls will likely just blow over. The walls are only clipped into keyhole slots in the base which the wind just rips out.
Quality bit of design.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

I'm come to the conclusion that theres no way to keep the water from coming in when its too cold and wet for the creeping crack cure to work. I think the windscreen will need to come out again (though its now not covered under the rectification warranty).
I might refit the seats and leave the large full cab rubber mat with the carpet stuck to it out completely and just get a rubber overmat or something for the floor that i can lift up and dry underneath without having to take the seats out every time.
I'll just need to reposition the autobox ECU as its fitted to the A pillar and water drips on it and runs into the housing even with it taped inside a plastic bag. The loom to it isn't that long though so not sure where it could go.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Bolted the bumper back on again after spraying cavity wax inside the outriggers and front crossmember.

Went to get some LPG for the caravelle and took the dogs for a walk in the woods. Carpark was completely full, though i only saw 3 people.

Managed to get the Barbie shed moved back onto its slab, though more strong winds are due tomorrow and monday so we'll see where it ends up.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

Found this mouldy bit of paper in the glovebox. Nearly binned it until i had a proper look at it.
Its the build info.

Build date is day 2 of week 21 which is 25th May 1993. It wasn't registered until 18th June 1994 though.
3UA - Without seats
L0R - Right hand drive
3R0 - Standard roof
G0E - Four-speed automatic transmission
9AA - Manually controlled heater
1AB - Power brake
A8B - Basic equipment
6AA - Without second heat exchanger
9M0 - Without auxiliary heater/fuel-fired parking heater
K4D - Pickup
3TH - Seat in cab, left
3SH - Seat in cab, right
6L0 - Without C-rails
8PA - Without ashtray light
Few codes i can't find. BD, BV2, 587. Theres one thats just too covered in mould to read too.

I decoded the PR codes too:
X2B: Equipment options subset for Great Britain
B0N: Component set for Great Britain
C0H: Steel wheels 6J x 15, ET35
G0E: 4-speed automatic gearbox
H0Y: Tyres 195/70 R 15 97S reinforced
J1L: Battery 280 A (60 Ah)
M2C: 5-cylinder gasoline engine 2.5 L/81 kW DIGIFANT, closed-loop catalyt. converter
0J3: Load group 1 FA/2 RA
1AB: brake servo
1G2: Spare wheel with original equipment tire, steel
1ME: Comfort steering wheel, M. AIRBAG
1NE: Wheel centres STANDARD
3AQ: Right exterior mirror with brace, convex
3BL: Left exterior mirror with brace, convex
T2Y: 5-cylinder SI engine 2.5 l unit 023.A
0E1: Shorter wheelbase
0ZP: Transmission ratio, low geared
1N1: Power steering
0G2: Selector lever
8L1: Bright short-rod antenna
1LE: Disc brakes in front
1BA: Suspension/dampers, standard

 

[captain14]

Just an idea for the shed. A neighbor put 2-3 eyebolts sunk in cement and ran a wire connecting each side. One side had a turnbuckle on it to tighten it as necessary.

I’ve seen a couple of YouTube videos where people have built an interior frame to hold long tools and shelves. You might be able to secure the wood frame to the slab and points inside the shed. They used 2”x2” lumber. I don’t know what that translate to in metric measurements.

I don’t think those sheds have too much integrity if you just try to anchor the bottom.