Restoration of BUS 670

Started by Buzz Killington, September 21, 2010, 07:36:47 PM

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Buzz Killington

Help Needed!

ex ACTION Bus 670 is now owned by forum member chris_guru and located in Canberra. We are seeking willing members to help out with various jobs restoring the bus and donations to help out with the costs involved with storage and registration.

If you can help out in any way, please contact chris_guru via the forum's private messaging system.

Snorzac

670 has been purchased. More coming later

Snorzac

Here are the pictures of 670 from yesterday, photos of other buses at Interline will be posted this time tomorrow.

The first photo is of the effort to start the bus, after the little battery pack proved useless, a B10M Mk IV was brought over and it was jump started, even though it hadn't been started in over a year it started first go and was very quick to build air!

The interior of the bus whilst it was been loaded up with all sorts of things, the object in the rear stairwell is a bumper off ex 794 which has met a dismal end.

Equipped with new batteries, 670 is started and ready to be moved to the workshops for replacement of the front tyres.

On it's way.

A turn

One happy driver/owner.

The missing corner window, won't be for much longer, we took a few out of the other buses.

Into their workshops

All ready to be moved to Westbus Bonnyrigg where it will be housed.

The trade plate.

I have a lot of pictures of the other mercs (664, 667, and 668-668 had an unfortunate encounter with a forklift) as well as the fucked Reanault (794) and many other Renaults on working order.

Busnerd

Typical work computers have flickr blocked so i cannot see your photos :(

Buzz Killington

Photos are also available from ACT Bus Gallery.

Buzz Killington


CNG


Buzz Killington

An update from Chris:

"Desto roll fitted. Have done the rust inside, fixed the doors and got all the lights working. She is about to get a full degrease and a tub inside and out"


The Love Guru

Here are some shots from a rather extensive weekend spent working on the bus.

Completed this weekend were:-

Removal of rust from window frames, which were then filled, sanded and painted
Removal of rust from around rear window
Removal of loose paint from roof
Full engine degrease, which hadn't been done for a very long time
Installed side desto box and number and desto blinds
Swap torn seats for good ones
Adjust doors
Install shade cover on dash
Changed license plate lights to LED type (due to poor quality of part on bus)
Re-apply side gutters and rubber stripping
Re-rivett numerous panels and strips, both inside and out
General clean and tidy up

Also need to thank MyWay for his help on Monday










Simes

Looking great, I caught a glimpse of #670 whilist some older O305's were "specialling" back to Oakville - photo request, #670 next to the younger TV 5323 please :)

Sir Pompously

Where, pray tell, is Toggeranong? Ha, it is looking very good Chris.

Snorzac


Buzz Killington

LOL.. I didn't even pick up on that one.

Buzz Killington

#13
Couple of desto pix I took yesterday. The bus was being painted today.










blackdragon

Toggeranong must be close to Condor.

The last time I checked a condor was a bird, maybe it should be Conder..

Buzz Killington

That was the only other typo I found on that roll, but I was reading the majority from inside and in reverse, so I could have missed some.

Bus 400




Sir Pompously

Ahhhh I remember that place, never went there but always went past it. I think most of the crap is still actually there, just heavily overgrown (Next to the Highway). They had closed down most of what is around it to try and get it developed, but that development has been happening for the last 9 years or so with little to no progress.

I would avoid going to any place called 'Canberry' though.

The Love Guru

Here are some more pics from the weekend. All going well she will be making the trip down the Hume on Thursday, hopefully registered next week sometime. Going to see if they will give me MO 670, tho not sure if you can request plates or not.



Note: Attachment has expired.

Barry Drive

#21
How about MO-305?

The Love Guru

After much thought and weighing up of options, it has been decided that 670 will now not be working in the Sydney area.

She was returned from Sydney to Canberra today, and may now never leave the ACT again. At this stage, she should be ready for a rego inspection in the next 2 weeks or so, and will then be put onto private registration purely for driving pleasure.

I will be having a working bee day once the seat arrives to get her ready for the inspection. Apart from a small oil leak she is pretty much is great shape. See how it goes at rego.

Also, i'm going to begin stripping all the NSW decals and school lights off her, as well as smoothing out any damaged areas (including the bit i did getting it in my driveway :-(
Will be looking to paint her into Z stripe livery in early Decemeber. May take her for a tour sometime in the new year in the new paint scheme.

In between now and then, once registered she will be going out for a day or two just to make sure everything is OK. Will advise those who want to know when this happens and all are welcome to tag along (for a small donation to the restoration fund)

Buzz Killington

Help Needed!

ex ACTION Bus 670 is now owned by forum member chris_guru and located in Canberra. We are seeking willing members to help out with various jobs restoring the bus and donations to help out with the costs involved with storage and registration.

If you can help out in any way, please contact chris_guru via the forum's private messaging system.

Sir Pompously

Have got a bunch of photos from my Flickr! of the journey today http://www.flickr.com/photos/kommissar_todd06/sets/72157625209990892/with/5102074456/

Larger resolution photos are found on Flickr! Am too tired to bother placing them all linked  :P








lukeo25

Sent Chris a message about me helping :) It would be nice to help out now that the bus is in Canberra.

Barry Drive

#26
Quote from: MyWay on October 19, 2010, 10:31:12 PM
How about MO-305?
Already gone: it's on a Murrays BCI.

