Worlds longest resto?

Been meaning to get this done for ages. Off on the sick today so have some time for once...

I've had this bus since 2000, me and Mrs nobbly bought it when we got married (awww) for some adventuring, which we did for a couple of years. Then baby No.1 came along and I took her off the reoad for 'a bit of welding'. Basically this snowballed into the whole lower 18" of the bus needs to be replaced or repaired.

A mahoosive load of new steel was ordered (cargo floor, front/rear wheel tubs, arches, all outriggers, jacking points, etc.) and the welding commenced on the drive. Being in the RAF at the time, I got posted and the van got put in storage. After a while I got her moved to my new base and did a bit more work. At this stage most of the structural work was done.

Then had baby No.2. Cue no sleep for 24 months! Motivation (and spare cash) took a dive and she just sat there unloved. At this point (2005) I left the RAF and so had to move the bus from (the free) storage on base. Squeeeeezed her into my garage and did very little work on her.

Another house move (2010) to a place with no garage (well, a garage but full of heating boiler, washing machine etc.), so bus moved to a barn owned by my father in law. Sits for another 5 years....

Then I read sparkywig's 'rusty nail to sows ear' thread and thought "What am I waiting for? Get it done. Do it yourself, paint it yourself and bloody use it!"

All the early work was recorded on a camera... wait for it.... that took real film! :lol: These have yet to be developed!

When I work out how to insert a photo, I'll upload some pics.

So, parked on the drive at last...





Kids keen to help...





Let's go!

Windscreen out to remove dash, found this... kind of knew it was there really.



And some very messy wiring!

Onto stands and beam out for a look-see

Bit of a rub down and some etch-primer on the 15 year old new panels!



Beam in the shop for a going over, it was solid and had adjusters already fitted, but my servo plans required a bracket!

Some bracketry magic and a bit of scraping and painting. Followed by a new svivel pin, a new servo and m/cylinder. Ball joints seem OK arty0053:



More to follow...

Dash out for a bit of a tidy up and lower colour coding.

Needed to weld up a couple of PO holes and skim with filler...



Bit of paint - Neptune Blue to match what the van will eventually be!



And all back together



Meanwhile, outside...

Inside of dash and so forth painted too, keen apprentice sorts out the wiring harness. Good job!



Underneath, arches/chassis painted and beam back in. Another apprentice fits new backing plates, discs and calipers.

Another RHD that will be saved - keep up the good work!

Davydomes said:

Another RHD that will be saved - keep up the good work!

Click to expand...

Yup. Not too many left!

Have you actually done any of this yourself???
Or has it all been child labour??? :lol:

Good work.
Get it rolling and then carry on doing manageable bits while using it. Otherwise, as you've found, days turn into years and it's still not anywhere near done.
Also having smaller jobs to concentrate on gives you easier targets, and doesn't depress you so much...... :lol:

For the vast majority of us they're not concours or show buses, so get them on the road and use the fecking things.

looking good so far . keep them kids working lol

@sparkywig - it's all your fault. Damn you and your inspirational thread :evil:

Child labour is not the past, it's the future! Though boy No1 has already intimated that the bay could be his first car!

Anyway, after the trepidatious* chopping of my rust free (not dent free ) Aussie SLD (again bought 15 yrs ago - £80 as I recall), the glass fits, yay!



* is that a word?

Forgot to mention that the PO blue paint is the biggest pita to remove - ever. It clogs all mechanical means and laughs at chemical paint removers. The heat gun and scraper are the only way. It is a long way around a type 2. So it was good to get at least one side scraped, etched and some 2-pack primer on.

Door track cover channel fitted... note horrid blue!



Etched...



..and finally primed

Then buff my 'new' (but err patinated) Merc 15" steels...



Then a deserved stubby :alc:

A quick try on of the Merc steelies :msn4:





Then what happened? The weather turned , seemingly for ever, last October

So, after agreeing to help someone restore an MGB roadster in return for access to a heated workshop, it was off to her winter home...



... for more scraping of the blue nemesis :evil: :evil: :evil:

Ooooh I love this! Going to be a beauty. Pretty sure ours is neptune blue... Underneath a horrid painted blue like your nemesis! And then additional spray paint..

Can't wait for the next instalment opcorn:

Meanwhile, in the shed at home...

Due to a type 4 2.0 (CU from a T25) arriving imminently, I needed to improve the look of this baby


So a clean and then a partial polish first


Then, a bit of masking


Shiny silver basecoat + lacquer - nice


It will kind of be a CJ when it's finished


And the finishing touch, a tune-up decal (for my hydraulic tappets) arty0006:

Due to a type 4 2.0 (CU from a T25) arriving imminently, I needed to improve the look of this baby

Click to expand...

Looking good! - do you have a 6 Rib GBox to go with it?

No, I have been looking but they are £££ :|

Thinking I will try my 3 rib out first, then maybe look at a ring/pinion change. It's a bit of a dilemma tbh.