Norms Restoration - 31 Seater Projects

1952 AEC Regal III [2547]

2019

Body February

Norman Julian 11 Feb
This plate I think was one of those things that was added sometime after the buses were in service.
The reason I say that is the way that it was done.
The hole is as rough as guts and the plate was roughly shaped and finished off.
The suspension I think bottomed out and the top part of the diff would have hit the floor.
I have a photo here of the top of the diff in relation to the new floor and there is only about 40mm or 1 1/2".
When you are carrying 31 seated and 24 standing passengers and you go over bumps you are bound to bottom out.
This plate along with the hole in the floor ellevated that problem.
Only thing is it could be a trip hazzard.
Probably the reason that it was painted brown not black.


Norman Julian
This is a section of floor bearer.
Some of them only needed changing on the ends.
Some had to be replaced all together.
Norman Julian 18 Feb
Norman Julian
The window closes on this channel
Norman Julian
You can see the felt around this channel section.
Norman Julian 18 Feb
The last of the paint stripping of the individual window componets was started yesterday.
The first was the outside lengths of quad that hold everything in.
Some were mangled a little and some needed a little panel beating.
All needed years of paint taken off.
I'm changing the vertical end that holds the window after it is shut.
The bottom and the top use what you can readily find in a rubber supplier.
Window runner or bailey channel.
The side however uses a metal channel covered in a felt.
Not sure why they didnt use the bailey channel all round.
Maybe I will find out later.
Once I have cleaned all these up I will inspect the original glass and see whether I need to replace them.



Greg Scott
I will be keen to see what you use for the vertical seal norm ?
I got my bailey channel rubber from rare spares !
Ive panel beaten sanded and polished and clear coated all my quads !
Man did i sink some hours into them !
Charles Shipway
Once more there is a time consuming job on the move Norm
We all know the effort will be worth it
Phil Steele
Norman Julian 21 Feb
The last 2 days have been pretty much boring with stripping off years and years of old paint.
Minor reshaping and panel straighting.
I leave nothing to chance.
Strip all panels that are being reused.
Here is just a handful of trims that go back on mostly the interior.
The ones pictured are from the nearside upper and lower 4 windows in the saloon or passengers end.
There are a few hundred parts to strip and clean.

Norman Julian
All the glass belonging to the saloon will be replaced.

Norman Julian
The first outside window piece fitted.
Charles Shipway
Go for it Norm your under way cheers

Gregor Neil Robertson
Dip and strip?
A nice big tank and drop them all in followed by pressure wash?
As with wooden doors?
Save you masses of time.
Norman Julian
Too much trouble Gregor!
Gregor Neil Robertson
Norman Julian appreciate that.
Norman Julian
The first outside window piece fitted.
Charles Shipway
Go for it Norm your under way cheers
Norman Julian 21 Feb
Norman Julian
Trialing the new oval window
Anton Frank
Starting to take shape now.
Charles Shipway
I hope these widows are not to much of a trial Norm it’s about time you got lucky with a smooth ride
Take care mate
James Leonard Garrod
They look better on the back of VW's!
Phil Steele
Gregor Neil Robertson
Dip and strip?
A nice big tank and drop them all in followed by pressure wash?
As with wooden doors?
Save you masses of time.
Norman Julian
Too much trouble Gregor!
Gregor Neil Robertson
Norman Julian appreciate that.
Peter Kallenbach
A massive job Norman
Norman Julian
Sure is Peter
Norman Julian 23rd Feb
A friend paid a visit today and handed me over 2 very important bits of early bus history.
These destination box keys are very old and still in great condition.
One is very early 20th century and the other is some time later.
Both are very welcome and both will be cherished.
The original was 1mm or thereabouts and they used 2.
I used 1 x 3mm thinking I was smart but because it split I then started thinking maybe that's why 2 was used.
It took a while to drill out all the rivets again and replaced the rubber.
It's not like the rubber is a tight fold, it's just basically a loop.
I'm going to leave it this time just to see how bad it gets.
I don't skimp.
I always get quality stuff but you would think that something like rubber especially when it hasn't even seen the light of day, from Clarkes rubber, would last a while.
Not start showing signs after a few months.




