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Old 07-06-2014, 12:42 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Baltimore, MD
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Year: 1990
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT360
The Rocketship

Hey!
I just bought a bus! Yay!

i have a Carpenter International DT 360! it goes 62mph downhill!
it's what i call 3/4 size, with a non wheelchair door on the driver's side.

we want to convert it to mostly liveable if we decide to in the future. meaning, we'll pull all the inside panels, grind rust, rust coat, add insulation, add floor boards/walls/ceiling, leave space for plumbing and the shower/toilet. we need to replace the drivers chair, and find one for the passenger. we'll add bed, couch, storage space, basic kitchen, cat trees.

when we paint, it's going to be Futurama green, with a cereamic bead roof. before winter sets in here in Baltimore, we plan on running like hell to Arizona. the insulation and the beads will be really important in desert heat.

anyone travel with cats? we have two, ZombieCat and Disco.

we also need to replace the radio and want to replace with one that also has the PA. anyone ever see one? my boyfriend really wants to yell at passengers/cats while we're driving.

i never seem to have a chance to take pictures in the daytime! i worked today, and my boyfriend got to play with the bus today (so jealous!)and remarkably got some seats removed!






to celebrate!


skye

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Old 07-06-2014, 08:09 AM   #2
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Re: The Rocketship

welcome, glad to see some new blood on the site,
take lots of pictures, and ask all the questions you need
gbstewart
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Old 07-06-2014, 08:18 AM   #3
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Re: The Rocketship

Glad to see "the rocketship" made it home... Post plenty of pictures and any questions feel free to ask.
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Old 07-06-2014, 10:34 AM   #4
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Re: The Rocketship

Welcome RK! --- You are not only off to a good start, but have found the best place on the planet to get tons of great input from folks who have "been there, done that". Don't hesitate to ask questions, just remember that everyone here has taken a similar path in that they each did it "their way" (with apologies to Frank Sinatra). You should do likewise. Read, ask, study, then make it fit what your dreams dictate.

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Old 07-06-2014, 10:50 AM   #5
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Re: The Rocketship

Quote:
Originally Posted by rocket_kitten
anyone travel with cats? we have two, ZombieCat and Disco.
Microchip your cats first. Train them to a harness. We put our cat in a small-ish dog harness and walked her on a lightweight rope leash attached with an aluminum keyring type carabiner. Be careful with your cats. Out west they look like snacks to the local wildlife.
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Old 07-06-2014, 10:53 AM   #6
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Re: The Rocketship

Welcome!
You're missing taking out seats? On no--thats the fun part! /sarc.
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Old 07-06-2014, 12:30 PM   #7
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Re: The Rocketship

[/quote]Microchip your cats first. Train them to a harness. We put our cat in a small-ish dog harness and walked her on a lightweight rope leash attached with an aluminum keyring type carabiner. Be careful with your cats. Out west they look like snacks to the local wildlife.[/quote]

they are microchipped! i was concerned about the driving part. should we make a door so we can close them off from the driving area, or maybe a largish dog crate? i don't want them to get hurt or become furry hissing projectiles!

thanks,
skye
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Old 07-06-2014, 12:39 PM   #8
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Re: The Rocketship

nice bus. Welcome to the site. Good luck.
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Old 07-06-2014, 02:25 PM   #9
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Re: The Rocketship

Quote:
Originally Posted by rocket_kitten
i was concerned about the driving part. should we make a door so we can close them off from the driving area, or maybe a largish dog crate? i don't want them to get hurt or become furry hissing projectiles!

thanks,
skye
I traveled with my cat in a pet carrier. Mostly because the "kids" (dog and cat) would have a squabble over one was taking up too much space (Mom! She's touching me!). It was for my sanity not their safety. Also I worried the cat might see a dog riding in the back of a truck or hanging out the window of a car and try to jump it (she thought she was a dog and she was known to attack dogs that weren't her's). My pets were "characters".

