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Anon
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Restoring & Customising a CF280, and the CF 230 that followed.
WHAT I HAVE.
This is what I have started with; A 1983 280, bought off the internet with only a photo to go by.
I paid $3000 for her,...a fair price I think. I flew up to Tauranga and was collected by the seller and driven back to his premises.
Money changed hands and I was away. Six hours drive back home, with a short detour to collect a set of mag wheels, I also bought off TradeME.
The trip home was uneventfull. Running a bit rough and very rich. I decide not to try tuneing it in case I run into trouble.
I have not named her yet. She is a tired LWB camper, standard roof, Holden 3.3 litre six cylinder, LPG and petrol, 3 speed auto, Chevy 12 bolt diff. Body is fairly straight, with some rust starting in the gutters of which the front corners have just gone through. The van was anti rust treated when new.
WHAT I NEED.
She needs to be a working, linolayers van.
She needs to be reliable, and look presentable, and be reasonably cheap to run.
She needs to double as a weekend canper for the two of us.
She needs to be a van I enjoy driving.
She will be customised, but not radicaly.
She will get knocked around a bit, so I will not be TOO fussy with the finishing. 
This project needs to be completed before September, because I don't want it taking up too much of my life.
FIRST DRAMA AND CHANGE OF PLAN.
Took her on a trip to the Wairarapa where we used to live. Hmmmm quite like this auto....probably cost a bit more to run though.
Comming home it was dark. The local petrol station had run out of LPG, so decided to climb the Rimutaka range on petrol, because she doesn't change over too smoothly and I didn't want to conk out half way up. She climed the hills beautifully, and once over the top I pushed the cable in to move back to LPG, and she died. I drifted into a layby and tried to start her.......Nothing. Starter dead. oh well roll down hill ...crash start...Sh*t, Bl**dy Auto......stay put!
Its pitch dark, and I don't even know what side the starter's on. I stuff around with bits of wire and an internal light I took down, but it's hopeless. Only one thing for it...Phone Anna.
Hello Darling, you know that crappy old Bedford I bought....Yes you were right. Could you please bring a torch and a tow rope.......
20 minutes later I try the starter yet again, and the key snaps off in the lock and the steering locks up.
Hello darling, me again , Would you mind going back to the house and getting the spare key and a hacksaw and cold chisel?
During the next hour and a half wait, I allow my dislike of automatic gearboxes to resurface, and decide to replace it with a five speed.
MOTOR AND GEARBOX.
Old Holden motors come in three colours....
Red...The old ones with a 9 (I think) port head.
Blue...A new 12 port head, electronic ignition, and a balanced crankshaft.
Black....I don't really know, but it's suposed to be better than the blue. I think the head is improved, better exhaust manifold, and the option of fuel injection.
My van has a rather tired red motor, but came with a spare low mileage carbretted black motor.
I found a local guy who has agreed to sell me a stuffed black motor, a good clutch and five speed for $200...Perfect.
I need to keep after him as he is taking his time getting them out, and I don't want him to go cold on the idea.
sigh...to be continued.....
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 Mon 02 Jul 2007 @ 12:36
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Anon
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MOTOR AND GEARBOX UPDATE
I have been in contact with the seller and he will take it out this weekend or next.
This means I can schedule the transplant to start on the weekend of the 21st of July...wether permitting. I have a carport to work in, but it is mid winter and rather chilly winds.
Those who seem to know these things, say that the varijet carburetta that comes with the black motor has a reputation for being thirsty, and by far the best option is to replace it with a Webber from a Ford Falcon. I aquired one of these, and then realised that as I would be running on gas mostly the carb did not matter.
Oh well, I have it now, so I may as well install it..LOL..
STRIPPING OUT THE CAMPER
I have taken out all the furniture, and stripped off all the grubby fluffy fabric lining. Under the fabric was a layer of plastic foam, and well glued on. The van looks fairly rugged inside now, with a lot of cleaning off still to do.
I need most of the foam off so I can get at the metal for minor rust repair, and further antirust treatment. Also I am having larger windows fitted and need clean surfaces for the rubber moulding.
