Buster

[Nachtwulf]

Originally Posted by ezbme

Thanks all for the helpful input from everyone. I am learning everyday!

I will take your advice Lee & clean everything today & put a charger on the batteries & see what comes of it... I understand when hooking up a charger or jumping these batteries it doesn't matter which one I connect to correct? Thanks again, I hope they still work as I really don't want to outlay a couple-few hundred bucks for new batteries!

Jonathan

As long as all your connections are tight and clean, it makes no difference which one you attach to charge or "jump".
Best of luck!
Lee

[ezbme]

Originally Posted by Nachtwulf

As long as all your connections are tight and clean, it makes no difference which one you attach to charge or "jump".
Best of luck!
Lee

Thanks Lee!! I am about finished cleaning all the connections & had to add distilled water & will be hooking up a trickle charger in about an hour & will let it run most of the day. Fingers crossed - hope it makes a difference!

Jonathan

[ezbme]

Well I haven't done too much lately... Worked on the batteries, cleaned everything with steel wool, tightened all connection (1 positive - 2 negs were loose) & topped off with distilled water & put an 8 hour trickle charge on it & Buster started right up!

I also installed a closure to the 2 front doors & it locks! I had to cut it down length-wise & drill new holes. Cost me $10 for the gate lock, & about $2 for the nuts, bolts & washers. I then sprayed it black & it holds very well!

It's the KISS theory!

Jonathan

[ezbme]

Thanks vanguy, I am happy with it!

I will in the future combine the 2 doors hinged at the front & will add a nice door handle & latch... Now I have to figure out the inside closing setup. I may be able to use the same gate latch for the inside on the opposite door. I have a vintage cast iron Coke bottle door handle that would look killer for the inside door pull handle! hmmm

MMMMMSpecial Brownies!

[tfdfyrman]

Originally Posted by vanguy67

.....I still don't fully understand why someone would want to convert a school bus into an RV and then spend major $$$ just to make it NOT look like a bus. To me it kinda kills the "coolness" factor....

I would. I don't think it kills the cool factor. It adds to it.

[ezbme]

Hey Smitty, I would like to see that door if you ever come across it again!

[ezbme]

I am SO tired of doctors & their ever present need to feel like they are gods! I have had a bulging disc in my spine for many years. I went (after numerous other doctors took a look at me) to the Hershey Medical center in PA (supposedly the best in the industry) & their only solution was to operate... that meant going thru the front of my neck to replace the bulging disc with an artificial one! Not try therapy first, lets do the $100K operation!

I looked at the long list of possible problems that could occur - heres a few of the worst:
loss of movement of my head side to side
my voice could change OR I could lose it completely
partial paralysis or even better yet, TOTAL paralysis!

They insisted I needed to do this surgery & said I would not be able to function after 5 years or so, but only after I sign a waiver that states they are not liable for the outcome! ARE YOU F**KIN NUTS??? I continued to live with the back pain & finally visited a chiropracter that a friend recommended that took care of me naturally with no surgery! Now granted the pain still comes & goes but hey I am still in one piece & able to do things I could do 20 years ago!!!

[ezbme]

Well I have been contemplating where I want the Honda CT90 to be stored on the bus... A steel channel on the front of the bus seems to be the best place but I don't want to damage the bike from road debris as it is very nice original condition (but then again it IS a dirt bike!).
There are 2 heavy steel brackets on the front of the bus for what might have been a bike rack in it's day. I figured I might be able to rig something up. The bus sits so low in the front that I might just get away with a channel as the motorcycle only weighs about 180 lbs & it is no problem to lift the front & rear separately. Or a tilt-down ramp that holds the wheel in place whe the bike is on the rack. I know they sell these but they are expensive & all the racks I have seen are for box receivers & I want something a bit more sturdy. Hmmm...

[ezbme]

Everyone I spoke with that had or knew someone who had back surgery said "don't do it, you will never be the same"! I took their advice... Glad I did!

The Honda does have a side ignition... good thing your dad didn't lock the forks in the turned position tho...that mighta been tough to pick! Course you could'a done hard left turns all day long!

I like the old Honda. We bought our 2003 Nissan Frontier Crewcab in December from a guy in Jacksonville. When we went there to check it out he had this Honda sitting in his garage partially apart (he was replacing seals) & I commented that my dad had the same bike when I got my first dirtbike at age 6. He noticed that I was spending more time looking at & talking about the bike than the $10,000 truck we were buying. When my wife was inside he said "back the Nissan into the garage for me". I looked at him kinda perplexed & said ok. He proceeded to put about $400 in Honda parts in a box into the truck & asked me to give him a hand loading the motorcyle! Basically he needed the room to park his wifes Mercedes & his Escalade & gave me the title & said have fun, its complete! So I got an original 1973 Honda CT90 that has the original owners title & manual included with only 3200 miles on it for FREE!! SCORE! I am still tickled to this day... It was like getting the Nissan for only $8500... However you look at it I was happy & man it is a blast to ride!
You remember the High/Low switch on it? Makes it an 8 speed... Will climb trees in low!

[ezbme]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I was wondering why you were without a bus & now it makes sense... Sorry to hear about all the troubles & we all hope it gets better for you! Us "skoolies" might have to band together to help build yer bus!

[Papabear]

Hang in there Smitty. If you up and die-they win.

[ezbme]

I can totally relate about the doctors Smitty... 6-1/2 years old I had open heart surgery, a big deal in 1972, was born with a hole in my heart. At 23 I became insulin dependant, just out of the blue! Then the back... It hasn't been easy but I make the best of everything cause I never know what might happen next. I did just have a baby girl on mothers day, my wife & my first child! There are positive things ya gotta look forward to to help keep your head high!

