Restoration of BUS 661

Started by Buzz Killington, March 17, 2010, 08:47:14 PM

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Busnerd

People will be able to touch it once we finish the bus and bring it down to Canberra for a tour, in the meantime any money you want to donate is appreciated, we aren't demanding anyone donate but you can contact an admin for details, basically I have an account in my name (since the bus is in my name) for the bus.

The account was at $109 which included the remaining tour money (about $70) and about $35 I had in the account already. I spent about $30 at bunnings yesterday buying sandpaper and primer for the bus etc.

Todd will probably be funding the painting as it will cost about $1000 to paint the bus. We are also planning on selling the desto roll in the bus, we might even be able to get a few bucks for the fuel cover that zac broke as scrap metal...

At the moment im a bit nervous about the condition of the gearbox...I will see how it is after we service the engine (about $100 to service it) it may need a new gearbox soon which would be maybe $1500

However in the meantime we should be ok as the main project I am working on now is taking off panels etc. to fix the rust and sand back some of the bus as I am waiting until someone can service the bus for me

Buzz Killington

To clarify one point, those wishing to donate should contact Busn00b rather than myself and he can provide the info.

Sir Pompously

Well, busn00b and myself, aswell as a small team of others got to removing stripping on the side of the bus, aswell as cleaning up the areas where we had removed the hard wearing Oliveri's Metro Link stickering on the side, front and rear. Apparently more will be done tomorrow, however I will be busy in Sydney and will not get a chance to attend. Plan is to get everything stripped and sanded, prepared on the outside ready for it to be painted into ACTION livery before we start on the inside. Busn00b and myself sat down and talked about what we would need to do on the inside, when the outside is finished. Basically we are looking at removing seat padding, repainting bases, poles, cleaning the current seats, re-screwing the seats back into position. A future interior possibility is replacing the fabric, which is dirty from much wear. We will need to look at replacing some window frames (Swapping them from condemned vehicles), some interior side panels need to also be replaced/cleaned (Depending on condition) and re-fitted back into position. The side desto box still needs to be fitted (We need a set of numbers, anyone?), aswell as the removal and replacement of the cab door into position. The rear door button is non-operational, however the doors work fine, it is just the button that is the problem (We think it is not connected). I think that is a list of what we really need to do, it is a fairly big job but with some help from more experienced people, we can get it done. I do have some photos I will post up at a later date, however I am currently on the go as I write this!

CNG

#103
I just want to say this is a great job you two are doing and I can not wait to see the finished product. I take my hat off to all the hard work you are. Look forward to seeing more pics. Also had an idea in relation to the numbers in the side desto box. It is abit taky however you could print some numbers of the computer with a black background and white numbers. This is just an idea if you became real desperate.

Snorzac

On the topic of numbers, what were the desto signs made out of that we used for the artic tour? Maybe (if it is the right material) you could look at getting some made up. Possibly see if you can get one out of an ex STA bus (one they are selling) if they are the same. And if all else fails surely there would be a bus at the Parker's you could steal a roll out of

Sir Pompously

STA Numbers are Yellow and thin. Telfords have some but it is just waiting for them to get rid of them. Making up the numbers are hard, as there are two different fonts they used. And no, there are none at the Parker's we can get any rolls out of.


Buzz Killington

Thanks for the update Sir P. Sounds like some real progress is being made!

Simes


Quote from: Sir Pompously on July 31, 2010, 05:09:17 PMA future interior possibility is replacing the fabric, which is dirty from much wear.
The seat backs I ripped out of "the shed" were at Terrey Hills - I was going to pop em in another bus coming over but got side tracked, they may still be there, they were still the fabric - I have a sneaking suspicion my "granny seat" is red too

Quote from: Sir Pompously on July 31, 2010, 05:09:17 PMWe will need to look at replacing some window frames (Swapping them from condemned vehicles),

Hmmmmm do I see a "please Simon" conversation coming up hehehehe or are there other candidates at Oakville?

Quote from: Sir Pompously on July 31, 2010, 05:09:17 PMThe side desto box still needs to be fitted (We need a set of numbers, anyone?),
Were the same size and font rolls put into the Renaults? I recall a side desto box (complete) being in one of those that ended up with Veolia (via Baxters and Transit First)


Quote from: Sir Pompously on July 31, 2010, 05:09:17 PMaswell as the removal and replacement of the cab door into position.
Let me sort the shed out, then I'll remove it's one (or again, another candidate?)
 
Quote from: Sir Pompously on July 31, 2010, 05:09:17 PMThe rear door button is non-operational, however the doors work fine, it is just the button that is the problem (We think it is not connected).
Easyish job, did "the shed" get a jump today and it's centre door fiddled with? I seem to recall it was disconnected also - since the emergency works - might involve taking out the drivers seat just so you can get under the dash...