I will end up covering most of it again, as it is too hard now to get a paintable surface. Also carpet or cloth is a good sound deadener.
The van feels so much better already.
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Tue 03 Jul 2007 @ 10:25
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Anon
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MISCELANEOUS
The fuel gauge did not work, so I installed one from a van I wrecked.
Having destroyed the steering lock, I installed another one from my old 350. Unfortunately this will require further work as it is a bit sticky turning the key.
After much deliberation, I cut off the two uprights from the rear bull bar. I figured they would do nothing to help in most situations. The rear lines of the van are a lot softer now. I have some CF2 rear corner bumpers to go between the van and the bull bar. This should tidy the back up nicely.
WHEELS
I have a number of 195x14 commercial tyres, so I need to use them. Unfortunately I stuffed up. The mags I bought are 8 inches wide, which is a bit too much for 195s. They are OK, but I might look out for some 7inch ones, and resell these. They would keep the van cleaner too.
In the meantime they look great.
Not my wheel but the same as.
I got a wheel allignment done at the same time 'cause the fronts were wearing badly.
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Tue 03 Jul 2007 @ 14:23
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Anon
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SUNROOVES
I took out the two camper roof vents. They looked a bit like twin chimineys. The centre/rear one I cut a hole about two feet square, and glued the plastic from a coach sunroof over it. I am very happy with this, and hope the silicon and screws hold. I won't know untill summer when it all heats up. The front one I replaced with a tilt glass sun roof I took from an old van. Not so happy with this. I want to be open to the sky, and its too fiddly to take out. I am contemplating a second hand glass slider if I can find one localy.
I now have the original roofline back.....Good.
That brings me up to date with things done. I have been stealing bits of time from other projects. I now have the time to go full out and get this van completed! ( I still have to work:| )
First weekend...Cold southerly winds, and I have the flu!
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Fri 06 Jul 2007 @ 07:58
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Anon
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LORRY MIRRORS.
Yesterday I stayed inside and did nothing to the van. (I must name her). Today was sunny and almost warm, so I started on what I thought would be an easy job; fitting the truck mirrors I bought off TradeMe.
I got into a bidding war and paid $120 plus postage for the pair. This was higher than I wanted to go, and I thought I probibly paid too much. I saw a new pair in a motor accessary shop today for $80.  but I do like my ones better.
Anyway...I managed to take all day to fit them. Of course I couldn't just put them on; I had to change them to look better. And I have the flu, so I was slow, But they look great now, and I am happy.
I bought an electric sun roof from a Honda Prelude last night. Fitting that into the beddy will be an act and a half.
I am wondering whether to go out tonight and do one more thing, or to be sensible and stay in the warm.
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Sun 08 Jul 2007 @ 07:15
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Anon
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It's a bit dark, but this shows one mirror, and also my work area. I am standing on the footpath, and the house is visable one metre behind the van.
This is also our front entrance.
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Sun 08 Jul 2007 @ 07:43
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Last week was too cold to do much.
I replaced a faulty horn, and tried out some colours on a dented panel.....3 shades of silver and a metalic green. I really do not know, I am so confused.
Today was warm and sunny. I removed the ugly fold down camping step (see Photo) that has been anoying me since I bought the van, and also a tank from underneath.
BACK END CLUNKING.
A few weeks ago the back end started clunking. I thought the diff was broken, but the diff expert said it was something in the LR brake.
I investigated it today and found that the wheel adapter plate was loose. I tightened it up and went for a drive.....nice and quiet.
I went out tonight, and on the way back it started to clunk again............
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Sat 14 Jul 2007 @ 13:49
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Anon
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REAR OF VAN.
I spent today sorting out the rear.
CF2 bumpers to be fitted between the bull bar and the van, and reversing lights to make work.
Someone in the past had fitted large reversing bulbs and melted both tail light clusters.
I spent all day on these two jobs I had clasified as "small", and am only half way through both of them. I atacked the rear bumper/step setup with a cutting wheel and angle grinder, and threw away the two after market reversing lights........
It is starting to look good.
