JimH

That is the signwriter done now so it is all done bar the varnishing. The only thing that has gone on the back is a discrete fleet number. The design of the rear doors made it all but impossible to put anything on them. Look ma! Pneumatic tyres! Nearside lettering all done and not yet dusted. This was the wheat sheafs about half way through. Adding the detail... And the finished item. So there you go. The first entry I made in a blog elsewhere was March 2016 and by that point we had spent a couple of months sketching out ideas and starting to collect stuff so that is a little under 8 years to get it done. The black Super took a little over four years to finish. In our defence I have built a house at the same time (and a chunk of another) and this one has had significantly more time and money sank into getting it right. Still, job jobbed. I reckon my next project should be to learn how to take photos that aren't shite.

This is pretty much spot on. It wasn't that long ago that these things were still being cut up because while we could see the point of saving them it would have taken so much time and effort and many of the things you needed to be able to do were maybe not impossible but almost certainly improbable. That attitude was easy to take because there was always something in better condition to use instead. The well has been dry for a long time so people are having to take on bigger and bigger projects and as a result the collective capability has improved no end. On top of that modern technology helps no end too.

They always get sold once we are bored of them. The S4 has now been sold and will be going to its new owner soon. The Super won't be around forever. As for next the Merryweather needs its new boiler made so we can start playing with that again and I am still quite keen on doing this XI project. Now the S has gone that should fund something else. I'm quite keen on a Foden overtype but we shall see.

Not been around much lately and there hadn't been much progress because the signwriter had been delayed by other work. However, he is no longer been delayed and progress has now been made. So, how it started... And as on a couple of days ago, how it's going... To say we are quite pleased with how this has turned out is a slight to moderate understatement. It's been a non-trivial painting job because there is a lot going on with the lettering down the side. However, the overall effect seems to have been worth it. Sadly, it's got done just in time for winter so it will probably not be out again until the weather warms up again.

Looks like a Standard to me but you can't see much detail of the cab so hard to say.

I have no idea. It might be worth asking on that forum. There are a few people still running them on their Bristols.

You might find this thread handy too: http://www.bristolcars.info/forums/8-10-cyl-bristol-cars/41-instructions-removal-refitting-tyres-avon-safety-wheels.html

First time I have seen an Avon safety wheel not on a Bristol.

The fire engine needs its new boiler, the other house needs the bay windows rebuilt (and a shitload of other stuff) and I've got quite keen on this Lotus XI thingie.

In case you wonder what the cream panel is about the only picture we have found of a UCBS wagon is this Albion here. Clearly newer than the Super's era but not by that much. The signwriter's job is to take this picture and translate it to the Super's somewhat different topology.

And finally the other day it got dragged it outside to get some sun on its back.

It's pretty hot in the shed so painting is either done early on or late in the evening at the moment. That is pretty much all of the red done now so bits are starting to go back on for final touching in of bolt heads and the like. It took a while to get the head board back in place but I reckon it is all looking pretty purposeful now. That is the first coat of cream on the body as well. The cream band not only breaks up the side quite nicely it makes it look much older. Obviously it looks messy because the masking tape is still on it. Better view from the nearside. The nearside door is back on as well so it is all looking very complete. Rear wings varnished and ready to go on. There are a couple of extra steady brackets to make for these once they are in their final place. And the front wings in the same state. These might get some extra varnish once they are on to thicken up the coting where they get kicked as you clamber into the cab. We got those elevating trollies for about £25 at a fire sale when one of our clients shut down a factory. They are one of the handiest things we have. The tool lockers are back on and now they are in black they don't look too obvious. The door is still in undercoat which is why it looks slightly odd. They don't look too bad from the rear, either. The old man had fun painting the rear doors which aren't fiddly in the slightest. Once they have been top coated the LED rear lights can get popped in. Now we just need to see when the signwriter chap can put in a visit.

There is a bit of catching up to do. A couple of happy snaps to show how things are going. The cab has had its second (and final) coat and the body its first. The finish on the body looks a bit odd here because it has been denibbed with 800 mainly to matt the finish down a little to make it easier to know where the second coat goes. Putting gloss on gloss will drive you bonkers. This was the first coat on the body before it was flatted. And the other side from the rear. As you can probably imagine painting the rear doors was bit of a nightmare because they are so fiddly. Fortunately the Owatrol lets the paint flow so nicely you can keep the amount of paint you are working with to a minimum so you don't get runs or sags over corners, edges or bolt heads. Not a single run or sag, not even around the hinges where it is easy to catch the brush by accident. Does this give an idea of the finish straight off the brush? This Owatrol stuff is amazing. Once the cream panel has been done it will get left in the sun for a couple of weeks to let it gas off and then we can let the signwriter lad loose on it. After that it will get a coat or two of varnish which can then get a final polish.

Oh you lucky people - a double update. Time for things to get shiny. Although the primers and undercoats were sprayed on the top has to be brushed. These things just don't look right sprayed and the finish needs a bit of texture in it to look right. There is, however, a big difference between a bit of texture and looking like a lock up Tetrosyl job. Top coat is a mixture of Craftmaster (black) and Masons P Type (crimson). The bit that makes all the difference is the addition of Owatrol paint conditioner which lets the paint flow like the flowiest thing that is having a particularly fluid day. These are the rear wings finished off. They were painted a couple of days ago so some dust has settled on them. However, you can probably make out the finish. Not three bad at all. This is a front wing. And this is the front tool locker. The doors were painted separately so we could paint around the door shut. I really should not be trusted with a camera but if I turn the flash off you should be able to make out that the finish is not bad at all for a brush. And the other door giving a slightly better view of the finish. This is after one coat so the depth should get a little better after the next coat and varnish. Here is the front apron after the first coat. The cheek plates weren't a million miles out shapewise. By the way, admire the fancy throttle valve heat shield which I thought was looking pretty cool and groovy. And a flash free ooh look at the finish shot. We cannot keep the place very dust free so crap will settle on it overnight. After a few weeks to harden off it will get a polish which deals with most of the imperfections. The next bit to paint is the small acreage of box body side. The the outer edges of the masked panel shows the extent of the panel of pale cream onto which will be painted "UNITED" in the same crimson as the body. "Cooperative Bakery Society" will be painted in cream underneath that. The cream panel breaks up the side a bit more. The line between the cream and the cream and the crimson will be covered with a freehand border in something like lime green so make it look suitably warm and waney. Here is the headboard after one coat. These will be fitted before the last coat goes on. And if you stand back things look not too bad at all. The front apron will have a full height "UNITED" the top edge of which follows the wave of the apron plate. Getting there...

Nothing wildly exciting - just stuff in undercoat. The headboard in undercoat. This will need to be fitted before it can be painted properly because edges over the butt joints need to be dressed down so they sit right. Mirror brackets which bolt to the ash bend so need to be the same colour. A few years ago I would polish these but we all do stupid things when we are young, don't we? They are screwed to bits of wood to keep them upright. The rear tool lockers. I pissed away all of last weekend finishing these off so they could be primered. It took an age to get them right. The little slot is to take the LED rear lights. And the front tool locker in primer. All of these lockers will be painted black. Rest of the body and front panel in undercoat. This isn't a million miles off what the final colour will be. More of the front panel. It's been denibbed with P400 which is why it looks matt and swirly. And the doors in undercoat. Blimey, isn't this exciting? And that is about it. There isn't much else to do until the masking comes off and things get accessible again. I've just finished the very last, full and final we really mean it this time jobs to do list and it is only about four pages long. The grim realisation is that the damn thing is nearly finished. Now we'll have to find something else to do.