My advice for sources of veneer is that whilst you can buy new pieces of veneer - they look too new! You need to look for old veneered pieces of furniture - I did this and got what I needed. I scoured the local papers for jumble sales/ car boot sales/ junk shops/charity shops etc. and looked for small pieces of furniture with pale oak veneer. You really do not want to pay top prices but more you want broken damaged remnants. I visited my local charity shops and asked if they would let me know if anything comes in. They conveniently put all their unwanted pieces outside for collection once a week, but these
get picked up by others quickly..

In the end my pieces turned up when a local care home put out a lot of bedside cabinets and I got two nice pieces.. One will be the basis of the panels for my Devonette Front cupboard..
These were quickly flat packed and the unwanted backs and ply panels turned into fire wood.
I was successful at steaming the veneer off a panel whilst retaining some of the patina surface finish.
I cut out pieces and let pieces in gluing with titebond wood glue, cling film and clamping strips and clamps. Screw fix do some excellent spring clamps at about £4 a pair…
After a gentle rub down with wire wool and French polish… the repairs look excellent.. any gaps can then be filled with light oak Ronseal Wax stick

The picture you show of the slider grooves in the front red top cupboard which goes across the van and is attached to the division....

download/file.php?id=9867&mode=view
The holes were probably to take the oval nail which went down in the edge fillet for the hinged seat back to the front rear facing seat back..
I do not see these..
I can measure and put the dims on the drawings pages in my photobucket

Looks like a great start.

I might be able to help you with door cupboards. I've got two 64-only rear cargo door bathroom cabinets (one original and one copy) and a 62-63 cooker cupboard, with a Dudley cooker. I've got a cooker that might work with it too.

I've also got a 65-66 cooker cupboard to replace your homemade one. It is broken but a good base. Or a 62-63 sink unit that goes in the same gap if you go with the door cooker cupboard.

All depends what layout / year you are going for.

type21f wrote:My advice for sources of veneer is that whilst you can buy new pieces of veneer - they look too new! You need to look for old veneered pieces of furniture - I did this and got what I needed. I scoured the local papers for jumble sales/ car boot sales/ junk shops/charity shops etc. and looked for small pieces of furniture with pale oak veneer.

Thanks for the advice, I am not really sure of the colour so I think I may try and clean up the front of the drawers so I know what colour to look like. Should I just lightly sand the varnish off?

clymoj wrote:I might be able to help you with door cupboards. I've got two 64-only rear cargo door bathroom cabinets (one original and one copy) and a 62-63 cooker cupboard, with a Dudley cooker. I've got a cooker that might work with it too.

I've also got a 65-66 cooker cupboard to replace your homemade one. It is broken but a good base. Or a 62-63 sink unit that goes in the same gap if you go with the door cooker cupboard.

All depends what layout / year you are going for.

Hi there, sounds very interesting!

Not really sure what layout I am going for... A bit of a bitsa I suppose like the rest.

I haven't cooked with gas for years as I love the power of the coleman petrol stoves - as well as they still work at lower temperatures. I was wondering if I could make up a door cupboard that it could fit in - will have a measure up tomorrow
http://www.coleman.com/product/dual-fue ... hwoZHpVhBc

If so a sink unit might be a good choice, or if not just a storage cupboard that looks like the 65-66 cooker cupboard?

I still have my decorating to do though..... The only progress was buying some supplies this evening..

Removing the varnish....
Depends what it is..
Looks like it may have been liberally applied..
In my case it was very flaky..and a razor blade scraper fetched it off.. it was very very orange and you could see it clearly runs and all.
The shellac/ french polish was water damaged and white..
But with meths... sniff some use some..the white bloom came off..
So it was a case of try solvents and see what worked and using the solvent of choice and wire wool coarse and then fine grade I removed most of the varnish..
The stubborn stuff was in the cracks and remaind and adds to the patina.
A fine finishing with fine wire wool and then a coat of french polish and rub down. .wipe down and a couple of coats more..yes this does get water marked but it is a gentle low gloss finish and seals the wood and looks very soft and keeps the patina..
Play a little and see what works for you..

So you are going to start with the rear drawers. No doubt you will repair the splintered missing wood veneer.

But first...

Devons had a millboard cover over the engine panel. This was attached with ten vw trim screws and cups.
I have a tracing of the one from Peebles.. just as well because it suffered from having got wet lots of times and whilst I was holding it with one hand horizontally the millboard gave up the ghost snd shattered into a lot of small pieces.
I used PVA glue and plastic wood and Humbrol to make it better..
Anyway the board is screwed down onto tarred fibre strips which fill the hollows in the pressing.
The three round the rear hatch lock striker are cut down so that they do not pierce the rear lighting loom which goes across the bus.


