Gertie the 72 crossdresser. Full resto....and it needs it!

Hows your eye now dude?

 

All good fella, thanks for asking. They didn't find anything (other than an eye ball ), they just said it was scratched. Good thing really as I was going offshore on the Tuesday so could do without a repeat appointment to have it sorted!

Finish my trip on Friday but think the weather out here is up to 50knot winds tomorrow and being on an FPSO (Boat) it'll probably mean we will be out of sea state limits for helicopter operations! Probably end up coming off the weekend knowing my luck!

Can't wait to get stuck back into the bus now. Feel like I'm having withdrawal symptoms!

 

Tahts some restoration! theres only a little bit of the original left! now i know why your sax playing isnt progressing! keep at it at least you wont end up with more kids lol

 

Cheers Pete!

 

Can't believe I've not done anything since last May!! However I did run out of gas then sold my Triumph Speed Triple and bought a GSXR1000 then proceeded to throw it up the road big stylee then bought another which needed a little TLC, but thats long since where I want it to be.
Just bought some gas 2 weeks ago then went to Benidorm for a week so I am now gonna get back into this bus this week or maybe next week with a bit of luck.

Nice to see things haven't changed much in here!

 

This was the aftermath!

 

I was really getting into this thread! Awesome work, just goes to show what you can do with a bit of will power.

Just bought a Mig welder, clarke 160te, and waiting for gas. This is a good thread for inspiration!

 

Many thanks, thats good to hear. Hopefully I can get some work done shortly and progress things a little.
This project was the first big one for me after many small repair projects and I really have been learning as I've gone along. This place is invaluable for the advice and I respect everyone on here for offering help when required.

Can't beat a nice new welder! I've had quite a few second hand ones over the years and the new Portamig I got was a revelation. I always thought I couldn't weld!!!

Good luck with your resto. Get some pics up as you go. Everyone loves pics.

 

Not been in here or near the van in a while. I really need to get stuck in. Had a good read through this last week for some reason and I'd forgotten how much I'd done! got no excuse other than time now, I have steel, gas and wire here!
Back down the van the tomorrow and back next week for the little one to go back to school so I reckon it's about time! Then Busfest next weekend!
Got me a T5 to go in this year.

 

Still here, and still done nothing else to the T2 since the last post, although I have finished the T5 with a Touch of Class Camper conversion and a re-register with DVLA as a Motor Caravan.

Been looking through my pics recently. I really should get stuck in once again! Problem is with £7k worth of bike in the garage alongside it I really don't want to weld along side it! I need another garage for the bikes.

Maybe soon!

 

Finally got off my arse the last few days and cleared the garden alongside the garage then marked the floor out for the new (prospective) garage. Got a guy in for a quote to put a raft in place so I can build the new one. Looking at a shell 6.5m long and 3m wide just for the bikes and my tools.

Can't wait, and as a positive, once the base is complete along with 2 x pillars and a roller shutter fitted to the front, it will be secure enough for me to put the bike outside without any risk of theft or prying eyes for me to get stuck into the bus.

 

Right, time has come to finally admit I'm never gonna finish this and stick her on the bay. Been dry stored since I first purchased it but there's no denying it's still a big project although a few big (daunting) bits are done. Does anyone have an idea where I should be expecting this to end up if put in an auction. No wise cracks like the scrapyard please. I'm looking for a rough guide to where to pitch it. It'll probably go in an auction anyway as opposed to a fixed price sale.

Spares include 1 x genuine rear inner arch, 1 x lower panel and a scuttle, original engine, brand new 1641 pots and twin port heads and most of the engine bits for a rebuild.

 

The only problem is you can't see any pics so unless people know or rember your bus going to be difficult help

 

The crazy ting is as my laptop has the Chrome fix for Photobucket, I can see all the original pics.
Cheers dude.

 

Went up the garage to tidy up and get it on its wheels then started cutting out rot and welding in fresh metal.

 

More today!

Fitted the rear most Chassis outrigger.



Then cut a section from a spare top hat and fitted that which allowed me to fit the last jacking point.






Then stood looking at the end if the section I repaired yesterday thinking how could I get around removing the front beam as it isn't possible when it's on the roll over frame. Decided to chop out a section of the beam (it'll need replacing anyway as it's shot) and repair what lay underneath.
Not pretty but it worked.



Looking better already!

 

Today's instalment.

Those tie sections are quite flimsy which meant lining up as I went. The rear most is original and was patched up ages ago but the front is a Schofield piece and much nicer to work with.

Working towards the rear corner next, a couple of repairs then it can go back on its wheels.

 

Only went up the garage between 4-6, had a bit of a tidy up then mixed up equal parts of Epoxy Mastic 121 and brushed it onto the fresh primer. I know it should be applied onto bare metal but I already used etch primer so hoping it should be ok.

 

A couple of hours today saw me repair the inboard end of the chassis cut I replaced so long ago.