68 Deluxe - Back to full height

[ZedBed]

I made the one I caught fight a wolf spider (thought it was just an ordinary house spider). USA imposter didn't have a chance. Wolfy bit off a few legs then finished in off.

I should have steering box seals tomorrow, but today I rebuilt a cab door with new seals and mostly put the windscreen back in. Bit slow with aching arm.

 

[Merlydog]

:lol: Jesus, some serious war wounds there Steve. Dangerous game these US imports! :lol: Damm, your bus must be full of them! That's not a nice thought :shock: :? So is that the black widow dead then? Such a boy keeping them as pets! :lol: :roll:

 

[Nugsy]

Jees thats a nasty bruise looking thing.

Someone said mine might be a wolf spider but i googled it and apparently they dont make webs. They are called wolf spiders cus they chase down their prey. It scared me even more as if im under my bus and it was one would it chase me down :lol:

I need some heavy duty stuff, not sure the bug bomb would work as i think its under neath in the pans. Im just gunna annoy it i know and it will hate me :shock:

 

[ZedBed]

Hi Nugsy - the Wolf spider is a uk one my son found in his bedroom - the sort that run really quick across the carpet. The deadly one was from the bus. I "fed" the black widow with the wolf, only it didn't turn out as expected!

 

[67panel]

we had one a few weeks back,you can tell cos they make long stringy sticky webs,entice it out by tickleing the web,use a small bit of wire ,so it thinks some thing is traped then spray it with insectiside then do what we do ,hit it with a large hammer :msn4: :lol:

 

[dubscum]

blowlamp :msn4:

nice bus, funny thread

 

[ZedBed]

I'd sort of ixed enough for the MOT - not enough to pass, but enough to throw up anything I haven't spotted. It failed of course, but nothing unexpected. Steering box is great - like new (ish :lol: ). No really it's surprisingly good.
Lights point wrong way.
Indi light wrong colour
all 4 front suspension ball joints u/s.
Washer lost pressure overnight
Hole in the floor - only the cab floor failed! Cargo floor was an advisory.
Bolt missing from steering damper
Missing engine lid catch.
Tyres
Parking brake
Front imbalance.

All the front's getting done tomorrow with drop spindles and new shoes.
Washer didn't leak so pump valve or cap seal.
Sort the parking brake and lights.
Patch the floor
MOT
Register.
Fix the other floors while I wait for reg.
...and I got an old side marker to replace the mising one - first unnecessary purchase. :shock:

Fitted tailgate glass and replced one westy window with plain glass - thanks Spike - nice and tatty! There are photos on the camera in the car at the bottom of the garden...

 

[ZedBed]

blowlamp :msn4:

nice bus, funny thread

Cheers

 

[antoine]

your getting quicker. and thankfully earlier. im still on the same bloody van as i was 3 and a half years ago. and you have buggered off and finished loads. at least a spider bite is better than jamming a grinder into your finger.
keep up the good work.

 

[lynn71]

are you serious about the cargo floor?? you didnt patch it?? i ask cos im still in the states and im contemplating bringing my lynn back with me if i move back ive been doing lots of research on the mot stuff i jus want to know if mine would fail ill get detailed pics of the rust soon

 

[ZedBed]

are you serious about the cargo floor?? you didnt patch it?? i ask cos im still in the states and im contemplating bringing my lynn back with me if i move back ive been doing lots of research on the mot stuff i jus want to know if mine would fail ill get detailed pics of the rust soon

Yes I'm serious, BUT you won't find you get the same result everywhere. My inspector has 40 years experience, He's 50m from my workshop, he KNOWS my work and that I'll be fixing it before I drive anywhere (much :lol. The mechanics and anything that could affect safety will have to be tip top before it passes - his brake tester machine is very difficult to satisfy! He's not lenient, but he knows vehicle construction and the rules inside out. Mind you they all had a really good laugh at the MOT inspector's inspector had spent the morning there and given them the 3rd degree - if my van had been booked in in the morning they'd have had real fun!

Seriously though - the rot has happened from the INSIDE so all the structure underneath is A1 condition.

When I get a pass, I'll post a picture of the certificate on the floor hole.

EDIT: There's nothing dodgy going on here between myself and MOT man. Far from it. Often customer's buses pass with splits here and holes there, but when I say "you can't be serious" he patiently explains why he can't fail it.

 

[lynn71]

ok well i know my pan in the front needs lookin into im not too fond of seein the road while im driving i mean theyre only 50p size holes but its still off putting but other thn that the frame is solid i mean never undercoated original paint solid it came from new mexico so i think its more solid thn most around here in mississippi

 

[ZedBed]

Since I last posted I've fitted TH dropped spindles and lowered the rear a spline...