Then to the leg cupboard

The "missing" short closing section sits on the frame and is held by two "number plate" capped wood screws. This covers a gap through from the cooker side on mine.
I will supply pictures If you require...

The drawers you have look to be modelled on a 66 division bus.
Devon had realised by then that maybe not putting fixed covers on the drawers was an improvement. ..
You could lean over the rear seat and remove the cushion...lift the lid and access the drawer..
I belive the 66 had the black plastic covers in excess here. One on each drawer and one on the long leg cupboard lid... and one on each drawer top access lid. The lids also had black formica surfaces. .

If you are changing the drawer handles to wood strips you may want to fit brass finger pull lifts like the 63...I have pictures in my photobucket type21f. .you may have found..
Overload..
Sorry
G

type21f wrote:Devons had a millboard cover over the engine panel. This was attached with ten vw trim screws and cups.

Sorry to butt in on your thread paul_f

I am currently restoring a 66 Devon Torvette so love anything Devon! https://archives.ssvc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=58843

Type21f, I have just today, been installing the original board that you mention, I am about to mount it and can only see 4 holes along the rear edge, two either side of the latch and two further towards corner?

Ah but Peebles has rear drawers and was fitted by George Williams - He always liked to fit ten when he fitted rear drawers...

Mine has four along the back edge....
Four along the visible edge which go into the void and two (one either side of the latch - which are the cut down ones)
The two either side of the latch are under the drawer frame. This is relieved to sit flush on them. In addition the drawers are held to the over engine board/ panel by only two screws one through the cross bearer each side of the bar.

I would expect that there may be variations...
I have a picture posted on my Peebles thread (this shows the four visible screws in front of the drawers and rear cushion and Welsh Blanket ( From Eurfwyn Davies)

The PO may have fitted two of them due to the board warping...LOL
I will check Catherine over the week end...

I think the rear drawers except for their lids are original. This is the cover of the leg store with the correct handles

^^^^ yes that is the same lid as mine.
I have a 66/67 Devon if you need any help with pics etc.
The drawer tops should be black laminated ply with the same recessed black handles as you have above, they are flush with the drawer carcass top, to allow the bed cushion to lie flat.
There was a thread on here somewhere showing them, as someone once asked for a pic of the thickness of the ply.

You can polish the Formica up! with brasso & elbow grease..
I know the hinges are broken and the formica is chipped..but...
I would be tempted to try to cut in pieces and leave as is for the patina..

The biggest issue with restoration of items like this is that the ply has the desire to de-laminate.

Playing with titebond..thin platic sheet to encourage it in between the plies and then cling film and wooden packing and clamps can achieve a very good result..
I had lots of fun forming areas with pieces of pipe and plastic wood to fill voids and form corners etc..
Handles are available..
bu5nut (kevin - niceguy) bought a box of repros and was selling them (complete with repro'd crack on the back)

So i would try to find the dims and thicknesses and maybe glue black laminate on your lids and fit handles..
Strip off varnish.. treat wood, repair the ply, seal the edges and shellac it/french polish it and attach to van with one screw in each lower bearer and
Job done

Well I have emulsioned the ceiling and walls and glossed some of the skirting...
But we have the invasion of seabass and offspring..So I will be going offline..
How us your decorating going. ..?
Decorating is like Devon interior restoration one (room) item at a time.
When you are completely happy (SWMBO SAYS OK...) them move onto the next (room) item..
So
Over to you again.. LOL.

LAGAVUULIN..

Hi Paul, here you go found the thread with my rear drawer photos.... Hope it helps, Cheers Ted

viewtopic.php?f=46&t=101390&p=774531#p774531

Hope Kev bu5nut still has handles or British BJ1

Hopefully the decorating will be completed in the next couple of weeks, as then the plasterer is coming back to do the lounge ceiling. Fortunately that shouldn't take as long. Then I will have my garage back as at the moment it is full of stuff from the dining room!

I will probably end up leaving the short top off of the leg store as I will need seatbelts in the rear so will fabricate something similar to what Bobley and 88us have.

I believe camperinteriors have the hinges for the long top of the leg store. He also seems to have similar looking handles which i could use on the drawer top covers? http://camperinteriors.co.uk/products/handles

Thanks for the link ted, Ill have to source the formica. Fortunately i have an IDS nearby so will go and see them

I have used millboard before, is there anywhere in particular to get it from or do I need to go and see my trimmer friend (he got it for me last time)