68 Deluxe - Back to full height

[ZedBed]

Good result with the MOT 8)

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

Cheers mate. Having sorted all the legals I was pretty determined to be able to drive it somewhere!

Cleared in the inlet manifold heat riser which was blocked, re-fitted it with new gaskets, stripped and cleaned the carb (again). Still poop. Symptoms were such that if it had been an air leak it would have had to be a big one, which it certainly wasn't, so must be fuel starvation. Float chamber was always full, pump good, so must be internal carb blockage. After a few clean-ups with standard carb cleaner/air line, I got myself a can of hyper-evil carb/valve etc cleaner. It melted gloves, stung a bit and took the paint off the floor! After taking it apart yet again, cleaning everything with it, blowing though yet again with air hose it was completely cured, but now about 6:30 Friday evening.

So an hour later I went camping in it for the weekend. Well not actually in it, in a tent next to it. 80 miles each way, old oil on the heat exchangers billowing smoke everytime I had to stop. Thought I must have muffed up the rocker gaskets it was so bad! But no sign of fresh oil and after the weekend's run it just smells a bit now and the oil level still bang on the top mark.

The engine seems pretty good, I checked my speed on the local 30mph flashing sign and I think 30 registers as about 32-33 on my speedo, so I cruised at 60 on the speedo as I don't know the engine's history (and I dipped out of AA at the end of August). It ran nice and cool and hardly slowed at all on the long hills. The gears are really easy. Brakes ok. Steering is great, so really stress free jaunts up and down the A14. I'm one happy chappy. But boy is it filthy inside. Think of the most nicotine stained pub ceiling you've ever seen.

 

[sparkywig]

8)

 

[moler]

Well done on the MOT dude 8)

 

[Wannabay]

Steve
Good to see that you've found the right bus and forum at last
That's my 71 sierra yellow tintop in the earlybay banner
Sorry not made it to TE this year, too many other things, but hope to next year
Keep the updates coming
Gerry

 

[ZedBed]

Hey Gerry - it was a bit subdued this year TBH, apart from Ash of course!

I thought I'd better crack on a bit in the evenings before I come home so I've been stripping the headliner.

And started to fix the floor in the back.

I'm not familiar with the hot air system, but this looks either like someone cut the pipes, or there were covers here. Could someone enlighten me?

 

[sparkywig]

Steve, early buses had slightly different heater outlets with a larger base that fitted over the openings.

 

[ZedBed]

Steve, early buses had slightly different heater outlets with a larger base that fitted over the openings.

Cheers Sparky.

Hmm... I don't need heat from here, but if I plate over it with the floor it'll restrict the flow. I'll see if I can make something that fills the gap in the pipes... nobody will ever see it except me.

 

[sparkywig]

I found that if you wedge a short piece of the aluminium fresh air hose that runs from the fan housing to the heat exchangers into each of the ducts you don't get a draught when driving.....

 

[ZedBed]

I found that if you wedge a short piece of the aluminium fresh air hose that runs from the fan housing to the heat exchangers into each of the ducts you don't get a draught when driving.....

A common missing part them Mr Wig - top tip thanks, but I'll something more permanent I think.

 

[sparkywig]

You have pm Steve.

 

[ZedBed]

I had to be honest with myself and admit part of the panel opposite the sliding door was not fit to go again. From 10mm below the floor level to 100mm above is so pitted it's through in a few places and damn near through right across. I suspected this when I bought the van, but had my fingers crossed. Now the floor's out of the way it would be silly not to fix it so I cut out a 4" strip out right across the panel. In the way they do the bottom boinged out, but I'll be able to clamp it all straight to weld in the new panel - bonus for having no cargo floor. Doing this floor level spanning repair with the floor in place is difficult so just had to do it now.

Also needs front half of inner and outer sill under sliding door, small inner B post repair, right across the bulkhead under the bulge on slider side, 9" of front top-hat, sliding door inner and outer. I really haven't quite managed to buy a rust-free bus have I. :lol: Never mind I think apart from the lower windscreen under the seal that's it for welding.

Forgot to take the camera so pics later.

 

[sparkywig]

:lol: Never mind I think apart from the lower windscreen under the seal that's it for welding.

Famous last words.... :lol:

 

[ZedBed]

:lol: Never mind I think apart from the lower windscreen under the seal that's it for welding.

Famous last words.... :lol:

No, really! Oh - and there's a split in the front panel - I can see the road, and a small split in the inner valance, but they're crash damage not rust so they don't count. :lol:

 

[ZedBed]

Got the 4" strip welded in right across the panel today. When I made the first cut, the bottom part boinged out 15mm or so - oh Feck! But I managed to clamp it all together with long angle irons either side. I had to "adjust" some clamps. I'd say zero distortion, but I've ruined the "look". I'm going to have to fake it.

Today I remembered the camera - Hooray!
But when I tried to take a pic it riminded me the memory card was at home in the laptop - Booo!

 

[dubscum]

pics

 

[dubbedup67]

love it dude

just got my 68 back from being welded up.

ive got the electrics on the back to do,get my horn working,one cv boot and all 4 ball joint boots.
and i need to get the engine running.

can i ask,how have you done the wiring on the back of yours,i wanna use the reverse lights as indicators same as you but im a dunce when it comes to wiring.lol

also any tips on how to do ball joint boots,last time i tryed to fit spindles the ball joints wouldnt bloody seat properly n it took me ages to get them to fasten up properly.

awesomke bus tho dude,lovein the ride height too.

matt

 

[ZedBed]

Thanks mate - just hope I won't ruin it repairing it!
There's a "how to" on the wiring in the Tech section - save me typing it out! http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=8176" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ball joints you need a lorry sized joint splitter and a 20 ton press.

 

[dubbedup67]

the link takes me to another page and the links dont work there??.lol

ah i only need to replace the boots,but i dont know how best to get the pressure behind them to pop them back into the spindles??

 

[ZedBed]

So..... That bleedin great swathe through the middle panel. It had to be done.

Here's the worst part of the outside...

...and the inside - it might look like the edge of the floor is still attached, but that's just the part that hasn't corroded...

...after checking inside, the cut wasn't high enough to get the corrosion. Even at the new height here were still a few spots left but I picked them out with a die grinder.

I had a bit of one of those all in one sill and lower panel repair parts so used that. How's this for welding without burning the paint.

Inside...

I didn't want any filler in the middle until after I've tacked the floor to it, but I wanted to feel the curve so I filled round the joins.

 

[ZedBed]

the link takes me to another page and the links dont work there??.lol

ah i only need to replace the boots,but i dont know how best to get the pressure behind them to pop them back into the spindles??

Forget the links and read the posts. It's all discussed.
Judicious use of jack/wood block under the lower arm to get the nut nearly right on.