My Vans

Progress with little Bert

I'm always on the lookout for more Bedford Rascal vans in particular - see here.

Painting Bert's Wheels - Powder coated instead!!

I had always planned to keep this little van completely standard and as a result I want to paint the original 12 inch steel wheels white. I took off one of the wheels and attacked it with the wire brush on the grinder which worked well. However it only worked well on the areas I could get the grinder into. I think I'm gonna have to get the wheels sand blasted before I can properly spray them.

You can see above the areas that the grinder can get into but the profile of the Rascal wheel involves so many curves and dips that I can't get it into all of the fiddly areas.

I'm very fussy and don't want to just paint over all of the old rubbish!

Update 17th April 2010:

I left the wheels in on Monday to be sand blasted and powder coated by local company, Universal Industrial Spraying (based in Dunmurry). Best decision ever I think - the finished result makes the wheels look like brand new.

I had 5 wheels blasted and powder coated. They powder coated a protective layer of zinc phosphate primer and then two coats of white on top of that. I can't get over how well they turned out and now set a new standard for the rest of the restoration of the van. Well worth every penny!

I was so impressed with the result that I've now left pretty much all of the suspension components and rear axle in with the guys at UIS to be blasted and powder coated black.

Contact details for UIS: Unit 10 Kilwee Business Park, Upper Dunmurry Lane, Belfast, BT17 0HD (02890 301094)