Well, we somehow got a fair amount done on Saturday March 29 build. The weather was perfect but we took two steps forwards and one backwards without our fearless leader (John Manning), who was visiting his son and grandsons in LA. David C. worked tirelessly on the drivers and passengers front windows. The rubbers and aftermarket pieces did not fit perfectly, and he had to modify the parts so that everything fit perfectly. David C. also worked on installing the rear latch and things onto the engine lid. Well, the latter was again an exercise in frustration, in that the seal for the rear latch we ordered said it was for a '71, but it did not fit our latch.
Miller worked tirelessly on the rear side markers and lights. Again, after marked pieces had to be modified to work. Slightly larger holes and longer screws and bolts made the fit acceptable. Luckily for him, he had a good supervisor (his wife, Sue deMar) helping and making sure he did perfect work.
Clinton did the tedious job of cleaning the grunge off of the delux trim. All that is needed now is to buff the aluminum before installing it. Sue R. was responsible for getting the dome lights installed. A new one will need to be purchased since the old one we had tried to use again was so brittle that it just cracked.
Greg Berlucci was our expert photographer. He's got great talent. He had help from his sweet dog Koda, short for Kodachrome. You see, Greg was a cameraman in his prior life. He documented our work and fun. He also placed the all the clips for the delux trim around bus exterior. Talk about a labor of love. Those clips had been previously cleaned of rust with a grinder and treated with Marhyde (a rust converter). That delux trim better look love-ly when we are all done since we have spent lots of hours of love working on it!
Besides overseeing Miller's work, Sue deMar cleaned and painted some plastic trim pieces for the slider and seat belts. They look brand new now.
Dan Welch came for a short while and was able to install the rear hatch seal. He had just done this on his own bus, so he was an expert at it, and had it done in no time flat. He had a prior engagement, so had to run early, but it was great having him to help.
Russell felt like he didn't do much except run around like a chicken with his head cut off, but somehow he assembled the 3 parts of the front bumper into one and Miller helped him install the unit. Someone will have to figure out how we correct the fact that it is crooked. Alternatively, just look at the bus with your head tilted to the right a bit. Oh yes, he also painted the hand brake so it now looks like new and matches the rest of the dash.
Sue R., Dan, David C., and Miller all worked to remove the sliding door so as to flawlessly install the sliding door seal. The two front door seals are left to do.
At the end, we had a gourmet chili lunch made by Greta. Clinton hleped her carry everything out, gather up the outdoor chairs, and set the table.
So, we got a bit done, but there is still lots to do.
Auther: Russell Greene
More images on our Raffle Bus #34 page
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