Buzz Killington

Quote from: Simes on August 01, 2010, 12:54:45 AM
Were the same size and font rolls put into the Renaults?

Pretty sure they are the same.

That said, some Renaults do have a slightly newer version (the give-away is the 7 - the older ones have a piece that comes down from the left side of the horizontal section of the seven)

Barry Drive

It is the same equipment. The supplier of the rolls may have changed over time. There were two distinct 'fonts' which originally went into the Mercs but number rolls get changed often due to damage.

ACTION's current number rolls AFAIK are supplied by Arrow Alpha. If all else fails, you might be able to buy some new ones directly from them.

Busnerd

Yes Arrow Alpha made the old ones too I believe, might be worth emailing them to see how much two side number rolls would be, as we already have the three front and one side ones.

Todd took some photos yesterday and should upload them when he gets a chance.

Simes

#112
Ok well considering one of the three Renaults with veolia has been withdrawn for parts I could set some wheels in motion to have that checked out for you - have you asked about any at Telfords? ;)

Oh mr noob, I believe this post over at the ATDB might be of interest to you ;)
http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=53163

(just trying to find pics of the Transit First farewell tour - if anyone has em, the Renault used then had a side box in it still)

Sir Pompously

Quote from: Simes on August 01, 2010, 12:54:45 AM
The seat backs I ripped out of "the shed" were at Terrey Hills - I was going to pop em in another bus coming over but got side tracked, they may still be there, they were still the fabric - I have a sneaking suspicion my "granny seat" is red too

Hmmmmm do I see a "please Simon" conversation coming up hehehehe or are there other candidates at Oakville?

Were the same size and font rolls put into the Renaults? I recall a side desto box (complete) being in one of those that ended up with Veolia (via Baxters and Transit First)


Let me sort the shed out, then I'll remove it's one (or again, another candidate?)
  Easyish job, did "the shed" get a jump today and it's centre door fiddled with? I seem to recall it was disconnected also - since the emergency works - might involve taking out the drivers seat just so you can get under the dash...



I Think a Please Simon is going to be said in regards to the window frames. Cab door will also be from yours, I will let your more capable hands sort that one out.

The future re-fabrication will probably be new fabric. There are quite a few suppliers of that material around.

We did not jump 'The shed', I was looking for some cleaning supplies in there and something has leaked all over your floor.

While I was there I also looked in the Kiama Coachlines MAN SG192 and the Surfside one, I will post some photos of those aswell.

Simes

Quote from: Sir Pompously on August 01, 2010, 05:03:24 PM
I Think a Please Simon is going to be said in regards to the window frames. Cab door will also be from yours, I will let your more capable hands sort that one out.
That's for the three of us to discuss, however at the moment the young girl (she's the youngest one I own lol) is still water tight and still at Oakville, and the window frames would come out when I was scrapping her
Quote from: Sir Pompously on August 01, 2010, 05:03:24 PM
The future re-fabrication will probably be new fabric. There are quite a few suppliers of that material around.
Really? I was under the impression that it was discontinued
Quote from: Sir Pompously on August 01, 2010, 05:03:24 PM
We did not jump 'The shed', I was looking for some cleaning supplies in there and something has leaked all over your floor.
Yeah ironic you were looking for cleaning products then, coz that's a mix of windex and that armour all green car wash (truck wash is much better, but I got that shit when I didn't know what I do now ;) ) that spilt either during the Terrey Hills - Oakville run or when the yard was shunted

Busnerd

Hey guys just an update, have been doing a few small jobs.

The back seat has been removed and i will be replacing it with a better quality rear seat we have.

I have cleaned the bus out and am starting to try and clean all the dust out of everything and have commenced respraying the front panels inside the bus in black spray paint. I have done a couple of panels so far and they look fantastic!

I am going to head up shortly and start removing all the seats so a) we have better access to the windows and walls to check for and fix rust, b) paint the seat frames and c) buy some new screws for the seats and perhaps clean the seats also.

Anyway I hope todd uploads the photos he took the other day so we can all see the progress.

Also we sold the Oliveri's desto roll for $164 so hopefully the payment goes through and our kitty for 661 will stand at about $235!! so that's good news, we will also be sourcing fanbelts soon to replace the ageing ones installed.

We need some help from you guys, anyone who has any info on where we can source some more chinguards for the seat tops, where we can buy the stop bells from (probably in a bus magazine there will be an ad) and thats it for the moment.

