74b Daimler Fleetline Bus

[kwakers]

Correction on my part: Christian used the term 'shade' when speaking about his cream Buses and not his two green colors. My mistake that I wish to correct immediately........Dick

[johnboy]

It look like these two from Nick's site may have the larger and smaller Esso wording.

[Tinman]

Dick, one small correction: While the front (of the base) does use a tounge and slot, the rear of the base is rivited. Look into the upper portion of the recess, under the rear window, and you will see the rivet. So, base switching would involve obvious tampering with the rivet. The rivet is difficult to access with tools so any tampering would likely be more obvious than a normal base rivet.

[kwakers]

Wow Joe, You're Right! How in the world was that tiny rivet finished so nicely in there?? The rotating rivet finishing tool would have to be only 1/4 inch high WITH it's drive to fit precisely inside that back window area. What a specialized tool that one must have been. Perhaps an adaptation of a jewelers or watchmakers small rotary instrument. I have an 85 year old tool and die maker friend I will be seeing Saturday. He has been building exotic Clocks and repairing fine watches as a hobby for years, and is as clever as they come. I will bring one of these for his opinion on finishing these small rivets with such precision Joe, I am simply without a clue on this one tonight. Thanks for your correction, I guess my dark body light base Bus is in fact a factory error, but more notable than I have thought....Thanks for the eyes on this one. With four Buses in front of my nose, I could not see the forest through the trees it would seem. LOL kwakers

[Tinman]

Notice the very thick and deep divider on the upstairs rear window, this carries the rivet post. Note that each upper window divider is actually a T shaped brace which stengthens the roof. The same T brace design is reduced (in size) but continued on the lower windows. This makes the body very strong and allows for a significant amount of force to be brought to bear on the roof of the bus. The bus could be inserted upon the crimping tool (a mandrel) and pressure placed upon the rear section of the roof.

[Taniwha]

Notice the very thick and deep divider on the upstairs rear window, this carries the rivet post. Note that each upper window divider is actually a T shaped brace which stengthens the roof. The same T brace design is reduced (in size) but continued on the lower windows. This makes the body very strong and allows for a significant amount of force to be brought to bear on the roof of the bus. The bus could be inserted upon the crimping tool (a mandrel) and pressure placed upon the rear section of the roof.

Hi Joe,

Thanks for some more great insight into our hobby. Your knowledge is a great boon to us here, and always appreciated. I had noticed the T braces inside the bus, but not the rivet. The strength of the casting explains why even the most playworn examples never seem to show signs of being trampled underfoot...

Cheers,
Gavin

[kwakers]

I had forgotten to mention that Johnboy is right about Nick's Site already having an example of the small ESSO label. Because they are not shown together, the difference is less obvious than in Christian's side by side picture. Good Eyes John, you 'Kids' are showing me up here on this Bus.......LOL
I now see all that added structure as you point out Joe, so a good blow to the roof with the rivet resting on the proper mandrel could spread that small rivet to mimick the finish of the larger base rivets that were 'Spun' with a tapered bit in a common looking drill press to finish them. Mystery solved with a much simpler process than I had envisioned. I am back at school once again.......kwakers

[Tinman]

you 'Kids' are showing me up here on this Bus.......LOL

Dick, I feel ther same way about you guys who are in their 50's (oh, to by a young lad of 50 again).

[nickjones]

I have updated this page, I have no evidence of the early model with light or dark decals although the later small and large esso LABELS can be found with an orange and a red background, I think reports of this variation may have confused decals and labels,