Well, it had to start sometime.
I have gotten a trailer from a Richy246 on here in a silly trade deal, fetched it from Portsmouth last night.
Though I really wanted 10" or bigger car wheels, so as to be able to tow at speed, I took this one on, and am sure someone here will tell me what one does in the case of a puncture, or blowout
Towing back from Portsmouth in the peeing rain, it was not even noticable behind the car..... ;D
I got it under the pressure cleaner today, spraying old paint and garden dirt off, currently it s on its side in the garage getting the heat from two finned oil heaters directed from below an old shower curtain.... I want to paint itinside and out.
Next up will be a 150mm high lid, that can fold over onto a pair of legs, and act as a table, for the gas stove etc.
I have a couple of other cunning plans for it as well, but they will be revealed as time goes on.
Anyone know whare I can buy a righthand one, or a set of these old style "Dunlop" mudguards ??
Today's task was to sort out and tidy up the garage, get the 1150GS ready for and test ride it, before it goes to Ireland next Sunday. Move some stuff into the loft, and get the two finned oil heaters down and into the garage, as I have not yet got a bottle of gas for my cavity/room heater.
After all that was done, the " FIRST JOB" to get the bus ready for its new life was due.
I have a spare front and rear suspension, and as I was going to drop both ends significantly on my bus, I thought it was a good task for the day to dismantle and then process the springs, then it is just a matter of getting the old springs off the bus, and fitting the new lowered suspension.
Pics tell a story.
Started with this:
Front and rear seperated and waiting for attention.
45 years !! and this is the first time it is touched, thank heaven for WD40 and big hammers. Needed to break the rusted nuts on all the U - bolts with hammer and ring spanner and excessive force.
AAAAAAAaaahhh !!! OFF !!
At this point I went indoors to make some tea and rest ;D
Front suspension carries the whole motor and gearbox, which is sat between driver and passenger.... so quite sensitive to dropping.... started with 8 leaves in the springs, took away 2 (that is 25% )
All along, the rear was a much bigger problem, and took longer than the front to do, with more damage from the 45 years of damp, muddy conditions it lived under.
I had been spraying WD40 on all the U - Bolts twice a day the last week or so, thanks goodness for that too.
Rear springs needed a lot more attention, keep in mind, it was originaly designed to carry 1250kg, or a ton and a quarter, so no need to be so stiff anymore.
I decided that if this was to work, I needed to be ruthless and just get in there ;D ;D ;D
Cold chissel and hammer are my friends......
Rear suspension started with 13 spring leaves/blades.... I left only 7 in place. On its assssssss , or what ?
Finished and ready to be fitted to the bus when I have finished treating the suspension on it, and got it to a point here I can get that set of springs out, and fit these.
That's all for today folks.
[*]
I mean the rear of the 350.
