So we start in October 2006 after an episode of pimp my ride that rekindled a desire held since we were teenagers to buy a vw camper. Finally we could afford one, and had space to keep it. After much searching of the Internet, this site in particular and lots of hastily read books and magazines, we started looking in earnest.

The decision we soon reached was that we wanted something we could stand up in, and we wanted a camper interior, the perfect bus seemed to be an SO 42 with a pop top, so that's what we targeted our search on.

We soon bought a fresh off the boat, "dry state" bus that suited us down to the ground, it had some battle scars, but part of the deal was a repaint. It wasn't in original paint, and was wearing a poor paint job from the states, so that seemed ideal.

Here are the first pic we saw





The interior was like this







It came with a fair bit of history:



Originally went to California

Ended its US days in Wyoming



Original Handbook, a bit water damaged



It then had some work











Lots of polishing got the windows looking OK



A couple of months later we went to collect the bus, now lowered a little to fit in our garage, converted to 12v and wearing its new colour scheme titian and beige grey. The interior was incomplete, but in my naivety I thought we could find them reasonably easily- little did I know I would spend the next 5 years looking for parts from Europe and the US

Once we got it home, it was looking OK, and the garage was tidy at this point!



It then had a makeover courtesy of Joanne and Steve at the Trimshack



New floor and various parts of the interior started to arrive that I had tracked down, during the course of the first few years I bought 3 part complete interiors to make one good one, Chewie generously donated a badly damaged iceboX that I managed to fashion into a cupboard until much later when I got my hands on a half decent one



More next time

Looking forward to your resto thread its in great hands

Reggie wrote:Looking forward to your resto thread its in great hands

I'm hoping that once I've done the history, the man who is the 'Worlds Worst Camper' will start posting some current pics

"DAISY"

NUGGET wrote:"DAISY"

Better than Wilma

At is first MOT, the bus had 66,000 miles on the clock, as of now, it has just under 90,000 miles on it.

The parts hunting continued, with tables, buddy seats and eventually an icebox making its way into our possession. A need to find the missing cot lead to making dozens of them for other people...



A bit of detective work confirmed it was originally a fully loaded SO42 with camping interior and other US spec items



Meanwhile work on the running gear continued, starting with drop spindles to help improve the ride quality, and then in 2010 an IRS conversion together with a 2017cc engine built by Daz Chandler provided some increased motivation, and as a result disk brakes and a servo had to follow in 2012, an eberspacher was fitted to keep everything warm as well.

We made out first foray into Europe in 2011, over to France,



and then in 2013 went on the Hessisch cruise calling at BBT on the way, fabulous weekend, we really enjoyed it.





Shortly after we went to Devon, and had a top day out at the Big Sunday



We then went to a local show at Wentworth Woodhouse and got some great pics of the bus, wish I lived here!





Over time lots of polishing and keeping the bus garaged helped to maintain its condition, buts bits and pieces started to show signs of the dreaded rust appearing, so after lots of thought and asking questions, we took the decision to take the bus off the road for a full resto rather than a rolling programme of maintenance.

Cheers

Neil

We decided that after Camperjam 2014, it would come off the road, and be stripped ready to go to Irv's in September/October, so with a little help from Nugget on the final push, it was stripped of all the running gear and electricals, and started trying to get the paint off...



Mid September saw the camper leave on a trailer (after some fun with some craftsman built dolly wheels )







October came and it was back from the blasters, the full extent of the problems came to light...

First pics after paint removal







And as we went to have a close look at it



Evidence of previous bodges





And a couple of scary ones





And finally the money shot



So a load of Gerson and Autocraft panels were duly ordered along with some good og bits....

Mid November and the butchery starts









New inner and outer sill, jacking points, outriggers and tophats, as well as a section of cargo floor on this side



and work starts up front unpicking the dogleg







In for a penny, in for a pound, and out with the cab floor



and new one back in



first bit of new metal welded in





And then it starts to look better again



Irv's now working his magic





Onto the front next time

Coming along fast in a short space of time

Looking good Neil

He hasn't made a bad start has he


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Didn't know "Daisy" was that sick, it'll give you a bit of time to swing yer golf sticks

thought id put some pics on of what ive been doing on niels bus seeing as he has forgot about his thread lol






















ill upload some more tomorrow as ive had enogh of uploading for one day

Its coming on great Neil it will be solid and last for another 48 years