My 68 Westy - as time goes by .....

[Grazy]

We all need a bit o tuckage hey Clem

 

[Clem]

Thats better.....! 8)

You should steal the rest of the wheels off Wally's crew cab too!

:mrgreen:

Rubbish offset

Most important, very ugly bling wheels :mrgreen: :lol:

Word!

 

[faux]

Next step, slightly narrowed beam........never say never! 8)

 

[Clem]

Next step, slightly narrowed beam........never say never! 8)

I looked and ummed and ahhed, and nearly had a go, but didnt ....

Changing rims up front will lose me an inch either side from what I had before, so 'visually' will be tidy. Im sure it will happen sooner or later, but one thing at a time ... always something else to plan for! :mrgreen:

Got brakes adjusted and bled , gear change set up and other stuff all connected up yesterday, and re set the ride height to maximum yesterday (for now). Got some front floor tidying to do till Xmas now.

 

[Cali_bay]

Looks good. 8) Have looked at these t2d spindles myself.

Do you have any closer pictures of the ball joints/arms? Do they have a flange on the lower side to stop them pulling out upwards as well as being a press fit? Still trying to get my head around the engineering/safety with these. I known they mention the 5 ton press fit, but the weight of a fully loaded bus hitting a pot hole on a bend would create a high impact load. (May do the calculation)

If they have a flange on the bottom this would take that load?

They are fitted with an additional circlip as a 'belt and braces' measure to ensure the safety. I cant really talk with any technical authority on them. They are press tested under unsprung conditions far exeeding the impacts that will be undured and T2D are substantial enough and reputable enough a company for me to trust in. I spoke with Paul about them and he explained in detail about them and convinced/assured me.

I also know Marco, one of the Slammed Panel guys in Holland that originally developed the idea - he gave me full asurrance also.

I reckon they are ace :mrgreen:

Thanks Clem. I'll put them on my wish list

 

[Clem]

Slow progress. :?

I went away for Xmas and now having a unit in a remote village high in the hills isnt helping :lol:

I went last night and only just got home due to the snow, but got some done.

Ive now fitted a complete fusebox as the one I had had the fixings snapped off. I now have a complete fusebox with cover.

Ive been tidying up the cab steps as they were scruffy. I aim to paint, then weather them to blend in, but its too cold right now ... :roll:

I set the tracking up last night. Ive never done it before and got confused with minutes and degrees, but its about there. Second checked all the bolts and everything and concluded the front end is done, bar the final adjustments when I get the wheels. BBT are expecting the sprints at the end of Jan. Im hoping to have mine by the end of Feb ....

This weekend I aim to turn the van round and then drop the engine for a clean, solve an oil leak, re-clean the engine bay after said leak :roll: and then fit the adjustable springplates I bought in the T2D Christmas sale before refitting the donk.

Ill put some more pics up along the way Nivove is 2 months away! :shock:

 

[cotswoldiver]

Always good to read about your winter work Mike ... and know what you mean about the weather passed close by your way last weekend and some roads were certainly tricky.

Ninove is coming round very quickly, need to get my westy out and about and run in and re-set before then - at least I have it in the garage now and the trickle charger is working
David

 

[Clem]

Turned the van around last night and got to grips with the engine. Itll be out next time I go there.

Grabbed a cheeky shot while it was outside -

 

[Prizma]

Looks pretty OK with my eyes :shock:

 

[Clem]

So engine out, freshened up, some paint, some seals, a new coil and a change of a leaky fuel pump ...

and in and running sweetly ...

 

[Dirty Harry]

Nice work Mike, but you better hurry up Ninove is comming very close now

 

[Clem]

Nice work Mike, but you better hurry up Ninove is comming very close now

I know ...

My wheels should be here at/by the weekend so should be testing the van into next week and hopefully all will be coolio.
:?

 

[gninnam]

Nice work Mike, but you better hurry up Ninove is comming very close now

I know ...

My wheels should be here at/by the weekend so should be testing the van into next week and hopefully all will be coolio.
:?

Sounds like you could be cutting this fine :shock:

 

[Clem]

:lol:

Delivery of the wheels was attempted at 1302hrs today ... Im at work

Lucky, I live dead close to the Depot, so Im offski .....

Pics later :mrgreen:

 

[muntz70]

:lol:

Delivery of the wheels was attempted at 1302hrs today ... Im at work

Lucky, I live dead close to the Depot, so Im offski .....

Pics later :mrgreen:

Great... congrats! Can't wait so see the pics...

 

[Clem]

Friday night I eventually tracked my wheels down.

4.5" and 5.5"

Up to the workshop yesterday

After some wrestling and persuading, we were rollin'

Had to take the grinder to the rear hub, and the castle nut sticking out means the rear centre caps dont fit

Looks like spacers and new wheel nuts are required .... thats £100 to make the centre caps fit? Having no centre's on wheels is an absolute pet hate of mine though ....

Tyres are 165/65 x 15 and 185/65 x 15. The back needs lowering, but Creative Spring Plates have been unavailable since Christmas now, but Im assured they will be here soon.

Thanks to T2D for sorting all this out and getting the rims detailed asap

 

[cotswoldiver]

Glad to see they arrived in the nick of time!
Hope its a dry run to Ninove, be a shame to get them wet first time out! :lol:

 

[tintintin]

Lovely Bus Clem,

Everything about it is spot on in my eyes 8) 8)

 

[cotswoldiver]

So engine out, freshened up, some paint, some seals, a new coil and a change of a leaky fuel pump ...

and in and running sweetly ...

Mike, Where did you get the 'black' hose and connectors into your bluebird exhaust? I've the 'silver' tubing on mine at the moment and doesn't look so good

David

 

[Clem]

David, its back hose from fan housing to tinwear (from Just Kampers) and then silver to the heat exchangers.

Tintin - thanks

No need for wheel spacers now. Have lost the BBT decals on the wheels centres and the cap centres are now convex not concave, and thats £100+ saved.

The tyres are hitting the arches up front though, so I guess coilovers will help ... thats that £100 again? :lol: