After nearly 2 years of searching it was a great day to purchase and drive YES DRIVE my first BD 250 miles and park up in the empty garage awaiting...Many thanks for everyones help within the club for leads that came up even tho it took me a while the right one always comes along....I spent many a miles/money looking at different models but knew what i wanted and wasnt going to rush and buy anything just to have one.....A deal was done with Steve and it was one sad day for him but Baz couldnt be going to a better home....I am very particular with my buses thats why i am hoping this will be right when back on the road



At last after 3 months of stripping him to his bare shell and collecting some parts,off to the welders for the work to start .
I knew the main issue needing attention was the O/S large side and rear corner
Sat 14th remove all filler!!We were like snowmen at 5pm!!!!!!!!!!!OMG half inch in places,that YTS lad in the 80's must of been sacked after spending so much time on it..It wasnt a bad job but it had to come off
Expecting to find hidden surprises under it what a great day when its all original metal and straight(except bottom 6")was revealed......The reason for the large amount was that 2 replacement sills and rear corners that had been welded on since 54 were just on top of each other,even tho it was all solid just a poor job....Unreal.....They have now been cut out and new will be grafted in next week....More pics to follow

Mate, I've been hoping for a build thread from you on this bus! Congratulations on finding your bus, sad to see Steve selling it, but glad that it has gone to a good home. Best of luck with the resto, if you need any help at all, just give me a shout.

Cheers for your help on that other bus but i had to walk away
The questions will soon follow on the rebuild

I just cant believe the amount of filler on this side of the bus and honestly it doesnt need any of it..Clive who has it cut the outer sill off and it weighed the same as a complete full side panel...Inner sill etc all solid as i thought


Will get the pics

I think Steve said that the other side of the bus once has FIVE layers of rear wheel arches on the bus! Crazy eh...

good to see you have finaly sorted out a build thread for it work looks to be well underway

Wouldnt surprise me but that has been done by him and a great job done too

UK buses....They were nothing 15 years ago just like welding an XR2 now.....Slap it on over the rot

All chassis rails,cross members etc etc etc are rock solid.....They were done correctly with photos to prove many years ago..Spent most of his life in Scotland so was probably battered by the elements

Its always good when you see good buses up north laaaaa!!
Well done mate!- hop it gets on the road before si's doublecab!

Good to see your sorted now Grant
more pics please ,do you have any of the van before you got it.

It will be nice to see this bus restored to it's former glory, it certainly deserves it.

Keep up the good work

..glad to see its all coming together, Dude - will follow your progress closely
- well done all round

SH09































Good luck Grant

Hey Grant thats a nice bus, but it should it have been called bog the barndoor
Cant believe it was soo fillered, allways thought it was a sound bus.
I remember it when Steve had it and went in it but that was a long time ago (in 2000, I remember him pranging the rear bumper on a bollard ).
Good luck with the resto, got any plans for it?

Great pics thanks......He hasnt half changed now...

Plans=Keep it just like it rolled off the production line in 54

Correct doglegs going on and a few repairs in the cab area
I have spare complete running gear front and back drum to drum
All correct glass now found inc sliding window catches...Frames now rebuilt
All door panels now repaired and cab area all sorted...Thanks Rich
Interior furniture new coat of varnish and cushions/curtains renew
Pop-out new frames
Correct mirror arm Tim etc etc etc etc...Na he was pretty complete

The plan for next year is to get rid of ALL bog(nearly done)get him really straight inc.door gaps then rattle can him correct colours Then test those 16's on crossies in the wet

Yeah i knew the situ about the filler and that was the first job to remove the lot,after a long look at the otherside of the panels at SH09(No damage)being the original ones i couldnt understand why!!!I took a gamble and if the worst came to the worst i wud have to replace the lot but as it is its the bottom 6"