Buster Bo Jangles '68 Double Cab

[BO JANGLES]

I bought this a while ago & have this thread running on other forums , but I thought I'd introduce you guys to, BUSTER BO, he's a '68 Crew Cab, that came in from South Africa, via Scott Wilson, then Graham at Midland Early Bay. He's RHD as you can see & needs a little TLC
I was a bit reluctant to tear my Oval apart as my first project, as at the moment thats all good , complete & running & to be honest what I want to do to that will cost a hell of a lot so I might put that on the back burner for a while.
However with our welding course started & talk of a Paint work course starting soon, together with a crazy level of eager stupidy , I picked this up on Wednesday.

It was another one of those Snowy days, but fortunatley only in the fields & not on the road.

In its new home for a while

So this morning work started doing the easy bit tearing it apart, first are as it was then as it is now,

Nice paint

Do you like the rear opening windows ?

A bit of rot in the load bed

A bit of fibre glass

Glass out, lights off, bumper gone,

Dash & seats gone

A bit of light through the floor

I pulled out a bit of fibre glass & the whole wasn't to bad

& the gates are in need of work but not beyond it

More later

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we started at this point

& then with the very kind help of THE SURGEON BigBulli, & Jase THE AXE MAN this is what happened
We drilled the doors & remaining gate off

Then started cutting the bed

& the THE AXE MAN...........basic but fantastic

Partners in crime

Oh & off with the engine lid & out with the gear box & rear bumper

Rich welded in a brace across the rear door

& dug out a bit of the fibre glass

No nasty surprises & can now see the wood through the trees

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On a trip to Dubfreeze I was juffed to pick up an NOS rear corner

& the inner & outer sills

I've gotta get a bit more info & then order some more bits before the next bit starts

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got down the unit & once again with Rich's thoroughly appreciated help, we chopped the rear corner out & got the NOS panel ready to weld in

Well pleased, thanks Rich & Becs

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When I was digging bits out this morning the South African tax disc dropped out of some where, it shows the last time it was on the road was only March 2003. Its got loads of info on it but it made me laugh when it says in the description, "Bakkie/Pick-up", funny how different countries have slight differing meanings, I thought it was something you smoked
Also when I took the dash out all those weeks ago, a Porcupine spike fell out, glad it was only the spike not the rest of it

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For the first time in ages i managed to get down the unit & do a bit to Buster, so out with the Nitromores & scraper

Anyone want to buy some paint ?

Quite pleased with the progress today, just now desperately want to get down there and get it all done & when I can afford it get the floor panels & really start to progress

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Did a bit more bare metalling, after work, this time with a knotted wire brush attachment on the grinder, front panel done , took about 3 hours but pleased with the results, just a little rot at the bottom & a tiny bit around the screen

Looking forward to getting rid of the pink inside

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Absolutely chuffed, I spotted an advert for some second hand gates for Buster, the fella was coming over from Poland to Vanfest & having a stall there, luckily Buzz & Bigbulli went there for the day & were able to pick them up for me, so big thanks to them. Buzz brought them round first thing yesterday & I'm delighted with them, still in original paint, a tiny bit or repair needed to a hole the size of a 5p, but otherwise really straight.

So if anyone needs some gates, but not so concerned about a little work my old ones are now up for grabs

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Right I've cleaned the floor up which doesn't look to bad

Until you look at the back quarter

& start to look around the edges

So I ordered a new floor from Schofields, who I must say were really helpful & quick, they fabricated a new battery tray & I also got some inner sill strengtheners So any words of advise before I go in like a bull in a china shop in the morning & cut all the floor away ???

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Got on really well yesterday, I cut out most of the floor so looking forward to one night this week getting down the unit to get on the remaining bits cleared

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Got down to the unit today & got the remaining floor removed, then cut out the old inner & centre sill, together with cleaning up the outer sill

Still got a bit of prepping the ends but,
I then trial fitted the new inner & centre that I got from Schofields & they fit well

Very pleased with the progress so far

[BO JANGLES]

OPINIONS PLEASE BOYS & GIRLS
I'VE GOT A FEW IDEAS FOR BUSTER, BUT WOULD LIKE YOUR OPINIONS, I'M TRYING TO FINALISE THE DIRECTION THAT I'M HEADING IN . I LOVE THE STANDARD NEPTUNE BLUE DROPPED ON BRM'S & BLACK CANVAS, BUT LIKE TO DO MY OWN THING AS WITH MR. BO, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE ONE OF THE THREE BELOW, POSSIBLY WITH OR WITHOUT PERIOD SIGN WRITING & NOT SURE WHAT LOGO ON FINAL FINISH ?
I WAS THINKING TEXAS BROWN LIKE THE SPLIT SINGLE CAB AT LAST YEARS VOLKSWORLD SHOW WITH SPEEDMASTER WHEELS