In other news, I spoke to Dean last night and there is a chance I might be able to buy 675 from Premier. This would be a good one to get as its the first one! It still has two doors and all premier did to it was repaint it and add school lights and remove the side desto. So it would be an easy job and I would love to get this bus! to bring back to its former glory and preserve it along with 661!

Sir Pompously


lukeo25

If you obtain 675 i would love to help when i'm free that is :)

Buzz Killington

Thanks for the update and photos, guys. Would be great if you can also acquire 675!

King of Buses

Quote from: lukeo25 on August 02, 2010, 04:26:26 PM
If you obtain 675 i would love to help when i'm free that is :)
Same here.

CNG

nice to see the progress is happening

Busnerd

Went up there again thisafternoon.


took a few panels off the dash gave them a quick spray, pretty dodgy job but at least it doesnt have scratch marks all over it now. I also took off all the seat cushions in the rear of the bus, so we can check for and more easily fix the rust, take all the chewing gum off the seat frames and floor and also respray the frames and clean the seat cushions.


I went to bunnings and got new sets of screws for the seats so that they can all be attache properly, I also spoke to them about painting the poles and seat frames and they suggested an glossy mission brown spray paint, we sprayed a bar and once it has properly dried i will see how close it looks to the original, it so far looks a little lighter but it may have to do and would be the closest we get.


I did have a photo to post but its taking its time to go to my email so ill post it later.

Busnerd

Here is that photo



Note: Attachment has expired.

Simes

#123
Looking good - IMHO save the better "original" screws for the seat backs and new for the bottoms (no one sees them), if you need any, I kept a few from when I ripped out all the seats of the shed

Good news with Renault (production) number one :) - if it's got I'd gladly speak to someone about the possibility of getting ex 807 from Veolia before they drag it off to scrap for body bits etc (a friend tells me they're busily making room at the depots)

Busnerd

Apparently we're going to Nowra on the weekend, we can talk to them about 675 when we're there...

The screws are bought as replacements and to fill the voids of the old screws, these ones are better quality and dont have ruined threads and heads etc. so will be easier to remove things in the future if required.

Buzz Killington

May as well just replace the screws. As you mentioned, the ruined threads on the older ones make hard work for the times when you need to unscrew them

Sir Pompously

Just sold an overhead projector on Ebay for $36, so that will go into the 661 Fund.

Buzz Killington

....Who the hell has their own personal overhead projector?

Busnerd

Dean is quite annoyed that you did not keep the overhead projector as he wanted it.

Sir Pompously

#129
Well, Dean could've put in a bid on Ebay for it :P

It was an old one from the Qantas Club that they did not want, so I bought it for $2.

Busnerd

"Hi All"

Have done a few little bits on the bus over the last couple of days.

*My biggest task today was removing the WHEN LIGHTS FLASH sticker which took me about and hour or so to complete, and next time I will take off the
40 sign as well which is started on today.
*Put a winder handle on my side desto box and the route numbers are now in the bus ready to be put in the box before it is mounted
*drivers cab door parts are now sitting in the bus and when time permits we will start to put that together
*loose front door partially fixed, put in a new runner (it was missing) and another bolt was put in (was also missing) so the door has less play now
*school lights rust spots primed to prevent spread of rust
*roof rust patches primed to prevent spreading until we treat it properly
*fuel filters all changed and the bus sounds so much happier now! the filters were jet black with gunk
*new speedo fitted (non volvo one)
*more dash labels now in place and have removed the dymo tags

more things I am in progress are
*installing a fluro tube for the front number box and rezising the light fittings for the route destination light since i dont have that part
*oil change once correct oil has been sourced, est cost is about $90 - $120 for the oil, filters are being supplied to me for free
*engine degrease
*replacing the broken pully and all fanbelts
*steam/spray the engine block free of all dirt
those arent really all in progress but merely what i will be doing next. Doing the above i sustained three cuts today, one on my finger on a rivett,
one on a bit of metal trimming inside the bus and hit my head on the mirror when fixing the doors :P

So thats about all for now that has been done, have also found an original fan and will see about installing that and the original taillights also when i can!

Snorzac

Can anyone find a company that sells the fabric for the seats? Part of my contribution will be paying for the seats to be recovered where needed (unless the fabric is ridiculously cheap in which case I will pay for both to be re done completely). The rest of my contribution will be through helping out.

Sir Pompously

Fabric is Frontrunner. http://www.office-furniture.com.au/Fabric-Options/Fabric-Options/Front-Runner-Fabric-Range.html is a site I found with Frontrunner as a line. Am unsure if it is exactly the same, though, but it must still be around as ACTION are recovering in new blue (They probably have a big stock, but the blue is darker).

