My 72 Danbury

[Peebee]

This is one great thread. Well done so far, your work looks top drawer to me. I bought a 72 crossover about a year ago that needs some attention, this is my first bus and my first serious restoration, did some work years ago on a mini and an escort and have always maintained my own cars but this is going to be my first stripped down restoration / rennovation. I must that thread has really inspired me.
I have over the last few weeks started to strip out the bus and get an idea of what needs tackling, for the last few months I have been collecting tools and preparing the garage, so now I can get a bit more stuck in.

Well done and do not keep us waiting too long for updates........please.

 

[Danbury Doug]

Many congrats Dan!

Couldn't you find a Danbury as your weddiung car? :lol:
Only kidding. That's a lovely stock Dormy. 8)

Hello Peebee and welcome.
I hope you'll be treating us to pics, and maybe a restoration thread?

 

[Peebee]

I will try and keep a restoration thread going, although I think the updates might be a bit slower than CamperDans!!

 

[Deano]

It was an honour to be involved in your wedding, great day.
Thank god the bus did not let us all down...........shame it let me down on the next outing!!!!!!!

 

[Camperdan]

It was an honour to be involved in your wedding, great day.
Thank god the bus did not let us all down...........shame it let me down on the next outing!!!!!!!

Thanks Deano..... sorry to hear the Bus broke down.... although very glad it didn't happen on our wedding day.... the missus would have never forgiven us! How is the 1776 coming on?


As for me, been repairing the lower lip of the nearside rear window frame, here are some progress pictures:

Cut out the rot

Prep

Weld

Grind

Prime and done

More soon......

 

[gninnam]

Very nice job 8) - how do you manage to cut such straight lines??

 

[Camperdan]

Very nice job 8) - how do you manage to cut such straight lines??

Thanks gninnam, ref the cutting.... I just scribe a line with a long metal ruler and then depending on access I 'll either use a hand nibbler, as it keeps distortion to a minimum, or cut very slowly/gently with a 1mm cutting disc in my grinder, for small tricky bits I use a rotary tool (Dremel type thing) with small cutting discs..... works a treat but a little slow!

Cheers

Dan

 

[gninnam]

Cheers for that - whenever I cut, seems to go all over the show, no matter what method I use - obviously not meant to do this then!! :shock:

 

[Barkafer]

As always, a first class job with arrow straight cutting and welding. I wish I had the patience to do as good a job on my bus. Keep up the great work.

 

[Camperdan]

Camera has been broke so been no updates for a while.... sorry :roll:

Spent what has been almost literally a month of Sundays painting the underneath of the bus.... a really dirty nasty job... but it's done now and I'm happy to report that the bus is back on all four wheels for the first time in 3 years.

So.... thought I'd stick my doors on that I've had for an age..... they were a mother to fit and took some real patience and a few made-up shims here and there till I was happy... but not too bad in the end:

Now that I could reach it, thought I'd start on what I hope is the last bit of rust repair I need to do... the front windscreen recess:

Cut out the rot

The inner panel was not too bad only needing a small repair in each corner

Cut out the offending sections and made a couple repair strips that I welded in, ground back and painted

Next job is to trim to size and fit a repair piece to replace the removed part of the outer skin..... I'll be back soon :?

 

[gninnam]

Welcome back 8)
Make sure the radii is right on your inner panel otherwise the rubber which holds the glass in might end up not being water tight (I am sure you have checked this)

 

[Haveacamper]

ye welcome back dude! i was getting a little worried that we'd lost you.

some nice progress there.

what is it with everyone attacking the underside of their buses these last few months. so far its been me, you and andywilson maybe its just we want to get it out of the way before the winter. did you have a body roller or did you do it the convensional way - lying on your back? what did you use to protect the underside??

keep up the good work mate.

NaFe

 

[Nick-Rackham]

Good to see this continuing Inspirational

 

[Camperdan]

Glad to be back.... never left really, just been lazy with my posts.... doh!

Make sure the radii is right on your inner panel otherwise the rubber which holds the glass in might end up not being water tight (I am sure you have checked this)

Hi gninnam, good shout... I did check this by making cardboard templates of the shape of the curve as well as fabricating my replacement strips before I removed the corroded parts, that way I knew that what I put back in exactly resembled what I took out, then re-checked with the card templates and all seems good.

did you have a body roller or did you do it the convensional way - lying on your back? what did you use to protect the underside??

Hi Haveacamper, conventional way unfortunately, in the cold and dirt on my back. Used POR 15, very messy and impossible to get off your skin.... which is not great when it drips/flicks on your face! Once dried it seems very tuff.... although I'm not sure I'd use it again as there seems to be a lot of competitor products on the market now that some people are raving about?

Cheers

 

[Camperdan]

Finished the repair to the lower front windscreen this weekend... really pleased with the results.

Pictures tell the usual story, weld.... grind... prime:

Now I don't want to speak to soon but.... I think this is the last of the required welding!

Now its onto the prep....

 

[gninnam]

A great milestone achieved 8)

I hope you are right with no more welding

 

[Nick-Rackham]

Now I don't want to speak to soon but.... I think this is the last of the required welding!

Looking good oh to be at the prep stage!

If you get withdrawl symptoms I'm sure there's some welding here if you want?

 

[Camperdan]

I hope you are right with no more welding

Me too............ although thinking about it some more, I do have a replacement beam that needs fitting which is stock height at the mo, so I 'will' need to drag the welder out for that as some adjusters will be needed I feel!

If you get withdrawl symptoms I'm sure there's some welding here if you want?

Not likely.... I'll pass on that if you don't mind

 

[Guest]

top work really quality finishing.

what primer brand are you using?

 

[Camperdan]

Thanks Johnny, primer is Upol.

Dan