Project Myrtle: Jim’s Baja Bug Build

Discussion in 'Restorations' started by JamesLey, Sep 8, 2019.

  1. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Cheers mate. It’s about the level of rot I was expecting. Looks to have never had a proper resto, just lots of MOT repairs over the years.

    Enjoying the pace of this, feel like months worth of welding rather than the years that a bus needs.


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  2. Skyelectrix

    Skyelectrix Supporter

    Haha! Yes! Busses take forever and cost £££’s! My cab was far quicker than the bus to restore. I particularly like the way you are bolting the crossmembers and heater channels to the pan and then lowering the body on. Makes proper sense and should line up so much easier. Nice one!
     
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  3. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    A trick I pinched from the Jim Tyler book on bug restoration. It's a bit of an old school read, and my wife has made unfair comparisons of me and the guy in the book!
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  4. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    The weather over the last few weeks has finally dried out the track down to the workshop,so I got an evening in on the Baja and took the bus so I could bring the rear seat home to reupholster.
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    I’ve done a final mockup of the lower framework now with everything pinned in place and tacked together.
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    Removed the lower framework to weld it all together and have started welding in the heater channels. I ended up cutting out my O/S A pillar repair which I’d previously tacked in as it sat too low for the B pillar to sit nicely on the heater channel. Happy with the fitment of the drivers door, so just need to repeat this on the other side and then get everything welded in properly. This should give some much needed strength back into the baja.
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  5. Do you take work on? Seriously good looking, Jim :thumbsup: between you and Simon, you could make a business of upholstery.
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2020
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  6. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    I've been considering it! It's mainly a welcome change to staring at code and design docs all day.
     
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  7. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Full set of door cards for the Baja finished! (Barnaby helping out as usual).
    There’s something just a little bit special about this fabric.
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    I’ll be starting to tear down the rear seat this week to make a start on reupholstering it soon.
     
  8. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    A bucket load of welding completed on the bug over the weekend, and a ton of strength put back into the shell.

    N/S door gaps checked and heater channel welded in:

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    Front bulkhead and rear cross members completely welded in too.
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    I’ve a bit of weld tidy up to do around the B pillars then I’ll be onto to fully welding in both floorpans.
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  9. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Floor pan day! Storming on with the welding at the moment.

    Made myself some jumbo grips to help get a tight fit along the spine welds.
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    Both floor pans are now fully welded in, I just need to finish dressing the N/S pan welds.
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    Also got the pedal strengthener and hinge welded in.
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    Even this little dog seemed intrigued by the bug today!
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  10. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Couldn’t resist test fitting the first seat cover! The baja’s interior is going to look pretty special I think.
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  11. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Getting the next batch of repair panels fettled to fit the baja. Front arch inners are done. I’ll get the rear quarters fettled too before painting the insides of them all with epoxy and then welding them in.
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    Trial fitted the front wings to check the bolt holes. Can’t wait to test fit the rest of the baja kit now!
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  12. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Quarter panel repairs trimmed to perfection. I’ve a few repairs to make to the inners of the quarters before I can weld these in.
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  13. Nice that the lower rear 1/4 repair panel fitted so nicely. When i did mine the klokkerholmm one was about an inch out where it met the wing mounting area. :rolleyes: Photo11-08-2012172534.jpg
     
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  14. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Mine stuck out a fair bit there until I'd got the front face fitting nicely, and then needed a bit of flattening as the repair panel bends were too harsh. Maybe they've improved the pressing a little since yours, that does look out a fair bit!
     
  15. It pretty needed flattening out and starting again. Would have been better just making it from scratch. I think klokkerholm panels have improved a bit since.
     
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  16. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Finished up the back of the rear bench today and trial fitted it to the frame. It’s passed schnauzer quality control!
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    Feel I’m definitely getting better at upholstery but I’m forever my harshest critic.
     
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  17. Dubs

    Dubs Sponsor supporter extraordinaire

    Looks like its got the seal of approval of the QA operative! :thumbsup:
     
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  18. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    I'd literally just finished sewing it up and left it on the living room floor for 2 mins. Came back and he was asleep on it!

    Christ he needs a hair cut though. Finally got him booked in next week for a groom, hasn't been cut since Feb/March (even longer for me, and I look worse!)
     
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  19. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Finished repairing the quarter panel inners over the weekend. I ended up removing the O/S seat-belt mounts as rust had crept in between them and I wanted to repair them properly.
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    Shot blasted the mounts and reinstalled.
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    Rust treated the inside of the quarter panels ready for some epoxy in the next few days, then I can get the outer panels welded in!
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  20. Dubs

    Dubs Sponsor supporter extraordinaire

    Nice work mate. It's good to see a Baja getting done properly! :thumbsup:
     
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