Yea the Honda has a switch below the crankcase that gives it 4 low gears & 4 high. It is a 4 speed clutchless auto which makes it a sinch for anyone to ride!

[TygerCub]

ezbme, that is one beautiful little bike you got there!
And such a sweet deal! Right place at the right time, huh?

Makes me jealous!

[ezbme]

Originally Posted by TygerCub

ezbme, that is one beautiful little bike you got there!
And such a sweet deal! Right place at the right time, huh?

Makes me jealous!

Thanks!
Yea there is nothing like Freebies!!! (And boy do skoolies like freebies!) We took it in to a Honda specialist & had all the new seals put on it, carb rebuilt, tank flushed & let them ride it for a few weeks till we picked it up. Cost us $325 for the work & was well worth it!

[ezbme]

Hey Smitty, along with all other skoolie members out there... You'all are always welcome to come visit us for a spell if you are ever in New Mexico! Plenty of rural "Camping" spots to park your bus & enjoy nature, & a drink or two of course!

I am thinking I might wanna touch base with anyone that is along our route from Sebring Florida to Datil New Mexico... NEVER know what may happen on a 2,000 mile trek & can always use a helping hand if problems arise... *fingers crossed it is uneventful*

[ezbme]

Well last nite my wife & I & the baby were out in the bus for a few hours cleaning up & organizing the tools.... Is it possible to have TOO many tools?? I find it amazing how quickly the bus gets trashed when a new segment is started, no matter what it is. We are going to strap in the Cornwell box & it will stay in the bus when we get to the cabin. Buster is almost starting to look like a workshop of sorts! (might have to rename him)

The stainless steel hand-hold posts that were mounted vertically (currently wrapped in foam) & rails that run the length of the bus on the ceiling are going to be incorporated into the railing along with wood when we build the deck off of the side door of Buster once he is parked at the cabin & setup. They (the posts) will also be a part of the railing at entryway deck to the cabin. Figure I can also use the nice handrail that was at the steps/entrance to the bus on the steps of the bus deck... Ah the fun of reusing salvaged goodies!

[ezbme]

You know I look at everyones progress & I just can't wait to dig into our bus... Building a moving van slash office just isn't quite the same, although I enjoy every chance I get to work on it!
Well I had a little time to make a locking setup for the side door. I figure I am at the point where I need to secure the bus as we are starting to put valuables inside. I cut a piece of a bedframe to make the bracket, drilled it & filed the edges & rounded the sharp corners. Then painted it & used LockTite with double nuts inside to help deter someone from trying to loosen the bolts to get in. I will eventually weld the bolts to the bracket but right now I never have enough time! I also started to lube the transit windows as about 80% are really hard to slide. This bus had AC & I don't think anyone ever opened the windows but they are getting better...

Not too much progress but getting little things done. Still have to figure out what I am going to do for an inside latch for the front doors. I also need to get back inside to build the office desk/shipping counter & finish organizing the tools so we can start to load up our stuff for the move.

[ezbme]

Ok, well I got outside to work on Buster a little more!

When I joined skoolie I was warned that I MUST donate blood as the Bus Gods require it! Well the Gods must not have been on my side as I ended up dontaing more than just blood...

I stole Jim's (baadpuppy) idea of mounting one of the jumpseats that came with Buster at the entranceway for a co-pilot perch. He & I did a little bartering & he got the other jump seat I had & wants to do the same thing...

That said, I sanded, painted & found the perfect location to drill the holes & mounted this cool little seat.
After a days worth of work doing various things my wife & I were out in the bus, she sitting in the drivers seat facing the isle & me in the jumpseat facing her with my feet in the isle also. As we were enjoying a few laughs & talking about my progress I saw she had made some trailmix & it was sitting in a glass tupperware on the dashboard next to the instrument panel. Having the munchies, I leaned forward, rolling from my heels to the balls of my feet & grabbed the tupperware & rolled on my feet back to the seat that had quietly folded back up - which of course caused me to fall to the steps of the bus - but not after first landing on my left ass cheek on the metal edge of the floor where it meets the step compartment, I bounced then I nailed my head on the same edge, followed by a not so graceful backward roll down the steps, flailing & trying to catch my fall, went thru the doors & out onto the ground, all the while holding the glass tupperware!!! I saved the glass but really beat myself up on the fall, but luckily I survived with NO BROKEN BONES! I now have some sweet bruises & my ass is killing me! DAMN BUS GODS.....

So anyway, the morale of the story, beware of the Bus Gods & avoid doing backward rolls down the steps of your bus!

Here are some photos of the progress:

Seat before I did anything, not mounted yet...



After paint & bolting it down.

[ezbme]

We picked up 3 new monocrystalite 90 watt panels for the bus office (would that make it a buffice?). We were supposed to have all the same but the company messed up. It won't matter as they are the exact same specs, they just look different. I also started buying the wire, GFI outlets & boxes & other hardware to get this ready to install.

[baadpuppy]

you might consider using a bungie cord somehow to loosely "lock" the seat down when being used. Also, putting some kind of fold down panel to cover the steps would give the passenger a more comfortable place to put their feet, as well as preventing step rolling. Maybe combine the two so that when the step cover is down, the seat is down, and when you lift one the other automatically goes up. I'm sure there's a way to make that happen safely.

Sorry to hear about the injuries. I like how you got that mounted. I hope I can do a similar install when I get a round tuit.

jim