The last couple of days were spent in further demolition removing the last vestiges of a steel plate that links a boot crossmember with a siderod at the forward edge of the boot.
I also ground back any proud screw remains from the timbering of the boot front in preparation for replacing the steel boot front stress panel.
Further demolition included removal of the boot floor perimeter rail – full of woodworm – on the nearside rear.
Next job was replacing the lower section of the second side rod rearwards from the wheelarch. I spliced this in with a simple lap-joint below the boot floor level and mortised it to the lower floor bearer. I did this before the replacing the siderod behind the wheelarch in order to maintain a datum point for the bottom rail and lower edge of the wheelarch.
Today I removed the three wooden strakes (or runners) from the boot floor and the rotten lino. I then measured up for a new lot of floor covering for the boot and for the luggage racks as the lino there needs replacing too.
I also removed the steel plate that acts as a catch for the boot doors and the steel sill cover that protects the boot floor edge. This will need to be remanufactured as it is totally rusted through in several places. I will probably have to make this in two pieces as it needs to be folded to match the floor profile and edge then welded into one piece.
Remarkably both the timber and the steel I ordered yesterday arrived today, so progress now on rebuilding the rear end should now be steady. Today was spent making the last of the templates for the new glass.
Restoration diary of a 70-year old AEC single-deck bus and the trials, tribulations and adventures of our 1966 Bristol bus.
