Today I finished machining and polishing the replacement bezel for the entrance door handle. This will be sent off for chroming at some point along with all the other door furniture.
Other work completed since the last entry: the third droplight was installed, then the fourth droplight was assembled and installed and finally the plain square window (opposite the emergency door) has been reglazed using the rubber supplied by AM Silicones. This leaves just the rounded window at the rear to be assembled and fitted then the nearside will be ready for beading. All the steel window frames are painted and then treated with waxoyl on the inside before installation; the plain square window has been treated and should be ready for installation tomorrow when the waxoyl has set.
Finished stripping the bulkhead window frame. Cleaned the paint off the window rubber and used rejuvenating solution to finish it. Vactan’d and rusty bits and painted on some etch primer on the bare metal bits including the welded repair.
Other demands on my time have meant little progress for a while, however Christmas shopping, car and bus maintenance and trips to the dump notwithstanding, I should be able to devote more time for a week or so.
Last couple of days had been spent removing rusty screw remains and similar nails from the body frame. All the steel flitch plates have been removed from the nearside now and there are random patches of rot that need to be cut out and replaced with new wood. I milled some out this afternoon with my router but it is not a perfect process.
Undamaged screw holes are being filled with PVA, tooth picks and dowels depending on the size of the hole. Where possible, screwing into these should be avoided except where necessary. Still trying to agree the window rubber profile with the supplier.
Restoration diary of a 70-year old AEC single-deck bus and the trials, tribulations and adventures of our 1966 Bristol bus.
