Had a telling off by the boss as soon will have to keep the paint pics secret till it's done but for now still repairs so can keep the picy pervs happy.

Today was last day of metal work repairs so bit more internal red oxide protection .



Then gapped up frame, so handy those window spacers.



Tacked in skin repair



And bingo



Then was completing valance so now ready for paint.



Engine hatch almost complete



Rear hatch first skim but won't take allot.



And that was me today but so happy as all welding repairs done wahoooooooooo.

One pic today so poor show for the picy pervs but might be enough to keep resto police off my case.

Unfortunately more dust today but needs must, San has had enough of it now but almost there so hopefully out of bad books soon. My day was filling and sanding & that again, but ended up with two hatches done. Both ended up with a thin skim of filler which I felt acceptable compared to the 1/4" wad that was on previous. Would of been interesting to know actually how much lighter the bus is now.

Finished of the day with some etch primer so all set for some high build during evenings this coming week.



Started on front bumper removing paint, a few dents but overall good so dressed them out and not far from paintbfor that.

Time seems to be wizzing past fast now & almost on schedule, had planned if ready for paint by end of February should make vf.

Tonight was last few jobs in cargo area and then final high build , hopefully later this week might scare it with some colour

Then set about high build on valance, engine lid, rear hatch, pop outs and inner engine lid.







Gave underside another layer of stone chip so in a position to shift bus across and do n/s wheel arches now, just waiting on seam sealer order to arrive.

Cave was chucking up from fumes by this point so moved inside house doing small clean jobs, got 3 pop outs stripped but called it a night there..

Going great Bren.
Be rolling for the Spring at this rate!

Fab effort buddy

looks fab

Poor Sandra ...... Mothers day soon so get some Choc purchased .... pass it to the kids and say give this to mum
.. it always works

O and stop hiding the Blooming Biscuits from her .....

I remember when I was doing Gerry I had to strip off at the back door before I entered the house .... as once i'd walked filler dust through the whole house EEEEEEKKKKKK

Mark

No pics today as same old pics, seam sealer arrived Tuesday so that was that evening sorted. All the fiddly area's undecab wheel arches & repairs etc done. Was late to cave so was only goal for the evening.

Wednesday masked up and final bits of stone chip done, another cross of the list and can start putting things back on like oil cooler and heater tube insulation.

I also played with the blue & boy I enjoyed that feeling . Spraying engine bay as its easy then to mask up hatch ready for interior and some white over weekend. OK know the the rules pics or it didn't happen but some rules can be broken as on strict orders of final colour media block out from the boss.
Takes longer for colour than a pro body shop outfit as very limited on space but hell yeah feeling excited.





Oh ps avoid resting you head on a freshly stone chipped wheel arch flap. Took ages to scrape out of my hair with dogs wire brush. Luckily paint was black so grey bits have gone for a while.

Looking good Bren - Talk about a major winter rebuild!
Great progress every post - Hope to see it sparkling fresh at VF!

Thanks Ted, it turned into a bit of a monster being far worse than expected. Going to be close for vf but one of our favourite events so pushing hard to make it. Sparkly and fresh yes but running out of budget fast for all chrome to be redone & time to refresh interior so will re use what we have for now being a work in progress.

Next job is to spray interior white and planned for Sunday. Being on day .... Friday saturday means late nights to get prepped, well is for me. Friday eve was finish shift 600, home, supper and hit the cave rubbing down till 1030 finish. By that point was sanding laying down with a fluffed up bit of 800 paper looking very tempting to crash out on.

Got whole of cargo area done, with cab planned for tonight. No pics as nothing interesting, done the primered look to death now.

Gobsmacked you've done so much in such a short time. Big credit to you bro

Thanks bud but feeling the candle is meeting in the middle now and feeling knackered . If we didn't do so much in the bus over the summer or enjoy using it so much should of been a two year resto really.

Saturday morning sat there writing an update thinking of the few hours I had after work to play & thought bugger it, its pointless having loads of holiday days left for later in year when we can't enjoy the bus at the beginning so booked day off work oh to work . hell yeah..

Spent 4 hours flatting back cab area, glad it was done then as the fiddly bits is paper in hand & knocks the crap out of your finger tips which are so tender now.
A good breeze helped de dust cave and got ready for paint.

Plenty of mixing



The plan came together so only a small amount of masking up



And then played

Lol no pics yet of finished bits hahahahahhahahahaha. Very happy though, need to give it a few days to harden of even though I cooked the cave. Few little areas to address as got carried away and a couple of runs but plan to give every thing two coats for paint depth due to my inexperience for safety with buffing up later.

Mmmm now what it's was mid afternoon.......so run a large sheet of polythene around bus to protect and started rubbing down doors ahhhhhhhhhhhhh my fingers



Remainder of day and evening as finished 1030 eeeek not popular was flatting back all doors, ie cab, cargo, engine hatch's, valance etc ready for a final light runny high build as it will end real smooth requiring little prep. Seam sealed all panels then quit the day, knackered , fingers throbbing but a feeling of achievement an good use of a days holiday.










OK as you've all been good but only the one....








Laters got a cave to hit

All looking very

Nice....
Looking forwards to this stage....

O yes and good for another 50 years

looking sweet buddy

Mark

no rest for wicked today. Lovely walk first thing with San and Oscar our weee hound, then the Angel San is even being Mother's Day let me have another cave day. Although used all the browny points yonks ago so she's keeping in iou tally eeeeek. Oh & I got a ticking of for treating you all to a paint shot oops.

First job de dust cave then final high build on cargo doors, cab, rear hatch , lid, valance, internal parts of pop outs id missed and some other small bits. So all ready for colour now.

Then stripped overriders off bumpers and gave them to my neighbour who will shot blast them.
Stripped steering box as shaft needs shortening due to box raise.

Bit of a clear up then that was me as mum came round for dinner. No cave for 2 days as on nights but to be fair a rest from it will be good but as of Tuesday will be full steam ahead.

Laters.

^^^^^^ dont lie Bren ^^^^^^

you will be going cold turkey by the time your ready to get back in that cave





Mark