BTW, we got our cat around 6 months old and she traveled all the years we had her, just like the antique cat we had before her.
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Old 07-09-2014, 10:30 PM   #10
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Re: The Rocketship

hello!
don't worry, not too much progress happening here! the oppressive heat/humidity is keeping our work days short. we got all the seats out, all the vinyl floor up. the flooring was too easy because of all the rotten plywood. that's .. helpful?
i did easily remove all the screws keeping the side wall on, and tested a few on the ceiling. the only reason i was dead set against a blue bird were the hundreds of rivets!

the only actual problem i have right now is my instrument panel (the one with the switches for the lights, signs et al.) my boyfriend disconnected the safety buzzer for the emergency door in the panel, and started up the engine with loose wires which sparked and threw the fuse. i hope. the bus didn't have spare fuses, so i have to buy new ones for all of them. hopefully a quick fix.

eww


grosser!


my only fuse box. i feel it should be bigger? or maybe another one?


white cable on the left i think supplies power to the panel and has and inline 15a breaker.


a quick edit:


the grunt workers:


rocket
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Old 07-10-2014, 08:40 AM   #11
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Re: The Rocketship

Quote:
Originally Posted by rocket_kitten
my only fuse box. i feel it should be bigger? or maybe another one?
Yep, I'm pretty sure there is only that one fuse box. There will also likely be 2 fuses coming off of the fat cable down by the batteries and the couple fuses you see scattered throughout the switch panel. All those little silver boxes in the switch panel are breakers, which take the place of fuses. They will self-reset themselves when thrown, which is sort of cool, but, depending on what they power, can be annoying. I had one breaker powering my defrost and heater fans and they would periodically turn off, then back on when they were both on high. I initially thought it was a wiring problem, but it turns out they were throwing the breaker, then the breaker would eventually reset, then get thrown again, etc... Separating the fans to be on separate breakers did the job.
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Old 07-10-2014, 10:32 PM   #12
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Re: The Rocketship

I dig your windshield. And your scraper. Good luck and welcome!
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Old 07-11-2014, 05:09 AM   #13
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Re: The Rocketship

Quote:
Originally Posted by rocket_kitten

anyone travel with cats? we have two, ZombieCat and Disco.
Some good info here and here, as well as what Lorna suggested
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Old 07-11-2014, 12:29 PM   #14
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Re: The Rocketship

Quote:
Originally Posted by big_bertha
I dig your windshield. And your scraper. Good luck and welcome!
thanks! we love our windshield too. mainly because there are 2 pieces, cheaper to replace. and it totally helps to have friends with tools!



rocket
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Old 07-11-2014, 12:35 PM   #15
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Re: The Rocketship

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scooternj
Quote:
Originally Posted by rocket_kitten

anyone travel with cats? we have two, ZombieCat and Disco.
Some good info here and here, as well as what Lorna suggested
those are great! thanks!


rocket
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Old 07-11-2014, 06:04 PM   #16
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Re: The Rocketship

Welcome!!! and it looks like you're off to a great start
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Old 07-27-2014, 10:34 AM   #17
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Re: The Rocketship

Hi, not a lot of progress, but..

remember when i said i thought we blew a fuse in the switch panel? an electrician friend said he thought we fried this:



which is connected to all the things!



does anyone know what this thing is called? all my internet searches fail. a supplier would be good too, but all i really need to know is what it's called.
thanks!

in other news, we ground off the side walls and removed the insulation.




ground off the rest of the bolts in the floor, and took a steel cover off this hole.


seemingly it's above the fuel tank. should we leave it accessible? not really sure what it's for.

i really wish we were moving faster, this high humidity really makes it hard to do anything for more than 2 hours!

rocket
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Old 07-27-2014, 10:43 AM   #18
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Re: The Rocketship

Quote:
Originally Posted by rocket_kitten
Hi, not a lot of progress, but..

remember when i said i thought we blew a fuse in the switch panel? an electrician friend said he thought we fried this:



which is connected to all the things!



does anyone know what this thing is called? all my internet searches fail. a supplier would be good too, but all i really need to know is what it's called.
thanks!
That would be a solenoid. Looks like a White Rodgers 100 amp solenoid: http://www.amazon.com/124-105111-Sol...rds=124-105111

If you know what your doing, you can use a cheaper 100 amp solenoid such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/CONTINUOUS-SOL...0+amp+solenoid
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Old 07-27-2014, 10:53 AM   #19
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Re: The Rocketship

thank you, jatzy!

and links! you're swell!

rocket
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