THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

I've had a few people ask about the 718 progress and whilst I've been working on it steadily it's often a slow time consuming business.

The brake assemblies are now completed, so all that needs to be done to complete the driveline is to assemble the transfer case and rebuild the front differential .....things I'II do when the body is out for painting.

Whilst working on the brakes I stripped the motor (the block has to go out for tanking now) and had the head rebuilt....the guy did a lovely job on the head!

In the meantime I've been making all the panels and welding-in/assembling bits where applicable.
The sides now lift up via custom made hinges (with removable Pip Pins) and whilst I've "folded the roof edges, I'm yet to "roll" the rounded rib into the parts.....I have made a set of dies to do this but have to finish and harden them.
I thought I was nearly done with panel fabrication but was disappointed to hear from S-Tec after waiting 6 months for delivery that they could not supply the right rear door skin, so now I've got to make it myself.

Finally I managed to purchase a 24V 60mm Tachometer on Ebay. Now that I have all the gauges, switches etc. I hope to finish the dash area in the near future.

I will take one please
Wow wow wow - looking great - the lift up sides are amazing!!
What is your use for them to lift up like that?

Amazing work Peter you are definitely a craftsman!!!!

Thanks guys
I designed the rear (the roof above the lift up doors is removable....like a targa roof) so eventually I can drop a "yet to be designed/ made" camping module in the rear, yet the vehicle will still look factory stock from the outside......before I build the "module", storage racks similar to those in my 712 will be fitted and I will be able to access these from the outside, and when up, the roof will provide cover from the rain etc.

So Peter
You're going to quit your day job, buy the licensing rights from BAE, and start up production of the Pinzgauer in your workshop?

I like the "Bat" doors and details that went into them. The metal center dash is also impressive. Did you remake the glove box also? The plastic formed pieces were some of my least favorite concession on the TDs to cut costs.
It also looked as if you had made some changes behind the bulkhead, in front of the side doors.?
Beautiful work.
It also looks like your shop has filled up a bit since you built it... time for expansion?
Cheers

David Dunn wrote:So Peter
You're going to quit your day job, buy the licensing rights from BAE, and start up production of the Pinzgauer in your workshop?

He could ber the Pinzgauer restoration Depot But from the amount of time he puts into one I'm sure I couldn't afford one even at pennies on the dolar for labor

David Dunn wrote: I like the "Bat" doors and details that went into them. The metal center dash is also impressive. Did you remake the glove box also? The plastic formed pieces were some of my least favorite concessions on the TDs to cut costs.

Yeah the plastic formed dash and glove box seem to feel less than quality and while the plastic(fiberglass) engine cover on the old ones seem quality and was a good design for ease of engine access.

G'Day Dave,
As you know, resto/rebuilding takes hundreds if not thousands of hours so as Mopar says I'd have to sell them all to the Princes in Dubai given the finished cost.

I'm still using the vacuum formed dash panels/glovebox, but I'm backing them all up with 1.5mm aluminium sheet, which makes them flat and feel much more quality like.....them I'm recovering them in a vinyl type material, but apart from that the cabin is pretty much factory.

As for the workshop.....yep, fast running out of space.
I rebuilt the 712 in a 6 X 5 metre workshop so I thought this one would be more than big enough (11 X ....but I was wrong.
The other day I was talking to a mate who has just built a workshop that makes mine look tiny (I could fit my workshop in his mezzanine area) but even he says he's running out of space, so I guess no matter the size, they are NEVER big enough

A relatively small step in the 718's rebuilding process but something that has been on my mind for some time.

A fair while ago now some Forum members helped me out with information about my request for hole dimensions etc in the upper rear door section.




It took me some time to get around to this particular job but eventually I did, and using the info supplied I created a basic die and punched the shapes in the upper rear door section as per the factory unit.....why did I go to all that trouble for 6 holes that have no functional purpose.......hmmm I think most older forum members know me by now and what I want for my 718

I would be happy if I had 1/10th your skill..

I'd like to see a picture of your press setup. Awesome stuff!!!

Miles

I'm looking in the thesaurus for better alternatives to the word "impressive" but maybe I'll stick with that one for now!

Thanks guys but I'm really just following my passion to "make things".....something I've loved doing since I was virtually in Nappies.

As for the press Miles, it's really just a standard 30 tonne workshop press.....it only took a fraction of that tonnage to make the indentations.
(I had to get the Steyr Puch Banner logo in the pic )



The die is nothing fancy, it's just that you have to work out where your pulling material from (hence the "grip"/hatched areas on the die plates and the pre-cut interior holes in the sheetmetal panel) and maintain accuracy when machining the tooling, or the whole stamping can go "pear shaped"
Finally, the hole was machined to size on the milling machine.

I take it you had to unbolt one side of the press to get it in place?

Are you going to treat the metal for any kind of rust protection? How are you going to handle sound insulation, or is it going to be all stock? (or is it too early to ask?)

Tim, I was actually thinking of doing for the internal holes/pressings (I could do the external pressings in the main press), but rather, I used the external "overhang" on the left side of the press (which normally has a small arbour press attached....I removed it for this job) to do the inside pressings with the aid of the additional orange jack.

Vince, all the steel that I have used is either zinc sealed or galvanised (strangely the factory sourced parts vary...... the rear door shell is mild steel, no coating, whilst the floor sides are galvanised.....mind you the factory does paint dip the whole body).

Much like the factory TD-K's the side panels will have internal sound absorbing insulation and the floor will have underbody laminate insulation......which is also used on your G Wagen so I am led to understand.