Bulkhead Restoration Options...

[Jared]

At this point, what are the options for bulkhead restorations? What outfit(s) are still in the game for this service?
jared

[thixon]

East Coast Rover or Pangolin 4x4. You can find them on the web. Its expensive....period. How bad is it? Its not as bad as you think to fix 'er on your own.

Travis

[Bostonian1976]

ECR won't touch them, from my experience...

[Jared]

Right that is what I have heard as well....and doing it myself is NOT an option. There must be another outfit that offers this service...

[Bostonian1976]

let me know what you find - I need mine restored too (on the other truck)

[daveb]

hi

i think britrest in quebec might do them. actually try cityside garage outside of boston. they come highly recommended.

rgrds
dave

[Jim-ME]

I am in the same boat. DAP in Vermont will rebuild them. This website lookspromising http://www.britrest.com/Series/exchange_bulkheads.htm but the price is now $1400. ECR may get back into rebuilds with their new larger shop but you will have to check with them. I'm kind of putting my eggs in one basket with a new custom built one from Andrew Morris in England. I may change my mind if my contact in England fails to contact Mr. Morris which is turning out to be very difficult. Good luck!
Jim

[rovertek]

for a professional job in NH. try emailing <gauto@localnet.com> has been doing them for 20 yrs.....

[thixon]

How bad is your bulkead? Just floorpans, kickpanels, and door posts? Or, is the top bad as well. I might consider doing it, but my first priority is finishing mine on the IIA I just bought. Just so you know, I don't do this for a living. I just happen to have been lucky enough to have an uncle who was into cars. He taught me to weld, do body work, and paint when I was young. I've done several bulkheads from rovers that were in really bad shape, and they turned out great.

Its really not that difficult a job if the bulkheads not too far gone. I honestly beleive someone with average mechanical skills could takle the job themselves. Even if you've never done any metalworking before. You could buy a decent mig in the $400 range, an angle grinder for $100 or so, a jigsaw (which you may already have), you probably already own a drill, a set of files, and the repair panels you need for between $200 and $500 (depending on how bad the bulkead is). You'd have to practice on some sheetmetal with the mig for a while, but its fun and you'd learn a new skill.

[Willard]

I am in the same boat. DAP in Vermont will rebuild them. This website lookspromising http://www.britrest.com/Series/exchange_bulkheads.htm but the price is now $1400. E
Jim


I talked to him the other night as i got his last Defender bulkhead, and he mentioned his price is $1100 for the rebuild but you provide the bulkhead as he does not exchange them any more. Add shipping, duties and taxes if your shipping to Canada and back to the US and the price will be well over 1500 for sure.

[Les Parker]

Another option, is to contact Lanny Clarke, here in Colchester Vt.
His tel # is :- 802-872-5710.
He has repaire quite a few Series IIa and Ser II bulkheads, the price is dependant on the condition of the "core" part and the finish required.

2p

[Jim-ME]

Les,
I'm not trying to be critical but it seems to me that this is an item that RN could help us out on. I've been told that either Craddocks or Paddock in England carry a 2/2a bulkhead. Do you know about them? I have heard both good and bad and maybe they aren't to the quality standards that RN requires. Could you shed some light?
Jim

[Pete]

For anyone close to Maine or is willing to ship to Maine I would be glad to rebuild their bulkhead. I am not in the "business" but more of a Rover hobbiest for the past 20 years. I have done a few. Most recently on a current 69 bugeye I am rebuilding to sell. Another one upcoming on a 1974 frame up restoration coming in. I don't have any set prices as some but am willing to work with you based on the condition of your current bulkhead. (cash and parts trade)

let me know if you have any questions.

pgrosso@maine.rr.com
Pete

[junkyddog11]

I don't care for commercial posting, but enough of you seem to be asking(and [Les] I buy the parts at Rovers North) We will (and do) do bulkhead restoration. Expect the cost to be in the 1500+ range naturally depending on what sort of junk we start with, and doesn't include any shipping or crating. Located in southern Maine.

We also offer galvanizing for an additional charge.