Busnerd

Well perhaps if someone can make enquiries and find out more info I might get mine done too

Snorzac

Quote from: Metrobus on October 02, 2010, 04:31:34 PM
Part of my contribution will be paying for the seats to be recovered where needed (unless the fabric is ridiculously cheap in which case I will pay for both to be re done completely). The rest of my contribution will be through helping out.
Should have worded it better, I will be paying for both buses to be done

Busnerd

Quote from: Metrobus on October 03, 2010, 09:48:07 PM
I will be paying for both buses to be done

And we are all still waiting...obviously after realising it costs about $1500 to recover all the seats in each bus, someone is a bit less forthcoming in moolah now :P

Sir Pompously

I am happy for a McDonald's based employee to give us all his dosh, would save us around $1500 for the bus! :P

Busnerd


Started pulling the interior panel off the bus today to see how bad the rust was, in the process I uncovered these artifacts...

By actbus at 2010-10-20


The following images are of the state of the body up the back nearside, probably the worst affected area in the bus, the rest of the bus should be ok and we will probably leave it as is.




By actbus at 2010-10-20




By actbus at 2010-10-20




By actbus at 2010-10-20




By actbus at 2010-10-20


Also $108 of Todds money went to these decals for the bus :P


By actbus at 2010-10-20


Also found some house number stickers the other day at bunnings, i bought four 6's but they had no one's...from memory and photos the mercs only had two fleet numbers anyway.

Sir Pompously

Yay, go old MiniFareGo's!! And damn that rusted she devil, a little worse for wear but these things are rust havens. And I also only remember the mercs with a set of numbers each side on the rear, unless there was another elsewhere.

Buzz Killington

Quote from: Sir Pompously on October 21, 2010, 03:22:36 AM
I also only remember the mercs with a set of numbers each side on the rear, unless there was another elsewhere.

On the original livery there was one on the front of the bus on the blue band, but in the refurb livery it was just the two at the rear.

Busnerd

excellent, in that case I only need to buy two 1's then

Busnerd

FYI, I plan to finish the front exterior next week, as it seems simple enough, but knowing ansair it will end up taking twice as long.

-I need to take off one school light
-Put a less rusted vent on the front
-sand back and prime the rust under the windscreen
-put the other vent back on after it's sanded
-briefly sand the entire front to ready the area to be painted
(The area just needs to be 'loosened' or 'roughed' up so that the paint stays on it better

That is all that is required for the front of the bus, if that is finished in time, I might take off the guttering on the nearisde and start sanding the nearside parts of the bus that don't require rust treatment.

Barry Drive

Quote from: Buzz Killington on October 21, 2010, 06:07:40 PM
On the original livery there was one on the front of the bus on the blue band, but in the refurb livery it was just the two at the rear.
If you have a look in the Gallery, you will see that there was a fleet number above the front doors (e.g. 597 ) but nothing on the driver's side as there is on the Renualts (e.g. 603 ).

CNG

I was interested how is 661's process going?

Sir Pompously

At this stage we are waiting for a Sydney Buses MkII Merc to be completed to get those working on it to help work on ours. We are at a stage where we cannot go any further without help from others, so shouldn't be too long before work is started again.

Busnerd

Not just that but it has been a very busy time for a lot of us lately and we just haven't had the time amongst everything else we are doing.

CNG

ok, I was just woundering how 661 was going. Thanks look forward to hearing on new process when you get around to it.

Busnerd

Got a chance to do a little bit of work on the bus yesterday.

We have to decided to attempt the Z stripe livery, so in that case we have removed the wheel brushes.

We also finished taking off most of the roof guttering, now only the rear one remains.

We took off all the panels between the windows on the outside and found a few more rust holes, perfect for sitting your screwdriver in so you dont have to bend down to pick it up lol.

It is looking very naked at the moment, now that these are off we can see what the damage is underneath and it's not too severe, so now I will be seeking advice on how to approach it, whether or not to bog it or get some new metal made up, im not sure. I also looked at an old ACTION MAN bendy to see what the rust does given a bit longer, lets just say you can grab the beam off the frame and pull it off and snap it in half, its quite amazing!

Sir Pompously

Of which we certainly want to avoid that eventual fate with this vehicle! We also cleaned up the bus a little on the outside, as sitting out at Parkerville it gets a little dirty from the trees. It looks a little cleaner now, stranger without the brushes on the wheels, and a little unloved with all the rust holes showing. I also gave the sander a go on the Zac Damage to smooth it out before a replacement cover gets put on there.

Snorzac

I would be happy to help fix my damage, only problem is I am apparently banned from Oakville for damaging the bus....