69 Baywindow Resurrection- The time has come!

[Wombatventures]

After a week or two of other things I finally got to spend some time on the bus. Got the patch cleaned up and ready to prime. Cut out a bit along the sill on the same side. Will fab up some patches during the week. Letting the phosphoric  do its job first. 
Spent this arvo under the bus with an air hose and a bit of welding wire clearing as much dirt as possible out of the chassis frames and from between the frame and the floor. This bus must have spent much of its life on gravel roads going by the dirt and gravel and the lack of paint left underneath. It's like it's been sand blasted then left for 20 years. But other than 1 section of frame that needs some TLC its all solid.
Before air and wire poking...
   
Yes that is gravel and dust between the rail and the floor. Took some poking to push it out too. Only the outside couple of gaps though, and a couple in near the centre of the bus near the heater vent tube. Must be how the debris flies underneath.
After air blast and wire poking...
   
Some of the gravel and dust blown out of the frame....
   
Aiming to do a bit most nights now that the weather is warming up. Still got to contend with rain though.

[Wombatventures]

Last couple of weeks has been flat out but finally back into cutting bits of rust away.
Today I've started hacking into the drivers side dogleg at the bottom of the door step. 
   
Outside patch will be easy enough but will have to replace some of  the inner panel as well. I'm assuming that these rusted off bolts attached to the plate inside are for the step to bolt to. 
   
Are they bolts that come out from inside welded to the plate or were they originally nuts welded to the plate inside that bolts bolt into?

[Ted]

Last couple of weeks has been flat out but finally back into cutting bits of rust away.
Today I've started hacking into the drivers side dogleg at the bottom of the door step. 

Outside patch will be easy enough but will have to replace some of  the inner panel as well. I'm assuming that these rusted off bolts attached to the plate inside are for the step to bolt to. 

Are they bolts that come out from inside welded to the plate or were they originally nuts welded to the plate inside that bolts bolt into?

great work and loving watching the progress, note the lowlight doglegs as complete replacements are pretty cheap now as an option to trying to repair. https://allaircooled.com.au/products/cop...15e7&_ss=r

[Wombatventures]

That's only the outer skin though isn't it Ted?
If anything the inner panel on mine is the worst part and I've already fabbed up most of the inner section as well this arvo. Will have to make up a new bracket with welded in nuts to replace the original one. Found some pics this evening, looks do able.Will need to do the passengers side as well.
   
New outer ready to weld later.
   
Beginnings of the new inner sill.
   
I've been watching Fitzees Fabrications and Make It Custom on YouTube lately. Nothing really scares me as much any more. Just time a patience, and the MIG I  have to buy soon. TIG is good but  not always practical.

[Ted]

It’s a complete inner and outer panel from bbt…

[Wombatventures]

That's not so bad then. Still $700 plus freight to do both sides of the bus and I only need the bits in front of the wheels. If it was a restoration I'd probably consider it. But the aim here is to replace only what is needed.
I also enjoy the challenge of making the panels where possible.  
I do have a complete replacement lower nose inner and outer,  that was a good investment.

[Wombatventures]

MIG arrived Friday so  spent a couple of hours Saturday getting the bits that didn't come with it.... a gas kit... stole the TIG  one for now and had to make up a feed line as it has a different fitting; ...a roll of MIG wire, and an Argoshield bottle. Had a bit of a play and did a bit more fabbing of inner panel for the dog leg. 
Rain kept me away from under the bus this arvo but managed to use the MIG  to get a bit more panel made. Then I decided to try filling a couple of holes and rust divots in the bumper step....
   
   
   
   
Just fill small spots, will have to cut out and replace some of the worst bits.

[Wombatventures]

Worked on the bus Saturday and Sunday.   All of the drivers side sill is in etch primer and ready to fill, sand and paint. Holding off on that till I'm ready to do the front as well.
Spent Sunday fabricating the drivers inner dogleg repair panel. Can weld it in when I get the chance. Got the passengers side to do next then the lower nose inner and out valances.
Because this is my next few weekends of work on the bus I did a bit of research.  I'll pass this on....
https://www.busandcamper.com/easley-earl...glegs.html

I wish it would be as easy as this makes it look!

[Wombatventures]

Last couple of weekends have been chewed up and no bus time to be had. Dogleg repair is almost ready to go in but need to get the bolts and nuts for the bumper so I can weld the captive nuts in first.
Today's project was cutting the only bit of chassis/ frame rust out and fabbing up a patch...
   
Only photo I took today. Will add more once I'm back under the bus welding in the new channel piece.
Spent another hour or more blasting dust out of the rails,  this old girl must have lived on dirt.

[Grantus]

123 days (& nights), until Bus Stop 2023.

Just saying…………..