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Old 07-01-2009, 02:19 PM   #21
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Quote:
Originally Posted by tfdfyrman
It will be nice to get rid of all those school related lights.
Hey I'm fond of those school bus lights!

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Old 07-01-2009, 05:51 PM   #22
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Re: "Double Deuce"

I got the lights from a local truck supply called Fleet Pride. Their website is www.fleetpride.com They used to be Oklahoma Truck Supply but I guess they were bought out. They are made in Oklahoma and were super afforable. I paid $11 ea. on the reds, $15 ea. on the clears and $16.00 ea. on the ambers. You can't even get lights that cheap on e-ghey. I like these because they are surface mount and don't have to go in a rubber grommet, and the wires are pig tails instead of the three prong plugs.

My wife likes the verticle and I am undecided so you know what that means...

I ordered the windows today from Tri state RV surplus. I bought 8 windows of different sizes all tinted glass with screens for $305. Shipping cost me $135 though Still not a bad price for that many windows. I should have them by Monday. I'm stoked!
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Old 07-02-2009, 05:52 AM   #23
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Re: "Double Deuce"

I used West Marine 8200 marine sealant/adhesive for my window blanks (and alot of other places), stays flexible and once it is on it isnt coming off. It seems to be a knock off of 3M 5200 but at $12 vs $25 per tube it was a no brainer. Sikaflex (think 2754?) has an adhesive that is used to bond exterior panels on trailers and such but it isnt cheap and is alot harder to find. If the 8200 is used and rated for complete immersion to fasten critical areas in boats (thru hull fittings etc) I figured an old schoolbus application bus would be no problem - so far so good.
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Old 07-03-2009, 10:35 PM   #24
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Man I am dropping money on this thing left and right. Thefamily made a trip to Carthage, Mo today to visit Colaw RV salvage. Wow, they have a TON of parts. Some reasonible, some rediculously priced. They sell new, new surplus, new scratch and dent and used parts.
We ended up coming home with several items for what I feel was a good price.
We bought a very nice entry door with frame and screen door, a new Black/Stainless range top(no oven), a water pump, a brand new scratch and dent 10 gal. LP/110v hotwater tank electric ingnition, a 65gal fresh water tank with level sensors, and a new fresh water filler door for just over $800.

We have a ton of work to do now. I think the plan is to get some bathroom walls up, skin the window openings, install the entry door, install some of the windows, do a little body work on it and get a coat of primer on it before this fall. Then we will move back inside to finish it out.

For those that noticed that we bought another tank and water pump. It is because I got scammed. The first water tank sprung a leak which I fixed but my wife wasn't comfortible mounting it inside the bus and the first water pump will run but will not pump. Oh well they were cheap. I will probably sell the tank at some point to recover something.

Pics to come soon.
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Old 07-03-2009, 11:55 PM   #25
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Re: "Double Deuce"

They sell replacement body panels and just about any part you might need here...

http://www.tacbusparts.com/
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Old 07-04-2009, 08:33 AM   #26
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Thanks Firearm, I found them a couple weeks ago. There is a place in OKC that sells the panels but are twice the cost of tac bus parts. I haven't called them to check on shipping yet though.

Oh, btw, in my last post when I mentioned that Colaw salvage was reasonable on some parts but rediculous on others. Here is an example. I priced a door and mirrors off of a top end Winnebago. The door was $1000 and the mirrors were $800 Yeah right, they were nice but not that nice. I found my door off of a midpriced motorhome for $250. Another shocker I found was a old Chrome bumper off of a BB wanderlodge. I thought I could pick it up for a couple hundred max. Nope, $850 I actually lol'ed at the guy right there. But there again, I bought a brand new never installed stove for $80 and a Brand new 10gal scratch and dent water tank for $325, He had the same one for $650 without scratches in the front of the store. I just tell you guys this incase you go up there to buy some stuff. Do your homework before you go. You can get great deals and you can walk away with a hurt butt if you're not careful I'll be makeing a trip again sometime in the future. I will let you guys know when I do incase you want me to look for something specific. Or ask me now and I can probably tell you if they have it. I was there for about three hours walking around. If you just call them to ask if they have something, you will get a reply "We have 400 rv's, We might have one, you'll just have to come out and look". Fortunately they are only an hour and a half from me so it wasn't too bad.

Anyway, enough rambling
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Old 07-15-2009, 06:29 PM   #27
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Got my solid rivets ordered today. I should have them by Friday. So hopefully I will be getting some panels installed this weekend. I also bought a gallon of Primer and began priming the backs of the panels today. I'm not in anyway a painter and I am learning as I go. I think it may have been too hot this afternoon. I mixed a quart of primer and added the recommend amount of hardener and about a third of the quart set up in the gun before I got done shooting two panels Took 45 mins to clean the gun out. (question for Case) Can I use less hardener? Or should I just wait until the temp is below 100*? I dont understand ratios when it come to mixing. The gallon came with four little tubes of hardener and the guy at the paint store said it take one tube per quart. The can says a ratio of 100:2. Don't have a cule how to mix that. If were talking gear ratios though, i'm all over it Can someone educate me on this?
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Old 07-15-2009, 06:48 PM   #28
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Re: "Double Deuce"

My office in the house has turned into a RV storage room

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Old 07-15-2009, 07:27 PM   #29
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Re: "Double Deuce"

I'm a pretty good painter using epoxy primer can be tricky- I haven't alot of experience with it myself. Heat souldn't make a real difference. Sounds more like a srayer/compressor problem. Be sure you are using correct pressure, for the gun. I don't know what kind of feed you have, guessing top feeder. I run ine at about 65 psi, anything lower you run the risk of both putting paint on too thick. Next is your cfm rating- I know my devilbiss needs 18 cfm or it just won't act right. The fan jets get gummed up, with too low cfm- reason is as you sweep the paint hits them eventually builds up- turns into a big mess.

