Okay, okay...

So I've had the week off this week for some time with the kids before they go back to school Which means extra garage time whilst they have their last few lie-ins...

The early part of this week I was mainly flatting and buffing the paintwork but the other job I wanted to tackle was my headlining (or lack of..)

I'd bought the TMI headliner that Biglozzer was selling a few weeks ago but didn't really know how to start. I decided to call upon my old friend Alan who is responsible for introducing me to VWs when I was about 18 yrs old. He and his Dad took me along to VW Action at Stoneleigh Showground, Warwickshire back around 1988/89.

Al worked for Webasto a few years ago retrofitting sunroofs in various new and old vehicles and so is handy with trimmy things and glue. He came round to look at my bus and the TMI kit Wednesday. This is what faced him... yuck!




He advised me to pop over to William Marston's upholstery supplies in Birmingham to get some scrim foam and some heat resistant glue to line the roof with before we tackled the headliner. He advised this would add a small amount of insulation but more importantly would prevent condensation staining the headlining in the future. He shot off home and I went straight to get the stuff before they closed for the day.


Yesterday morning I was up early and out glueing the scrim foam to the roof. Already looking better...












Later in the afternoon, Alan came back around and we started fitting the headliner. Bad light eventually stopped play, but we did manage to get quite a bit done

What started out like this....






Ended this evening looking like this....













Still a bit more finishing to do, particularly around the front where the sun-visors will be (I don't have any though) but I'm well chuffed with how it looks so far. There's enough spare material in the kit to do the bus sides too, around the windows, but we've left it off for now. That may be a future project.

See you all Sunday at Action. Come say hello if you see me by the bus. I don't bite and it would be nice to put a few faces to names Now there's an idea for a thread.......

Laters,

Nige

Wow

Well done Nigel that looks the bees knees mate

It's amazing what a nice new headlining does to a bus hu ....... Looks Fab

Ref the bits near the sun visors I made plastic plate up and trimmed them to finish that area ... Check out back in my thread mate .... I photoed what I did

See ya Sunday .......



Mark

Yeah thanks Mark, it's changed the feel of the inside completely.

I was always a bit apprehensive about people coming over for a look when out and about because of the messy roof lining but very pleased with it now.

I've made my infill pieces for the front already and they will be glued in place today

Just wanted to say


Great to chat again today and Great to meet ye family today at VW Action ..... Ya bus looks sweet .... And booooom that headlining looks great too mate .... Fab job well done


Chat soon


Mark

Out for a family picnic yesterday along the side of the River Avon, making the most of the good weather before it turns.








Also got the old tyres removed from the 15" steels I picked up earlier in the Summer. Anyone got any recommendations for places to have them shot/media blasted around Birmingham?

Nige

Nige

Are you going to BB? If so you can take a look at mine as I had them done near where I work (Wrexham).

Happily take them over for you, get a quote etc.

Don't take them to BB though I won't fit them in!

Richard

Addison Tyres in Tipton

Nigel if your in no rush I can sort the blasting out for you and maybe get them powered coated for you too ..... You could pass the wheels to me at NEC ?


We'll chat about this mate ..... Not sure your doing BB ? Can't remember what Liz said now



Mark

8 8US wrote:Nige

Are you going to BB? If so you can take a look at mine as I had them done near where I work (Wrexham).

Happily take them over for you, get a quote etc.

Don't take them to BB though I won't fit them in!

Richard

Cheers Richard, but I'm not doing Brighton Breeze this year. Very kind offer though!

Catch up with you sometime soon, maybe at the next MSBM?

Nige

markp wrote:Nigel if your in no rush I can sort the blasting out for you and maybe get them powered coated for you too ..... You could pass the wheels to me at NEC ?


We'll chat about this mate ..... Not sure your doing BB ? Can't remember what Liz said now



Mark

Sounds intriguing Mark!? No big rush, just one of those things I'd like to sort over the coming weeks/months. Talk to you soon about it.

We should catch up when you visit the NEC anyway, as it is ridiculously close to my house.

Nige

My bargain wheel-related update...

So... after painting my bus last year in the brown/cream combo I decided the polished Empi 5's just didn't suit anymore. I was on the lookout for some steel 15's when one evening I stumbled across some on ebay listed as "Trekker wide 5's". They were fitted with huge 215R15 4x4 tyres but were definitely bus wheels. I popped a bid on last minute and won them for the princely sum of £51.00!!





I had the tyres removed and re-sold them for £40 Bargain steelies for £11.00

Bit of cheap labour




More ebay bargains... Picked up a pair of Bridgestone 155/60/15's for the front. 5mm tread, £10 the pair

Dunlop 175/65/15's for the rear - bit pricey these ones - £30

Next stage of the plan commenced...










And bought some of this stuff... latex rubber paint, £25 from Mr Whitewalls




Thinned the first coat with a bit of white spirit then three further full coats...







And yesterday I finally painted my rims Satin black on the inside...




Brown on the outside...





Hopefully get them mounted next weekend. Can't wait


Nige

Like it what did you use to scrub the tyres bud

60 grit disc on an orbital sander

Nige

Nice work Can't wait to see them on the bus!

scorched_earth wrote:Nice work Can't wait to see them on the bus!

Me too!