Photoshop skills required, want to help

I think it would look good with the sign writing on the roof . dave

Did take note of Aussie steel caps together with the well secured plank
Geoffb

I just found tonights challenge

Bear with me, fellas - got a mate who's doing what makeminea2stroke is planning to do with his Landseer to a Merc O303/3! I'll ask him how he's going about his!

This was a 1981 Austral Tourmaster Coach. In 2005 a 35 year old HCVC forum member bought what looked to be a coach in good condition, in fact it was still working and carrying passengers on the day he took delivery of it. He started to take the side panels off in preparation to raise the roof. He found the framework was so badly rusted that the only option was to remove the roof and cut off all the existing framework above the floor level of the coach.

He removed all the underfloor level bin doors and virtually started with a chassis, floor, front/windscreen and running gear. He built a totally new sidewall, rear wall and front header framework, re-fitted the roof, made new bin doors, reskinned the coach inside and out. painted it and fitted it out. All this was done with continuous consultation and inspections by a qualified engineer. This was all done in a shed on a farm over a period of two years in his spare time by a truck owner who is only self taught welder/ spraypainter etc.

Photos of the saga from start to finish are available if anyone is seriously considering taking on such a project. The main lesson is that no matter how good they look on the outside almost all older buses and coaches WILL have rust in the frame. This can easily be confirmed by contacting people and companies that convert buses and coaches to motorhomes. This was learned after the problems with this coach were found.

Geoff.

Rear view of the same motorhome. Have a look at all the marker lights on it. LEDs everywhere, obviously owned by truck driver.

Geoff.

You are right about them being rusted in the frames as a mate of mine had exactly the same ended up with a chasis. It would be as though that is the life of the frame and the tour companies move them on.
Geoffb

This is the coach on arrival home in Dubbo the day after purchase in Sydney. Looked good and performed perfectly.

Geoff.

This is what the framework looked like after the panels were removed. Note the RHS under the first and second window is almost completely rusted away. This coach was still being used to transport paying passengers the day it was purchased. (The date on the photo is incorrect. The coach was purchased in January 2005).

Geoff.

Geoff - Jeez, that's bloody scary. There's obviously a need for an upgraded inspection regime for coaches, particularly when rust has affected structural strength substantially.
One can only imagine what would have happened if the Austral coach was involved in any accident, particularly a rollover. There would almost certainly have been an increase in injuries and fatalities.

One of the tricks taught to me by an old body builder (now deceased), was to ensure that any sheeting is designed to eliminate joins, that are designed in such a way, that water can penetrate the join easily when wet.

One of Bruno's tricks when building van bodies was to put a 90