Countryman

[chaucer]

hi guys currewntly restoring a 65 countryman just found out via heritage certificate car is incorrect colour and should have the wood (luckily i have a complete set thrown in with the car0 is the wood bolted on or epoxied on ? next question where can i get instructions templates?

regards rob

[InimiaD]

The timber is bolted, screwed and mastic ed ??? (Is there such a word?) on.
There are nine special fixings either side primarily along the bottom edge of the timber frame and wheel arch.
The rest of the frame is held on by screws. Mastic is used to fill / seal any gaps.

The latest trend is to use a double sided foam type tape (3M) instead of the mastic.

I too would like to see an instruction template.

Fitting the timber frame is one of my next jobs on my Woody and I still haven't decided on the final finish, varnish or Danish Oil..???????? Decisions decisions.

[minitravellerman]

Don't varnish - I've mine done with Danish Oil and has been on the car for 12 years now. Still in perfect condition. Every now and again I give the timber a very light sand and reapply about 3 coats of oil.
There's another Woody that goes to our local shows here in NI and it has varnished timber - no where near as nice a finish as the timber on mine.

[mascher]

I've been working on my girlfriends 1961 estate. The car was disassembled in the 1970s and dry stored. The original mastic appears to be plumber's putty, the stuff they use on sink drains. 50 years on and it is still pliable and still smells like plumber's putty. The mastic is applied between the body and the wood. There seems to be a complete coating under every piece of wood.

MiniSpares does the hardware for mounting the wood.

Kelley

[georgek]

In the 80's I had a Morris Traveller for 9 years that had to sit out in all weathers. In the end I found giving 2 coats of Sadolin Satin Finish varnish and a light rubbing down with fine wire wool before the last coat did the job, twice the price of other varnishes but worth it for a quality product + a very natural finish. If you use Danish oil I'd still seal it first with Sadolin and wire wool it, oil on it's own can let dirt deep into the grain and can be hard to clean.