Anyway photos from yesterday (more on Facebook):






Buzz Killington


Sir Pompously

Went by to visit 670 last night, all the seats are back in her and a small amount of work went on to fix up some bullet lights and some fit some rear lights (And the bullets) with LED's went on aswell.

The Love Guru

Quick update

670 is now fully registered, which is a nice relief. After much ado about lots of little issues and one major ADR compliance issue (which turned out to be a RTA stuff up, thanks for costing me over $500 in labor!), she passed with flying colours this morning.

I have modified the battery tray ever so slightly so that in now fully contains the 2 x 12volt (originally 4 x 6 volt) batteries. Also had to make the battery brace fit properly.

There is still a fair bit of work to do as listed below -

Minor body repairs in preperation for painting, as well as sanding the entire bus and making it suitable for the paint to adhere to.
Find origin of leaks in windows, water pooling on top of the bottom of the frame. Have a suspicion that it may actually be leaking through the rivets, which is a major concern as there should be water in there.
Minor smoothing and repair work to areas of rust in window frames (has been done once in a hurry, want a nicer finish than present)
Rear door air circuit has a sticky valve. Door only works when it is in the right mood (certainly an ex govt bus!)
Wheel balance
Change fuel filters
Grease/lube
Change transmission fluid

I'm sure there is more to add but that will do for now. Anyone with a few spare hours feel free to contact me and we can shoot the breeze whilst tackling a few tasks.

CNG

well with holidays coming up in three weeks I will be happy to help on thursday and fridays

The Love Guru

Bit of a call out for information and help in finding a cost effective home for 670.

ACTION were approached for storage, however this has been declined (obviously just not enough room at Woden), without any reason being given. One can only assume they don't want to have to explain it.

Anyway, with the avenue now closed, i'm on the look out for somewhere to store her. At the moment, i can get space at Mitchell and the self storage place, however it is $290 a month. So looking for something cheaper than that, that is fairly secure and not too far away.

If anyone has any suggestions, please leave a note in this thread or PM me.

Thanks

CT

Also, with the almost certain ongoing cost of housing the bus any donations will be very appreciated.

The Love Guru

Almost forgot. Hoping to have 670 ready for paint in the next week or so. Once again will gladly accept contributions to help with the cost of the paint.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a good place to purchase automotive paint? What sort of paint would be best? (would love to do 2pak paint but don't have the safety gear)

Hoping to get use of a shed for the job, but that is no certainty. I have all the gear to paint her, just need the man power and people willing to be patient whilst masking her up (it's a total pain in the ass to do, but is absolutely essential for a good finish).

One for Myway, Smitho or anyone who is old enough to remember. Was the black paint used a gloss or satin finish for the bumper and wheels?

The Love Guru

Have got the paint organised, now just require the capital to purchase it.

So, calling for donations of money and/or time. Feel free to PM me for details.

Hoping to start the painting ASAP. I have some free time (thanks night shift) so the body work will be finished inside the next week.

CNG

#34
I was thinking this would be hard however you could find some old advertisment posters to stick on.

smitho

Quote from: Chris_Guru on November 11, 2010, 08:05:58 PM


One for Myway, Smitho or anyone who is old enough to remember. Was the black paint used a gloss or satin finish for the bumper and wheels?
Belated reply (just saw this post) - Don't have much recollection of the paint details, but I reckon it was satin. I understand from Ed that you've gone for satin in any case.

The Love Guru

We have now almost completed the painting on 670. I am awaiting delivery of a fine detail airbrush to complet the areas that require touching up, as it seems that masking tape is damaging the newly painted areas if we use it.

There is only black paint to be applied to the window trims, which Interline had painted blue and grey.

With the help of Myway and Metrobus during the week, we achieved a lot. Detailed as follows

Applied Orange, Blue and Arctic green to the bus
Removed a majority of the over-spray
Recoated the bumper and touched up a lot of the black areas
Removed and painted the interior door handles
Repainted the inside of the doors
Repainted the wheel brushes (due to over spray)

I have also completed the mechanical stuff that needed doing, in particualr the fuel filters which i managed to cock up by not removing the old gaskets  ??? ??? ???

Pics of her current state are below




Buzz Killington


Sir

Saw you driving up the top of belco with a few passengers about an hour or so ago, it looks really good.

Busnerd

Yes we were on a invite only tour :P

Bus 400

#40
Does 670 shock any of the old timers at Belconnen Depot?

blackdragon

Spotted it parked outside the Canberra Museum and Gallery on London Cct on Saturday night too

Busnerd

Yes we were at dinner at the time.

The Love Guru

670 now has her full compliment of windows, with the R/H corner rear window/panel installed.

Big thanks to John "stretch" Tokaji for his help. The job is a pain in the ass until you figure out what to do, and then you face palm as it is rather simple LOL.

Buzz Killington

Good stuff. I'll have to come check it out one day, haven't seen her since before the paint job.

Busnerd

Fantastic! I'm sure that makes it look a lot more complete now, perhaps you should show todd how to change the windows cause we might need to remove ours to get to the rust next to the back window.

Look forward to a photo of the newly installed windows.

particleman

Look what I drove behind on the way home from uni the other day!!

Busnerd


Snorzac


Barry Drive

A new photo of Bus 670 has been added to the Gallery. Photo courtesy of Les Pascoe.