92 Thomas International Navistar

[milkmania]

Originally Posted by BurlKing

thanks Cadillackid, makes dealing with that sudden curve much more manageable. we were going to go with this ceiling and a mix of nats vaulted ceiling in the four season prime, and use the ceiling we're currently building to hold in the insulation and run wiring and such in the space between that and the vaulted part. Now we're just thinking of running most wires along a channel near the beginning of the curve like it original was and just hiding it with an "access board" that runs from front to back.

Milkmania, i do not have an exact answer for you because i was saving the front and rear caps for last as those were almost left undecided what to do with them, except make them in cabinets like you mentioned. we dont plan to reinstall the first layer of the caps that were originally there, from the bare shell that you see now, it will be that and then insulation with framing to make it as square as possible, plywood to close it out and caulking the seams. the front cap we plan to have speakers on both sides because we have wiper motors in the way and there isnt much you can do with the space, and in between where the original emergency kit cubby was we plan to just build out with another cubby to hold emergency stuff (Fire extinguisher, maps, etc...) the rear cap will be shelving to hold clothes or other bedroom needs. I'm sure there will be a lot of band saw or jig saw work when it comes to the caps, not really looking forward to it! lol.

Makes sense... I guess mine will be different as my air wipers are below my windshield.
My bulkhead endcaps (front & rear) are totally sealed with no openings, and I have no external stop/caution lights. (Only have the externally mounted clearance lights)

So, once I get to that point.... Cabinets it is!!!

Measuring today, my flat screen could mount on the forward bulkhead and still sit an inch above the top of my windshield. (Top Center of bulkhead to top of windshield is 20")

Even if I extended the cabinets 2' into the cab, I could still mount a flat screen (on tilt-out mount) on face of cabinet... Except my door is 18" from front of bus, but I could make a cut out where you walk up & down the steps (overhead)

[BurlKing]

that'd be sweet! i've always liked those RV's with the screens right above the driver there, and still in the living room. however we plan to somewhat block off some of the drivers area with a heavy blanket/curtain so we dont get so much of the cold in the winter from the less insulated drivers area and big windshield. it's only a matter of time until we buy a second bus though, so TV over drivers cab will definitely be on the list then.

[Phatman]

Hey BurlKing, when it comes to using screws on your wood, don't use wood screws. Use sheet metal screws. They have a larger thread than wood screws, so they hold better. Never use sheet metal self tappers on wood. They ream the hole out so they don't hold real well. Your work is looking good. Keep it going.

[BurlKing]

thanks phatman, because man it's tough work putting these suckers in. After its done its solid as a rock to the rib but I wish i could've got your advice sooner because the ones i got go through 12g-20g and im drilling through 14 gauge and it isn't an instant poke through, when the drill end of the screw is making its hole in the metal the threads of the screw actually pull the wood towards me causing it to bend and break from the screw next to it, so i have to pre-drill the holes slightly smaller than the circumference of the screw without the threads, so they still have something to grab on to and then the self tapper goes in the metal right away. Not too mention i've gotta counter-sink the heads because of purchase mistake! lol
In the end though im very pleased with how the first one eventually turned out, and i know what to do on the next ones now.

[slaughridge85]

Originally Posted by BurlKing

however we plan to somewhat block off some of the drivers area with a heavy blanket/curtain so we dont get so much of the cold in the winter from the less insulated drivers area and big windshield.

This is exactly what I did this winter. Two blankets hung from the ceiling with about two feet of overlap in the middle separate the drivers area from the rest of the bus.

They have worked amazing. We've had some sub zero temps and days that it barely makes it above 10 degrees and the blankets managed to stop ALL drafts from the drivers area, and I've been burning much less wood since I don't have all the heat transfer from the windshield and our big glass door...

With some strings to tie them back on warmer days they've worked like a charm.

[BurlKing]

Originally Posted by slaughridge85

This is exactly what I did this winter. Two blankets hung from the ceiling with about two feet of overlap in the middle separate the drivers area from the rest of the bus.

They have worked amazing. We've had some sub zero temps and days that it barely makes it above 10 degrees and the blankets managed to stop ALL drafts from the drivers area, and I've been burning much less wood since I don't have all the heat transfer from the windshield and our big glass door...

With some strings to tie them back on warmer days they've worked like a charm.

hell yeah! good to know there is some first hand experience doing that and it works, we will be putting that on our to do list for sure then. thank you.

[BurlKing]

warmest day in awhile! although a weird white haze loomed over us all day.

Alright the majority of the ceiling beams are installed. The two beams up by the drivers area are the only ones we didn't do, yet.

another view looking in from just past the stair well. next up is window framing, and the beams where the windows were in the way.

[milkmania]

Originally Posted by BurlKing

hell yeah! good to know there is some first hand experience doing that and it works, we will be putting that on our to do list for sure then. thank you.

That's how I did 2 of the Harbor Freight Camo blankets earlier this year... Until I got my pocket doors and bedroom wall installed.

Paracord ROCKS!!!!

[BurlKing]

Originally Posted by milkmania

That's how I did 2 of the Harbor Freight Camo blankets earlier this year... Until I got my pocket doors and bedroom wall installed.

Paracord ROCKS!!!!

awesome, good to have more reassurance. Paracord is a clever idea to tie it back too, has quite a bit of uses. We will definitely keep that in mind.


well it warmed up in time for the interior build out. the 2" of ice that had built up at the back of our parking pad is thawed out and now i can jack the bus up without wrecking the tires.


Not quite...

...almost...

...There we go.

