Having cut out the plywood buck for the front face of the mudwing, I was able to make the aluminum version for the nearside. The top flange was turned over the buck with a panel beating hammer and a lot of heat, principally I suspect because I was trying to fold too much material and I trimmed this back to about an inch from the front face before assembling to the inner wing. I rolled the lower edges around 3mm welding rod. Next I manufactured the inner part of the wing that fits inside the wheel housing; this had a cut-out to accommodate screws from the read plate that sits on top of the wheel housing interior cover. The two inner edges are wire-beaded as well. Finally I riveted the front face to the inner wing and filled any gaps with aluminium solder. It will need a final finish with filler after fitting.
New tread plate welded and ready for paint.
Whilst this work was going on I also stripped the paint off the nearside wheel housing cover. This turned out to be made of stainless steel, which was surprising. This was then primed and given two coats of red undercoat ready for fitting.
Last thing today I cut the pyramid treads and the steel for a new tread plate to fit on the wheel housing cover.
The cardboard template for the wheelarch opening was used to mark out some 1″ ply to create a buck to form the aluminium mudwings. I made two pieces so I could sandwich the material so that the front face would be as flat as possible. I had to use a lot of heat to fold the flange around the buck, using my panel hammer and the hand-held anvils. I completed the nearside one today, the offside having been finished earlier. The final finishing for the flange needs to be done after the lower edge had been shaped and wire beaded.
Last thing today I marked out the buck for the lower edge of the wings, I will cut this out tomorrow.
Work this week has mostly been to do with the boot. The rear doors had their inner panels fitted, primed and painted. The door lock fittings were cleaned up and painted black. The boot light has been refurbished and repainted. This all in preparation for completing the boot when the weather is a little warmer I can lay the new lino.
In parallel with this I have been preparing to make the new mudwings and inner wheelarches. The material has arrived and yesterday I made a cardboard template for the nearside opening.
Restoration diary of a 70-year old AEC single-deck bus and the trials, tribulations and adventures of our 1966 Bristol bus.
