65 13w deluxe 'Project Franklin'

[pauldee]

Having trouble fitting the lower front panel. If I line up the lip to my mar where it was previously, it leaves a load of the front valance sticking out below:



Fitting the new nose also suggests it should be at this position. Have I bought a valance or lower panel from the wrong year? I don't think any of the suppliers specify?

Has my lower front been made wrong? Could someone please give me their mesuarement for the lip to the bottom of the panel?

Cheers,
Paul

[markp]

Have you tried fitting ya bumper back on ? If the lower front panels in the wrong place it may get in the way of your bumper irons ?

Also have to tried fitting your front panels and seeing where the sits compared to the lip on ya lower front panel ? .? As the front panel has to rap around the lower front panel lip ( hammer and dolly job !

If ya still struggling pm me ya number and I'll call you and go out and measure my bus for you



Mark

[markp]

Having trouble fitting the lower front panel. If I line up the lip to my mar where it was previously, it leaves a load of the front valance sticking out below:



Fitting the new nose also suggests it should be at this position. Have I bought a valance or lower panel from the wrong year? I don't think any of the suppliers specify?

Has my lower front been made wrong? Could someone please give me their mesuarement for the lip to the bottom of the panel?

Cheers,
Paul

Just checked


Your looking at 11cm mate ..... From bottom edge to the right angle lip


That panel don't look like a auto craft engineering panel to me ?


Mark

[pauldee]

Cheers for the reply Mark,

I see what you're saying about the bumper irons, I haven't put them on yet but I think it might just be the angle of the pic that makes it look off, If you look at it straight on it lines up.

The front panel fits best when the lower front panel is where it is in the picture.

And no, that's not an Autocraft panel, It's a Schofields one.

I'll measure up and report back on what's wrong!

Cheers again, always respect your opinion!

Paul

[pauldee]

Well I managed not to have any form of measuring equipment in the workshop last night. This prompted an overdue tidy up.

I've had a look round some of the other threads and a few people seem to have the inner valance poking out through the bottom like that. There's metal to weld it to and it will be hidden by the bumper so I think I'll just go with it. So next week I should be welding all that stuff on.

Sorry if this is the world's slowest moving thread but I am new and people did advise me to take it slowly!

[pauldee]

The long side of the bs is mostly straight, including across the door gap and along the door (the angle of the photo makes the door gap look strange but it's not like that IRL):





But then as I go down to the bottom of the door, the B-post seems to pull in a bit, creating a depression around the seam:









The dog leg has been replaced at some point (badly). Either this bad repair has pulled it in, or it has been replaced badly because it is being lined up with the wonky B-post. This is the post from the inside. Clearly some rot, but it doesn't look like a bad repair or any kind of repair has been done on it, which may explain why it is so out:





It doesn't look like it's had a knock from the outside. My current theory is that someone has tried to jack it on that jacking point and the crap metal has given way abd bent it in. It's hard to see in those pics but the B-post is a little twisted. More worryingly, that rare walkthrough panel is a bit bent at the bottom.

[pauldee]

Can any walkthough owners just put my mind at rest. This curve is normal on the driver's side isn't it?

[MarkFer]

No idea if mine is correct but mine is straight there.

[dustysplit]

Can any walkthough owners just put my mind at rest. This curve is normal on the driver's side isn't it

Good work your doing there bud, mine is curved the same as that

[pauldee]

Cheers, glad to know it's not just me. I didn't think it was a custom job by a PO because it looks far too professional compared to some of the other work that's been done.

Not that the previous work is a bodge, it's just not great. But it still means it's got to come out, so it may as well be a bodge or rusty.

So when did this little feature come in then? markfer, dustbingolfs - what year are your buses?

[Griff55]

I have a '65 lhd walk through which I'm going to be starting a resto on soon.
I had a look at my panel behind seat and it is bent like that too, only on the one side. They don't line up left to right either. Is yours like that too?
Nice job so far mate!!

[dustysplit]

Mine is a 66 LHD walkthrough so it seems the norm, but I'm still learning about split buses so I'm no expert!

[pauldee]

Mine is a 66 LHD walkthrough so it seems the norm, but I'm still learning about split buses so I'm no expert!

It's a funny little thing but I can only imagine there was a good reason for it

[pauldee]

I have a '65 lhd walk through which I'm going to be starting a resto on soon.
I had a look at my panel behind seat and it is bent like that too, only on the one side. They don't line up left to right either. Is yours like that too?
Nice job so far mate!!

Cheers for that!

I haven't looked to see if they line up, but yes, although the driver side is curved in like that, the passenger is straight. I'll check next time.

Good luck with your work too.

Just been having a look around the usual suppliers, and I don't think anyone does a particularly long B-post, only the end bits. Looks like a tricky bit to fabricate.

[jonthebuilder]

Hi Paul.

I'm at exactly the same stage as you and I can confirm
A.. The autocraft lower nse panel fits perfectly around the headlights..I got a load of schofield panels with mine but I'm not fitting them as I just can see them fitting properly.. Worth paying the little bit extra for autocraft..

Also my lower font panel will also sit higher than the bottom of the inner valence when fitted.. Don't know why but I'm going to blend the step with a skim of filler so it won't be seen..


Those chassis legs are a right git to clean up arnt they.....

See my thread on here if you want to compare notes!

Jon