While the wood on the Traveller is extremely good considering "the Beastie" is 53 years old, as one would ( sorry!) expect, there are one or two small niggles that need sorting out for my satisfaction if for no-one else's!! I don't intend to go along the path of bleaching the wood to try to remove the (relatively few) black stains, as several reliable sources inform us that, as far as those on the timbers around the wheelarches, they emanate from "within" thanks to Morris's use of threaded bolt inserts so close to the outer surface of the timber, although, to be fair, they probably didn't really anticipate many, if any, of their Travellers still being around half a decade and more on!
My woodwork issues are more to do with one or two of the joints opening up a wee bit.[frame]
The picture above shows the worst, and it is on the driver's side wheelarch ( providing it has uploaded ok! Not too proficient at this yet!)
There were others as well that I thought would benefit from a little "infil" for both aesthetic and functional reasons; ie to stop water running in!
To this end I wanted a decent, waterproof filler that would fill, expand into and stick firmly to the pieces of wood . My intention was to make my own using that which purports to be both 100% waterproof and also the strongest glue in the world. I refer, of course, to Gorilla polyurethane adhesive which certainly sticks well and, when it comes into contact with moisture, expands because it foams up!
However, I wanted it to be at least a little bit "ash-coloured", so to this end I collected a little bag of ash dust as I sanded a couple of the interior panels.
That done, and the car's woodwork being well sanded down, I took a little of the Gorilla glue and mixed enough ash dust into it to make a thick paste. Using a hand sprayer , I squirted a little water onto the areas to be dealt with and, with an artists brush "persuaded" a little of the water into the cracks and seams. Using an old butter knife with a nice flexible blade, I then applied the paste and forced as far into the gaps and cracks as I could, and then left it for a day.
When I returned, the paste had hardened and could be seen to have expanded, as can be seen in the next picture, albeit of a different joint![frame]
Next step involved a VERY sharp chisel to pare the excess filler off and there fore minimise sanding. Next came the 120 grit aluminium oxide paper followed by the 180 grit ( always with the grain, of course!) and, if you are a perfectionist, on to the 240 grit.
The next picture features the original joint after this treatment[frame]
Once sanded, then the joints are ready for varnishing or whatever other treatment you have planned, but had I not done this, then I feel sure that water would have penetrated these gaps and that, of course, causes future problems as we all know.
Anyone have any other pet remedies?
I'm currently doing some work on the doors which naturally bear a few scars from use. I'll put on a wee article about those soon.
This last picture shows the joint with the first coat of Epifane's yacht varnish applied (I think!)
[frame]
