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Grizz's Ride. Progressing slowly....

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Grizz's Ride. Progressing slowly....

Postby grizz » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:24 am

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.

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Anyone know whare I can buy a righthand one, or a set of these old style "Dunlop" mudguards ??

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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.

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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:
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Front and rear seperated and waiting for attention.
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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.
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AAAAAAAaaahhh !!! OFF !!

At this point I went indoors to make some tea and rest ;D

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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% )

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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.
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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 ?

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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.

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Last edited by grizz on Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
You will never find me in the kitchen at parties, only at.........

http://www.retro-rides.com

.......... Where I play.
grizz
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Re: Grizz's Ride. On it's assss.

Postby grizz » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:41 am

Just as an aside......

I am in Kent, does anyone know of a shop/person that can do me a decent/professional conversion to give me 2liter Zetec or similar power and reliability ?

Let me know your candidates etc please, if you have any.
You will never find me in the kitchen at parties, only at.........

http://www.retro-rides.com

.......... Where I play.
grizz
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Re: Grizz's Ride. On it's assss.

Postby Luke » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:47 am

nice work mate :D

how much drop are you expecting to get from removing all those leafs :?:
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Re: Grizz's Ride. On it's assss.

Postby grizz » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:45 am

Luke wrote:nice work mate :D

how much drop are you expecting to get from removing all those leafs :?:



Not sure, but it will be enough to look good.

These vans were built to carry 1250kg, so there is soooo much room to drop and still retain carlike ride.

The original wheels and tyres are about 3" wider across, so just changing to modern profile tyres as I am keeping to 15" rims, will add 1 1/2 inches drop, the simplest or least I am expecting from the Springs is about 60mm and then the wheels add 40mm , so I guess 100mm is about it.

I am looking for a compromise between looks and useability..... with useability driving the equation.

Hope to end up looking like this.

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Dave's bus on BRM 15's and with 8 blades in the rear, I plan to keep 7 out of 13.
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You will never find me in the kitchen at parties, only at.........

http://www.retro-rides.com

.......... Where I play.
grizz
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Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:07 pm
Location: Rochester, KENT.

Re: Grizz's Ride. On it's assss.

Postby Paul 1 » Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:52 pm

A nice sound trailer.

You should be able to get a spare wheel for it. Make sure you have a wrench to fit the nuts as these may be smaller than those on the van.


For a spare wheel and possibly the mudgaurds try http://www.trailerpartswarehouse.co.uk alternativly if you live in south wales one of the Bankfarm trailer branches. if you cant get a dunlop mudgaurd then you could always bolt a bit of rubber conveyer belt to a standard one.
54 plate 260 MK6 SWB Exec pack 85 ps soon to be reemapped. Dead locks and arma plates on rear.
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Re: Grizz's Ride. On it's assss.

Postby grizz » Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:08 pm

Paul 1 wrote:A nice sound trailer.

You should be able to get a spare wheel for it. Make sure you have a wrench to fit the nuts as these may be smaller than those on the van.


For a spare wheel and possibly the mudgaurds try http://www.trailerpartswarehouse.co.uk alternativly if you live in south wales one of the Bankfarm trailer branches. if you cant get a dunlop mudgaurd then you could always bolt a bit of rubber conveyer belt to a standard one.


Thanks Paul,

Yes, I am used to only towing with a spare, a jack and spanner to undo it all if needed.
Still need to open the bearing cap and see what type of fastening is in there.

Will check stailer spares link too.
You will never find me in the kitchen at parties, only at.........

http://www.retro-rides.com

.......... Where I play.
grizz
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Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:07 pm
Location: Rochester, KENT.

Re: Grizz's Ride. On it's assss.

Postby grizz » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:20 pm

Been away in Wales this week, but got home to this......

Swopped for a set of golf clubs I was not going to use.

Have 4 6x9's stashed away, and a 12" competition sub and amp planned, so these will fit perfectly when I have done the rest of the stufff, which will include a 12volt conversion.

Image
You will never find me in the kitchen at parties, only at.........

http://www.retro-rides.com

.......... Where I play.
grizz
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:07 pm
Location: Rochester, KENT.

Re: Grizz's Ride. On it's assss.

Postby grizz » Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:50 pm

The way the trailer should look when I am done with it.
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Smell the fresh air..... :mrgreen:

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Got the colours mixed up for the trailer this afternoon.

Sinclair red, lively green and then there will be white too.

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You will never find me in the kitchen at parties, only at.........

http://www.retro-rides.com

.......... Where I play.
grizz
Transit Addict
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Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:07 pm
Location: Rochester, KENT.

Re: Grizz's Ride. Progressing slowly....

Postby grizz » Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:52 am

Been a rair bit happening here the last few weeks, most importantly I built a shed to house the spares that came with the bus. And did a few other things.

Shed being loaded.
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Loaded.....
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Took it out from underits cover for thefirst time since 27th December as well, and have ordered a new battery for it at £85.00 which is steep, but that seems to be the price.

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You will never find me in the kitchen at parties, only at.........

http://www.retro-rides.com

.......... Where I play.
grizz
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:07 pm
Location: Rochester, KENT.

Re: Grizz's Ride. Progressing slowly....

Postby grizz » Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:54 am

You will never find me in the kitchen at parties, only at.........

http://www.retro-rides.com

.......... Where I play.
grizz
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:07 pm
Location: Rochester, KENT.


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