It's done! Kind of...

The last couple of weeks have gone quite well for the old bus.  After the white was painted, I managed to get a couple of additional days off and I got the bottom prep work done.  I sanded and filled the last few remaining scratches and dings and set the bus on a set of jack stands.  After taking everything of value out of my garage, I swept up, blew the bus off and hosed down the floor.  I then wiped the whole bottom down with a wax and grease remover.  I completed the prep work on Saturday and was ready to paint Saturday evening.  The weather was perfect, 83 deg, and dry air with very little breeze.
My wife was out for the evening for her class reunion, this was the perfect time.  No matter how much you seal things up, some of the smell of painting always manages to get in the house and it’s best if I can get things aired out before anyone comes home.

The next morning I pulled the tape from the top to see the contrast with the white.

I masked off the wheel wells and sprayed undercoating inside to make the wheel wells look nice and fresh.  After that I put the wheels back on and dropped the bus back on the ground.

Next was the bumpers.  I sprayed the bumper mounts flat black and re-attached the bumpers.

Over the next couple of days I re-installed the door handles, door seals, door trim, lights and trim rings, added the wiper arms, cleaned the interior and windows and added the roof vent and electrical outlet.  Finally Monday evening my son and I took it for it’s maiden voyage as a newly painted Bully.
Remember way back when I started this project, I said “There are two wonderful days in the life of every restoration project. The day you tow it home, and the day of the first ride once it is completed.”  Well, today is the second of those two days.  It’s done!  That being said, there is a list of things a mile long that still need to be done.  As I was completing the wiper assy., for instance, they suddenly stopped working!  I have no idea why, I guess they are just 40 years old and that’s what seems to happen at that age.
My wife and I took it to the ice cream store last night.  What a hoot.  I am looking forward to the next part of this project.  Slowly finishing off the details and actually living the “bus life.”  I have a sneaking suspicion that it is going to be pretty fun.  As I have mentioned, the reaction I get is usually spectacular.  There simply aren’t that many of these left in this part of the country, especially not ones that have been fixed up a bit.
More bus adventures to follow, stay tuned.  Maybe I should plan a trip or something.  That will give me lots of stuff to write about!