12 Years in the making- The story of Murphy

[ferroequinologist]

Hello Everyone!

I've been a skoolie junkie since I was a kid. A neighbor lent me a book with all kinds of cool houses built in old buses and large trucks. The bug was planted early you might say! So I'd been dreaming of one for a long time. I bought a bus from a junkyard in 2001 when I got home from a deployment to the Persian Gulf aboard the good ship USS Stump. I fell in love with her look and the stylish rear end, that curved at the top just like many of the older buses in that long ago book. I hashed out a good price and started preparing her for the journey from Norfolk, VA to my parents house in SC. (I was still living aboard ship and didn't have a place to keep her yet) She must have wanted to Rust In Place, because she fought all my efforts to get her road worthy again. So I came up with her name, Murphy. After Murphy's law. She spent the next 2 years in SC because the old tired engine blew shortly after the 400 mile trip to SC. I got a big 350 out of a tow truck and totally rebuilt it, headers, big four barrel carb, ported heads, etc. Then I drove her back to Norfolk as I had bought a house by then. I began in ernest to do the conversion. I started to plate over the windows for the bedroom, and started a mad dash from the local delievery boys thanks to my ebay surfing for RV parts and deals. My neighbor even let me tear apart a small camper he had for parts. Then I went on another deployment and work stopped.

When I got back I started buying and selling military surplus at gun shows. I used Murphy to haul it all around. When I got out of the Navy, I filled her with 5 tons (I weighed it for the pay to move home) of my machine tools and other garage parts. I had to park her on a friend's propety out in the woods in the middle of no where. 5 years later....

My wife and I were renting a house and, to make a long story short, found ourselves with a notice to vacate by Oct. 31 2013. We have a farm with lots of animals and I also collect military trucks and full size railroad equipment. So we couldn't just get an apartment. Searched high and low for a farm to rent within our budget. No go. So my friend has 13 acres with a 26x60 shop building on it. We didn't have the money to buy a mobile home (plus we hope to not be there for long) so in comes Murphy...

I carried a battery and fluids back in the woods and to my amazement, she fired right up! We drove through the woods (pines grow fast in 5 years) and got her to the road, and bled the brakes, and I drove her the 40 miles to the house! she seemed to enjoy getting some exercise but I will tell you, those flat spots on the tires sucked the first 15 miles!

So I have been working none stop till 1-2am every day for the last week to empty, clean, and start my conversion. I am having to rush some things that I hope to go back and redue later, I'm just trying to get it livable for now. I hope to post up some pictures shortly.

I have everything major that I bought years ago, except an RV rated fridge, a furnace, and A/C units. We probably won't need A/C for much longer, but the furnace is a must have. I remember I didn't get around to buying one because I kept debating with myself over how much BTU to get. I have the plumbing too, although somewhere along the line my kitchen and bathroom sink went missing...

I've gotten the floor painted with a rust preventative, a layer of tar paper down, and the plywood floor down. I've also cut out the opening and gotten my 6 gallon water heater installed. Tub is in and framing for it and the toliet area are roughed in. Power connection hole and plug compartment in. I'm going to work on electrical today after work, to get the electrical cabinet and converter mounted so I can start running power and 12vdc for lighting and other RV components.

My main focus right now is getting the bedroom area finished and insulated. The insulation is the tricky part right now- we don't have much money left. I'd love to do spray foam but that is a little $$ plus the time to get the kit. I might just buy rolls of 'fiberglass' and put in the walls and roof. (I had removed the roof panels and insulation when I first started the conversion. I wish I hadn't now.)

More to come and if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them!

Adam

[bansil]

welcome to the madness and great story!

[ferroequinologist]

Here are a couple of pics I had on my phone the day I got her empty. You can see the quick green paintjob is flaking off, and all the moss and dirt on the bus from sitting in the woods. The interior shot you can make out the roof vent I installed years ago in the back, and the plating over the windows. I retained two seats to make the dinet out of. I will get some pictures when I get home of the progress thus far.