Carle Gregory
would a rubber lubricant help?
Norman Julian
Rubber used like this Carl shouldn't be tacky.
Carle Gregory
my thoughts were something like amourall to keep it soft and pliant
Norman Julian
I know what you are saying but this shouldn't be doing this after a few months.
Carle Gregory
I agree,
Norman Julian
I have the original rubber here that was used on the bus doors.
This is cut to size and holes punched ready to go on.
Never been on a bus.
Not sure how old it is but they would have to be at least 40 years old and they aren't bad.
The quality today is uncertain.
Back then rubber was just that.
Today though there are silicone based products and to be honest you don't know what you are buying.
Stuart Poole
I used to sell parts for old Minis.
The quality of rubber parts has taken a huge dive in the last ten years or so.
I'm told by an engineer that because latex is expensive, they are bulking up the rubber compounds with clay.
Which dries out and cracks rather quickly.
Norman Julian
Stuart Poole
That answers that.
Stuart Poole
People wanted cheaper parts, and they got them.
The problem being that they are rubbish now.
A new wheel cylinder for a Mini wholesales for about $7.50.
But you'll be buying a set every year now instead of every 10.
Norman Julian
I would spend the extra and buy quality but you just don't have the ability to look at something like that and be able to know.
Stuart Poole
Norman all the quality companies are gone.
So I'm afraid its no longer an option.
Paul Sharp
My door rubbers split very quickly, also from Clark Rubber.
Norman Julian
What are you restoring Paul?
Paul Sharp
I have a 1957 Royal Tiger Worldmaster
Norman Julian 23rd Feb
A friend paid a visit today and handed me over 2 very important bits of early bus history.
These destination box keys are very old and still in great condition.
One is very early 20th century and the other is some time later.
Both are very welcome and both will be cherished.
Rusty Williams
not only were these 'T' keys used to change route number boxes on buses ect .............they were also used on the railways for opening carrige doors on passenger trains & frieght wagons.
Brian Blunt
Also various lockers/cabinets on the buses, under seats and under the stairs in deckers.
Maybe the covers over the door mechanisms too?
Rusty Williams
yes all those Brian they were collected around the depots and sold for scrapp same as the metal sydney buses seats on footpaths the 3 in the front garden in townsville look out of place ha ha
Sidney Rea
They were also used for the cash boxes and the electrical doors on the Mercs
Philip Tumber
The STA Mk5's came with a light weight aluminum version in a vinyl pocket in the second locker above the driver, but they didn't last there long, being souvenired very quickly by drivers.
Rusty Williams
yes Phillip they went the same way as the merc bage in the middle of the steering wheel and the radios in the staff cars,
Philip Tumber
Rusty Williams the staff car cigarette lighters, glove boxes and clocks also went, and on several occasions, the tyres were swapped for bald ones and batteries were swapped for dead ones. ��
Norman Julian
You drivers were all a bunch of bloody thieves!
LOL
Rusty Williams
we had a new sunbird staff car at ryde depot lasted 4 weeks when the boss said who owns the dumped car the chargeman said you do he nearlly died!
Philip Tumber
Norman Julian the Staff Cars at Randwick were GM based (Toranas & Commodores) and I always drove Fords, so it wasn't me !.
Rusty Williams
i'm a ford man as well wasn't till I did csc they became fords.
Scott Wilson
The Workshop managers Ute was an XF, it did so many foreign order deliveries with the speed fuse out that it would've had double what the speedo said, trips to the Gong, moving houses, general mis-behaviour.....
Norman Julian 24 Feb
Charles Shipway
it was great fun driving those fair dincome preselect gear boxes
Select the gear and when your ready press the change pedal select the next and when your ready press the change pedal so simple
Add to that the sounds of the motor and having to use the mechanical hand and the large steering wheel all helped to stimulate the mind and body Wonderful memories
Thanks for the reminder Norm of bygone days
Norman Julian
That's OK,
Charles!
Philip Tumber
The good old days where traffic, timetables and passengers were a lot better, but it was still hard work, but they were the buses the DGT then PTC had, so they were the buses you drove.
Gary Russell
Built by Commonwealth Engineering. Rebuilt by Norman Julian.
Norman Julian 24 Feb
Finished stripping off the old paint of all the near side components.
The steel parts were rust treated even though they were stripped.
Every part will be primed on the inside even the aluminium.
Corrosion was on the aluminium as well as the galvanised steel.
There are 10 parts missing from this picture because they are already back on.
The only parts I haven't done anything with yet are the verticle parts that are part of the window which the window close onto that are covered with felt.
I have a few ideas there. Will fill you in later on.
The off side is next which has 3 more windows.
Norman Julian 25 Feb
All the trim for the near side now painted and ready for the next stage.
The off side out on the bench still in packs when I took them apart years ago.
Take a look at one of the upper window frame covers.
The steel and aluminium have attacked each other after moisture must have got trapped between them.
The aluminium came out on top in this senerio but only just because all the upper frames were replaced because of rust.




Norman Julian 25 Feb
Over the weekend this hole and this plate was explained to me how it came to be.
Apparently when it came time to change the diff a hole was put in the floor and a tripod was set up over the top of the hole.
Chains or cables were attached to a block and tackle or something similar.
The bolts on the diff centre were taken off and the diff was lowered down presumably onto a raised table in a pit or something and taken away.
A replacement would have been done in reverse.
These pictures are showing the hole placement and where the diff is located and the last picture is a typical diff centre.
This one is a Leyland and it took 3 of us to lift it onto the back of the decker.
It wouldn't have been a good thing to hear way back when your job today is to change the diff.
LOL



Bryce Pender
In the days before hoists in most workshops.
I remember using the same technique to take a gearbox out of an RM late one night for a quick overhaul.
Norman Julian
I forgot to add that the axles had to come out first, so it wasn't what I first though about the top of the diff hitting the bottom of the floor.
Last updated
January 2019
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