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Old 04-08-2014, 05:02 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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La Casita Bus Conversion

Hi everyone!!
We are Mike & Lala!!
"Houseless By Choice... Never Homeless!"
We bought a school bus, and we are in the process of converting it into our home!

Here is our progress!


This is the first glimpse we got from her:


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1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
Navistar T444e
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Old 04-08-2014, 05:32 PM   #2
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

















Cruise Control!!!!







That paper...





That paper states that we are the new owners of a skoolie!!!!

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Mike & Lala @ La Casita Bus

https://www.facebook.com/LaCasitaBus
1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
Navistar T444e
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Old 04-08-2014, 06:33 PM   #3
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Hey! My boyfriend and I are also in the process of converting! We have builders and designers helping up design our floor plan and will be driving down to Texas on the 18th of this month to pick up the bus! They removed our seats for us thankfully! What're the first steps you're making?! Removing flooring and ceiling and walls?
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Old 04-08-2014, 06:38 PM   #4
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

welcome, theres lots to see and learn here, ask lots, and show us pictures
gbstewart
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my bus build viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5931
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Old 04-08-2014, 10:49 PM   #5
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

What engine and transmission are in your bus?
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Old 04-08-2014, 10:52 PM   #6
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Gotta love those old Irrationals! --- More pix!
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Old 04-09-2014, 05:39 PM   #7
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

your going to love that cruise control, I have the same set as yours, the cruise is also a fast idle used for when its cold out, just push it once when the bus is running and parked and the engine will rec to approx. 1250 rpm which is recomended in cold weather start up which I don't think you have to worry about
gbstewart
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Old 04-09-2014, 10:22 PM   #8
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Hey! I'm "reverendfatheruncleruckus" on Instagram. Welcome!
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Old 04-11-2014, 09:31 PM   #9
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexlorraine01
...What're the first steps you're making?! Removing flooring and ceiling and walls?
Hi Alex & Lorraine!! We are glad to get to know other busnuts, and more so if, like you, are in the first steps of the process!!

We had time to only post a very few of the photos... we will add more in every opportunity we have!

Even though is in our interest to post all the conversion (and more!) in Skoolie.net, we do have a Facebook page where we have logged a lot!
http://www.facebook.com/LaCasitaBus

And if any of you want to connect with us in a personal level, here is our Facebook profile page: http://www.facebook.com/Mike.Lala.798

Here are today's round of photos:

Answering Alex & Lorraine's question, our first move was to secure La Casita, so we bought a lock used regularly by cargo van owners:



















And, for the rear door, we chose a towing receiver lock









And, after measuring her all over, we developed a series of floor plan versions that would meet our needs & likes, within our limitations & capabilities







After designing our floor plan, we decided to start our demo:

Removing the seats:




From beneath the skoolie:



Too much work, so we decided to call reinforcements!

Angle grinder (We strongly recommend an electric grinder, instead of a cordless... Batteries will not last long)






After all seats were removed, we used this tool to help us with removing the rubber floor and wooden subfloor:



And, the metal floor was revealed! We are happy to find that all the rust was just surface rust!



And this is the chemical we will use to treat the rusty floor. It is a rust converter.



Here is Mike, fixing one of the wiper blades... very cold, and snowy day!



This is a topic that has caused a lot of controversy in the skoolie community, and the rocket stove community!
Both basically has said that it cannot be done successfully. However, as we stated earlier, we are doing this project based in what we feel is the best for us.
This is a rocket stove design. It will be made out of fireclay, perlite and furnace cement. It will be poured in a wooden cast, and the cast will burn from within when we start the rocket stove for the first time:




We will no longer use the quick set rapid cement, because finally, we found a shop that sells fireclay!



Here is Mike building the cast for the rocket stove:



This is the inner core cast



Inner core cast "inside" the outer cast:



This is a mockup of the base for the rocket stove:



This is how the cast is looking... not finished yet!



Here is Mike cutting an empty fire extinguisher to be use as the riser tube for the cast



That's all for now

Next to come: Insulation!!!
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1996 International 3800
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Old 04-11-2014, 10:55 PM   #10
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Keep the pics coming.

Nat
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Old 04-12-2014, 12:04 PM   #11
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Qwik Question --- does that "High Heat Furnace Cement" have a temperature rating? I work with cement media day in, day out and very few can, pardon the expression...take the heat. And my understanding of rocket stoves is that they get VERY hot in the "rocket" portion.

Very cool project. Hope it works out well as rocket stoves are very efficient.
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Old 04-12-2014, 02:25 PM   #12
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Quote:
Originally Posted by gbstewart
welcome, theres lots to see and learn here, ask lots, and show us pictures
gbstewart
Thank you for the warm welcome!!
__________________
"Houseless by choice. Never homeless"
Mike & Lala @ La Casita Bus

https://www.facebook.com/LaCasitaBus
1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
Navistar T444e
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Old 04-12-2014, 02:30 PM   #13
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Quote:
Originally Posted by dburt
What engine and transmission are in your bus?
Engine: Navistar V8 7.3 Ltr. (Don't know what transmission it has... 4 Spd Automatic [R][N][D][3][2][1] )

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1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
Navistar T444e
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Old 04-12-2014, 02:30 PM   #14
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango
Gotta love those old Irrationals! --- More pix!
Agree!! LOL

More pics to come soon!!
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"Houseless by choice. Never homeless"
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1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
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Old 04-12-2014, 02:32 PM   #15
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Quote:
Originally Posted by nat_ster
I love the look on your face. I know what your feeling, I have felt it twice.

