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Old 05-28-2015, 12:19 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 32
Year: 92
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
Brighty Bus

Just picked up a 93 Blue Bird All American Pusher last week. Cummins 8.3, MT643, 80k miles. Got her home and I'm getting ready to start the conversion, which i will detail here.

Drive home went well, the front air brakes lost a little pressure at one point and started beeping (strange because i was going uphill) but i pulled off and it normalized. Have to keep an eye on it. Also, the sensor for the emergency door doesn't make a good connection, so the buzzer make for a bit of a noisy ride home. I didn't care, i was too excited. I even saw another skoolie conversion on the way!

I'm going to raise the roof. For heat, i'm pretty sure i want to do radiant floor heat. Electric is still a big question mark for me, but i'd like to run it all off solar and avoid a generator if possible, but we'll see how it shakes out.

Anyway, i've found a place to park it. No electric so i'll be using a small genny to run my tools. I though about upgrading to all battery powered tools, but for the extra money/reduced lifespan, it think its cheaper to run the genny.

Here are some picks. Suggestions, advice, and bullsh#t welcome on this thread.
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Old 05-28-2015, 01:38 PM   #2
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Nice! That's what we're looking for. Where did you find it?
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Old 05-28-2015, 01:52 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: AZ
Posts: 32
Year: 92
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
I picked it up in Phoenix, AZ from an engine shop that had taken it in on a trade. It was in service here in AZ.

There are two similar busses available on publicsurplus.com at the moment. Only difference being these two are front engine, and they are asking a lot for them. I paid 6000 for mine.

Public Surplus: Auction #1369482
Public Surplus: Auction #1369501
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Old 12-01-2015, 05:30 PM   #4
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Year: 92
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
A picture's worth a thousand words
Maybe more, who knows?
And so my skoolie chums
I will not bore you with my prose.







a love story


the intake goes through where?






i've broken quit a few of these already.


the steel studs came from a demo job but i've decided against using them. anyone need material, they're galvanized


my only help so far
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Old 12-01-2015, 05:38 PM   #5
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I see Maid Blarney is there to help the build move forward! Who says child labor is immoral? It's the parental prerogative!!!!! I have a 14 year old about to get a good education in building our bus.......
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Old 12-01-2015, 09:28 PM   #6
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Nice bus! I am doing the same thing with an MCI coach I purchased two months ago. I am running everything off a generator too. I have ended up using an angle grinder more than any tool... tried a battery powered one against my better judgement and returned two days later. Generator is definitely the way to go.

What size air compressor are you using for air tools?
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Old 12-01-2015, 09:41 PM   #7
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Join Date: Apr 2015
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Posts: 32
Year: 92
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Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
its a 10 gal that i picked up from harbor freight
10 gal 2.5 HP 125 PSI Oil Lube Air Compressor

it was able to keep up with the air chisel no problem and i was using it continuously.


Im running off a genny now as well. Wish I had water here, the underside needs to be power washed.

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Old 12-01-2015, 09:48 PM   #8
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Awesome. I just picked up a little 8 gallon husky generator for $80, they are sale at HD right now... I was thinking of going to harbor freight in case I need something bigger down the line.

Just a thought on the water, have you looked into a 275 gallon tank? They are old food grade tanks that sell for pretty cheap. They have an aluminum cage. Easy way to get a decent amount of water where there isn't any. I wished it fit in the storage bays of my bus or I would use it for a fresh water tank. Just craigslist or ebay 275 gallon tank, it will come up.

I look forward to seeing how the bus comes along. I haven't posted any pictures of mine yet, trying to finish graduate school applications!
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Old 12-01-2015, 09:50 PM   #9
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Also, I found this wedged up above the drivers seat. Someone took those bus rules pretty seriously.





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Old 12-01-2015, 11:29 PM   #10
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Tire checker.
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Old 12-01-2015, 11:57 PM   #11
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A "thumper".
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Old 12-02-2015, 08:04 AM   #12
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Year: 92
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Engine: 8.3 Cummins
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Ahh, i though it was a behavior calibrator.
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Old 12-02-2015, 08:16 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by captblarney View Post
Ahh, i though it was a behavior calibrator.
Secondary, unstated, purpose
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Old 12-02-2015, 10:10 AM   #14
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I alway thought it was called an attitude adjuster or a whoop ass can opener.

Nice bus. I can't believe a 92 BB could bring over 8k on one and 9k on the other.
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Old 12-02-2015, 05:09 PM   #15
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I prefer a gage over a thumper.
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Old 12-05-2015, 04:49 PM   #16
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Join Date: Apr 2015
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Engine: 8.3 Cummins
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More progress. Getting close to raising the roof. I found a place that can make the hat channels for the ribs. Still not sure about what material to use. Im thinking cold rolled for the hat channels and galvanized to skin the sides. I think gavlanealed would be best in both cases but not necessary.

I'm doing a 20 inch raise and the gap created by removing the window is about 23 inches. That means my hat channels need to be 42 inches long. Any longer and the rivets farther down the rib will prevent the hat channel from sitting properly against the rib.


Here are a few more steps leading up the the roof raise.

Drivers side rub rail and window channel covers removed. Also remove the window "sills" as you can see in the last pic.


Still not sure how high up to bring the sheet metal. At first i thought to drill out the bottom row of rivets and run the sheet up in between the two horizontal rows. Now im thinking to just run it up to the first row and be done with it. This should be a tight enough seal


Drilled out the center of the rivets on the passenger rub rail. Couple taps with the chisel and they pop right off. (most of them)



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Old 12-06-2015, 03:56 PM   #17
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Engine: Detroit 6-71 Mid-Ship Mounted
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Nice bus...looking forward to the progress
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Old 12-07-2015, 08:48 AM   #18
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Good read if you're building for off grid

https://handybobsolar.wordpress.com/
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Old 03-08-2016, 10:41 AM   #19
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
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Year: 92
Coachwork: Blue Bird
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Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
Just got a quote for making 26 36inch hat channels from 14 ga. The total estimate was just over $1000, which was more than what i was expecting. For folks who went the hat channel route, what did you pay?
The one complication is my hat channels are deeper than they are wide, so i had to search around a bit for a shop with the right break head, but i don't think that should affect the price that much.
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Old 03-08-2016, 11:58 AM   #20
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I don't know,but it seems to me that a metal building contractor would have hat channel
Already made. Here in Oklahoma you can but the stuff by the foot at metal mart.
I used to use it all the time to build storage sheds, just as cheap and easy to use as wood 2x4's..metal wheel on circle saw and off you go..or a special blade in a chop saw..can't remember what they are called..sorry
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