68 Deluxe - Back to full height

[ZedBed]

This corner is toast.

Part outer sill removed...

...part inner sill and top-hat removed... and bolster through the middle sill. :lol:

...bulkhead...

I've started picking it apart. The outrigger/jacking point is solid. Probably be easier if it wasn't so I could hack it off... instead of getting hacked off (see what I did there?). :lol: :roll:

The end of the middle one is also rot and holes but solid where I cut it. More's got to go though, and the last 6" of sliding door lower track. This is like an expletive deleted British bus...

The sharp eyed amongst you will have noticed there's not much connecting the bottom of the b-post to... well, anything. Fear not it won't collapse. :shock:

 

[ZedBed]

The rear hatch springs have gone missing so for a bit of light relief I had a look at it today.

I have a late bay doner shell/hulk - it's almost bare but has springs. So I took them off. My bus has hinges and the next bit of the linkage, but the final piece is missing as well as the springs themselves. So can I use the whole lot off the donor? No - the door mountings wouldn't line up.

The donor's two small bits of linkage are permanently attached by the hinge pin being peened over. Early's must have used a circlip as one part of mine has been neatly removed. As it turns out, the parts missing from mine + the springs are the only common parts.

The brass bushes in mine were worn through, so I pressed out the bushes from the donor part I didn't need...

... and fitted them in mine. The actual hole for the bush is also worn, but it's going to be better. Also I swapped sides and inverted these links when I fitted them as all the wear was at the same end on each. And greased them!

Then fitted the springs, linkages etc.

Sorry is I might have made that sound straightforward. I bloody well wasn't - those springs are the devil themselves untill you work out how to remove and refit them - piece of cake then! That's one I'll keep secret - I earned that!

 

[ZedBed]

Back to the metalwork - got the top hat and inner sill welded in place.

Just about to tack the outer half sill in place when the gas ran out.

So I made these for the heater pipes. I'll just tack them in place after the floor's fitted and seam seal the joins. That way I can change my mind later and fit the vents if things swing that way.

...or maybe I'll add flanges and bond them in place. hmm...

 

[ZedBed]

This is getting bloody boring isn't it? :shock:

That's better. Panels made from old shelving I use sometimes - I've got a stack. They're pretty old and the steel is a bit thicker than bodywork and hard as nails.

Bit of cleaning up to do and fix the inner to middle sill underneath then I'm at last getting near fitting the floor.

 

[ZedBed]

Does anyone know about Eberspacher heaters?
I've got one and it's a B1L. There's the heater itself and the ducting for in/exaust and heated air in/out,all mounted in a steel box together with a "thing" that has all the wires connected to it...

...a pump with 2 green wires - I'll just try that and see which way it pumps.

Very obvious fused +ve and earth...

...and a thermostat with an on/off switch.

I think the block connectors wave been added for a remote switch or a timer. I have a sort of spare wire coming from here. I think I'll dump the spare wire and connect the loose ones where they must go, rig up some petrol and a battery and fire it up. What you reckon? It's nearly winter and I've only camped once - and that was in a tent next to the van.

 

[sparkywig]

I've replied on t'other thread.

 

[ZedBed]

I've replied on t'other thread.

I know - bloody useless. :lol: I WANT ANSWERS!!!!!! It's 11:10 and I've cooked a curry and fff'ed up the rice. I'm cooking rice again, but I'm starving and so is young Mr Zed.

Oh well - Tom 'orrow's another day.

 

[ZedBed]

On the subject of heating... for todays light entertainment inbetween scraping underseal, I tried to blow out the hot ait pipes. Nothing doing so I took off the jacket from the long pipe. Stuffed full of mouse nest.

 

[Merlydog]

On the subject of heating... for todays light entertainment inbetween scraping underseal, I tried to blow out the hot ait pipes. Nothing doing so I took off the jacket from the long pipe. Stuffed full of mouse nest.

You have a real menagerie living in your bus Steve! What next?? :lol:

 

[gninnam]

Snap :mrgreen: Just like mine :msn4:

 

[ZedBed]

On the subject of heating... for todays light entertainment inbetween scraping underseal, I tried to blow out the hot ait pipes. Nothing doing so I took off the jacket from the long pipe. Stuffed full of mouse nest.

You have a real menagerie living in your bus Steve! What next?? :lol:

Armadillo's in the engine bay? Bats roosting under the dash? I think I've been everywhere except behind the petrol tank...

 

[ZedBed]

Snap :mrgreen: Just like mine :msn4:

Lucky me - both ends are fine and all good passing through the cross-members unlike a typical uk bus. I'll tidy up the ends and leave for now, then connect with some flexi hose later and tie the jacket back round it.

 

[ZedBed]

Anyone who just might be wondering if I'm a cheapskate cutting up old shelves to fabricate panels have a look at the following photo. The rusty bit is a bought panel - a splitscreen top-hat from Schofields - not that they are any worse than the others. The shiney bit above it is the shelf. I wonder which will last longest? ...and I wish I'd made a top-hat repair from shelving.

 

[ZedBed]

I've been hacking off the old underseal - this bus won't last long in the uk otherwise. It's been nice to see some good bits after dealling with the worst.

...and getting into the corners ready for the floor.

a major PITA, but if I don't I'd regret passing up the chance, as I keep telling myself. :roll:

 

[Nick-Rackham]

That's quick work looking all too familiar! Keep at it, that's a cracking bus

 

[5erge]

Good to see you at the weekend Steve.

The pictures don't really do the bus justice, you'll never find another bus like this one :mrgreen:

Des

 

[ZedBed]

Good to see you at the weekend Steve.

The pictures don't really do the bus justice, you'll never find another bus like this one :mrgreen:

Des

You too my friend - I hope the windows are some use to you.

Cleaning, cleaning , cleaning today... I can't start painting anything until I know a blob of dust won't puff out from some unseen corner and spoil everything. I've been cleaning therefore. Evostick and rust - man's natural foes. I'm so near the end of my tether. :shock:

 

[dandaz]

Tophats/jacking points/chassis looks very nice...well done... 8)


what are you doing about the front? [a spare wheel will cover that]..

 

[ZedBed]

Tophats/jacking points/chassis looks very nice...well done... 8)


what are you doing about the front? [a spare wheel will cover that]..

Nothing much mate - I like it. There is a split to weld up and I might kick it back in a bit.

 

[Nugsy]

Yep keep the dent front so people move out the way thinking youve hit something already, he may do it again :lol:

Doing the same with mine, and using your hint to use a knot wheel to drag the filler out, then try to weld all the slide hammer holes up, sympathetic respray and job done