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Old 05-17-2019, 09:03 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Posts: 65
Year: 2007
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 Pusher
2007 Thomas SAF T Liner build series!

So after lots and lots of reading and researching this site, I bought a bus! Will document the process as I go.

Seat removal ended up being grind off every floor bolt and wrench off every railing bolt (except two that I grinded)

Started removing floor down to metal and today took out all three bus heaters and am working on the coolant lines!

I have a pretty healthy budget for this build and plan to build a tiny home with full size appliances, 3000 watts of solar and lots of lithium.

Will document the process!!

https://youtu.be/8eIMPQjPM3k

Is the drive home and seat demo video! Lots of time-lapse and only 8 mins.

Mark Miner

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Old 05-20-2019, 12:13 PM   #2
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Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Indpendence, KY
Posts: 2
Year: 2005
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: Cat C7
Awesome! I bought a 2005 and started last week as well! Got the ceiling out and now working on seats! Can't wait to watch your build!
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Old 05-21-2019, 07:22 AM   #3
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 105
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC 1000
Engine: 5.9/AT
Rated Cap: 2 adults, 2 dogs
Looking forward to watching the build
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Old 05-21-2019, 02:31 PM   #4
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I am also looking forward to your build! How long do you think it took you to remove the seats using the grinder?
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Old 05-21-2019, 04:57 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Posts: 65
Year: 2007
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 Pusher
Quote:
Originally Posted by farris2121 View Post
Awesome! I bought a 2005 and started last week as well! Got the ceiling out and now working on seats! Can't wait to watch your build!
Thanks man. Take some pictures (or video) and post. It is sure fun to work on and a hell of a lot of work.

I am contemplating not pulling down the ceiling. I like the skoolies that have stock ceiling. (painted nicely and nice lights). I will insulate everything else though. Also some tropicool paint on top!

Mark
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Old 05-21-2019, 05:00 PM   #6
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Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Posts: 65
Year: 2007
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 Pusher
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tlauden View Post
I am also looking forward to your build! How long do you think it took you to remove the seats using the grinder?
I was not sure, so I went in and looked at my time lapse original photos.

First photo of seat demo was 11:04 and last was 15:51 so just about 4 hours. Grinding worked pretty fast once I got in the groove.

Mark Miner
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Old 05-21-2019, 05:12 PM   #7
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Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Posts: 65
Year: 2007
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 Pusher
Passenger Compartment heater cores and demo day 3

So I pulled out all three heater cores, removed the conduit and all of the one inch pipes. Disconnected it all at the engine as well. There were shut off valves for the both outgoing and incoming heater lines in the engine compartment so I shut both of them off.

Part of the way through, I realized that the coolant hose is also what goes clear up to the driver and windshield heater core as well. (still getting the rear-engine in my head correctly). I decided to go ahead and remove them anyway. I will have a lot of electrical generation and storage and plan to heat driver area and window defrost electrically.

I plan a 24v 300amp alternator and 570amps of Lithionics lithium battery at 24v and 10 310watt solar panels from Arizona wind and Sun.

Mark Miner

Build video of coolant hose conduit removal and demo day 3! (sorry no video of core removal because I somehow forgot I was doing a video too)

I got coolant all over hell.

https://youtu.be/8tGyqyoiwzM
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Old 05-22-2019, 09:34 AM   #8
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Posts: 65
Year: 2007
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 Pusher
Done with the floor and I sleep on the bus!

Day 4 not much video but day 5 looks good. Both are in the youtube video.

I finished all the floor removal. It was a very labor intensive process. Some of the wood did not want to come up at all.

I also blew up an air mattress and slept one night in the bus which is also in the video.

My next step is to treat the rust. I have to add in some metal in various places to make the bus ship shape again. I have been scouring this site reading various solutions to this problem. Once that is done I will start the truly fun stuff for me and that will be all the plumbing and electrical, solar and hvac.

Thanks for scoping out my video. And thanks for all the wonderful help from people that have been doing this for many years and making wonderfully informative posts on this site.

https://youtu.be/F-e-25MxLiA

Mark Miner
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Old 05-30-2019, 09:02 PM   #9
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Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Posts: 65
Year: 2007
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 Pusher
Almost Ready for subfloor

Got the rest of the floor cleaned up and ospho'd. I am getting a few pieces of steel welded into the floor tomorrow and then it is time for the subfloor. I ordered the electric stuff. (except solar)

Will make video of floor welding.

Victron Quatro 12v 5000w with 200amp charger
2 x lithionics 555amp/hr batteries for a total of 1110 amp/hrs.
Victron Venus GX monitor

Mark Miner
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Old 06-25-2019, 09:30 AM   #10
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Posts: 65
Year: 2007
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 Pusher
A little of everything....

Oil change field trip, overnight camp, lots of time lapse steel and painting and subfloor.

Subfloor is done!

Shout out to the people who work on their bus AND meticulously document the process. That is NOT me. It is fun to do, but everything does not end up getting covered by video. Fun stuff though!

I picked dri-core R+ for the subfloor. I will let you know how it turns out for insulative value. I am not spending a lot of energy on insulation. I plan on heating and cooling by brute force.

Mark

https://youtu.be/Mob-dnp6yZ8
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