1992 Thomas Vista Conversion

[thrifty1]

Well we bought a bus. It’s rusty and it smells like 20 years of dirty kids but it’s time to fix her up. Our intentions are to live in the skoolie once completed on a +-40 acre plot until we can get our modest house built and live off of the land. Wish us luck!

[thrifty1]

Couple hours invested and a new impact wrench later. Going to have to grind the rest of the screws out to get the ceiling but got all of the wire covers and rubber flooring up. The rust is only bad near the wheel well in one spot and up front. Next step grind the screws and out with the ceiling and insulation!


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[brokedown]

Your Vista has wheel wells?! Mine (5 window) hs a flat floor. Haven't really seen a full size one in person!

[thrifty1]

Haha I’ve never even seen a vista in general. Cool to know that there were shorty? versions?


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[brokedown]

We traveled around the country in it last year, building a new bus now.

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[Backwoods Wanderer]

Sounds like you have a great plan over there. Many similarities to our story. Looking forward to your build!

[sojourner]

Welcome to the madness!! I see you're in upstate SC. I'm in Williamsburg County (edge of lowcountry). If you're ever in the area, look me up !!

[thrifty1]

Will do sojourner! My buddies and I will be heading down to Santee Cooper for a cat fishing trip in April so not too far.

[sojourner]

Originally Posted by thrifty1

Will do sojourner! My buddies and I will be heading down to Santee Cooper for a cat fishing trip in April so not too far.

Look forward to it!! PM me for contact info when you get ready to come down. I'm near Andrews, SC

[thrifty1]

Well we had an opportunity to work some more on the bus yesterday. I decided to grind off the rest of the stripped screws in the ceiling and sides. After about three screws were done I decided that that was the dumbest decision I had ever made. Changed out the grind wheel for a cutoff wheel and crossed my fingers as I started cutting slots in the head. BOOYAH that’s the ticket. (See pic) I didn’t have a single screw that would not come out with a flathead and impact driver. Most of the ceiling is out now and every screw has been removed or slotted.

[thrifty1]

MOre progress on the bus, doesn’t look like it but it is. We actually ended up Double grinding the floor because I was not happy after the initial rust converter application. So got out the grinding wheel again then applied some ospho. Bam, zinc is everywhere. For now I am stuck until Monday waiting on my plasma cutter to arrive, I found some holes that a cutoff wheel will not work on. So excuse for a new toy... I also went over every rivet seam from inside the bust with rust stooping primer and used flex seal in the rivet seams after that. Looked really good and seems to have stopped roof leaks before I even coated the top with elastomeric coating. Anyways here is a few pics... last one is finished floor ready for patches to be welded and then painted with oil based enamel.before...middle...after..

Side note.. rear panels near the door are a BIT$& to remove. ;)

[thrifty1]

Quick update, received the plasma cutter and went to town. Ready to patch.

[thrifty1]

And the rust is gone... took about 4 days of work to finish the patches. But it’s ready to seam seal and paint next. Wife will power wash the interior before I do the final seals and then we will be dealing all of the bolt holes and applying a oil based enamel paint. WELD THROUGH PRIMER IS YOUR FRIEND if you want the repair done right. Great stuff but expensive. I can’t believe ill have this major job completed this quickly I figured a couple months to fix it up, I even had a fishing trip in between.. Anyways here’s the pix (with one on the trip for good measure)...
Wish us luck!

[Whatthefak]

Coming along quick!

Good luck

[oredigger]

Really nice patching job! What plasma cutter did you get?

[thrifty1]

It’s the lotus 3500 off of amazon for $220. I could not have been happier with the results because I asked a lot of it. Funny story, I splurged on the Hobart 140 welder and had to send it back TWICE, but the little lotus 3500 I cheaped out on ran like a champ!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by thrifty1

It’s the lotus 3500 off of amazon for $220. I could not have been happier with the results because I asked a lot of it. Funny story, I splurged on the Hobart 140 welder and had to send it back TWICE, but the little lotus 3500 I cheaped out on ran like a champ!

What was wrong with your Hobart?

[thrifty1]

First time shipping damage, second time I laid 9 tack welds and the machine cut off. Miller(Hobart) said “oh that’s not good I think it’s a bad power board send it back”. Kind of frustrating but the third one I received has been a beast through 3 pounds of welding wire so far.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by thrifty1

First time shipping damage, second time I laid 9 tack welds and the machine cut off. Miller(Hobart) said “oh that’s not good I think it’s a bad power board send it back”. Kind of frustrating but the third one I received has been a beast through 3 pounds of welding wire so far.

At least they stood by the product!
My 140 has been great so far.

[thrifty1]

Well we are chugging along, I’ll let the pics do the talking but DAMN those flashers are hard to remove.
Also took out about 20 pounds of unneeded wiring