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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline 
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Making Bluebedouin a reality. With all the talk of paint jobs & body repairs etc,I thought it about time to post my story.When I first thought about getting a campervan it was mainly for MBW,whose disability means she can't sit for too long.It helps, though,if her legs are stretched out. I had no preferences as to the base vehicle,it was purely down to price.Our beddy was the first one we saw & I fell in love with the shape immediately.I wasn't too happy about the gold colour but had already decided that it would be a blue bedouin.MBW's reaction wasn't so enthusiastic though, "Oh no,a F*cking ice cream van!" On the 2nd October 1999 she was officially ours & so the journey began! Many miles & mountains of cash later we had to admit defeat & take it off the road.After sitting for about four years in our back garden I finally came in to a bit of money & so started the long haul back.These pictures were taken when I first had it piggybacked up to the garage for a new engine to be fitted.Note the bin bag on the roof to replace the broken vent. 
My first attempt was the bottom half of the living section which I did in about 2001.I stripped it off with paint stripper & it took hours!I sprayed it with primer & had it like that for the next few years.I just couldn't face the thought of having to do the rest. 
Once I'd decided to make a start again it had to be something quicker than using paint stripper,so I opted for a wire brush on a grinder.The first one was too hard & scratched the metal but the second one was excellent.It was a silverline 100mm crimp bevel brush.Looks like this. 
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 Tue 03 Nov 2009 @ 14:38
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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline
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After filling in a couple of holes,I primed both wings 
& then removed the bumpers to reveal more holes.Worst one being on the nearside. 
I rough cut & hammered a piece of metal to shape & pop riveted it to the inside then filled the gaps . 
To be continued....
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Tue 03 Nov 2009 @ 22:07
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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline
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One of the doors also needed a bit of filler. 
I found where the original mirrors had been as well! 
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Tue 03 Nov 2009 @ 22:57
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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline
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A previous owner had welded a new strip on to the front of the bonnet which needed new filler. 
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Tue 15 Dec 2009 @ 20:58
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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline
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When the engine was replaced it was done so through the front grille. 
I was going to weld the piece back in then thought that if I ever need to do the job again it would be easier to just unbolt it.So bolts & filler it was! 
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Tue 15 Dec 2009 @ 21:02
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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline
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My first attempt at the topcoat resulted in the inevitable orange peel 
but once I'd got the mix right (500ml paint -100ml white spirit) things weren't too bad. 
This was as far as I'd got by August bank holiday. 
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Thu 06 May 2010 @ 23:49
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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline
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It was too much work to try & wire brush the living area so just sanded roughly. 
Then applied the new coat of paint.Here's the finished* product. 
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Fri 07 May 2010 @ 16:48
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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline
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I didn't like the rear bumpers so a spare set of front ones were painted & fitted to homemade brackets. 
*The living section is going to need a couple more coats but that will have to wait till next year now. The paint was Rustoleum CombiColor applied with a small foam roller.I bought 2.5lt of blue & 750ml of white.Total cost �40.(I haggled!) Our trips to Hatton & Malvern revealed difficulties for us in the interior design.Over the winter I shall be moving the "kitchen" & re fitting seating behind the drivers seat to form the bed.I can then remove the long double at the back to give us a bit more space. I also bought a large tent from the tip for a fiver that I shall be converting to a rear awning.
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Sun 11 Jul 2010 @ 22:34
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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline
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Here are the pics of the toilet compartment where the wood had rotted.The fault had been the seam between the fibre glass rear & the ally side. 
The main support needed replacing along with some "sideshoots". 
The bottom corner had also rotted so that too was replaced. 
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Sun 11 Jul 2010 @ 22:38
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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline
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The old glass fibre insulation was removed & replaced with polystyrene panels.(I did take pics of these but they didn't come out very well) New hardboard panelling was cut & fixed in place & I found a new use for an old seat belt! 
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Tue 13 Jul 2010 @ 19:03
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bluebedouin Global Moderator Posts : 2444 Location : Northampton,England. Status : Offline
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Just realised I hadn't finished this blog. I've got a few pics prior to these but I've got to sort them out first. 
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Thu 12 Mar 2015 @ 20:21
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