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Sun 15 Jul 2007 @ 08:16
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TAIL LIGHTS.
I spent most of this evening cleaning and overhauling the tail lights, and making one good pair out of two.
They are held in place by 8 small nuts and bolts that rust together. The bolt heads are held in the plastic frame, and they turn when force is applied.
I cut most of the nuts off with an angle grinder, removed the bolt, and then ran a drill right through.
The lights now have four bolts each going right through them.
They look ok. I will grease the bolts and might put wing nuts on the inside.
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Mon 16 Jul 2007 @ 13:13
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NAME & COLOUR MUSEINGS.
These two things have fallen into place, and I feel much better for it.
The van will be called.....BOUDICA.
After the great Celtic warrior queen, who defied the Romans and sacked London.
I went onto the Transit board looking for colour schemes. They have thousands of photos of Transits there. I found several that worked for me, but one stood out.....Medium/Dark silver with black.
Since I bought Boudica I have been worrying about colour. I have spent hours and hours and hours trying to sort it out. It became an obsession and had way too much importance in my life.
Now that it is decided I feel like a huge weight has lifted.
It makes me wonder what this Bedford is all about. It's not just a van to me. I have always had to drive old bangers, and this symbolises a breaking free from that; it is a link to Britain where I long to live, but can't; and its also some sort of Male energy thing that I haven't got my head around yet........*shrug*
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Tue 17 Jul 2007 @ 07:42
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SHAPEING THE BODY.
Well.....Talk about the job that grew. The more I do the better she looks, and that makes me want to do more and more.
I have been pottering around, sanding and grinding and bashing and cutting and rust treating and bogging and scrapeing and sanding and priming. I am so happy with the front that I decided to go all out on the rear styling as well.
I discovered Newtech. It is a polyester resin with aluminium powder and carbon fibres in it, It is very strong, and sets harder than normal bog and it hangs together really well while you are useing it.
There is no way that I am going to finish by September. I am aiming now for November.
GUTTERS AND DENTED SIDE PANEL.
The front corners had rusted through. I wire buffed all the gutter that looked a bit rusty, and ground back where the rust had traveled into the roof, rust treated it, and then partly filled the gutters with Newtech. Useing a plastic bag as a glove, I formed a new gutter lining, and tapered back where the rust had been eating the roof. Suprisingly easy, and it has the look and feel of permanence.
There was a ventilation grill in the RHS middle panel, and the panel was badly dented as well. I used my new compressed air flangeing tool to form a step around the hole where I had removed the vent, and riveted a piece of panel steel into the recess. I ground most of the tops off the rivet heads, and started plastering. It took most of the day, but I now have that panel quite flat.
FRONT GUARDS.
I like the shape of the early CFs better. The tops of the front guards on the later models have a sharp edge, and to me that lets them down a bit.
I had been looking at mine for a couple of months, wondering what would happen if I was to hammer that edge in. Would it distort the rest of the guard?
Well one day I came home for lunch, and on the way back out I picked up a ball pein hammer and started. Fifteen minutes later both sides were done, ready for grinding and filling....Easy.
Several coats of bog later, and I am thrilled with the curves. They're ummm.... sexy.
Anna is now convinced that I've gone mad.
I then looked criticaly at the bonnet, and decided that it should stay as it is.
BONNET.
Two days later and I am cutting the bonnet open. I am going to accentuate the high panel in the middle.
A cut down both sides of it and across the front, two inches back. I thought an extra half inch at the front was needed, but as I raised the front it looked better and better. So I settled on one and a half inches. I wedged it open and useing a crescent, I worked my way along the front edge , bending it down.
Now this is where Newtech is so good. I mixed up a batch and started shaping. It bridged the gaps and set hard and strong. I smoothed off with normal bog. and sanded it to shape.
I am so happy with it.
more to come with photos. its 2:45 and I'm going to bed.
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Sat 04 Aug 2007 @ 15:47
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Anon
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Well, I'm a lot better welder than I was two hours ago, but thats not saying much! 
More holes than weld, but the back doors seem quite strongly joined.
