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Old 06-28-2017, 01:06 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Dear diary, today I bought a bus......

I'm Valerie. . . my wife Isabel and I saved for a year and a half then quit our jobs and started our build on a 1996 AmTran, RE (Rear Engine), 444e (7.3 Navistar/International), 88 passenger (13+ windows), 1 door on either side.... bus.

This is our timeline so far.

https://goo.gl/photos/pNb9GgLkUSndgAwL6

This will be updated frequently, so feel free to subscribe if interested. I'll also post select pictures here in the thread.

Feel free to ask questions or give helpful tips. Knowledge is power.

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Old 07-02-2017, 02:59 PM   #2
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It begins!

It begins!
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Old 07-02-2017, 03:08 PM   #3
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seats... lots of seats.

Removal was a pain. I ended up grinding off the trouble bolts with an angle grinder. Most we got with wrenches and one person below the bus with one and another in the cab.
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Old 07-02-2017, 03:36 PM   #4
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 1,269
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: HDX
Engine: Cat C7
Rated Cap: 84 passenger
Nice score! BTW, please let us know where you consider your home 20.
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Old 07-03-2017, 06:32 PM   #5
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Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,573
Year: 2003
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: '00
I like how you made what you wanted for who you are today. I keep trying to add "bonus sleeping bunk here or there", but it impedes simplicity of design.

That design "napkin" sure looks anguished over. I'm at that phase now- I sit inside the empty shell on a 5 gallon bucket and a tape measure. My floor looks like your master design sheet.

Mechanically, looks to be a very sound craft. Happy Trails !
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Old 07-03-2017, 06:53 PM   #6
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Location: Weeki Wachee, FL
Posts: 3,056
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: Cummins 5.9
Rated Cap: 72
That bus is huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge! Looks like you've made a ton of progress.

I started out with a design and quickly decided that my home building skills weren't so good and I should embrace the shortie lifestyle.

What part of the world are you in?
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Old 07-03-2017, 07:07 PM   #7
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Location: Oklahoma aka "God's blind spot"
Posts: 2,446
Year: 1989
Coachwork: 1853FC International/Navistar
Chassis: 35' Retired Air Force Ambulance
Engine: DT466, MT643
Rated Cap: 6 souls and a driver
Quote:
Originally Posted by VelvetBlueEyes View Post
Removal was a pain. I ended up grinding off the trouble bolts with an angle grinder. Most we got with wrenches and one person below the bus with one and another in the cab.
With a title like that.... You make it sound like you shot yourself in the foot!

Great find and great progress!!! You're going to be the envy of several members on here.

And for all that is holy.... Put that hair in a ponytail when using power tools!!!
Seriously!

And when you start welding... Use long sleeved button up shirts... Buttoned to the top! You've never seen a sunburn worse than welding sunburns! Your skin will blister and peel even before you're done welding.

Use gauntlet style welding gloves too.
Some will say it's overkill, but I'll tell you it's painful!
__________________
I once complained I had no shoes....
Until I met a man with no feet
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Old 07-03-2017, 10:38 PM   #8
Almost There
 
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Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Posts: 97
Year: 1965
Coachwork: Looking for a bus...maybe
Chassis: International Scout
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 2
That's a big bus!
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Old 07-04-2017, 12:41 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brokedown View Post
That bus is huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge! Looks like you've made a ton of progress.

I started out with a design and quickly decided that my home building skills weren't so good and I should embrace the shortie lifestyle.

What part of the world are you in?
Currently we're in McMinnville Oregon. Ya, we've been working hard for a bit over a month now.... slower than I'd like, but decent.
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Old 07-04-2017, 12:46 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
I like how you made what you wanted for who you are today. I keep trying to add "bonus sleeping bunk here or there", but it impedes simplicity of design.

That design "napkin" sure looks anguished over. I'm at that phase now- I sit inside the empty shell on a 5 gallon bucket and a tape measure. My floor looks like your master design sheet.

Mechanically, looks to be a very sound craft. Happy Trails !
Ya... one nice thing about building it this way is its fairly easy to rearrange things if i change my mind.... we've already redone the bedroom and bath area area twice and the work table 3 times.

The design sheets were just how my brain thinks of things. xD
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Old 07-04-2017, 10:25 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GuidoLyons View Post
That's a big bus!
It's unexpectedly fun to drive. We *were* in a 33 foot travel trailer and towing with a one ton Ford van and every time a semi went by it would suck me a little into their lane. Not a fun experience. I drove half way across the country with white knuckles.

This bus laughs at semis. \o/ .... i miss that van though.
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Old 07-04-2017, 10:50 AM   #12
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seal

Next was sealing the floor... someone in my intro mentioned ospho..... I dunno what that is, but used Rustoleum primer and weather seal (oil base [yes I know about the off-gassing]) after scraping and wire wheeling the floor.
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Old 07-04-2017, 10:53 AM   #13
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Very inspired! Thanks for sharing. I'm in the very beginning, as in researching and trying to learn. We are about 4 years out from anticipated travel date, so thankfully I have time to learn. I love how you drew up such detailed designs on what you wanted. That's definitely a skill I'm going to try to hone while I research and learn!
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Old 07-04-2017, 11:48 AM   #14
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Next.... I was going to seal the wood with a Japanese technique called Shou Sugi Ban, because I wanted to keep the chemicals to a minimum (I am a hippie afterall)..... however time and resources wouldn't allow it. They are currently bare, but I'm considering sealing them with coconut, or olive oil and maybe trying a coffee or beet juice stain.


Here is the Japanese technique.

https://youtu.be/5CaEibjv_Qk

Here is a sample of a coconut oil project.

Aging Wood with Vinegar – Sealing with Coconut oil…before and after
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Old 07-04-2017, 11:57 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptSquid View Post
Nice score! BTW, please let us know where you consider your home 20.

Oregon
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Old 07-04-2017, 12:02 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by milkmania View Post
With a title like that.... You make it sound like you shot yourself in the foot!

Great find and great progress!!! You're going to be the envy of several members on here.

And for all that is holy.... Put that hair in a ponytail when using power tools!!!
Seriously!

And when you start welding... Use long sleeved button up shirts... Buttoned to the top! You've never seen a sunburn worse than welding sunburns! Your skin will blister and peel even before you're done welding.

Use gauntlet style welding gloves too.
Some will say it's overkill, but I'll tell you it's painful!


I won't have a welder for awhile.... too much else to buy and do.... I am familiar though.

I couldn't find my hair ties and we were under a time constraint..... .... I just rolled with it. I usually put it in a bun.
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Old 07-04-2017, 12:12 PM   #17
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floor...

So, for the flooring (after many discussions and opinions)... I finally settled on my own intuition and layed down a vapor barrier, then screwed 1x3 into the newly sealed floor (i decided against a "floating floor" for no other reason than I didn't like the idea of my build "shifting"). I filled the 1x3 frame with 1" rtech and overlayed that with 3/4 plywood, for a solid base. Then I covered everything in 1x8 boards.
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