31 Seater Projects - Norms Buses - Monthly activity

2 Nov
: Norman Julian
: I promise I wont post anymore of this area.
: The bumper brackets are painted and put back up.
: The thickness of the steel for those that showed interest is 5/16" or 8mm thick.
: So Carle Gregory I wouldn't suggest hitting her at the front or the rear. LOL.
: The other thing was that because I put the glass back in the rear emergency door I had to put the locking bar back on to keep it closed.

Greg Scott
: Looking good norm !
: Keep posting, it's good to see all that area and you're ideas !
: Norman Julian
: Thanks Greg.
: Gregor Neil Robertson
: 8mm is big stuff!
: That on there forever!
: Looks great - real classic chassis work.
: This all must be expensive work.
: You may have to sell your house - but the bus will be a very comfortable home.
: Norman Julian
: I try not to think of the expense Gregor.
: Gregor Neil Robertson
: Yes we all tend to do that.
: And storage costs are below the belt but over the years they mount up.
: Tens of thousands!
: We have to be very careful that the resto costs dont overtake the final market value.
: My Bedford lorry (m type, 49) was £3000 when bought 15 years ago.
: But cost £10000 to store in 15 years!
: And £6000 to restore.
: Its final value today is about £12000.
: Oh dear.
: Should have been restoring a Jaguar XK 120.
: Norman Julian
: I don't go into restorations and worry what their value down the track may be.
: This is a hobby more than anything.
: To get things done today is expensive.
: Gregor Neil Robertson
: Of course youre right to do as much as possible yourself.
: And yes, few of us ever analyse the economics of our hobby!
: Are you in the motor trade or is this purely a hobby?
: I should have spent my rather long life in restoration but for many years I was a BBC radio reporter.
: I always had a vehicle restoration on the side but it was often years before completion.

Norman Julian
: 8 November ·

: Thanks Carl. These are what I picked up some time ago. I have no memory of the ticket machine on the right. I do though remember the ticket holder in the middle. The 31 seaters like the frog I'm restoring had it mounted on a stand over the engine cover. The conductors also had it on the d/deckers with the bag on the left carrying the cash. The sleeve in the middle of the bag used to carry the ticket holder.

Carle Gregory
: it might be a Brisbane "thing" and it might be a local independant bus line machine, Bayside Buses
: Brian Blunt
: The frogs�� definitely used Ultimate machines in the earlier days. Probably phased out due to limited range of tickets available.
: Feral Pigeon
: Utlimate machines were still in regular use for queue conductors at least into the 1990s

: Norman Julian
: Yeah they certainly did Brian because the frame that holds the machine is still on most frogs that I have seen it's just that the machine itself I had not seen before as far as I can remember.
: I just remember getting on and receiving a ticket from the ticket holder.
: Feral Pigeon
: UTA buses up and including the MKI & MKII Mercedes had the Ultimate machine bracket with ticket case holder attached as one piece (not separate as seen in photo) when new.
: Steve Hardie
: The ticket Machines came out just after the War and were used by what they called platform conductors
: They were used to streamline the boarding process and My Grandfather said if You were a naughty Driver You could be put on the platforms as punishment for your sins and lose money as the payrates were different
: Norman Julian
: Thanks for that infomation, Steve.
: Feral Pigeon
: The DGT & PTC also had conductors on your 31 seaters, if that was the only bus available at the time and the rotered shift was a two-man shift

Norman Julian
: 12 November at 15:23

: Sorry I deleted the last post by accident.
: I had a little time this afternoon so I replaced this panel.
: It was dented and rusty so it was easier to replace rather than repair.
: A simple 3 folds.
: I feel there are quite a few more I will be doing this to.

Norman Julian 13 November ·

: Gees I see red when I see this.
: Only one thing that suits that size dent and it is a fork.
: I used to be in retail and was on and off a fork all the time and in all that time I have never had an issue like this. Bloody carelessness and I really hate it.
: Just a little more care and concentration and slow down a little and crap like this wont happen.
: I noticed it at the merchant when I picked it up.
: Also it wasn't strapped up on a pallet by itself it was with something else alot heavier so they had to cut the straps to take the other thing off.
: Needless to say I had to tie it down even more on the trailer so it wouldn't slide out.
: Not happy and in my way explained my concerns.
: You get the same old line " I can get you another one if you like", but what's the point.
: Fortunately I just got home and unloaded it and that was the only issue.

