The Combo; Winter 2020/2021
So, the van has had a little attention lately. After a particularly uncomfortable journey from Suffolk to Devon, I decided to try and add some kind of sound-deadening, which has now evolved into a mission to make the cargo area look more car-like. I decided to start with the easiest pieces to remove; the rear door cards. Removing them revealed the framework underneath. The first thing I did was clean, naturally!
Those gaps were ideal, so I added some of the same Dacron foam that I had used in my Corsa.
With the plastic door card removed, I first cleaned off all the dust that had accumulated, and then wet-sanded the front. With Katherine's help, I used a four-way stretch carpet and spray adhesive to cover the door card, starting with the indentation where the door handle sits.
We placed an old towel over the carpeted section to prevent the messy glue ruining it, and then covered the rest of the panel with one piece. It was easier than we thought it'd be!
To keep it secure, flaps were cut so the fabric could be glued over the back of the panel. Our chihuahua was not helpful.
Thankfully the plastic fasteners that secure the door card didn't snap, so I replaced the door card. The end result looked very promising!
Next was the plywood panels on the upper sections. I covered them with a thin self-adhesive insulating foam, before carpeting them, to add some cushioning. I also stuck a few small tabs of the foam on the back to prevent vibration.
Being flat, they were much easier to carpet. Once in the van, the rear doors were finished.
Needless to say I was very happy with the result! So, I shall be working my way through the van, carpeting and insulating everything I can, to make the van look and sound less tinny.
While all this was in progress, I also bought a silver 2004 Corsa 1.3 diesel. That would be my fourth Corsa, and sixth Vauxhall. I had no intention of tarting it up to sell on, because it was too far gone with rust. It was a parts car! I bought it for £130, and stripped about £100 worth of parts to use on my Corsa and Combo, and a few to sell. Once I had what I wanted, I sold what was left to a scrap dealer for the modest sum of... £130. So basically the parts were free! Can't grumble at that! The parts used on the Combo included;
1. An insulated engine cover (on the right)...
2. Underbonnet insulation...
3. A new 12V socket to replace the original, which was loose...
And a new screenwash cap, as the old one had snapped. I figured a photo of that was unnecessary!
Next up was a trip to Shaun's. Lately, the van has developed the inevitable brake servo leak, leaving the driver's floor damp. So, me and Shaun stripped under the scuttle panel, which included the windscreen wiper assembly and motor, the screenwash bottle, the cabin filter and the black intake shroud that surrounds it, and the battery. While Shaun removed and resealed the servo itself, I cleaned all the foliage and mud that surrounded it, and cleared the drainage channels that were likely flooded.
With this all done, we moved on to the best part; new halo headlights! They're the same type as fitted to the Corsa, but I chose black for the van instead of chrome, to contrast against the white paintwork.
I was giddy when I saw the halos light up!
