Yesterday was spent completing and painting the new gusset plates and the two extra brackets for the replacement OS upright (no.3 in the boot counting from the back). I also cut a piece of hardboard to exactly half the length of the boot steel closing panel so I can use it as a template.
Today the two for upright no.3 were installed. I also cleaned and primed the outer faces of timber that form the frame the boot closing panel is mounted on. Once this is dry they can be painted with aluminium paint then the closing panel can be cut and fitted with screws and coach bolts.
A lot of grey paint was applied today to the frame along the back of the bus and down the offside towards the emergency door, including the pillar repaired yesterday.
Whilst the grey paint dried I drilled the cross bearers and pillars for new bolts to fix the gusset plates, adding a few extra bolt holes to increase the strength of the joints. Next I cut out and drilled the rest of the gusset plates. These need deburring and painting then they can be fitted.
The next major task will be fitting the new steel bulkhead to the front of the boot.
Today I was able to install the pillar repair section I made yesterday. Screwed and glued to both the existing remnant of upright and to the boot floor cross bearer and given a coat of primer.
Whilst that was drying I installed the two new gusset plates for the previous pillar repair and bolted them up to the cross bearer and upright.
Finally I made a couple of brackets to reinforce the joint between today’s new section of pillar and the existing part. These will also connect to the horizontal that joins the vertical at this point.
I now need to make up the gussets for this new piece before I can fix the new perimeter rail section at the bottom of the pillars.
Restoration diary of a 70-year old AEC single-deck bus and the trials, tribulations and adventures of our 1966 Bristol bus.
