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Old 02-15-2016, 01:49 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Strange Sized Escape Hatch!

I have a 1995 International 3800 bus, Thomas body. It is a ex-Military (Navy) transport bus and not technically a "School Bus".

One of the escape hatches is missing the door.

The problem is my roof opening and the escape hatch are NOT like all the replacements I can find online. Most Transpec and Specialty escape hatches fit in a 23" x 23" opening. My opening is 23" x 21.5".

Has anyone out there run into this problem?

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Old 02-15-2016, 02:37 PM   #2
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I have not run into this problem and maybe someone else can give you a source for the odd dimensions of your hatch. But, you might think about putting something else there, like an air conditioner or a vent fan or use it to put a chimney in for a wood stove.
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Old 02-15-2016, 02:43 PM   #3
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Sounds simple enough to "cut to fit", but...I don't recall ever seeing a roof hatch that did not leak unless it was brand new.
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Old 02-15-2016, 03:09 PM   #4
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I have looked at boat hatches but they all require a flat roof.

Cutting the hatch up to fit would not work as the door would need to be cut too. Because the opening is too narrow side-to-side I could cut that, but the opening is too long from t-to-back (over 23" actually) I would need to add about 1.5" of roof to get a good mounting surface for the screws and seal.

I can't be the ONLY bus to have these type of escape hatches.
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Old 02-15-2016, 06:10 PM   #5
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http://www.skoolie.net/forums/member...ture12630.jpeg

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/member...ture12629.jpeg

My door is more square than the standard rounded escape hatch.
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Old 02-15-2016, 06:46 PM   #6
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Do you really need the hatch?
I would suggest removing it and covering the hole over with some 14ga sheet metal and self taping screws.
That seems to me like it would be the bust option.
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Old 02-15-2016, 07:01 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hank's P-O-S View Post
Do you really need the hatch?
I would suggest removing it and covering the hole over with some 14ga sheet metal and self taping screws.
That seems to me like it would be the bust option.
Thats an option, but one of last resort. We'd rather not eliminate the hatch.

We were thinking of using a sheet of Lexan if we can't find a hatch.
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Old 02-15-2016, 07:39 PM   #8
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Thats an option, but one of last resort. We'd rather not eliminate the hatch.

We were thinking of using a sheet of Lexan if we can't find a hatch.
Don't use lexan. It is not UV resistant and will go foggy and crack.
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Old 02-15-2016, 08:08 PM   #9
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Don't use lexan. It is not UV resistant and will go foggy and crack.
I contacted the manufacturer and he said:
Acrylic AKA Plexiglass we sell is completely UV stable Acrylic does NOT yellow in the sunlight.

My father-in-law has a Lexan rear window in his 1966 Dodge Coronet drag car. Even after years (9+) in the Florida sun it has not cracked.
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Old 02-15-2016, 08:37 PM   #10
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Quote:
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I contacted the manufacturer and he said:
Acrylic AKA Plexiglass we sell is completely UV stable Acrylic does NOT yellow in the sunlight.

My father-in-law has a Lexan rear window in his 1966 Dodge Coronet drag car. Even after years (9+) in the Florida sun it has not cracked.
Hmmm. Ya learn something new everyday!
I had assumed that you would just be using plexiglass.
You might want to look into polycarbonate. It is carbon fiber reinforced acrylic.

A guy I know has made several fairly large robots out of the stuff.
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Old 02-16-2016, 05:46 AM   #11
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Hmmm. Ya learn something new everyday!
I had assumed that you would just be using plexiglass.
You might want to look into polycarbonate. It is carbon fiber reinforced acrylic.

A guy I know has made several fairly large robots out of the stuff.
Lexan is just a commercial name for polycarbonate.
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Old 02-16-2016, 07:26 AM   #12
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Lexan is just a commercial name for polycarbonate.
My bad, again!

I must admit that I never knew that. Usually when people say lexan they go out and buy the cheapest plexiglass that can find, so now I ASSume that this is always the case.....
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Old 02-16-2016, 07:38 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hank's P-O-S View Post
Do you really need the hatch?
I would suggest removing it and covering the hole over with some 14ga sheet metal and self taping screws.
That seems to me like it would be the bust option.

I tried a lot of different things to try and get my hatches not to leak. Removing them was the only thing that worked!
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Old 02-16-2016, 09:40 AM   #14
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The roof hatches MCI used are a different dimension than school bus roof hatches. Instead of square they are more rectangular. You may want to contact Luke at US Coach or Sam at Caylors Supply to see about a used MCI roof hatch.

I have an Avion that has non-standard sized roof vents. The OEM replacements are made of unobtainium and priced accordingly. Instead of reducing the size of opening I used a piece of Lexan to cover the hole. It has been up there more than five years and looks exactly like it did when I put it up there.

The one real upside is it really lets a lot of light into the coach. The one real downside is it really lets a lot of light into the coach.
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Old 02-16-2016, 09:57 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cowlitzcoach View Post
The roof hatches MCI used are a different dimension than school bus roof hatches. Instead of square they are more rectangular. You may want to contact Luke at US Coach or Sam at Caylors Supply to see about a used MCI roof hatch.

I have an Avion that has non-standard sized roof vents. The OEM replacements are made of unobtainium and priced accordingly. Instead of reducing the size of opening I used a piece of Lexan to cover the hole. It has been up there more than five years and looks exactly like it did when I put it up there.

The one real upside is it really lets a lot of light into the coach. The one real downside is it really lets a lot of light into the coach.
Unobtainium!

I think to just get the bus water tight and move on from this ONE issue we will go with the Lexan. Did you use clear or tinted Lexan. I was gonna go with 1/4" tinted so it will let "some" light in.

What sealing did you use?
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Old 02-16-2016, 03:44 PM   #16
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I used clear because that was all that my local Ace Hardware had on the shelf.

I sealed it with butyl rubber tape.

I used some all thread through the Lexan to a cross bar that ran across the opening and cinched it down snug.

It has held tight and hasn't leaked a drop in over five years.

It is a bit red neck but it works and it was inexpensive.
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Old 02-18-2016, 02:12 PM   #17
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For anyone interested I have found the answers I was looking for, I don't like the answer, but I found it.

This is what I got from Thomas Built Buses Inc.

"The hatch you had in your vehicle was an Allied roof hatch. They are long out of business. Their measurements were 21 ¾” X 23 ¾”. "

So there it is, Allied roof hatch, no drop-in replacements.
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