26/5/2024

Started to assemble the first of the two remaining droplight frames.  With the moquette from Matt and Steve we now have enough to get started on the seats.  Attempted to fit an assembled window pan, but it was too tight so had to relieve the forward pillar and grind down any protruding scew ends.  It did go in eventually but quite a tight fit.  I noticed that I had cut the rearmost edge a bit narrow so the beading has a bit of a gap to cover.  The final droplight also took several attempts to get to fit in line with the others but I got there eventually.  The poor quality of these frames will take a lot of cosmetic improvement, inside and out, including attention to the draft-excluder rubbers at the top of the windows.  However, it has to be said that the fitting of the final droplight is a milestone of sorts.  Final job of the week was measuring up the remains of the plain window on the offside, opposite the entrance door.

19/5/2024

Started the week by assembling and chroming the two remaining droplight frames.  This took a long time due to having to seal the edges of the frames properly with black sealant.  By the end of the week they were not quite finished but next week should see both the remaining droplights installed.

12/5/2024

At the beginning of the week I was still struggling to finish chroming the droplight.  There was a problem with sharp edges on the verticals which I solved by filling the gaps with dumdum putty so this droplight is ready for fitting in the window pan. In preparation for a trip to Evans Trim on Wednesday, I  dismantled the drivers seat and removed one seat back from its frame.  Delivered the back and cushion of the driver’s seat to Evans and had a useful discussion about recovering the other seats.  Assembled the next window pan and fitted it to the bus after a bit of adjustment to the protruding screws.  I started on the next two, gluing the crossbars to the lower panes to form the fixed lights then gluing them into the verticals.  The last two droplights need to be assembled and chromed next.