L319-forum.de

here we go ! The time has come!

let's go for several months dismantling, seized bolts, nervousness, insults, cutting and welding, refurbishment, painting, etc .... after the 2500km spent at the wheel has to piss everyone when it climb and improve the ozone layer, the L319D alias "the grouper" comes into full restoration!

I put some pictures taken just last week. i drove 1100km with that team optimistic for the 40 hp engine , that was hard side but it did well :





a picture taken at the Renault 4L international last week-end :



to be continued ....

First day :

some bolts broke when unscrew it, along bolt 8 tight for 57 years ... I suspected that there would be some losses in the battle! all the chrome are removed, bumper, radiator, dynamo, belts, etc ....

I will have to invest in an impact wrench to disassemble the back doors, impossible to loosen the screws with a classic screwdriver. otherwise I have to find the solution to remove the sliding front doors .... I do not understand how it takes too ....

yet not too surprised, rust but not much.

now : pictures!

















Project: The Renault 4L International at Thenay in 2017 and regarding color, blue will be abandoned but no idea yet ... i've got time

With 40hp, why hurry with the restoration

As my 319 front door are the type on hinges, I had a nightmare to remove them.
The small screw which holds the hinge into the subframe had all rusted. The subframe and screws had all become one.
Firstly heated, then I used a impact wrench with no luck. 6 screws per side had to drilled out

Keep the photos coming................

Pretty good condition for restoration. My 319 was a water rescue van and the condition wasn't so good .Good luck and much fun for the work. Didi

here is the work of the week!

removing the windshield ... big time of stress because it's not manufacture anymore ..... phew that's good! Now we need to find a place to store it where it risks nothing!



removal of doors and other glazing, long live the impact screwdriver to deposit screws tightened for 60 years! Holy shit removing sliding doors anyway ...





Then highlight that I love, separation of the front axle of the body !!!! much easier for all disassemble, clean and refurbish all the engine;)



hopala! in some hours it was done!



the gearbox is ridiculous next to the motor ...



now he'll not move anymore!





next in some days

dismantling continues! but I did not succeed to get out the electric beams ...





to be continued !

du beau travail!
bon courage!

j'ai fait le meme travail 4 ans avant
mais comme tout travail
c'est n'est pas pour l'éternité

succes!

i remember the door hinges....
not only difficult to remove...i was lucky i good do it without drilling
also difficult to place/adjust them again in the exact position!

separation of the motor from the chassis .... what is it these heavy cast iron blocks impressive!



the chassis "light version" now i can move it with my little arms !



removing the cylinder head to make all the motor new !







to be continued ..

work of the day !

Full skinning the cylinder head! the injectors are good to go to the diesel professionnal to be tare again :



and hop ! Ready to paint when I'll found a complete seal pouch :



here is the work of the afternoon. it was re-organization of the hangar, definitive establishment of the van for the day when I will paint, drop the rear axle and stabilize it on 4 metal sticks (sorry i don't know the english or german word :/ ).

it was not easy at all, the body is unimaginable heavy and fortunately there was my best friend the Fenwick!

storing the operating room :





so here is the big rear axes to go down



after much lubricant and hammer!





enought for today ! now go to bed !

everyday when i can, at the end on my job, i spent one or two hour working on the van to keep the motivation !

The woody floor has been removed, i absolutely don't want to damage it because he'll return in place after sanding and varnishing. mission complete ! the chassis has no rust or holes ! good news! he needs to be clean after 60 years on the road with oil, dust, etc .....





I removed some of the blade of suspensions, these bolts were hard to unleashed ... i will have to sand it at the appropriate time to give them a new youth!



next will be posted saturday night ( fever ) or sunday !

Hi Jim,
incredible how good your 319 looks under the floor.
Do you know, how rare an original paint L319 in this condition is?
Are you sure about repainting it? I would keep as much original paint as possible and only blend in the repaired sections.
But its your truck and its up to you what you do with it.
What colour do you want to go for? If you want to know how orange looks on a 319, I can send some pics.
Christian

very good job indeed!
talking about orange, here's my freshly painted estafette ( etal france )

yes i know that original paint are rare but the body is really damage despite the pictures which show it clean ! for the color, i don't know for the moment .... want something "flashy" like yellow, orange, green clear, etc ....

christoph : your estafette look like great ! is it to make a food-truck ?

yesterday, i went again to my garage to continue dismember the chassis ! so no bad surprise ! all is in really perfect condition ! just need to be clean and paint.
today i'll maybe begin the body work. i hate that but .....





so let go to the garage now !!!

du beau travail!
mais penser bien de la couleur
j'aime beaucoup le 319 et tout véhicule ancien avec une couleur n'est pas flashy!
il y a beaucoup de couleur mercedes des années 60 et 70 subtile

yes for the color i'm not decided for the moment, still thinking between the original color or funny ..... my puristic spirit tells me to paint it in original blue again !

Work of the day !

cutting the parts with perforating rust, i would like to know if the rebuilding of front left and right low face are still in stock ? i've seen that somewhere but i don't remember where ... :







first weld before my weld machine decide to pass away .... thank you little machine for this seven years together cutting and welding .... RIP



end of the day, so i spread some of body filler after straighten out at maximum the body





finally, cleaning up and removing grease from the motor place ! like new now !



see you at the next episode