Started the week by working on the MW nearside rear axle, removing the wheels, hub cover and half-shaft with a view to replacing the oilseals to stop the oil leak. Damage to the sealing surface was immedaitely apparent. Whilst awaiting assistance from Ian to remove the hub nut, I worked on the Regal’s cab window, preparing the fixed glass for assembly into the frame, at which point I realised I needed to paint the insides of the frame before I put the glass in. Having done that, I continued taping up the edges of the glass for the fixed pane.
30/3/2025
Started the week by flatting the filler on the front quarter panel and priming it. I then moved onto marking up some plywood for the front mudwing template, using the mock-up created last week. This required several pieces and took a while to cut and assemble and was not finished unti the end of the week. In what was probably an ill-considered move, I decided yet again to attempt to realign the beading at the emergency door and rear corner, to give a straight run from front to back. This proved awkward and damaged the filler around the top of the rear quarter panel, which I repaired. The beading does look smuch better now. I continued with odd small jobs while I waited for the mudwing template to set; these included finishing painting the sliding pane of the cab window, rubbing down the offside rear window frame in preparation for painting and attending to the filler on the rear dome and elsewhere around that area. A quick check of the wiring situation under the cab reveals that this is complete and the cover can now be fitted over the junction.
23/3/2025
A slow start to the week. Painted a thinner coat of brown on the cab door inner panel, a better finish but the second coat look good. Primed thewaistrail and the window surround on the cab door and applied a second coat of No.1 rust-beater to the plain window aft of the cab door, after rubing down the first coat. While the paint was drying I assembled the sliding pane frame of the cab door window and gave it a coat of the correct brown, it will need another. Applied finishing filler to the slight depression on the front corner quarter panel and to the roof just behing the emergency door. Final job of the week was to start creating a pattern for the front mudwing, for which I used a long piece of thick card from an advertisement.