The Babylon Rat

Here are the pics we took when we popped into check out the interior at Martin's workshop the other week, before all the doors, stainless steel hidden piano hinges etc were fitted.

Thats gonna look nice

look at alll those storage holes best be getting a big motor next to move it along, what with the amount of crap camping gear you will be able to take with you does look sweet dude, just need some paint for the out side of it

Cheers Carlos

Griff .... there IS a big motor going in ..... 1776cc flowed enging with Dell 36's on a GT box & T3 rear brakes

Babylon Split Rick wrote:

Cheers Carlos

Griff .... there IS a big motor going in ..... 1776cc flowed enging with Dell 36's on a GT box & T3 rear brakes

looks like he's doing a nice job there

Its gonna look and go real sweeeeeet!

Griff ..... you're not turning into Oli are you & not reading the previous postings?

Babylon Split Rick wrote:

Griff ..... you're not turning into Oli are you & not reading the previous postings?

don't know what your on about what you need is something along the lines of, 1776cc flowed engine with only several hundred miles on it & still needs final running in!
External oil filter
Twin Dellorto 36's
CB hex linkage & manifolds
BMD Iron Cross serpentine pulley kit (Chrimbo prezzie from Sharon)
Technocar regulating fuel filter
would do you nicely, don't know of one do you

i agree with griff

As soon as I get her down the workshop I will be armed with the camera when I start the big 'work' on her, so I can get plenty of photos for all you pic porn'ers

Yeah baby i'm liking that

Morning All

Well yesterday was my 1st full day down the unit & I get busy striping Babylon down.

I took 94 photos while I was down there! But having probs with Photobucket this morning, as it won't let me upload (any ideas why guys?) so you pic porners have to be patient with me

Took a load of pics of her before I started to take her apart, including a load underneath to show how she's 99.9% rust free

Later in the afternoon when Rich turned up down there we cut the windscreen rubbers out as my screens had been leaking, as a lot of you will know with the evidence of the gaffer tape along the bottom of the screens
Well I'm please to say that the metal on the window frames is spot on with no rust at all!
Think the quote of the day goes to Crewkid though ... "Rich, your bus is so wrong!". Why I ask? so he replies "cos you've still got all your original frames, your bus is a freak!!!"

Going to get my a$$ into gear (Not easy as I ache like a git today from all the crawling around underneath & air blowing out the insides) & get off down there in a moment to pull the engine & tank out in readiness for Dirty Dave's arrival tomorrow with the welder, hammers & dollies.He's going to 'let' in the cab floor panel that'll get rid of not rust, but 44 years of wear on the bit that gets the left foot tapping away when driving. And also at least then the body won't pi$$ water in through all the 'bullet' holes down the n/s rear from the cowboy job that was done to her dents over in the good ol' u s of a!

Babylon Split Rick wrote:

Think the quote of the day goes to Crewkid though ... "Rich, your bus is so wrong!". Why I ask? so he replies "cos you've still got all your original frames, your bus is a freak!!!"

Rick and the freak bus..

Where are the bloody pics then Rik???

Yes where are the pics mate, you sound like you've been working hard!

Prehaps ...he's still working on it

nomates wrote:

Prehaps ...he's still working on it

Well if he is then he's only got 10 mins before the dog is let out to bite him

AWOL...................perhaps we should call the search and rescue team

Sorry about the lack of pics so far guys
I've been up in London for a 'green' building fair & popped over to Mr Melliard to collect the deluxe trim & over riders ... and managed to resize the pics for Photobucket now!

Ok then here's some from the 1st day down the unit:






















A few over views of the general condition of the old girl, including the accident damage where some hick in the US tried to pull out the dent on the long side panel & the great condition of the windscreen scuttles

Then some from Friday, when it started to get ugly


Got Babylon up on the ramps to give her a thorough going over


Pin holes on the side panel between the cargo door & the wheel arch




Couple of minor holes on the o/s sill, but nothing major



Found a small rusty patch on the underside just in from the doors, so I had a poke around and went through, so I came back up top & realised it was where the middle seat runner strip was. Decided it was best to pop the spot welds off on the plate to have a proper dig around. Wasn't too bad though considering she's 44 years old


Then had a poke around at an area I knew was a little worse for wear & was pleasantly suprised to find less than I was expecting to!


Another one of the cargo floor



Sill & side panel cleaned up


Just a cool shot down the workshop


'Ashtray' removed from the n/s long panel


Accident damage from the outside


Real Arizona dirt, removed from inside the sill!


This little hole is where all that dirt was sitting getting all moist behind the metal



This is the only rust I can find in my wheel arches .... and I think it was probably caused when it was fitted out as a camper, probably early on in it's life, as there's a drain hole been made on the cargo floor behind the drivers seat for the waste pipe from a sink, as the hole was cut too close to the bulk head


And finally I managed to get the bumpers, rear tin & zorst off, before Dirty Dave imminent arrival on Saturday morning

Saturday morning saw me down the unit for 8.15am to start draining & removing the fuel tank before Dave got down to start the welding & to get the engine out.


Dave ground out & welded up the bits I'd exposed (on the van's metal work!) Then as he was cleaning up the weld he found a little more that was thin metal, so he cut out and added a further plate


Blimey Dave .... was it a strong curry last nite?


Dave inspecting his handy work


1600cc engine out & 1776cc ready for the transplant of ancillaries & tinware


Bell housing showing that it needs a new oil seal But not a problem as it's getting a straight axle later in the week


Cab floor cut out & welded new panel in where the metal had thinned due to feet wear


Same plate from the under side


GT box on the floor & doner 1300 box that I'll be taking the outer shafts off for the GT box, then later will use this 1300 box to replace Sharon's one on the Vamp


Dave welding up the 'ashtray' (well actually it was the water filler for the sink unit) looking all pleased with his workmanship as there was no distortion to the panel.

Dave & I worked the accident damaged area down the long side to see if we could shrink the damage back, but after about an hour of beating it with his new shrinking hammer & a dolly we came to the conclusion that it will probably be best to cut out the offending metal and replace it with new as it too gar gone to get back in shape So that will be tackled next time he comes down.

Did get a few other bits done but forgot to take pics ... will do when I get down there this morning though!

Nice work rick/dave keep those pics coming is the dbs law

Looking Great Rik! Keep up the hard work xxx

Great pics ricky baby..

Babylon Split Rick wrote:

Dave & I worked the accident damaged area down the long side to see if we could shrink the damage back, but after about an hour of beating it with his new shrinking hammer & a dolly

Yep they beat the hell out of it...

I can still hear them banging in the back of the bus... bang, bang, harder, harder, bang, bang, rick go down, go up, go up, bang, bang, bang, not that far, hang on i'm coming out, sh1t, i'm going back in, bang, bang, bang, dave what you doing now... taking my top off... Then they carried on banging... so at that point i put my ear plugs in...