The Buss-E '71

[Lee C]

Nice welding!!!!!
It's 100% neater than mine!!!!

 

[Buss69]

Nice welding!!!!!
It's 100% neater than mine!!!!

Actually mate, I've taken a look at your crew cab and am impressed. What you don't see on this/ my thread is all the practising I've done. Before I welded in the hatch I spent about 4 days (10+ hrs a day) dicking about with my welder on similar thin old metal. My welder has an auto setting but I decided to go to manual. I needed to play with it and see what happened when I went extreme on all the settings. I made the same cut in thin steel (1mm cutting disk) and attempted to weld until I got it right. Each time I made a note of the setting (I still refer back to these notes)
I'm not gonna lie it seemed like I made no progress and then I looked back at what I had started with and realised I had made a lot. The time I spent practising was agonising, I wasn't welding the bus but, when it came time my confidence was at a point where I knew what to do when things go wrong (mostly). It was way easier but I was still pooping it.

I still get it very wrong. One of my last posts mentioned me not being happy with a section I'm working on. I wasn't going to post pictures but now I'm going to (over the weekend), to prove my point. The bit I'm working on was really good and then I ****** up and had a massive blow through. Gutted, but each time this happens we learn and try to work out a different way of doing it next time. If you're not a pro you simply have to practise more, this is alchemy. Philosophy over, get back to that welder.

 

[Buss69]

Nice welding!!!!!
It's 100% neater than mine!!!!

Lee, just taken closer look at your threads. You're way ahead of me on the welding. My last comment was like teach you how to suck eggs... apologies.

Secondly, you have way too many buses... can I have one?

 

[Buss69]

More work today but no pics. I mentioned that I'd take pics of my botch. Well, it wasn't as bad as I had feared so was a bit pointless in taking pics. I will take some tomorrow.
Spent the afternoon with a bit of filler tidying up my repairs. I love it when you don't have to use too much.

If I get the chance i'm going to cut holes for rear side markers.

What's the opinion on doing this? Were side markers fitted for US only? If so, am I messing up my bus by fitting them or am I making it unique? Probably a bit of both, but would love some feedback/ opinion on doing this.

Should I do it?

 

[Buss69]

Today didn't seem to get started but here are some pics

I have yet more access holes. The one on the left is the access hole I made when the original fuel tank was in fitted. The one on the right is for the new tank. When the fabricator made the tank it he asked if he could move the position of the sender unit. I was busy at work and distracted and said yes. Wish I hadn't. Now I have two holes, two's better than one right?


This is seen from the other side. When the new tank was fitted the bus was stranded in Oxfordshire. I left it with Chris Birk who really helped me out and got my bus back on the road. Being a fussy type I was unhappy that it didn't match the other one so decided to fix it.
Luckily Chris had made the new cover plate using the original cut. I really wanted to use this as it had the curve and that would be hard to replicate. It was a bit thin but I managed to retain it and weld in.


I should have done all this before painting around the hatch but as always ended up doing more than I intended. First sand ready for a skim of filler.


Got the filler in around the access holes and a few other repairs I made recently. Rubbed all of this down in readiness for more sanding next week and hopefully paint in the rear area.


Surgery next week in the form of painting parts of the arches, rear deck and fuel tank bulkhead. Man it takes so long to do anything. One step closer though.

 

[Buss69]

So recently, I've found a renewed interest in my bus and I'm back on it, albeit a bit slow. It's come out of hibernation and work is again commencing but this time I've sent it to Dave at Airwerx in Ringwood. Not sure how long it's gonna take but he's a genius when it comes to bodywork which my bus needs. It's not bad but I want it perfect and beyond the scope of my skills, at least in any meaningful time frame.

 

[ozziedog]

Sometimes, that’s exactly what is needed. Once it’s away, you’ll be wanting it back to get it finished. When a project stalls, this is often a great way to get it rockin again. You’ll now be dreaming up all sorts of changes to do once it’s home again.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,glad you’re still on it

 

[dubselector]

So what did you decide on side markers ? My view is they look good on U.S spec vans along with the reverse lights over the rear lamps - they tell the story of where the bus has been, but I wouldn't add them to a UK bus. I like to spot the little differences and bore my Mrs silly by countering on about them ! Some sort of reluctant osmosis has gone on coz the other day she pointed at one and said " is that what you call a crossdresser? " Mind you the driver had long hair, lipstick and a 5 o' clock shadow

 

[ozziedog]

So what did you decide on side markers ? My view is they look good on U.S spec vans along with the reverse lights over the rear lamps - they tell the story of where the bus has been, but I wouldn't add them to a UK bus. I like to spot the little differences and bore my Mrs silly by countering on about them ! Some sort of reluctant osmosis has gone on coz the other day she pointed at one and said " is that what you call a crossdresser? " Mind you the driver had long hair, lipstick and a 5 o' clock shadow

My Mrs won’t even entertain going to a VW ‘Thing’ but now refers to all and sundry non air cooled VWs as ‘Builders Vans’, . This was not instigated by me however,so I wonder where she came up with that little gem. I’ve recently done some paintwork on my van and now she refuses to get in it all.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, might be for the best

 

[redgaz54]

My Mrs won’t even entertain going to a VW ‘Thing’ but now refers to all and sundry non air cooled VWs as ‘Builders Vans’, . This was not instigated by me however,so I wonder where she came up with that little gem. I’ve recently done some paintwork on my van and now she refuses to get in it all.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, might be for the best

Have your sprayed it pink with large white dots or something?

 

[static]

Have your sprayed it pink with large white dots or something?

At least it matches my trousers.

 

[ozziedog]

Have your sprayed it pink with large white dots or something?

You’ll have to wait until you see it. But you aren’t Farr off.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,What havvvve I done

 

[redgaz54]

You’ll have to wait until you see it. But you aren’t Farr off.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,What havvvve I done

 

[Buss69]

Sometimes, that’s exactly what is needed. Once it’s away, you’ll be wanting it back to get it finished. When a project stalls, this is often a great way to get it rockin again. You’ll now be dreaming up all sorts of changes to do once it’s home again.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,glad you’re still on it

You're not wrong but also I haven't been in a situation to actually do anything so fingers crossed this makes me pull my finger out.

 

[Buss69]

So what did you decide on side markers ? My view is they look good on U.S spec vans along with the reverse lights over the rear lamps - they tell the story of where the bus has been, but I wouldn't add them to a UK bus. I like to spot the little differences and bore my Mrs silly by countering on about them ! Some sort of reluctant osmosis has gone on coz the other day she pointed at one and said " is that what you call a crossdresser? " Mind you the driver had long hair, lipstick and a 5 o' clock shadow

Ahhhh, you know what, this is the problem! I still haven't decided. I'm in total agreement with keeping the history of the bus. I went and bought the side makers too...

 

[Buss69]

Slowly getting back on my bus but have a question:

Has anyone fitted the rear disc brake kit that Red9 used to make? I'm after any info on how to fit these. I believe there was some machining to be done to the hub carrier but I never got it done. They don't sell this item anymore and would really appreciate some advice.