[Tango]

Welcome! --- and a great resurrection story. You just can't keep a good skoolie down. Best of luck picking up where you left off on the build.

[bansil]

Like Tango said.......that ole' girl got good bones (my hillbilly partake of said girl )

[ferroequinologist]

Having trouble getting all my pics off my camera to this computer.

Anyway, we are now in the bus full time, which is making it hard to do any work to her. I got the water heater, the power connection port, tub and flooring installed. I just bought rolls of insulation to start on the roof today. After sleeping in it for a few days, it rains in the morning from that bare steel!

I also got a hook up at the local junk yard, I'm getting TWO like new Suburban LP furnaces, water pump, power supply, transfer switch, and 7kw onan genny for $400! I will go pull the parts tomorrow. Not sure about the condition of the gen or the heaters, but the heaters look fantastic and the coach didn't have much use, it was in a wreck, so the gen should be ok after a good servicing ( I hope)

I also got some of the 12v lights installed and two deep cycles to run them, looking at a solar panel or just wait on the gen as we have no power where we are right now.

[ferroequinologist]

And the carpet. 3 picture max? dang...

[Diesel Dan]

Pretty soon you won't be able to post any pics directly. You will need to link to a photo hosting site.

[ferroequinologist]

Originally Posted by Diesel Dan

Pretty soon you won't be able to post any pics directly. You will need to link to a photo hosting site.

Well that sucks, but I understand it takes a lot of server space and server space = $$$. I'll just set up a photobucket account then.

Ok hard time posting when I don't have internet at the compound.

Well, the water pump I got from the junk yard was indeed junk. The magnets in those surflo pumps are only glued on, and after 15-20 years it apparently fails. One of the 30k BTU furnaces worked great, and it is installed and I even have the thermostat hooked up. Right now it is in the rear next to the water heater. We have heavy blankets seperating the back from the front, hanging in front of the wheel wells. The rear is 75% insulated now. I will be finishing up the rest tonight hopefully. And taking some pictures to post.

The other heater would cycle, but not light. One time it did light and it went BOOM but I haven't gotten it to do it again. My guess is the igniter is bad. The nice thing about getting a twin set of heaters, is the parts are interchangable. So my plan is to put the igniter/thermocouple module on the one installed and see if it works. If not, then I know I just need that $10 part. If it does, well, back to troubleshooting!

The generator is giving me fits though. I got it to run, and after looking through the manual and doing the tests got it to generate power. Did a happy dance and quit for the day. The next day I moved it onto a more secure base, and now it won't generate power. I know this is a smokestak forum type situation, and am a member over there ( I had lots of old steam gen sets in the past) so I will bring it up over there and hopefully have some power.

I did score a 2500watt 5kw surge inverter last night for $50 off craigslist. I already had a 1000w but it wouldn't run much. I also found another deep cycle battery I had laying around. I figured it would be bad but lo, it had 11.8 volts so I charged it and it is holding. I put the bank under the driver side for now on the ground. I have a set of wires with the gray plugs on them like you see on forklifts and pallet jacks. I put one end on the bank and the other attached to my truck with it coming out under the grill. This way I just pull up when I get off work and plug them in, and let them charge for a little while every day. The bus alt isn't as good and the gas gauge is broken so I don't want to use it to charge the batteries. Plus my truck is diesel and I get my fuel for free so can't beat that!

I'll post up more pics tomorrow hopefully.

[ferroequinologist]

And Pictures!


brand new oven and range by Steamman5320, on Flickr


window I put in 12 years ago by Steamman5320, on Flickr


tub installed by Steamman5320, on Flickr


Inside after floor was down by Steamman5320, on Flickr


insulation around window by Steamman5320, on Flickr And my fast moving dog, Lakota


insulation and temp supports by Steamman5320, on Flickr

the heater ran much less last night after getting two more sections insulated.

