rusty nail to sow's ear

31st December 2013
Bit more fettling this morning.



Starter re-fitted, CV joints tightened, heater tube re-attached, gearbox earth strap connected along with the gearbox coupling (thanks for the reminder ), gearbox oil topped up, new sealant tape fitted to firewall and installed, and it's in.....
































































Although 6' farther forward of it's final resting place.

Tapped the l/h carb and inserted a blanking bolt in the unused fuel inlet, letting that cure for a day or so. Then I need to assemble the oil lines at the engine end and fit the moustache bar.

2nd January 2014
Spent most of the day trying to stop the cooling fan rubbing the fanhousing and relieving part of the alternator to sit on the stand properly, even had to disconnect the thermostat and release the tinware.
I managed to fit the oil connections in 10 minutes.....
All ready for hose fitment and bolting on the moustache bar.



Gearbox clutch operating shaft and release bearing issues now.
I need to swap one out of a CA 'box and fit it to the 5 rib 'box. Job 30% completed, I'll finish it tomorrow now.

3rd January 2014
All done. Guide tube removed and CA 'box clutch release shaft and bearing installed.



All ready for tomorrow morning.

4th January 2014
Today's the day.



And it's actually connected to the gearbox......



Self-supporting and oil lines connected at the engine.



Remote filter location, I think I'm going to make a drop-off panel to protect the oil filter from road debris.



One stubborn nut and stud that cost me over an hour.



Nick doing a bit to the ute.



That'll do for today, f*cking knackered now.



Need to fill up with oil, fit the breather box, connect the fuel lines and the wiring, whack in the battery and fire it up.

6th January 2014
The oil fittings and hose are from MOCAL, and the filter is a generic one from a local factors. Got some clips on order to support the hose.
Spent all morning re-connecting heat exchanger pipework, adjusting clutch, fitting fuel lines and Filter King regulator, and tidying wiring.
Doesn't look like I've accomplished much.....





Unfortunately work gets in the way of play for the rest of the week.

11th January 2014
All ancillaries connected, breathers hooked up, filled with oil, turned over by hand, connected the battery and



all the warning lights on with the key in my pocket.
Cock.

Wiring fault.
Cock.



Permanent 12V feed to coil and alternator field connection.
So, after disconnecting everything Nick asked if there were two spade connectors on the starter solenoid.



Yes there are, and I'd connected to the wrong one. Should have been the one that's vertical....
I can get a phone in there and take pictures, but unfortunately either I'm too fat, or the bus is too low for me to get underneath enough to connect it.

Cock
Oh well, looks like Monday's the day then.

13th January 2013
Back to where I was at 1100 on Saturday morning.



Engine turns over very slowly, I think the battery may be kippered so I've got a 60Ah on charge over night to try sometime tomorrow.
Perhaps having the engine stood for a year hasn't helped, although it does turn over with a spanner on the crank nut.

The good news is the fuel gauge works now.

14th January 2014
It runs, thank fuck for that.



At midday today there was a possibility that it was being dropped out and stripped.
Almost 7 hours (over a couple of days) of hand turning and oiling the bores to try and get it to loosen up. Eventually it loosened enough for the starter to turn it, oil pressure achieved and then fired up.
Cam burn done, timing set, just need a fiddle with the mixture, and then change the oil and filter. Oh, and fit the oil line P clips when they turn up.
The moral is, don't leave a built engine on the bench for 14 months.

18th January 2014
OK then, next job.
Off came the leaky and rotten folding sunroof and then various strengthener pieces to leave a nice clean gaping hole in the roof.







Perfect fit.



It's just tekscrewed down temporarily so it doesn't fly across the yard in any inclement weather we may have between now and my next visit.
Welding to follow next weekend all being well.

Dropped into the yard for a couple of hours roof fettling.
Bit more work than anticipated due to previous owners. Always wondered why the bus had a bit of flex at roundabouts and across camping fields.







Whoever butchered the oversize hole for the sunroof moved the roof brace but obviously only for the courtesy light. 4" short either end and 4 pop rivets to the roof skin.
Looks like a bit of extra work getting this one back in properly.

At least the rear one fits better.



Roof trimmed back and cap on ready for welding this weekend.
Bit of gaffa tape over the seams to stop the rain getting under.

Looking really good - I've just caught up on the whole thread

Looks ace!

Thanks, here's a bit more to catch up on.

Sat 25th January 2014

Half way round.



Looks much better already.

Sat 1st February 2014

Welding and grinding finished at last. Primer on ready for filling next week.

Friday 7th February 2014

Right then, now that the roof's done.
OK you're right, it's not, still need to fill and paint.
But I've not been happy with the shut of the rear hatch and it leaks as well.



So I've cut the off-side of the opening out and will put it back perfectly aligned tomorrow.

Saturday 8th February 2014

Rear hatch shuts perfectly now, and a bit of filler on the roof.







I was planning to paint the roof tomorrow, but the gearbox on the DA decided to spray itself across the workshop.
Ended up having to buy a cheap (£38!!) one in B&Q on the way home so I can get the sanding finished in the morning.

Sunday 9th February 2014

Got to crack on this week, I haven't driven it properly for a couple of months now and it needs shaking down and a "new" interior fitting before we go away at Easter.
After some more filling and sanding this morning, on went a coat of primer.













A bit more filling and sanding and then a satin black guide coat.







Needs a bit more filling and the roof sanding back, but I'm happy with it so far.
And the DA sander is OK as well.

Monday 10th February 2014

I spent this morning finishing off the rear corner and getting the hatch seal channel done, and more roof sanding.
The place I usually get my paint mixed has recently been taken over, and the new paint is shite. Too thin, like water, there's next to no coverage and it runs like buggery.
I'll need to rub it back when the weather improves and do it again.

Tuesday 11th February 2014

Today I have been mostly sanding the roof.

Friday 14th February 2014

Today I have been mostly sanding the roof again, in the rain.





I did have to take refuge in the van at one point though....



I think it was in a US hailstorm at some point as it has a bit more "character" than I first thought.
I'm not going to get too worried about dents and ripples, just want to get it painted.

Saturday 15th February 2014

Today I have been mostly waiting for the rain to stop, sanding the roof, and then waiting for the rain to stop, etc.
I also got the front roof brace extended and fitted.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better weather and I can actually get a coat of paint on the roof.

Sunday 16th February 2014

After much sanding and filling, and much more sanding and filling, I'm fed up with it so got a coat of primer on this morning.
I'm even more fed up with the roof now, the new paint as supplied is absolutely shite. No coverage and runs like fuck.





Looks like I shall be mostly wet sanding at some point tomorrow and then blasting satin black all over it.


At least it never rained today, which meant I could get home to sort the garage and make a bit of room.

Tuesday 18th February 2014

Roof, day 8...
Finished work early as it was a fine day and dropped down the yard to get on with the bus.
I've had enough of the roof, and other than bare metalling it this was as good as it was going to get.
A final fill and sand.



Then paint.

Wednesday 19th February 2014

All this mucking about with the roof means that I'm behind with "other projects".
I think it's time to start the Westfakia interior.
One £20 full width Westy bed in need of tlc.



One naked full width bed.



There's a couple of suspicious stains on the ply, but these will sand off. At least it doesn't smell so much now.
Need to fit the seat base supports and then mock it all up in the bus when it gets home this weekend.
This is next to get the treatment.



Anybody got a Continental drop down cooker spare?

Right then, where were we?