... fitted all the glass ...

... and generally attended to all the MOT repairs as I went along, so I did the brakes while I was lowering. Turns out it's fitted with Gas-Adjust shocks all round which is a bonus. I quite like these as they're not too hard. Time will tell if I get any rubbage.

I spent a good deal of yesterday adjusting the steering geometry - You need 2 adjustable tie rods for dropped spindles, so I took them back off, freed them up, made them the same length and refitted. I had ridiculous toe in so I adjusted both rods together until it was about right. Then set the camber, and finally back to the tracking. When this was done, I centred the steering box with the drag link disconnected, adjusted the drag link and fitted it back on. I think my steering willl now be as good as it can get.

Today I popped in this afternoon and now both halves of the cab floor have 10" sq patches made from some steel shelving. It's just the right thickness. It needs a whole cab floor fitting, but I'm spending too much time on the first wave of repairs as it is.

Drivers door seals and scrapers all renewed with non-broken opening 1/4light. There's a weldable split, where they always crack, on the passenger door, so I stopped after stripping the door seals and I'll sort it after the MOT.

Hmmmm... Oh yes - I hammered out the dead drivers set and put a better one in (again a temp measure). I have 6 seats and they are all drivers ones, so I'm looking out for a passenger seat that needs refurbishing.

MOT tomorrow... :shock: I'll get him to check the brakes on the rollers before he logs it in for the re-test. Luckily it's only 50m away.

 

[sparkywig]

Stance pics please Steve, I may have to go up a bit to make the bus more practical... :roll:

 

[ZedBed]

Stance pics please Steve, I may have to go up a bit to make the bus more practical... :roll:

So I read.

I need new tyres before pics - it's got skinny all-terrain tyres on the front. :lol: I was tempted to get 4 and leave it in the air, but the ball joints being u/s steered me downwards. I have boomerang plates on order, but I'm starting to thing the back will go down too far and I'll end up normal "nose in the air" like it started. It seems about right how it is - 3 1/2" down at front and what 2 1/2"? = 1 spline has levelled it off nicely. I may cancel the plates when I get the tyres on.

 

[ZedBed]

Passed the MOT re-test this morning. So I thought I'd get straight onto it and register. Hmmm - paperwork not quite in order, one of those thing, so I'll have another go tomorrow. They say 2 working days. I'll believe it when I see it. :lol:

I took it for a wee spin on a roundabout route to the re-test (virtually next door) to bed the new shoes in a bit and it went like a dog. So after registering tomorrow, I'll give it a service and see what I find.

No pics yet SW - I took one, but I'm getting the tyres on tomorrow so I'll wait and post then.

 

[ZedBed]

Went back to Peterborough DVLA this morning and registered it. That's another milestone. But a customer's van failed it's MOT today so I had to do some ball joint and brake work and leave my service. More proper work tomorrow as well. I did get some temp tyres on for a look-see though.

Before: with crazy tyres, 1x15" and 3x14" wheels.

After: TH spindles 195/60/14 on front, 1 spline, 195/65/14 on the back. I think these tyres are too small for cruising. I'll try some bigger tomorrow.

I'm itching to sort out the cargo floor but I'm going to have to put this bus on the weekend only schedule and get back to earning a crust next week.

 

[Nugsy]

Congrats on getting the MOT, bet you cant wait to 'legally' drive it :lol:

I know what you mean though had to wait for 4 1/2 weeks to get my customs forms through to find out my cover note had ran out. Also back to being office based so no more nipping out for 2 hours to register at teh DVLA. Had to post all my stuff off today and hope it goes through.

As for your floor thing i think the current rule for rust/rot is none within 30cm of a mounting point. So being where it is as long as it aint within a foot of the beam mounts or seat belts its not a failure.

keep up the good work, but not so fast as it makes me feel guilty on my slow progress

 

[ZedBed]

DVLA cock up - forgot to take my fee yesterday - I knew it was too easy at the time but I couldn't put my finger on it!
They phoned and apologised, but said I can't pay on the phone which is a shame as they have all docs ready. So I went and paid and have disc, reg and all legal.

I did mostly service it, BUT I'd disturbed the crappy M5 or whatever they are single port inlet manifold fixings/gasket while fittting the 4:1 header to replace the broken exhaust and it's running like a pile of poo. All stripped ready to fit tomorrow morning. Delays, delays, delays...

Apparently there's no such beast as a 195/75/R14??? So I'm going standard on the back.

 

[gninnam]

Good result with the MOT 8)

Hope you crack the poor running soon and get it on the road