Started the week by stripping paint from the parts of the sliding pane frame of the cab window. I also prepared the first of the wheel rings for primer and applied red oxide to one side. Still very cold but warmer than last week. The next day I applied the second coat of primer to the first set of rings, stripped all but the bottom section of the sliding pane and mixed the black cellulose for the wheels. I managed to spray the insides of four wheels the following day. Whilst the results were poor, a matt finish duw to the cold and damp weather, this is ultimately of no consquence as I shall finish them in black enamel in due course. I also managed to spray the first set of rings, too. I also I also primed the two verticals for the sliding pane. After that, I needed a rest from solvents so ran the cable that carries the rear light feeds from the box in the boot as far as the switch for the boot light, pending the arrival of some more cable clips. I next cleaned and primed the remainder of the frame parts for the sliding pane of the cab window and measured up the O/S of the bus for the beading.
Monthly Archives: January 2025
12/1/2025
An odd beginning to the week by going off plan to complete the lighting switch-box cover. This was prompted by a need to clear workshop space. I still need to fit a clasp to the hinged cover over the fuses. I then cut the channel to size for the cab window fixed pane, in preparation for welding the angle that retains the anti-rattle/draught excluder fabric, the angle having arrived today. The next day was unexpectedly sunny so I got on with preparing the wheels for primer. I sprayed them with red oxide the following day and and was satisfied with the result, having given them two coats, despite the freezing cold weather. I wasn’t feeling great the next day, so just touched up with a brush any areas I’d missed on the wheels. I next turned my attention to the cab window and assembled the bit of vertical frame required for the fixed pane, this involved welding angle to the channel to hold the strip of material for the draught/anti-rattle seal. This went well except for catching the enf of the channel with the tip of the mig, burning a bit away. Having trimmed the overlapping angle, it was apparent that this would hardly show so I left it. Last job was to spray the assembly with red oxide primer, before the cold (-2C) drove me indoors.
5/1/2025
Applied undercoat to the inside of the cab door, mixed from brick read with a little black in it. Made sure it was thinned well and warmed it so it would dry. Next, I continued with the cab window by starting to strip the paint from the opening glass. The next day was dry and sunny so I took the opportunity to continue prepping the wheel rims, wirebrushing the outer faces of three and giving them a coat of red oxide. It was a bit thin in places so a second coat will need to be done soon, weather forecast suggests the middle of next week. The cab window frame was not screwed together, so I removed it from the glass to make painting easier. I straightened the wonky offside window (no.4 from the fornt) as much as I could, so its slant is not so noticeable from inside as it was, although it is not perfected, so I started to fix it permanently. I finished fixing the rest of the windows, though there might need to be one or two more screws inserted to make sure the bottoms are fluch with the aluminium side panes. At the moment the weather is too cold to do anything else.