Florida Bay - The Resto!

[who?1]

Thought it about time to update on my current project. Some may have seen my earlier thread, she has been sitting in the lock up for too long and things like getting married and having a baby meant she was put on the back burner for ages...I have finally got the time and more enthusiasm to give it the final push and hope to get her MOT'd before the end of the summer so we can enjoy one or two shows.

My plan from the start was for a sympathetic resto, I am not too worried about paint being amazing and having loads of shiny parts as she is intended to be used without fear of scratching paint or scuffing interiors.

I bought her at Van Fest two years ago now and had her delivered to Somerset by Dave Fritz from the Split Van Oval Bug Centre.

It then took me and a mate a day to strip everything out before I could see what tasks lay ahead.

 

[who?1]

To get her into our lock up, first we had to lower her so we waited for the necessary adjusters and I had another mate fit em for me!

Once in, I started doing the small repairs to get a bit of confidence with the welder.

Next up was cab floor and then cargo floor.

Phone camera is a bit poor due to the dusty atmosphere!

 

[who?1]

Next on the list was the rear corner and new panel for the non existent battery tray.

Not my best welding ever but after this I did take more time and got it looking a lot straighter!

Due to finding accident damage along the side I tried to get the bus rolled over but we had no room following a trial fitting and gave up....I instead learnt how to weld upwards!

And made a start on the side panels!

 

[who?1]

Both front step sections were beyond repair and I managed to pick up a pair of OG steps at Dubfreeze last year and they went in a treat. After looking at repro panels for this job I am so glad that I spent the money on OG as the fit was spot on

 

[who?1]

Much better!

And the other side.

Next was the front inner and outer valance, luckily I have friends I can call on who will work for a bit of cash of mostly Cider and I had alot of assistance with this as I was not looking forward to it!

I could always put my newly found fabrication skills to good use!

 

[who?1]

And a little dab of paint!

The front is now welded in place and the first coat of filler is on...welding is 99% complete..I hope!

Got a pair of slamworks adjustable spring plates coming soon through the EB Group buy, can't wait to get them on.....

 

[waza]

Looks like another bay is saved from the grave

 

[gninnam]

Some nice work going on there 8) - well done sir

 

[who?1]

Looks like another bay is saved from the grave

Halalluya........Amen!

 

[who?1]

Some nice work going on there 8) - well done sir

Many thanks No more updated pictures today. Sunday was spent fitting up the sliding door and finding bits missing or broken....if anyone has a locking pawl and roller wheel for the middle hinge I am all ears!

I also worked out that one of the replacement steering arms which came with the bus has no nuts ant the thread is not metric so the old nuts and also nylock nuts will not fir so I am going to have to order a new one.

The bits I ordered from JK have arrived so the brakes can be finished and the ball joints can now be replaced.....it's my Birthday this weekend though so Sunday maybe written off! :roll:

 

[who?1]

Been busy down the lock up over the past few weeks an fitted all the bits I have picked up recently;

New steering damper and fixed tie rod,
New brake hoses,
Painted dash board,
Fitted rubber seals to cab door handles,
Painted reveals of front window and right hand side windows,
Fitted and sorted sliding door mechanism (now runs sweet).
Fillered where needed again along the sides front and rear!!
Fitted new shocks all round,
Fitted new pads and cylinders all round,
Fitted new CV boots to rear,
Fitted Slamwerks adjustable spring plates ooh and trial fitted the Plymouth hub caps!!!

 

[who?1]

None of my pics are in order so sorry, but you get the idea!!

Till next time....

 

[gninnam]

Nice job 8)

Love what you did to the dash

 

[who?1]

Nice job 8)

Love what you did to the dash

Thanks

Hammerite spray! Satin Black....took my time and gave it three or four coats over the space of an hour or so.

 

[Nugsy]

some good work going on there

I'm in the middle of mine and looking at your pics just realised i need to do more work on the bottom of my a-post. Most of it had turned to rust and been filled/hammerited back in place so when i hit it it all fell out and i had nothing to go off.

:lol:

 

[who?1]

Will you take the doors off when you do this work? I left the doors on so I could keep shutting them when I did the front steps.

It was a wee bit tricky :roll:

This way I could check alignment and also made sure the body didn't twist!!

 

[who?1]

Got some updates this week!

Finally got the master cylinder off, had to do this before ordering a new one as it didn't look right for the year of bus! Now at least I can get a matching one.

Broke out the Halfords rattle can also, smartened up the bits which needed covering in more than just primer!

More soon.....

 

[aogrady]

Hi!

Nice work, coming along nicely!!

Cheers,

Alistair

 

[gninnam]

^^^WHS^^^

:mrgreen:

 

[cyberdyne systems]

Like what you've been getting up to with the repairs, rear corners looking well nice and love the dash refurb, makes a lot of difference