Robert Schofield
: Norman,People Are Very Careless.
: Norman Julian
: Over $600 worth of aluminium and it was strapped up with something else. Damage could have been worse.
: Robert Schofield
: By The Way I Like Your Head Photograph With Your Bus & An Orange P76.Great Photograph.
: Norman Julian
: Thanks! That was taken the day she arrived. It was about a km up the road where there was a clearing. I drove the yellow rally car up there.
: Robert Schofield
: Thank You For Sharing.Best Wishes Now & Always,Norman.
: Robert Schofield
: Cheers Now For Now & The Coming Festive Season.
: Norman Julian
: Same to you mate.
: Keith Gillian
: Where did you buy it from norm
: Norman Julian
: It's irrelevant now Keith.
: Keith Gillian
: Norman Julian i might of been able to get you a discount
: Gregor Neil Robertson
: Maddening. And so unnecessary. Not an easy fix, that.
: Norman Julian
: I can work around this but that's not the point

Norman Julian 15th Nov

: Another panel replaced.
: This panel which sits in the cabin area near the engine opposite the driver.
: The fire extinguisher panel had an abundance of unnessary holes and dings.
: The timber bracket you can see sits on the panel and holds the extinguisher in position.
: You can see the 2 extra holes in the centre.
: They were put there at some stage because the 2 end brackets thread in the bulk head wall are stripped.
: I placed a reinforcing bracket onto the existing metal that is there and will tap 2 new threads.
: The 2 holes in the wooden bracket will be filled in before painting.

Norman Julian
: I was going to make a new bracket but to be honest I don't know a reliable timber to use. They tend to split these days because most are too green.
: Gary Russell
: Maybe a demolition place could supply some hardwood pieces.
: Norman Julian
: It's OK mate. This will turn out alright after some woodfiller and a coat of paint

Anton Frank
: What did they fill them with Norm...
: Norman Julian
: Well the stuff I got out of it today was dirty old shit. It looked like tooheys old beer. Even had the head on it. LOL
: Norman Julian
: Seriously the bottle said foam
: Anton Frank
: My guess would have been a soda charge.
: I was always a Tooths Old lover myself.
: Norman Julian
: This will only be used for aesthetics. I will have a few smaller powder types in places not seen.
: Frank Bugby
: Only new rear engine buses catch fire
: Norman Julian
: There has been quite a few, especially in England.

Norman Julian 18 Nov
: Change of pace today.
: There is a little bit of timber in this bus and on either side of the front and back doors we have these lengths of maple that are around 1.5 metres long.
: Not sure why they were used, probably a means to an ends but getting the size wasn't an easy task.
: In the end I'm using spotted gum.
: The only reason Im using it is because the size fits the task.
: It only has to sit there and stay straight.
: I have replaced the original because the original is dented and split.

Gregor Neil Robertson
: Terrific photos Norman.
: I came on your story only about 4 months ago so I’ve missed a lot of fun!
: But I can see in these pics the quality of your chassis/framing work.
: A just to see.
: Looking at some of the sorry hen houses in the Scottish Bus Museum near me, the owners need to benefit from your experience.
: Gregor Neil Robertson
: I’ll try to send more from Lathalmond, Bus Museum in Fife, just north of River Forth, south east Scotland.

Do you have any known UK ancestry?
: Norman Julian
: 1 of the museums over there has a CX19 from Sydney.
: You guys did a great job restoring that.
: Norman Julian
: German, Spanish and French.
: Scott Wilson
: 1877.
: Norman Julian
: No Scott I wasn't born in 1877.
: Though sometimes it feels like I have. LOL
: Norman Julian
: That's a beauty!.

Gregor Neil Robertson
: One of my projects - ‘49 Bedford M type tipper lorry - a rented corner of a workshop unit near Edinburgh.
: Norman Julian Wow!
: Good project.
: Probably a bit cool now for you?
: Gregor Neil Robertson
: Yes I dread the winters.
: At 75 yo I’m likely to leave the project alone for the next 3 months.
: I’ve a workshop at home for smaller projects.
: It’s tolerable but any temp below 8deg C is just too unpleasant.
: Fingers freeze
: James Webb
: The canadians get around the cold by running big boilers in their sheds and piping the water to the house.
: Makes for a warm shed.

Peter Velthuis
: Nice work Norm.
: Norman Julian
: Thanks mate.
: The extinguisher itself is next.
: Norman Julian
: Hey Pete don't tell anyone but I did a naughty thing and used bog to fill in the holes.
: Robert Bothwell
: Was there any part of this bus not completely stuffed Norman !
: Norman Julian
: I believe in complete restorations not makeovers.