Overland Engineering
207 450 2187

[Jim-ME]

I'm going to push the envelope of this thread a little bit. I've always thought that galvanizing would be the cat's behind but I've often wondered if sprayed on bedliner (ie Rhino, Armacoat, Line-ex etc) on the areas that are most prone to rust on the footwells and the center of the bulkhead both inside and out would be just as good at promoting longevity. I personally would prefer not to have to spend my money to the benefit of the English (British) economy but want a bulkhead that will last. I personally appreciate the folks in Maine that have responded to this thread and can assure you that I will presonally stop my pursuit of bulkheads from away and will be in touch as soon as funds allow. I would urge others to follow the same train of thought. If we can support local folks in the US then there will always be a source of repairs without having to deal with the primadonas. (The previous statement was not intended to be to the folks that I do business with. If the shoe fits you know who you are)
Jim

[thixon]

Hi Jim,

I don't think the bedliner idea is a great one. I've delt with jeeps, scouts, and broncos with floor pans sprayed or rolled with bedliner. Obviously, the underside can still rust, and when it does, its a bloody nightmare to remove the stuff to repair the rust. When you do, your left with how to respray the area you repaired, and have it match the existing areas. The short answer is that you can't, so you end up removing the bedliner everywhere and starting over.

What I'm getting at is this: If you sprayed the outside of a bulkhead with bed liner, it could still rust from the inside (door posts, etc.). If it did, you'd play hell getting it repaired and looking good again. Just my 2 cents.

By the way, I'm with you supporting U.S. companies. I go to the UK regularly on business. They don't think very highly of us for the most part in my experience.

Travis

[Jim-ME]

Thanks for the reply. I found it very helpful as well as thought provoking.
Jim

[junkyddog11]

Travis is right on with the bed liner being a bad idea. In fact most bed liners do a really good job of trapping moisture and creating a spot for corrosion to "nest" in.

Bed liner can be applied over galvanized finishes, in foot wells etc....just do it prior to assembly so that all can be dissasembled again. Nothing worse than fastenings that are burried under bedliner.

[SIIaCanuck]

Guys, I understand the frustration with some Brits who don't treat you Yanks with appropriate respect.

I've accumulated 12 months in Iraq since 2003 and would rather fight alongside Americans than most Europeans (well, the Danes and Dutch are pretty solid too). Certainly better than those cheese eating surrender monkeys that inhabit France!

Both our nations leaders may have made decisions in recent years based on naieve assumptions, but as an SAS officer was heard to comment after the Desert One problem in Iran, "at least you guys had the guts to try!"

Just so you know, I'm half Canuck, half Brit. I've been in the RAF for 11 years and there are plenty of us who still believe in the world view that Sir Winston Churchill fought to defend. We are the "real" Brits and I hope you guys can ignore the others. I'm sure you've got plenty of similar idiots on that side of the pond.

Anyway, I've had several friends and colleagues die in the Gulf working and fighting the same thugs that Americans are dealing with.

Most of the people involved in the Land Rover scene in the UK are likely to be of the more traditional world view. We rely on our Land Rovers to get us into and out of fights in Iraq and Afghanistan and in and out of fields, trails, forests and mountains in the UK.

The Land Rover is representative of traditional Britain. Churchill would drive one if he was still with us.

If you come to the UK, you'll be welcome to visit my home.

Some Brits believe that the US is the greatest problem the world has, but then some Americans believe they invented English. Let them join with the flat earth society and other such intellectual pond life while the rest of us can get on with reality.

So before you kiss off any idea of supporting British business, please remember that the Land Rover is British and if you're driving/restoring one, then we can't be all that bad. Now if you refuse to drive a French or German car, then I fully understand.

Stew
Proud to be British! and Canadian! and to serve along with Americans! Lord help us if we ever have to rely on the Europeans to defend the western world!

[friar mike]

Thanks IIaCanuck
I have lived in the UK for a time my wifes job sent her over for a year so I taged along bought a motorcycle ( the best way to get around over there at least for me) My daughter is in school there now. being from Alaska I seem to have a eazyer time of it. Its a place alot of people want to go to. but I have been hanging out on a few brit rover boards and what a bunch of crap just asking a question will bring it on. Having lived there thay found out calling me names didn't work I know most of the slang and can give it right back! so this board has been great not many on here from my neck of the woods but a few and I have met them now and worked on one guys rover I know hes lerking out there some where. I have friends over in the Gulf glad to here you are back and I hope to be in the UK to see my daughter soon running my shop here keeps me from travling the way I used to.

[leafsprung]

http://www.pangolin4x4.com/pangolin4x4/projects/pbr/images/bulkhead.jpg

[SIIaCanuck]

Galv then box line the footwells. Genius! Is this a new bulkhead or a rebuilt one?

