rusty nail to sow's ear

Fri 29th June 2012

MOT is due, so time to get my arse sorted.

Sat 30th June 2012

Oh fuck, look what I've just bought......





....only put a bid in as a punt, and I won.

Sun 1st July 2012

As the seats were out being costed for repair I thought I'd tidy up the seat tub, but forgot that I'd already done that months ago.....
So cleaned out the void under the seat, rustproofed and a coat of primer.



Next on the list is a good clean and polish on Friday morning ready for CamperJam.

Wed 4th July 2012

As the exhaust back box was rather ripe, a "cheap" replacement was ordered.



Unfortunately it didn't fit without modifying it to miss the engine support bar with a 2lb lump hammer.



Oh well, VS exhaust is on it's way, just need to manufacture a tow bar that will allow me to fit it.



Had a right gutsful of the disc brakes though. Sent the calliper carrier mounts back as they fouled the discs, replacements came today and I still can't get the fuckers to fit without fouling the disc.....



I shall be spending some time on the phone tomorrow.

Thurs 5th July 2012

Aaaaaaagh!!

Wrong fucking discs.....

Fri 6th July 2012

Well, I'm all packed for CamperJam.








Fuck the rain....

Sun 8th July 2012

What a cracking weekend.
Friday was a bit damp, but yesterday was OK and this morning was hot and sunny when we packed up.
No moaning about the weather and refunds here, it's what you make of it that matters.
Loads of good company and met a few new faces as well.

Friday about 1 o'clock waiting to be let onto the fields.







There were some really bad drivers about though.....















And on the way home at Strensham Services, a Pontiac Le Mans,



and an F100.

Wed 11th July 2012

Look what I brought home last night.





looks better after a wash though....










Stripped the arse of the bus ready for the weekend as well.





Replacement discs at the workshop, so hopefully all systems go on Friday.

Thurs 12th July 2012

Dropped the bus off at the workshop this afternoon, ready for the MOT works and beam change to be started tomorrow.
It certainly surprised me when Nick asked me to back it onto the ramp, and Jim then went at it like a long dog....
Especially as I was supposed to be doing the work.









A little repair required, not unexpected given the rest of the work carried out.





I'll see how much more progress is made tomorrow morning when I'm not in the way.

Fri 13th July 2012













Nice bit of tuckage.





Going to run it at this height until it all settles in, and then adjust to suit.

Sat 14th July 2012

Back brakes next.
That'll be why the handbrake is ineffective....







It drives better now, stops on a sixpence, no banging or scraping the beam and the tyres don't rub. I'll let it all settle for a couple of hundred miles and than reassess the "stance".



And then the battery tray "fell out".









It'll have to be a temporary repair here until I can get an off-side rear corner.

Sat 14th July 2012

I have to say that the issues I had with the front brakes probably stem from the fact that these weren't a new kit, but Dave at Futbus (eventually) sorted the problems out.
Wrong calliper carriers and discs, no wonder the chap I bought them from couldn't fit them and sold them cheap.

I still think I'd go with the Futbus kits (Mk 3 Golf callipers and pads, and bigger discs and braking surface), over the CSP (GM parts) every time if I was buying new.


Handles and stops much better now, although I only drove about a mile.
I think I'll pop over to DatC on Saturday and give the beam and brakes a chance to settle in before we go to Cornwall.
Slight problem in that there's only the driver's seat fitted at the moment, the other's off being repaired on Monday.

Tues 17th July 2012

Wed 18th July 2012

Thurs 19th July 2012

Hmmm, looks higher now I'm home.
Perhaps it'll drop a bit when I've put everything back in....



Loads of clearance now though.

Fri 20th July 2012

Freshly repaired tombstone, shame I can't get the driver's done until after we get back from Cornwall.

Sun 22nd July 2012

Some pics of the line-up at DatC yesterday.











And my total spend of £11, couldn't find a twinport fan or rear bumper irons though. Anybody out there got any going spare?

Mon 23rd July 2012





Even better were some of the comments heard from people wandering through the line-up.

"Why is that parked there?"
"It's not even the same colour..."
"It's got the wrong year bumper trim"


I need to find this sticker.



Cheers me up no end.

Sat 5th August 2012

Trip to Cornwall, first stage to Burnham-On-Sea to miss all the traffic around Cribbs/Avonmouth.
Fish and chips and a couple of pints.
Nice sunset walking along the sea front.







Set off to Bude early Saturday morning, first stop on the hard shoulder about 10 miles from joining the M5 to cut the wires holding the heat exchangers open.
Then along the A361 to Barnstaple and the Atlantic Highway.
All set up at Upper Lynstone.





As you can see, there was a bit of breeze off the sea, and the longboard won't fit under the bus.



The Cobb had a bit of use as well, salmon to start.



The view from my seat.



More scenery pics....



Summerleaze (Town) beach.



Along the canal into Bude.

Sat 5th August 2012

Chicken roasting and a bit of light reading.



Sunset over the cliffs.



Popped round to see Nick and family.
I do miss having the static van here sometimes.



On Thursday we drove back up the coast to Croyde for Chloe's birthday.
Pulled up at the car park opposite the beach and the lady taking the money refused payment and parked us at the front after moving the cones.









Sneaky shot of the camera shy family.....







Took a wander along to the Little Pink Shop for a chat and came away with his last bay stickers.

Sat 5th August 2012

View across to Marhamchurch.



Full moon





Sunset on our last night.



Bit of a crawl back along the A361 to Tiverton, down to 28mph on one of the long hills.
Then 4 hours in traffic up the M5 from J 26 to Bridgwater, where I finally had enough and took the scenic route home via Glastonbury, Wells and Bath.
All in all, a fairly good week apart from the weather, it rained every day apart from Thursday when we went to Barnstaple and Croyde.
Glad I replaced the beam and brakes though, not once incidence of tyre rubbage or beam hitting the road, although there might be another inch or so of droppage.

There is a list of jobs to do on the bus.

Heat exchanger cables (only been 4 years...)
Fuel tank breathers (Chloe moans about fumes on hills and left hand corners)
Fuel sender (packed up on way back from Barnstaple)
Gearbox replacement
Paint engine bay
Swap fanhousing and fan for twinport with doghouse oil cooler
Replace exhaust with new Vintage Speed, always seem to kill exhausts during a visit to Bude.
Sort rear bumper and "new" towbar.
Rear corners and arches
Paint roof (debating whether to weld the sunroof hole up and paint the roof black....)

Mon 6th August 2012

Thought I'd whip the bumper and towbar off (again), and make a start on the list and remove the butchered rear bumper brackets, fit the "new" ones and size up the towbar with the new exhaust fitted.



Rain keeps halting play.





Unfortunately one of the many previous owners decided that it would be a good idea to weld the brackets to the chassis legs, and while trying to release them I've made a hole. Oh well, the corner cut will cure that.....
Still, the exhaust needs to be fitted after I killed another one in Bude.



All back together for the weekend's trip to the Summer Classics show at Washingpool Farm.

Tues 14th August 2012

Had a brilliant weekend at Easter Compton. Weather was cracking on Saturday, a bit of a damp start to Sunday but it improved. Lots to look at.

Tues 14th August 2012

Tues 14th August 2012















And you think finding early bay parts is a pain.....