I continued with yesterday’s work today by cutting out a replacement vertical for the corner upright on the RH side of the boot. I attempted at first to make a cardboard template for this but found this unsatisfactory so made one out of scrap aluminium instead. The new pillar is about ready for fitting, it just needs a bit of adjustment at the bottom where it meets the boot floor.
During the course of this I found severe rot in the boot floor at the door sill, so this will need to be replaced in due course.
Today I started with removing the RH boot door. This once again required the screws to have their heads drilled off. Having removed the door, I was able to remove panelwork along the top of the boot opening and down the RH side. This revealed extensive wet fungal rot in the base of the two pillars at the RH side of the boot opening and this will need to be repaired by jointing new lower sections of timber.
Right-hand boot door frame timbers
RH corner of boot door frame
I started the job of replacing the rotted timber by cutting both the pillars just below the corner horizontal (with the hole) visible in the picture. I cut a step into the good wood in order to make a strong joint with the new timber.
Today’s work continued where I finished yesterday with removal of the nearside (LH) boot door. Having drilled the heads of the fixing screws for the hinges, I was then faced with the problem of extracting the remains of the screws. In order to give something for the mole grips to grab onto, I dabbed the Mig torch on the ends of the screws and built them up a bit. This had the additional effect of introducing heat into the screw and they came out with little trouble after this treatment.
Next I removed the LH panel work surrounding the boot opening. Final part of the day was spent removing the remains of rusted screws and drilling and plugging the holes with dowels. A survey shows far more rot in the RH side of the boot opening and wall timbers.
Left-hand rear corner and boot door frame timbers
Timbers forming the top of the boot opening and base of the rear window
Restoration diary of a 70-year old AEC single-deck bus and the trials, tribulations and adventures of our 1966 Bristol bus.