And they lift up now! 
All praise to he who invented BOG.
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Mon 06 Aug 2007 @ 08:47
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Mon 06 Aug 2007 @ 12:50
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BACK DOORS.
Not a good photo, but the best I have.
This shows progress to date on the back doors.
It is almost essential to have a lift up back door for work, as it is so often raining when I need to get something from the van, and the door gives good shelter.
Also it will give Boudica cleaner lines.
I think there is still three days work to finish the door and the bumper.
The hinges didn't work as they are too flimsy, so I need to redo those.
I have cut away some of the strength, making room for the larger one piece window, so I need to rebuild the internal framework.
I need to wire in the number plate light.
The door handle will be replaced and moved to a lower site.
The lifting struts need to be fitted. (probably several times)
The step needs a riser at the back.
The bumpers require finishing.
And the door and recess need sculpting into shape.
An awfull lot of thought has gone into this, and I am happy with how it is working out.
I am traveling up country on Saturday to collect the disc brakes, replacement back end, and electric window doors; so I will have only one day to work on her.
Once the door is finished I can get the larger windows fitted all round. This will make a huge difference.
TWO NIGGLES.
1/ I don't think I like my $120 mirrors. (*gasp*..I must get Wullies ones organised)
2/ I took the side door stops off to fill dents, and it looks so much better without them that I don't want to put them back, but can't come up with another door restraining system that will work. If they have to go back, they certainly won't be painted a contrasting colour like last time.
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Thu 09 Aug 2007 @ 14:43
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Anon
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I finished work early today, so I started shapeing the back door and number plate recess. It is now shaped and primed, and looking good. Once the handle is gone, I can finish this part of the job...Sunday.
Need to go to bed now for 5am start tomorrow.
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Fri 10 Aug 2007 @ 10:25
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Anon
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GOING NOWHERE.
This back door has got me bogged down. Its coming along very well actually, but Oh so slow. The new hinges are fitted, and the the gas struts work well, but life is getting in the way of progress!
And I wasted all day fitting up a new backdoor handle, which doesn't work.
On a positve note, the photos and drawings have jumped ahead, and I am now excited at how she will look. With much larger windows and a body stripe below the door handles, the waistline will be lowered considerably.
I have carefully checked over the diff and the backlash is within the tolerances allowable in my old Jag manual, so I guess that also applies to my Chevy diff. So I will not have to replace it after all, just the stuffed wheel bearing.
Nuts and bolts I can cope with, but this body stuff takes so much thought and time.
I did abit of a rave a while ago about "Newtech" body filler.
Well when I was bogging the numberplate recess, some of it ran down inside the door. The door has been rust treated and inside is covered with horible greasy stuff. Well where the bog ran down the inside, it replaced the grease and stuck. I cannot remove it with a screwdriver! Impressed?.....I sure am.
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Sun 26 Aug 2007 @ 09:30
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Anon
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The concept. Electric Sun roof to be added.
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Sun 26 Aug 2007 @ 11:22
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Anon
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Rear concept with single windscreen.
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Sun 26 Aug 2007 @ 11:24
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Anon
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Normal Lift.
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Sun 26 Aug 2007 @ 11:26
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Anon
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Thanks for the interest and encouragement guys.
I have now worked out how to do the door lock I think, but things have taken a new turn.
ANOTHER BEDDY.
Because this project became bigger than I intended, and therefore is taking longer than I intended, my Mazda work van has run out of registration and warrant of fitness (MOT).
It has rust issues and is not worth restoring, and I have been freaking out about driving it, as there would be no insurance if I had an accident.
So I bought another CF. This is basicly the same as the one I am restoring, but is a 1980 model, and is regested and warranted for another six months. I intend to resell it when Boudica is done.
Its a bit scruffy and needs a tidy up, so Boudica is on the back burner for a couple of weeks. I can however, use the new one for work now.
Its quite fun doing a quick tidy up, and not having to worry too much.
It's very interesting though. After all my worrying about colour, I find that I really like the white.  I never thought I would.
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Sun 02 Sep 2007 @ 13:10
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