OR ANTHRACITE GREY WITH DEEP RED CANVAS LIKE DARRELL BAKER '58 RAG TOP BUG

OR MY CURRENT FAVOURITE IRIS BLUE WITH DEEPER BLUE CANVAS, ROLLING ON FULLY DETAILED FUCH'S LIKE THE KAB THAT WAS ON THE TURN TABLE AT LAST YEARS VOLKSWORLD SHOW & LIKE TRENTS BEAUTIFUL VERT ON RESTOCAL

WHAT DO YOU THINK ?

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Time for a bit of an update.............
a couple of weeks ago Rich came down to the unit to give a little help & advise, so we cleaned up the ends of the out riggers

& decided to cut out some more rot from the front wheel arch, together with the front jacking point & Rich fabricated a new top hat section

I managed to get an NOS sill for under the rear passenger door, last year at Stanford Hall & last week found another one , which will arrive this coming week, so I can use one on the long side to start to make the panels with the correct joins in. I also got an NOS front lower panel from Steve (Hot Rod) together with some parts from Schofields.

With Rich's spot welder we joined the inner & middle sills together

Yesterday I noticed the tab on the end of one of the out riggers was missing , so I cut back a bit & fabricated a new section & welded in to place............... & believe me as a novice this was a massive feeling of achievement

I then fitted , measured, checked the other side, repeated about 3 times then clamped up & spot & Mig welded the top hat, jacking point ,inner & middle sill into place & then I really was happy

Can't show you the weld's to closely, until I get the grinder out , to tidy them up a bit, but they do hold
Can't wait til next week now

[BO JANGLES]

Had a brilliant day today, first thing decided to cut out the vertical seam that I had left in place up until now as I wasn't sure if I could use it & wanted to use it for reference points.
Then cut the "B" post panel to fit & clamped the NOS lower sill in place.

I then took a replacement sill from Scofields & marked it up , then cut it allowing for returns to be bent into the ends to enable spot welded seams in the panels as it would have originally been, as these Crew Cab panels aren't made by anyone other than Gerson in the States, so I fancied having a go at making my own.

I then popped over to see Carl at Beetlebank for some much needed help & guidance, so I'm really greatful to him.
I came home with the panels almost finished, there's far more work than the finished articles look.

To bend the returns the curved panel obviously flatterned, we then had to reshape the panel, generally shrinking the return , but on some like this I had to shrink one side & stretch the other.

This panel will fold over the adjoining panel creating the outward seam like the one I cut out in the first picture.

& here is the panel that will sit above the lower sill section.

Sorry if the above is obvious to most of you but its the first time I've done it so it might help someone to know how I did it ?

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I didn't have much time today, after getting Mr Bo mot'd & washing & polishing the vans for a wedding fayre tomorrow, but I did get down the unit long enough to clamp up the sills to check if I need to work on them any more before welding them in place, I'm pretty pleased just maybe a tiny bit of fettling ?

with Rich's kind permission, I'll borrow his spot welder again to spot along the seams at the back

& after chasing some petrol divider panels in the States to no avail I found these on VZI, so well pleased, they just need a tiny hole repaired

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Down the unit today to fabricate the inner "B" & "C" posts, I had ordered the "B" post from Schofields but realised the crew cab is quite different to a bus, so it took all day just to do the two but really pleased with the results

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Down the unit again today, cut out a bit of rot in the step & patched one bit

First made a template to check all panels were accurately formed,
then with extra pair of hands (thanks BigBulli) spot welded these three panels together & did a bit of cutting. Had to stop then but nearly ready to have a go at joggling & weld them in, the other panels need a bit more shrinking & stretching

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Too much has been going on so for the first time working on Buster in 3 months I got the first section of the outer sill & lower panel welded into place, now can't wait to get back in there,

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Last Saturday I did a bit more welding & grinding on the sill, then in between cut out a section of the floor & welded in a new bit

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Photobucket sorted, so heres what turned up the other day

I couldn't wait very long before I squeezed into the unit to try
them

Very ,very pleased, Gerson although a little slow was really straight up , no rubbish excuses just appologies & now they've arrived the fit & thickness of metal & quality is really impressive.