Various car problems and unwellness have prevented much progress since the last entry. Having prepared the rain deflector ready for fitting, a number of other jobs needed to be done before it could be attached to the bus. Mounting the short piece of specially-shaped rain deflector above the rearmost nearside window (see previous entry) necessitated the prior painting of this window frame with final body colour as it would be inaccessible after. The remaining nearside window frames also needed this treatment so I took the opportunity to address the cosmetic filling over the welded corners and other small finishing details of these, then gave them two coats of red undercoat before painting the top horizontals in body colour. The non-opening window (second from the rear) needed some filling to the top horizontal so as I write this is awaiting its final coat of body colour.
The S-shaped moulding which trims the corner panel to the rearmost nearside window was fitted yesterday and had some cosmetic filling applied today.
The window itself needed some cosmetic filling to improve its appearance and alignment, which I did today and finished with a thin coat of red oxide.
In between filling jobs on the windows, I have gradually been attending to the cosmetic appearance of the nearside rear lower corner which is now almost ready for sanding.
Having fitted the final nearside window, I was able to properly install the waistrail beading. I am a bit unhappy with the positioning of it as it rises slightly under the last window. I may try to correct this before painting.
With the beading done I fitted the inner wheelarch cover. This required the manufacture of replacement mounting bracket from angle iron, screwed to the floor alongside the wheel opening. I also had to do some work on the beading around the border of the wheel opening which would otherwise be inaccessible after the wheelarch cover was fitted.
Rear wheelhousing repainted, step plate replaced and assembly reinstalled.
Next, I was able to install the outer wheelarch and mudwing assembly that I had made up previously (see entry for 29/4/2021). I was surprised at how well this fitted. The last couple of days have been spent in finishing the mudwing with filler and preparing the existing half-round wheelarch beading for refitting.
Since the last entry I manufactured the two treadplates for the top of the wheel housings then red-oxide primed them both. I fitted the nearside tread plate to the stainless steel wheel housing cover then gave the whole assembly a coat of interior ochre brown. Whilst the paint was hardening I removed the rearmost NS window frame (fitted temporarily some time ago) and the half-round beading so that I could install the glass, which I did today. The window assembly is now fitted back in the bus and I can complete the nearside now, apart for cosmetic finishing and painting,
Restoration diary of a 70-year old AEC single-deck bus and the trials, tribulations and adventures of our 1966 Bristol bus.
