Project Fleetline

[retrovan]

Nice work.

Good feeling to see it come together......

Love it..

[Donovan D]

That is really looking good Sean!
I will have a look tomorow I might have a pop out catch for you, not sure but will check

[sean]

Thanks Donavan.

Any parts of the catches will do, as I have a few odd bits perhaps I can assemble another 2 complete catches.

I am also looking for the right front sliding window catch. I have 3 lefts, perhaps anyone looking for a left that can trade for a right?

[jolas]

I' ll have a look for the catch, I'm sure I have one still attached to a window somewhere

[Bushpig]

Sean, The bus is looking great and I am looking forward to seeing it on the roads of Somerset West. Would love to come and see it sometime - Timone will also be bugging me to come and have a look see. I am sure you will let us all know when it's finished - maybe a roof wetting.....wheel wetting

[jahjuan]

Hey Sean,

I'm busy taking apart a Fleetline which is beyond repair (and lost a left front door in transit). The drivers door is still there, but I think the catch is fooked, maybe you could use some of it's parts to assemble another? Also have pop out catches, they differ in colour from the german split, so won't use them. Can't remember off the top of my head whether there was an original ignition, but you're welcome to it or what is there. I live in Durbanville.

[sean]

Hey Sean,

I'm busy taking apart a Fleetline which is beyond repair (and lost a left front door in transit). The drivers door is still there, but I think the catch is fooked, maybe you could use some of it's parts to assemble another? Also have pop out catches, they differ in colour from the german split, so won't use them. Can't remember off the top of my head whether there was an original ignition, but you're welcome to it or what is there. I live in Durbanville.

Thanks man. I am sure I can use it. Are you going to be around this weekend?

PM me your cell number please and maybe I can arrange to make a turn there this weekend.

[sean]

Sean, The bus is looking great and I am looking forward to seeing it on the roads of Somerset West. Would love to come and see it sometime - Timone will also be bugging me to come and have a look see. I am sure you will let us all know when it's finished - maybe a roof wetting.....wheel wetting

The wheel wetting sounds good but perhaps not the roof, the Fleetline may rust again

You can come make a turn anytime. I am in the Heldervue area.

[Donovan D]

Hey Sean I had a look but only found the top half of a latch. I asked my father and he said he's sure there are two complete ones in the garage somewhere.
Will try and find them

[fleetline15]

Coming along real nice!
Can I ask how was the corner glass OK to get in?
Lots of horror storied of breaking it on the web.

I have been doing the wall paper on mine this week end and headliner goes in next . then the glas so I am not far behind you.
Mitchell

[sean]

Coming along real nice!
Can I ask how was the corner glass OK to get in?
Lots of horror storied of breaking it on the web.

I have been doing the wall paper on mine this week end and headliner goes in next . then the glas so I am not far behind you.
Mitchell

I had absolutely no problem inserting the glass. Only the windscreens were a little difficult, every other window was straight forward.

The exterior is nearly complete but I have done nothing in the interior yet. Hopefully soon.

[sean]

Eventually I got my motor back in this weekend, after my re-conditioned alternator is now working. Four trips to Killarney Gardens to get this sorted. My fuel by now has exceeded what I paid for this unit at the end.

I had to get a different tie-rod end too as for some reason the one side has a tie rod with a thicker stem. Perhaps someone over time had changed a spindle from a different year? As far as I know it should be the same as a beetle but only this one side was different.

During this last week I finished the loom completely, all fully functioning. Also been fitting door seals, cleaning and polishing catches, gauges and interior bits.
This morning I decided to take it for its first drive, it’s got no interior yet, but at least I will be able to drive it around to get it to these places to finish it off. When it is completely finished I will take it on a decent official road trip.

I drove about 500m but had to turn around as my speedo was not working. I had just installed another speedo cable, so I was a bit confused as to what was wrong. Thinking it was the cable I connected one directly to the speedo and onto a drill and as I triggered it, it broke the cable. The speedo is ceased, and it has no broken 2 cables. Luckily I did have the other speedo, tested first, installed another cable and off I went again.

I drove round the block a few times and checked the motor out, it sprayed oil in the nice clean engine bay. It was leaking from the pulley. I stripped everything to clean and installed a different pulley, I don’t know why the other one leaked but this one was fine.

Eventually I took it on the open road and drove it to Stellenbosch. It went along nicely between 80-90 km/h. Brakes are good, steering is good, power feels good BUT, alas, it is jumping out of fourth gear when I accelerate hard. This is most disappointing. All the gear changes are smooth and quite so hopefully this isn’t a major problem, I am just going to have to take it all out again and have the gearbox repaired.
After turning around after Stellenbosch I pushed it a little harder, 105km/h , on the sat nav , 110 on the speedo, this felt incredibly fast, but quickly reduced back down to 90km/h, it feels and sounds happy there.

[sean]

I managed to get two pop out clips and the sliding window catch. Thanks Juan.

They polished up very nicely and I now have all my windows working.



Good luck with your split restoration. There is a lot of work ahead there.

[sean]

Later this week I am going to take it to the upholstery for a quote. I have two Baywindow seats which will work but I would preferably like a set from a Fleetline. The back rest on the rear seat is not a perfect fit.

Does anyone have a set they are willing to sell?

This is something I have in mind for the interior, just a different colour. Not at all original but will really lighten it up inside. I would like to keep the colour light inside too. I saw this bus at the Panarama wheels show a few years back. I don’t know if it is still around but the interior was almost complete and very neat.

[splitbusahollic]

it is jumping out of fourth gear when I accelerate hard. This is most disappointing. All the gear changes are smooth and quite so hopefully this isn’t a major problem, I am just going to have to take it all out again and have the gearbox repaired.

My silver bus did the same thing...all i had to do was adjust the plate at the base of the gear lever....i loosened it placed it in second gear and re tightened it all and no more problems !!! try that first before stripping it all out !!