Glad to have you among us.

Nat
Yeah!!! Pure excitement pouring out our pores!! Thank you for the warm welcome!
__________________
"Houseless by choice. Never homeless"
Mike & Lala @ La Casita Bus

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1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
Navistar T444e
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Old 04-12-2014, 02:34 PM   #16
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Quote:
Originally Posted by gbstewart
your going to love that cruise control, I have the same set as yours, the cruise is also a fast idle used for when its cold out, just push it once when the bus is running and parked and the engine will rec to approx. 1250 rpm which is recomended in cold weather start up which I don't think you have to worry about
gbstewart
WOW!!! We had no idea this could be done!!! Learning more already!!! Thank you very much!!! We did it this morning and the warming time was reduced drastically!
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"Houseless by choice. Never homeless"
Mike & Lala @ La Casita Bus

https://www.facebook.com/LaCasitaBus
1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
Navistar T444e
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Old 04-12-2014, 02:37 PM   #17
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Quote:
Originally Posted by porkchopsandwiches
Hey! I'm "reverendfatheruncleruckus" on Instagram. Welcome!
Hey ReverendFatherUnCleruckus!!!! Great to see you here!!!

Thx for the welcoming us!
__________________
"Houseless by choice. Never homeless"
Mike & Lala @ La Casita Bus

https://www.facebook.com/LaCasitaBus
1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
Navistar T444e
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Old 04-12-2014, 02:39 PM   #18
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Quote:
Originally Posted by nat_ster
Keep the pics coming.

Nat
That's the intention!!
__________________
"Houseless by choice. Never homeless"
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1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
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Old 04-12-2014, 03:02 PM   #19
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango
Qwik Question --- does that "High Heat Furnace Cement" have a temperature rating? I work with cement media day in, day out and very few can, pardon the expression...take the heat. And my understanding of rocket stoves is that they get VERY hot in the "rocket" portion.

Very cool project. Hope it works out well as rocket stoves are very efficient.
Oatey 1/2-Gal. Furnace/Stove Cement (link) at Home Depot

Product Description:
Ideal for the installation and service of furnaces and oil burners
Creates a smoke and air-tight seal
Can withstand temperatures up to 2,000º F
Effectively bonds 1/8'' wide metal-to-metal and metal-to-masonry joints
Pre-mixed for convenient application
Suitable for use on cast iron, steel, and firebrick
Entirely free of toxic fumes
Solvent: water
Cement Type: silicate
Consistency: smooth paste
Dry Time: 1 hour
Heat Cure Temperature: 500º F
Color: black
Shelf Life: about 18 months from date of shipment



Thank you very much for the good wishes!!
__________________
"Houseless by choice. Never homeless"
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https://www.facebook.com/LaCasitaBus
1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
Navistar T444e
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Old 04-12-2014, 03:40 PM   #20
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Re: La Casita Bus Conversion

Here, we are in the loading dock of Restore Habitat For Humanity in Pennsauken, NJ



We happened to have found enough foam boards for our insulation at a really nice price!





R9.8 / 1.5"



We decided to insulate WITHIN the walls, instead of framing and insulating on top of the walls...

In order to remove the metal wall covers, we needed to remove the windows. The wall covers have a lip that goes under the window's metal base, and is secured with screws from the top.



We decided to implement the "production line" approach...
1) Remove all the windows
2) Remove all the screws securing the metal wall covers
3) Remove all metal wall covers
4) Remove old insulation





Almost all insulation has been removed at this point. Because we have driven the bus continuously to get materials, deliver seats, and store old subfloor panels, we have had not removed the only bench seat left. It still needs to be removed in order to remove the metal wall cover, and remove the insulation.

Notice the emergency windows??? While reinstalling them, we decided to relocate them...



And now... we have barn style windows in our future living room!!!



Cutting insulation with the cordless circular saw



We wanted to apply a layer of weather barrier to block moisture in the future from passing on to the insulation... however, the insulation pockets are to narrow to install it the traditional way.

So, we "gift-wrapped" the pre-cut insulation panels in DuPont Tyvek HomeWrap in order to protect our insulation. At least its something more than having nothing installed, right!





The foam boards were cut in half, or at least 14" from the top, for it to be easier to install, and not shatter it in our hands if forced in.









We reinstalled the wall metal covers, but only secured it in each corner... even though we finish with this phase, we found a little surface rust inside some of the wall openings, and we want to treat it with the rust converter as well



That's all for now!!

Next Phase: Ceiling Insulation!!!

__________________
"Houseless by choice. Never homeless"
Mike & Lala @ La Casita Bus

https://www.facebook.com/LaCasitaBus
1996 International 3800
Carpenter School Bus Body
Navistar T444e
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