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Old 03-14-2016, 06:25 PM   #1
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Buster Brown gets all prettied up

So we bought a bus for tootling around Alaska in with our 3 boys. We bought it from a family that had moved up here in it from Georgia, and it was decently converted already inside. Our plan is to reconfigure it inside and make it all purty. The inlaws live down in a smaller Alaska town and have a big shop full of tools etc where we're spending our Spring Break and are hoping to rip out the old floor and seats and add storage, a bed platform, new seats (got them from a junkyard in Wasilla from old tour buses that Denali National Park scrapped!), table, and a counter area for a sink (to come later) and food prep.

Boys are super excited to be involved, but only one of them is really old enough to help. Really appreciate all the insight and BTDT and pics of everyone elses hard work here.

Lets see what we can do in a week!

(pics coming soon)

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Old 03-14-2016, 06:30 PM   #2
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Good luck!
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Old 03-14-2016, 06:31 PM   #3
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HURRY UP WITH THE PICS!!!!! (jumping up and down like a little kid on Christmas morning!)
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Old 03-14-2016, 08:22 PM   #4
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Here we go....

Presenting...... Buster!


weirdly configured insides, as we bought it


Goofballs


Buster picked a nice place to overheat as we travelled down to the inlaws to work on her for the week


A family affair as we take out the seats and the gross, old, buckled floor


Down to the subfloor which was thankfully still in good shape


More to follow.....
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Old 03-14-2016, 08:36 PM   #5
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That bus looks perfect for you guys. That's a lot of fun for the kids and way better than a suburban.
Good demolition. Many eyes are on you.
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Old 03-14-2016, 10:37 PM   #6
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Playing around with seat configuration before we lay down the floor. Think we've decided on this way and will put a table in between the two seats that face each other.

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Old 03-14-2016, 11:15 PM   #7
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That looks really nice. You guys work fast.

I usually put one seat back against the drivers seat so nothing can impact the driver if there were some type of incident.
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Old 03-15-2016, 02:47 PM   #8
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Floor!!!!

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Old 03-15-2016, 03:53 PM   #9
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That's a little dark for a bowling alley, but it looks great.
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Old 03-17-2016, 10:53 PM   #10
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We're pretty pleased with what we've been able to do in 4 days so far!

Building the 'kitchen' countertop and storage with sink.







Installed! Low sleeping platform or couch with storage underneath on the right




My incredible father in law with his supervisor, Buddy.


The crew!


Curtain mock-up.


Copper pipe curtain rods. We'll see how these work...


We're currently trying to get out 13 more light blocking curtains sewn up and may go over all the wood with one more coat of pecan stain (but I kind of like it with just the one coat now...) and get the sink plumbed in. Once we're home we'll polyurethane all the wood. Tomorrow we may build a set of shelves at one foot of the bed platform across the back and a little lip to keep the twin mattress from sliding down to the other end. (You cant really see it in the pic with the family, but there's a platform across the end of the bus for a twin mattress, with our main storage underneath. I'll hang curtains across the front openings and keep the storage boxes and totes under there by way of bungee cords they've drilled holes for in the supporting legs.) Curtains will cover the front of the countertop with sink as well. Much to my husbands chagrin there will be POMPOM FRINGE EVERYWHERE ❤️������������������❤️
The boys are getting really excited. I am too, and I can't stay off Pinterest and this forum looking for ideas. Really, really appreciative of my killer in-laws who have made this happen with their sewing and woodworking skills. Tomorrow is our last day to work on the bus before we head home and have to deal with the radiator issue. �� Fingers crossed...
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Old 03-17-2016, 10:57 PM   #11
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Looks great!! Digging the floor.
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Old 03-17-2016, 11:02 PM   #12
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Have you guys done a radiator flush or anything while you've been parked there? You can't take off and deal with that on the road.
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Old 03-17-2016, 11:08 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
Have you guys done a radiator flush or anything while you've been parked there? You can't take off and deal with that on the road.
Not yet. Likely tomorrow, maybe Saturday. Husband and FIL are dealing with that; Im just the photographer and pompom fringe lady I'M KIDDING. Theyre talking to some diesel mechanic friends tomorrow to come up with a plan.
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Old 03-17-2016, 11:27 PM   #14
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They could do a radiator flush themselves for maybe $25. Point is it's not that expensive and what comes out tells you a lot about what condition the radiator is in. They've probably got a plan and it's likely more accurate than my guesses.
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Old 03-18-2016, 12:31 AM   #15
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Their diesel mechanic buddy hooked them up with the head mechanic for the borough's school bus pool for tomorrow. Everyones on spring break so hes got some free time to check our rig out. Lucky timing! We'll see what he says.... Would appreciate everyones fingers and toes crossed...
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Old 03-18-2016, 09:19 AM   #16
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You guys are really rockin'. And great to see that it is a family project.
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Old 03-18-2016, 09:25 AM   #17
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Haha, you said pom pom fringe, haha!!!!!

It's looking good! Hope your radiator issue is an easy inexpensive fix. I had mine rebuilt to the tune of $900.
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Old 03-18-2016, 09:27 AM   #18
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Down here those are not "pom-poms"...they are called "Chi-Chi Balls" and a required elemernt of any Low-Rider.
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