[BurlKing]

most of the interior framing is about done from the transition on back including around the windows.


we left enough around the window for the sill and the surround.

[EastCoastCB]

Beautiful!

[cadillackid]

this is a badass build!!! that frame really makes it start to show shape!!
-Christopher

[BurlKing]

thanks guys! with the windows framed and the walls going up its so much easier to see where things will be now. I want every aspect of the build to be done right now, there's so much to do, its exciting but also overwhelming. we owe you a tour of this when we see you guys at a gathering when its all done for following along.

[milkmania]

That looks great!

[BurlKing]

Originally Posted by milkmania

That looks great!

sure does, doesnt it!? sometimes it doesnt really sink in for me until the next day i see it. looks like a nice tunnel now, best part for me being so short is that i still cant touch the ceiling. lol. i'll have just enough height in our bus to put my hands above my head and only have my fingertips touch the ceiling.

[milkmania]

Originally Posted by BurlKing

sure does, doesnt it!? sometimes it doesnt really sink in for me until the next day i see it. looks like a nice tunnel now, best part for me being so short is that i still cant touch the ceiling. lol. i'll have just enough height in our bus to put my hands above my head and only have my fingertips touch the ceiling.

I had to dig back through the thread... I didn't realize it was a roof raise from the latest pictures.
I read that post, stood in my bus with 77" roof... Put my elbow up and it's about 8" from ceiling. I thought "boy, this guy is short!"
lol

Digging back reminded me how much work you've really done... Very impressive to see bare coated floor, then see the latest pics!


How's the denim working out for ya?
Still happy with the choice?
Pros & cons please...

[BurlKing]

Originally Posted by milkmania

I had to dig back through the thread... I didn't realize it was a roof raise from the latest pictures.
I read that post, stood in my bus with 77" roof... Put my elbow up and it's about 8" from ceiling. I thought "boy, this guy is short!"
lol

Digging back reminded me how much work you've really done... Very impressive to see bare coated floor, then see the latest pics!


How's the denim working out for ya?
Still happy with the choice?
Pros & cons please...

haha, no midgets here. The amount of time we plan to spend with it, we dont think we could've gone without a raise. If we planned to only take it out a couple times a year for a weekend or so we definitely wouldn't have raised it because it sure was a lot of work.

I've even impressed myself looking back on the pictures too, thinking like man I cant believe we did that. It feels like forever ago too but it was just 5 months or so ago that we were raising the roof.

The denim i don't regret purchasing at all.

Pros:
- Made in the U.S.A. (so it says)
- 80% recycled material
- Perforated length wise to get good widths you need
- minimal PPE required if not any at all
- easy to cut width wise
- good sound absorption
- Same R-value as other materials
- No chemicals or irritants used
- And meets the highest ASTM testing standards for fire and smoke ratings, fungi resistance and corrosiveness.

Cons:
- expensive as hell, compared to fiberglass. it'll roughly cost $500-$650 to insulate the entire bus.
- who knows where the denim they've got has been. but hopefully its been steam cleaned or something prior.
- I got the 3.5" insulation, wish it was more even thickness. seems to vary in some spots for 3.4" to 3.3" but nothing less.
- Lots of dust/fibers linger in the air when you rip or cut it.



I couldnt think of many bad things about it, just about the price. i'll be using great foam in certain spots to make up for the spots the rectangle bats cant get too. Its crazy how much just insulating the floor has made the bus warm up faster and stay warmer longer.

[Wutm8]

I've spent the last three days going through your project. Started on page one and read every word. So impressed man, the time, the patience and the hard work are something I hope you are really proud of. Doing a lot of scouting right now for a minibus and I picked up so much knowledge and so many ideas in here. I'll be following closely.

[BurlKing]

Originally Posted by Wutm8

I've spent the last three days going through your project. Started on page one and read every word. So impressed man, the time, the patience and the hard work are something I hope you are really proud of. Doing a lot of scouting right now for a minibus and I picked up so much knowledge and so many ideas in here. I'll be following closely.

its a lot to read, so thank you for taking your time to do that. Keep reading build threads, they help tremendously and no one bus is the same so look at as many conversions as you can and pile what you like from each one together, thats what i did. i've looked through probably 150+ builds over the last two years on here. i like clicking conversions projects then sorting by views and going from there. typically the ones with the high views have done the most, so those are good ones to go off on. i am very proud of this, and dont regret a single second of it. A lot of the stress has been taken away though because i have a place to keep the bus while converting, that just so happens to be free. I'd love to convert a minibus too, hope you find a good one and good luck, i will keep you updated!

[BurlKing]

we were hampered down this week by the weather warming up and making a mess out of everything and then followed by a freeze and snow. We also purchased a snowmobile this week. So much fun to ride on our down time from working on the bus. 95 Arctic Cat 550 cougar - got it for $325 and we didn't even have to fix it.

First of the rear framing going in. the curves meeting up made this a little difficult and then part of the back comes in at a 10 degree angle. The flat back buses would've been easier to work with here.
We used great foam behind the 2X4s around the door since there was a small crevice behind them and where some of the 2x2s meet at the sides. 5 clearance lights will be going in back here. 3 up top in the middle, and one on each side up top as well.

more framing

then some insulation going in.


Next on the list is to order weatherstripping for the rear door. The only drafts coming in the bus are around that door. If anyone has a better idea for weatherstripping it let me know. I checked menards and home depot for weatherstripping and they have a very low supply in store, I even checked the garage door stuff. Seems like all the good weatherstripping is online.

so far this is what im going with - https://www.amazon.com/Trim-Lok-X527...PVWGK1R61EJRT5