Buddy the bus: 69 Dormobile

[SiDev]

Camping at WoWo last summer and a bird with a huge camera asked if she could take some pics of the bus for the website. She was snapping away for about 20 minutes, I checked the site a couple of times but nothing . Then last night we were booking again and noticed these on the Facebook page. Not sure what type of lens she used but it's made it look mint!

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[SiDev]

Got the bus back yesterday after some winter work: full new brakes, underneath of the doors repaired and painted, so have it a bath, fitted a new accelerator pedal after the PO bodged it with cable ties, then took it for a long blast. It's good to be back behind the wheel. [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH]

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[Marjorie71]

Lovely van! We are just restoring a 71 dormobile!

 

[SiDev]

Bought these rims around Christmas when Heritage had a sale day, now the better weather is here I thought it best to get some tyres and get them on. Tidied up the drums while I had the chance too. Happy days...

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[SiDev]

So, plan to retrim the interior this spring went south as we're spending a stupid amount of money on a new kitchen. I still wanted to tart it up though, so decided to get some cheap vinyl and recover the panels that the previous owner had covered in black house carpet. Total spend was about £40 and it has made a pretty big difference to be honest.
So from this:

Cut some new cards, flash tape on the door to stop the panels droning, bit of insulation keep sound down and maybe help with heat loss...

So a day later, and high as a kite of fumes from spray adhesive, it looks like this...

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[SiDev]

Also saw that originally Dormobiles came with a mirror on the elevating roof between the 2 large glass windows. Dormobile want £30 for a repro, I would pay that for NOS but not a pattern part, so I got a plastic mirror from IKEA, cut it down, filed it into shape and hey presto, £4 later I can see just how bad my hair looks after a nights kip!
Before...

During...

After...

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[toffo24]

Looking good Si must meet up and go for a cruise sometime

 

[SiDev]

Cheers Pete. Yes, a drive out sounds good, I'm out and about most weekends in it now but have got a fair amount of travel coming up for work so will drop you a text and see how you're fixed, I want to see Helga too!

 

[toffo24]

Ok Si will let you know when I have her back from Bushells

 

[SiDev]

Well, first proper camp out of the year, 3 nights at Rother Valley Campsite. Weather was mixed, but generally ok, the site was excellent and there's some good bits very close by: Bodiam Castle (by boat), steam railway next door. They also allow open fires which is a bonus, makes the whole experience much better.

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[brucieboy]

great use of the bus, and in my opinion, the best roof conversion you can get, I hope I'm lucky enough to get an early bay door mobile one day! So confused however, as there appears to be two River Rother's and two Rother Valleys in the country, I live right near Rother Vally country park in SHEFFIELD! thought you were local to me for a sec, then it appears Ive entered some weird 4th dimension!!

 

[SiDev]

Well funnily enough a mate googled it to see where I was and found the Sheffield one too, funny.

 

[SiDev]

Another day another little job ticked off: bought a tacho off a guy on here, always liked the look of the monster tacho's but they're big bucks. Didn't come with any brackets so found some in the toolbox, bored them out, sprayed them black

Found a convenient hole to put the wires through as I didn't want to drill the dash

Wired it all up and hey presto....

Not sure I need it to go all the way up to 10,000 revs, but maybe one day.....

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[SiDev]

I'd heard mixed things about Apex festival in Kent, but as its only 20 minutes away took a little drive up. It was a pretty good show, apparently getting bigger every year. The best bit was getting do a parade lap in the bus.


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[toffo24]

Hi Si

Are you going to Deal classic car show next weekend ? Jill and I will be there.

 

[SiDev]

Hi Pete,

Probably not mate, working in Chile this week and don't land back in the UK until Saturday morning. What time does it finish, if i get the chance I may pop over for an hour or so?

Si.

 

[SiDev]

Some pics from Alive and V Dubbing @ Jimmys Farm this weekend. Pissed rain the whole time, but a good show with lots to do and some nice motors.

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[SiDev]

Finally got some bus-time over the Chrimbo break so got my old amp and sub out of the loft, plus my old 6x9's and the amp wiring kit and door speakers that Santa brought me. It's been around 15 years since I wired in a stereo, so I was chuffed when it all worked.

The sub box was too wide to fit between the seats so had to be cut down.

Luckily wiring hasn't changed much in all these years.

Put some flashband on the inside of the doors to stop the "drumming", which works like a charm. Then door speakers. Had mounted these lower down in my 2 previous bays, but this has an early door and a late door which are different, so this was the only option for them to match. I don't think they sound nearly as good in the front kick panels.

Then ended up having an impromptu pissed-up disco for 2 on New Year's Eve at around 1am, my neighbours we're delighted....

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[surfbus]

Nice Dormo!

 

[SiDev]

Thanks bud.