Norman Julian
: When this bus was decommissioned it was pretty much past it's use by date.
: When it started it's second life it would have been lucky to get maintained.
: I believe it got a quick paint job at some stage so things like this got a quick run over with a paint brush and at first glance it would have looked good, but was hiding a multitude of sins.
: Going back even further when the government had it the bus got an overhaul every 5 years or so which would have been a strip down of lower body panels that were damaged.
: The frame checked for damage and rust.
: The engine may have been taken out and replaced as was the gearbox. etc, etc.
: What I am doing to her is second only to her being brand new.

Norman Julian 20th Nov
: Hey Pete don't tell anyone but I did a naughty thing and used bog to fill in the holes.
: Robert Bothwell
: Was there any part of this bus not completely stuffed Norman !
: Norman Julian
: Ha ha.
: You wouldn't think so wouldn't you Robert Bothwell.
: I believe I found a screw that wasn't rusted out once, but I can't be sure.
: Robert Bothwell
: Norman Julian I'm sure the bus will be amazing when you have finished it.
: Norman Julian
: I'd settle for satisfactory Rob thanks.
: Norman Julian
: I believe in complete restorations not makeovers.

Norman Julian 25 Nov
: The hand brake finishing plate reading to go back in.
: I replaced the 2 thicknesses of leather with 2 thicknesses of rubber.
: I had to sand deep to get all the dents and deep scratches out of the aluminium.
: I didn't buff this to a high polish, instead I just used a 400g wet and dry and gave it the brushed aluminium finish.

Robert Bothwell
: Incredible difference.
: Charles Shipway
: Norman what a great finish you achieved worth every minute spent doing it
: Norman Julian
: Thanks Robert and Charles. It came up OK. I'm glad I didn't polish it.
: James Leonard Garrod
: I think it looks better this way, Norm. 2 'Idiot excemptions' earned.
: Mark Spencer
: It does look really great Norm.

Norman Julian
: You don't realise how much small stuff there is to do on a resto like this.
: James Leonard Garrod
: The dollars are in the detail Norm and you'll probably always find some thing you forgot or shoulda/coulda done better. Don't beat yourself up fella, you've done bloody well !
: Norman Julian
: James Leonard Garrod The same thing happened with my first car I restored. I kept doing all these small jobs then after what seemed like forever it was finished.
: James Leonard Garrod
: Ditto.....

Norman Julian 28 Nov
: This panel is right of the radiator looking at the front.
: Very time consuming because of a rip at the bottom which was just patched.
: I tooked the patch off and the panel needed straightening and welding.
: I also replaced the rubber strip you can see here.
: Originally they used a one piece strip about 60mm wide and then folded it up the top.
: Doing this though the rubber just gathers at the bend and looks franking bloody awful.
: I made the piece out of a wider piece of rubber and just cut the shape needed.

Norman Julian 28 Nov
: I'm happy with the way this turned out.
: Firstly stripped back and bogged all the small dings then 2 coats of etch primer.
: Then a heavy coat of spray putty. 98% of the scratches and micro dings filled.
: 2 coats of primer surfacer then the top coat.
: I have to put the 2 tags back on.

Glenn Gray
: Awesome
: Norman Julian
: Thanks Glenn.
: Peter Velthuis
: Did you say you used bog. At least i used putty.lol. looks awesome Norm.
: Norman Julian
: I'm happy Pete. Thanks.
: Norman Julian
: Yeah! I took a leaf out of your book, Pete!
: Charles Shipway
: Fantastic effort = Fantastic finish well done Norman
: Norman Julian
: Thanks Charles.

Norman Julian 29 Nov
: Todays job.
: I still have to make the rods for this locking mechanism but I have given myself a few options.
: I can cut a hole in the skin and put a handle and work it that way.
: I can cut and leave a hole and have a square keyway option like the destination doors inside, or I can have no holes at all and open the door by the hatch door that gives access to the battery box inside as I was thinking of doing in the first place.

Norman Julian 29 Nov
: Here is the finished article sitting in its restored mounting base (I placed a piece of rubber in the base for the extinguisher to sit on).
: The restored mounting brace with a new leather strap.
: The bottle also has all its tags put back on. It is now ready to go back in.
: I looked up fire extinguishers last night to understand what colour does what job and the modern extinguishers are all red with a colour band around it.
: In this case being foam it has a blue band.

Norman Julian 30 Nov
: Not much in the way of progress done on the bus today.
: Another issue took up most of the day.
: I will explain very soon.
: It is a good thing though. Anyway, I made the rods and attached them to this locking mechanism.
: I deliberately made it a bit tight to use so even though it is inside you still need the square key to open it.

Norms Restoration - 31 Seater Projects

1952 AEC Regal III [2547]

2017

November Body