Barnaby the Vusky

[John A. Ross]

Sorry Dave, reckon i jined it with the jelousy comment

[Dave Lane]

Sorry Dave, reckon i jined it with the jelousy comment

Recon you did - you rotter you

[Dave Lane]

Today I decided to have a go at tidying up the Vuskys Chammy dash I fitted literally decades ago .

Its the later teak one and was wrenched from a MK2 Chammy i really shouldnt of scrapped ( RIP UMM 652F ).

The dash wood was damaged in the Chammy from the start , a great chunk below the lock and also a bit around the lock itself which i just glued back in , centre section had been brushed with yacht varnish and looked hideous . I sank a Commer badge in the damaged bit below the lock and made a perspex surround for it around 15 years ago - at least it looked better than before .

So basically i pulled it out and hit it with a sander and some gloss lacquer . Centres possibly from another car as it doesnt match - still its better than it was .

The chunk came out by the lock again so i made an esclutcheon from the same bit of black perspex to cover it up , easier than trying to get another bit of wood

[John A. Ross]

\Looks good Dave, especially with the 3 gauges in middle rathr than the two plus badge.

Still got the dash veneer on my to-do list ...

[Dave Lane]

So Barnaby the Vuskys tailgates been rattling for decades , you kind of get used to it but lately its needed a bit more of a slam to get it to catch .

A few years back i repaired the locks catch which was very worn , managed to get the lock apart and braze the missing bit back in the reassemble the lock .

This helped as did a new nylon slam pan catch but somehow it just didnt quite get as good as id hoped ,

I had a good look at it yesterday and did notice the alloy guide on the tailgate was very worn , not only that im not even certain its supposed to touch the top of the catch as hard as it does - surely its the angled side guides that need to make contact ??? - not the top .

Anyway having found another also knackered guide plate i went ahead and brass lined it having filed the worn bit perfectly flat .

Some copper rivets , a bit of adjustment here and there and voila a tailgate that shuts AND latches lovely . wont know if the rattles gone til i can use it but its a start , I used grease to gauge the contact areas which seem fine to me .

This set up was changed by Chrysler in 68 so there must of been a reason .

[John A. Ross]

Lovely piece of work Dave , glad the rattle dissapeared on the test drive to the shops. I always think blind rivets look so cool

[Dave Lane]

Finally finished by second " go faster " DR3A Armature .

I started this mid March then got Furlowed .



Time to do just over 5 hours in total , top grade wire and insulation , double varnished and double cooked , comm run out isnt measurable



Before - old armature

Newness one

[Dave Lane]

Styling exercise on the Vusky

Im Liking the uncluttered look with no pipes / sump / other entrails showing

[John A. Ross]

Nice job, like them owls

At risk of a bad joke from the usual suspects Dave I will need to have a good look at the dangley bits as the block kit drops things down a bit as well, might actually adopt this idea

[Dave Lane]

Styling excercise part whatever . photoshopped black rear grill

[Dave Lane]

Mulling over - black it is

[John A. Ross]

looking good Dave, huge difference !

[Dave Lane]

Final stage of the new look Vusky .

Sprayed the roof rack the same colour as the wheels.

Its Rover Arum white but in reality its a light magnolia .

[Dave Lane]

Restall rear seat back / load area is wearing well after 50 years of abuse . Cleaned up rather well after much use of a knackered toothbrush and carpet cleaner

[John A. Ross]

Old fella is wearing well