Looking good Mike the winter trail awaits :
braver man than I

John TC wrote:Looking good Mike the winter trail awaits :
braver man than I

I wouldn't call it bravery John, just too tight to pay someone else

Winter Trail is alarmingly close now, and still a ton of stuff to do
Bus is currently at an auto electricians in town. I'm hoping they may be able to get to the bottom of the charging issues. I've tried everything I can to narrow it down but reached the limit of my capabilities. Never have been good with electrics Aways nervous trusting my bus with other people too

Right, time to finally stick this long sill on.

A tentative test cut to make sure my line is in the right place. Not bad, so away we go.

cutting outer sill to fit by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Done. No going back now.

Cutting the long sill panel by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

And the first test fit, held in place with a couple more screws in the support bars. Not bad. Nothing an hour with a file wont fix anyway.

test fit after cutting the sill down by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

trial fitting panel by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

test fitting outer sill by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Now we've got it roughly the right shape it's time to get all the holes drilled ready to plug weld.

Ready for plug welding by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

And back on again, this time to mark where the plug weld holes are on the inner sill underneath. Also to mark where I'm going to place the autoclamps, so I can file a little away for better clearance ...

final test fit by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

... Just like this.

final fit prior to welding by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Going well so far, now to balls it up with my welding ...

final fit, ready to weld! by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Nice job Mike, you must be well pleased with yourself.
When I did my long sill, that time between cutting off the old and offering up the new is a nervous time !

Andy

Hey, nice job Mike, just don't forget to remove those self tapping screws
Much respect for doing it all outside, how's your thumb healing?
Cheers,
Dom.

Looking good

Well done

I love the magnet tool that is holding the lower panel against the long panel .. page 23... Is it new or do you keep it in a bag to keep the metal swarf from attaching to the magnet ?

the side is looking really good

Good man....... remember I'm watching your thread so no corner cutting

Mark

Not so much pleased, just relieved Andy

The first tack welds in place. All going swimmingly so far ...


Tack welding the outer sill by zombikombi1959, on Flickr


tack welding the butted joint by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Joining up the tacks, starts to get a little messier now. Once I knew it wasn't going to fall off I started filling in the plug welds along the bottom.

joining up the tacks by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

But at the end of it I'm pretty lucky, I've only really got one warp that bugs me, and that is right on one of the vertical support bars, and an 'innie'.
Not really something worth getting too annoyed about when you think how many other dents there are all over this panel.

Outer sill finally on! by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

So that's pretty much it so far. I still have to repair the front arch. I'm hoping to get out one or two evenings this week on it. I'll get some waxoyl in there fist as well before I close it up, and get some primer and red oxide on the outside.

Susie caught me while I was sanding back the welds before I called it a night on Sunday

tidying up the welds by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

markp wrote:Looking good

Well done

I love the magnet tool that is holding the lower panel against the long panel .. page 23... Is it new or do you keep it in a bag to keep the metal swarf from attaching to the magnet ?

the side is looking really good

Good man....... remember I'm watching your thread so no corner cutting

Mark

Any corners on this project don't get cut Mark, they get walloped with the 4lb lump hammer

The magnets are new, and I have to say rather disappointing. They were the cheapest 75lb ones I could find though, so maybe it serves me right. I followed a tip from Paul F, who advised me to stick them in sandwich bags just to keep all the swarf off.

dombutler wrote:Hey, nice job Mike, just don't forget to remove those self tapping screws
Much respect for doing it all outside, how's your thumb healing?
Cheers,
Dom.

I think the thumb is doing OK Dom. I've been told I'll loose the nail, but I don't think so, we'll see. Might chuck some superglue on it once it starts growing out more.

If I was tidier and had less junk I could work inside the garage!

Mike1973 wrote:Might chuck some superglue on it once it starts growing out more.

yeah that'll sort it

Mike1973 wrote:Susie caught me while I was sanding back the welds before I called it a night on Sunday

tidying up the welds by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Fantastic work there Mike!! (always where safety goggles tho!!)

Looks like you're right on schedule

STEPHAN wrote:

Mike1973 wrote:Susie caught me while I was sanding back the welds before I called it a night on Sunday

tidying up the welds by zombikombi1959, on Flickr

Fantastic work there Mike!! (always where safety goggles tho!!)

Looks like you're right on schedule

Pretty much all falling in to place Stephan. Not out of the woods yet but I'm looking forward to putting it all back together again this weekend and having a camper back!

nev wrote:

Mike1973 wrote:Might chuck some superglue on it once it starts growing out more.

yeah that'll sort it

It's either superglue or gaffatape ...

Nice one Mike, what you don't get finished we can do on the way ..looking forward to the trails!

52panelvan wrote:Nice one Mike, what you don't get finished we can do on the way ..looking forward to the trails!

Cool, I'll make sure I pack a new roll of gaffa tape. Proper job!

Preserving Paint.

Right, see all these rusty marks in the paint just above my new sill? Well they weren't there when we got the bus in 2004





How do I clean the paint up and protect it? I've heard about these clay bar things that are supposed to pick out all the grot in your paint? Or do I need something more than that? What products and procedures are out there that could clean it up? I don't do paint or prep (hell, I don't do mechanics or welding either ) so have no idea. Help me out.