I have considered getting a chassis coated (galv chassis) with box liner as that is how new Santanas are done.

Stew

[leafsprung]

thats an original firewall

[thixon]

Hey Leafsprung,

Is that bulkhead sprayed with Rhinoliner, or did you spray it with one of those ZEM kits from the auto paint store. Just curious.

Travis

[leafsprung]

line-x

[Daurie]

Does anyone supply replacement windscreen hinges? I have a S3 with the weld on type and they are showing a little fatigue.

[Richard]

Ike, when you galvanize a bulkhead, how do you deal with the captive nuts that float behind the pillars for the hinges? Don't they get fused in the process? How do you adjust the doors?

-Richard

[leafsprung]

I adjust the doors in the normal method.

[Terrys]

how do you deal with the captive nuts that float behind the pillars for the hinges?

Throw them out and put new ones on. Like any other nut or bolt, is pennywise and pound foolish to re-use easily replaced fasteners.

[jp-]

Ike, when you galvanize a bulkhead, how do you deal with the captive nuts that float behind the pillars for the hinges? Don't they get fused in the process? How do you adjust the doors?

-Richard

Ah, now that's a neat little trick. What I do is leave them in place and let them be galvanized. When it comes back, I drill and re-tap them. Then put a bolt in (leaving a good gap between the bulkhead) and give it a good hit with a hammer. This pops the floating piece loose from the bulkhead. Voila!

[thixon]

Terrys

How do you replace the upper (above the curve in the door post) captive nut plate for the door hinge? Seems to me, that would be impossible (without cutting the door post off, which wouldnt be advisable after you had the thing galvanized). Maybe theres something I'm missing here.

Travis

[leafsprung]

later ones dont have threaded plates they have nutsert style inserts. Thats probably what he is refering to.

[Terrys]

later ones dont have threaded plates they have nutsert style inserts. Thats probably what he is refering to.
That is what I was refering to, the ones which are like those 4 holding the wing on. I had a '62 (back in '72) and the doors would not stay up because I couldn't get the top 2 on both sides to tighten without jumping over. I took a small drill, drilled stright through to center of the nut and out the inner wall. The took a 3/4" hole saw, went back through the inner wall, replaced the nuts, and used 3/4" plug buttons in the holes. It was a very tidy job, but back then then, there weren't concourse wannabe judges ruining your day with all the "that isn't correct" comments.

[thixon]

[quote=Terrys]That is what I was refering to, the ones which are like those 4 holding the wing on.

Gotcha, Sorry did'nt understand at first.

Like you, my idea of "restoring" a rover is making it mechanically sound. The consmetics come second, but each to his own.

My first rover was a right hand drive station wagon that I brought over from England. I bought it from the original owner, and the truck was mostly original. When I got it home, I foolishly drove it to the home of the then local rover guru. He proceeded to pick it apart, telling me that the "safari Station wagon" badge and the four rear jump seats were'nt "correct." Needless to say, I laughed. I learned a lesson though. Most people who talk sh&% don't know sh&*!

Travis
'66 IIa 88"

[thixon]

Ike,

My truck is an earlier style with the plates inside the doorposts. If I decide to hot dip it after the repairs, how do you recommend I deal with the plates fusing to the inside?

By the way, great info on your site about bulkhead restoration!

Travis

[jp-]

Ike,

My truck is an earlier style with the plates inside the doorposts. If I decide to hot dip it after the repairs, how do you recommend I deal with the plates fusing to the inside?

By the way, great info on your site about bulkhead restoration!

Travis


Clippity clop, clippity clop, ignores me...


-Answer posted on page 3.

[thixon]

JP,

I just figured you did'nt know what the heck you were talking about!

Just kidding! Sorry, I did'nt see your post on the previous page.

Good info. In thinking about it, what if the plate fuses to the inside of the cavity, instead of the outside (i.e. back side of the door post). Not sure I'm describing it well, but hopefully you understand my question.

Travis

[jp-]

Drill & tap, then tighten the bolts in using a plate or a hinge to pop it off the inside.

[mfreeman]

The local galvanizer we used squirted some high-temp rated silicon sealer in the bolt holes, worked great. As long as the melting point of the silicon is > 800 degrees F. should be fine.

[lrdukdog]

The nuts that are used on the later Rovers are called (I think) "J" nuts. There should be indentations above the hole so these can be flush with the posts.
Jim Wolf
Elvenwood Kennel