I have a thread on earlybay.com but the image upload tool is like many at the moment. They kind of collapse and you both lose your image uploads and you can’t upload new images. So, I am putting up some of the information off the thread up on WordPress. As on other of my blogs here, I have discussed a general overview of my bus, Billie Bud. The renovation process has taken a good part of 18 months. So, I’m replicating the process the bus has gone through.

The question, all those years ago when I had to SORN the bus was……scrap?? No way on this planet. Or….Rebuild, restoration or renovation? Difficult to say really. You start off with a buy from someone who sells you a long time wished for. You pay out the price asked for, drive around in the “old girl” for 6 or so years everyday for both work and pleasure. Things go wrong with this and that and you fix it yourself or you get the local rural garage to fix the problems that arise and you get it through the MOTs. Then, there comes a time when everything just gets beyond. A sense of foreboding and a knowing that the bus is beyond the easy fix and quite a few thousand is needed to keep you and your passengers safe. The grandkids are involved by now.

Take it off the road and it sits there for years. The grandchildren love the old girl because they have spent so many special times on the beach in her. Finally, you think, Sell, scrap or the above three words. Rebuild Renovate Restore?….the 3 Rs.
My wife finds out about a guy who loves Veedubs and we get in touch. And so the story begins. He is an all round inspirational guy who is in business, and accepts the job of fixing the bus. Suddenly I realised the 3 Rs are important. His version of the 3 R’s…..Strip, Repair, Restore. Could be quick and cheap or the long haul  and ultimately safe. I needed to think about what the aim was. I want a sound bus, roadworthy but don’t want to belittle it’s history. So we talk all the options and sympathetic considerations. There are truly massive expensive choices and there are many we’ll have to hunt down….. the best options for inclusion that doesn’t cost an absolute fortune. I’m a nurse, with a salary to match !!! and a pressure job that knackers me out. I’m also 61 years old and haven’t got the energy of a young ‘un any more.

We’ll work it out as we go along I feel. Because each step is a consideration and negotiation.

I realise it would be nice to have a story board. So will upload bit by bit. A bit of information too to explain the processes. When I bought the bus it looked like the photograph above.

Stripped down after driving her about for 6 or so years it looked like this.

So, this is the start. Needless to say, the above photos were from 18 months ago. The bus? It’s virtually done now, but I’ll upload more of the progress of what went on over the past experiences during the weeks ahead.