Phase One of the Van Project is done.

I forgot my phone today, I felt lost without it and I had no camera.

So, I finished the rust fix by applying the sealant to hide the bad welds and it's black so I didn't have to respray any of it.

I cut out the rust in the front bumper skin and fit and welded a patch. I used the same sealant as if it were bondo to smooth out the welds. I hammered the patch to match the curve of the bumper so it wouldn't look too back yard mechanic. It looks nice, you can't see it unless the light catches it just right.

I painted it with flat black Rustoleum. After it dried I mounted it back up to the van with new hardware.

It was time to clean the floor and drop it back down on all fours. After making sure there was nothing underneath I had it down in a matter on minutes. It sat nice and flat. It looks really good without the side steps and hub caps.

I gave it a start and backed it outside so I could let it warm up and do a little more housekeeping.

My radiator seems to be leaking, it's only a few years old. I replaced the brass and copper unit with a new aluminum and plastic one. I think I'll spend the money on an all metal replacement this time. But it's not leaking too bad so that will be a project for another time.

When I backed it out It felt like a new van, the steering was tight, the brakes were tight and it rolled so smooth. I stuck my new registration stickers to the plates and new parking permit on the windshield and took it for a drive around the parking lot behind my shop.

The first thing I noticed was that the steering wheel was almost perfectly straight and it tracked straight as well, although I wont know if it does in fact track straight until I drive it on the road at speed. But looking at it, it seems to be pretty close.

All in all it was a good day and I finished what I wanted to get done for the first part. Everything else from here on in will be weekend projects.

Now to get the thing inspected and aligned.