ken
NUTTIER than a fruitcake
NUTS Member
Posts: 182
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Post by ken on Oct 11, 2006 0:08:45 GMT -5
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ken
NUTTIER than a fruitcake
NUTS Member
Posts: 182
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Post by ken on Oct 11, 2006 0:22:09 GMT -5
Wow that last picture really shows how high she is.....that will change... OK. The first picture I will call day 0. Nothing had been done to her other than a good washing, cleaning out all the crap and spare parts inside her, and getting her back and running. The brakes didn't work, so driving was limited to the parking lot. Actually the clutch didn't work either, so starting in gear and stopping with only the park brake makes for some very limited driving..... One thing I will mention at this point is that all of the work to be done on this bus happens in the evening or on the weekends, not during regular work hours.... Just so you have an idea of the progress, and how projects really don't have to take years to finish. Day 1. Sunday Sept 17th 2006. Pulled engine, the arm for the release bearing was not broken as I thought it might have been.... must be a problem with the pressure plate. Doesn't matter that engine 1600dp will not go back in anyways. removed front and rear bumper. Started removing the paint. I used a spray on chemical stripper and a razor scraper. It's a bit messy, but as you can see it's effective. I'm starting with the pink as most of the rust/problems are on the bottom half.....and I HATE the pink. Removed headlights, turn signals and some trim. You might be thinking to yourself "well that looks like a solid, straight bus".... yeah, just wait.
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ken
NUTTIER than a fruitcake
NUTS Member
Posts: 182
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Post by ken on Oct 11, 2006 0:28:02 GMT -5
Day 2. Monday evening. More paint removal. Lots of filler (bondo) coming through, in some bad spots. The strangest thing is that it seems to be super thick especially around the rear wheel wells..... The paint stripper works on filler as well, just very slowly, it takes many passes to come off. It is however less messy than sanding it off.
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ken
NUTTIER than a fruitcake
NUTS Member
Posts: 182
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Post by ken on Oct 11, 2006 0:47:00 GMT -5
Day 4. Nothing much to see..... I took her bumpers as well as a few others I had kicking around to the plating shop to be straightened. I also took the start of the pieces to be chromed/polished. On a deluxe bus there is a lot of trim and bits so this can really add up. I'll take it in small batches, so nothing gets lost and just to break up the expense. Rosie's bumpers are at the back of the bunch, I'm going to run just the blades, no over riders (towel rails)... I just think they look to "heavy" for an older bus. This will not be a totally stock resto, but nothing will be hacked so that it can't be put back to stock.
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ken
NUTTIER than a fruitcake
NUTS Member
Posts: 182
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Post by ken on Oct 11, 2006 0:58:34 GMT -5
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ken
NUTTIER than a fruitcake
NUTS Member
Posts: 182
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Post by ken on Oct 11, 2006 1:10:57 GMT -5
Day 7. Took a few hours off this weekend to enjoy a few car shows, the european car show and High river with Duffy and friends. It's nice to drive an old car that you have restored to remind you why you do it. I took my 356 to both shows and it was an awesome time. concept1.ca/PHOTO%20GAL%20FOLDER/photo%20porsche%20story.htmOk, So.... the weather was pretty nice, so I did a bit more stripping outside, followed by some sanding. There is just some left over paint that the chemical does not remove.
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Post by commercialair on Oct 11, 2006 10:25:18 GMT -5
Awesome! What a great kick start to "The Virtual Garage"! Thanks Ken. I can't wait to see Rosie in person. Nice work!
Chris
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ken
NUTTIER than a fruitcake
NUTS Member
Posts: 182
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Post by ken on Oct 11, 2006 11:01:28 GMT -5
Thanks Chris,
I've got way more pics coming, I'm actually on day 24 already. It takes a while to upload all the images and write the descriptions. I think posting up pics is a good way to make sure the project has some progress. I'm trying to get this one on the road for next spring, and then get back to work on my 57', a WAY bigger project.
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Post by commercialair on Oct 11, 2006 11:20:24 GMT -5
Keeping up with the photos becomes a job in itself. I have to update the progress on the DC soon. It's been far too long and, eventhough it's been quite, progress is still being made.
What are your plans for the underside?? Are you going to sandblast and paint before the belly pans go back on?
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ken
NUTTIER than a fruitcake
NUTS Member
Posts: 182
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Post by ken on Oct 11, 2006 11:34:52 GMT -5
Wire wheeling it down to bare metal, then etch priming it. I sandblasted the SC, and it worked fine, I just find you can never really get the sand out of everything.... I've tried. Even taping off all the holes and cable guides.... you just still get sand in there. Then when you run your cables (clutch, parkbrake, acc) they make an awful crunching, grinding noise. The grinding method takes way longer, but there is no sand leftover. I'm half way done already (the underside) you'll see in the next updates.....
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Post by Shayna Jaymie on Oct 11, 2006 11:42:14 GMT -5
I like Rosie, she's tall... ;D
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Post by rareair on Oct 11, 2006 21:39:45 GMT -5
Rosie has a nice nose, but kind of a rotten ass. I'm sure she will be a beauty queen again come next year. So what made you put the 57 on hold, and start on this one?
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ken
NUTTIER than a fruitcake
NUTS Member
Posts: 182
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Post by ken on Oct 12, 2006 0:08:04 GMT -5
Shayna This pic is for you... this is me having a bit of trouble getting into Rosie....I'm going to have to lower her, I'm just too short... Right Trev? ;D I started on her because I wanted another driver for a bit, after I sold my 60' std. microbus (mango) last summer. I miss that bus already, and the 57' is just such a huge project. This one will happen much quicker, and I don't mind updating it a bit. The 57' is going to be bone stock, and that will just not be very drivable (36hp,semaphores,bias ply,the step ladder to get in...)
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ken
NUTTIER than a fruitcake
NUTS Member
Posts: 182
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Post by ken on Oct 12, 2006 0:23:21 GMT -5
Ok, This next sequence of pics is day 8 and 9. The front floor. Both sides of the front floor were rotten in the usual spots, and then covered with sheet metal as a quick repair some years ago. it did not take long to remove the first layer of metal to find out what was going on. The first pic is of the floor, after I already cut it out, but holding the rusty metal in place. Each side took almost exactly 6 hours to finish. so a total of 12 hours spent on this part....that gets covered by a thick rubber mat. Cut out I use thick paper (a folder) to make a template of the hole. This is useful for a hole like this that is not really square. Now I transfer the paper to a repair panel and cut the panel a bit bigger than the paper (easier to remove metal than add) Now the metal is cut and fitted. I screwed up at the top and cut it a bit short, but I can fill that with weld. I also had to flatten one section of the repair panel (on the long rib) as it did not match up to my floor. The repair panels are "universal" from 55-67 and other than that part, it did not line up to badly. You really want to make sure the ribs line up when you are cutting the piece you intend to use. Starting to weld..... Mostly welded and ground. Oh I still REALLY hate the pink... have I mentioned that? Kind of two steps in one here... Wurth brand Zinc Primer, and a filler product called "All metal" to fill the weld imperfections. After that was sanded, Etch primer... and it's basically done. Then the same on the other side, and the front cab floor is Done!!
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