[bansil]

good to hear, less fuel used is good

[inkblots84]

I have to point out that this very bus is a testament to why Skoolies are better than pretty much everything. People might think we're all bonkers, but if you need a house in a jiffy and didn't have that bus..?

Kudos to you for keeping the old girl and bringing her back to life. Sounds like you're really on top of things, keep us posted when you can!

[ferroequinologist]

I just got the deal of a lifetime. A friend owns a wrecking service and tows cars for the city. Well he has a short bus, international, that he got from the county. He lets the local FD come and practice extractions, so it has a good portion of its body destroyed by jaws of life, etc. BUT the engine and transmission are still in her. I had a WWII Dodge truck winch, and he collects military trucks too. So I traded him the winch for a 1993 T444E with an Allison 6speed OD transmission!

My bus isn't really going to be going anywhere for awhile, but when she does next, she will go with much better MPG and power! It won't be a priority to install the engine and transmission, it was just one of those deals I shouldn't pass up. Especially since I get diesel free or at rock bottom pricing.

One of the things I took when the landlord booted us, was my nice $35 hunter digital programmable thermostat. I have been using the suburban one that came out of the S&S motorhome I got the furnaces from. The heater would kick on, run till it was way hot, then kick off, then kick on again, etc. On a 40 degree night it probably ran every 20-40 min. Last night it was 42 outside. Heater ran twice, the whole night, and kept it over 57 (night time setting), mostly in the low 60's. VERY HAPPY. This means much less propane is being burned, and my furnace isn't going to be worn out after one winter. I can't recommend it enough if you have your heat this way and you have and old crappy thermostat. I will probably save the cost of the digital one in a month at this rate. Very easy to do, you hook one wire to RH and the other to W. It runs on two AA batteries that I put in it when I first installed it in the house, 3 years ago. Best part is I can set 3 different temps in a day. So right before we get into bed it warms up the room (that's usually when we shower too, nice to have it warm then!) and right before we wake up it warms up too. Then about when we normally go to bed it drops to 57, since we are snuggled in and under the blankets.

When I get around to installing cooling I will try to use the same one for that as well, and get another one just like it for the front. My plan is to sperate the bus into two zones, one being the bedroom and bathroom with its own A/C and furnace, and then the rest of the bus with another. That way we can alternate which system is running hard, if we are sleeping or out front sitting or cooking. Should help conserve energy.

I forgot to mention that besides me and my wife, there are 3 dogs, a cat, a ferret, and our pet pig Tinkerbell living with us. I will take pictures of them and post. We had to make Tinkerbell a special ramp for her to get in and out, she can't climb the steep, shallow bus steps.


20131121_065214 by Steamman5320, on Flickr

[ferroequinologist]

Originally Posted by inkblots84

I have to point out that this very bus is a testament to why Skoolies are better than pretty much everything. People might think we're all bonkers, but if you need a house in a jiffy and didn't have that bus..?

Kudos to you for keeping the old girl and bringing her back to life. Sounds like you're really on top of things, keep us posted when you can!

Thanks, and you are exactly right! I don't get to do it often but I do rub it in a little to my wife about it. For the last 3 years she was actively trying to get me to sell her, but something besides laziness kept me from doing it. I'm so glad (she is too) that I didn't listen to her!

We rented a small 21ft S&S camper for her mother to stay in when she came down. I mean it is a rental so it has been rode hard and put away wet, but it is just falling apart. Everything is just so cheaply and shoddy. I can't believe people pay thousands for them!

My wife liked the little bathroom layout but no way to put that in the bus with our current floorplan. She did say she was glad to have a large bus, because that camper would have been way too small to live in full time, especially with the animals!

[Stretch]

Hey Adam!

I remember you told me you were moving... Didn't know it was into the bus!

Dan isn't doing anything on his at the moment. It works well for inlaws/relatives staying during the summer.

Looks like an adventure, at least it's cheap living.

[Kirk]

How is everything going in the world of this Skoolie?