If you have an HVLP setup, it's all different. Not an expert on HVLP think they use bar for measurement 1bar= 15 psi??? HVLP uses 2 bar... anyone who's better can answer.

Oh what primer are you using 2k? Any particlar reason you went with it instead of air dry? If your not experienced air dry is your best bet... my personal choice is air dry primer/sealer/ top coat. You can go to a 2:1:15% if you're getting an organge peel look- or it doesn't seem to "lay down".

Hope this helps- or might make it worse.
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Old 07-15-2009, 08:01 PM   #30
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Pretty much made it worse

I am using a HVLP gravity feed gun. It is regulated at 45psi at the gun. Seemed to be laying out well but my problem was with the primer setting up in the hopper (or what ever you call it). I just went to the automotive paint supplier and he showed me a few options. I ended up with a polyester primer. It is Feather Fill G2 paint. Good or bad chioce, I don't no. What sold me on it was it is a high build, etching primer. I originally went in to buy a gallon of etching, and came home with this. I didn't know you could buy air dry in a gallon. What is the difference and the pro and cons od the two?
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Old 07-15-2009, 09:31 PM   #31
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Im no painter... or carpenter or metal worked or cabinet maker but from what I have seen an air dry in the summer with high humidity will take forever to cure. They painted my interior roof panels (xo rust paint) in the spring with low humidity and it was soft for about a week, he told me not to buy it too. The floor they painted with an epoxy primer and regular paint and it was hard right away. The paint on the roof nicks and scratches easily still (3 months later) but the floor seems bulletproof. They guy where I store my bus told me that the paint with the hardener in it is junk (rustoleum etc) and will not hold up well in any sun exposed areas although he uses it alot on rims bumpers etc. I guess what Im saying is that, based on a guy that has painted equipment for 20 years, use a good paint with hardener. I believe he uses an accelerant too this time of year to speed curing. Just make sure you add the proper amounts as this type of paint will not cure without it. He just painted an excavator for me that the paint was still soft on, dont know how this will work out.
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Old 07-15-2009, 10:11 PM   #32
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Ok the 100:2 "OZ" is what I was looking for. It doesn't specify it is oz's. The guy told me that I could use reducer if I wanted to thin it out but it wasn't neccessary. The primer i'm using is call Feather fill Generation 2 made by Evercoat.
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Old 07-17-2009, 05:58 AM   #33
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Worked on the bus last night. I cut my fisrt hole in the side of it. That was nerving. Got my water tank mounted and my plumbing and water pump placement figured out. I just need to go buy a ton of Pex hardware to install it.






My wife was jonesing for a look of "progress" so we cut a panel and got it installed. We are using 1/4" finished plywood. I think I've heard it called Luan, or whatever but the plan is to paint or wall paper the walls and panel and paint the ceiling with too placing a stained trim strip every 24". I think it will look pretty good that way.


I am thinking about mounting a heater in this location, and building a return and supply plentum for it. This way I will have heat at the front and rear of the bus while driving.
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Old 07-17-2009, 08:30 AM   #34
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Hey Double Deuce: Is there an access panel to the top of the engine/transmission under that rear seat?My RE Gillig has 2 removable panels, one under the seat and one in the floor. For my second bus, I'm going to make the middle section of my bed support frame removable. This will save innumerable headaches if I need service /repair. Might be more important for me, since I have a 10 speed. I imagine the floor panel is required to access the shift linkage for adjustment, and removal for clutch replacement. Might be something to look at /consider before it's too late!!
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Old 07-17-2009, 08:32 AM   #35
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Re: "Double Deuce"

I have a question.
what happened in your battery box to cause all that black river of stain from under the door? did a battery commint suicide in there? or Perhaps something less sinister?
also panelling looking good i have done some similar framing on my thomas!!!
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Old 07-17-2009, 03:36 PM   #36
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Thanks for the replys. The walls and ceiling will all be primed and painted. Maybe even wall papered. The only thing that will be stained are the cabinets. The Thomas buses don't have any access panels inside the bus. They probably should however since the Turbo is under there. I can always pull the bed boards up and cut in a access hole if I needed to. And yes the battery compartment is all rusted up. As a matter of fact, it is the ONLY rust on the whole bus. I will be redoing the entire compartment soon.
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Old 07-18-2009, 09:05 PM   #37
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Re: "Double Deuce"

I have about had it with this freaking primer. I went and bought a gallon of medium reducer today. mixed it per instructions at 5%. Within 10 minutes I had this

This is the same result I had without using reducer. I don't no if I have a bad gallon of paint or what.

Anyway I moved on to putting up the panels. I only got one panel up and am ready to put some more up tomorrow.
I will definatley be buying a different primer to do the outside of the bus. It sucks though, that I spent $60 on that gallon and still have over half of it left. Maybe I can take it back with the above pic and get my money back.



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Old 07-19-2009, 09:52 PM   #38
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Re: "Double Deuce"

We got the passenger side skined today. My neighbors came over and helped us too. I put my wife on grinder duty this morning and I was going behind her removing the screws and rivets. I tell you, of all the removal method used, cutting a slot in the screw and backing it out with a slot head is the easiest and cleanest. For the ones that broke off, I hit it with the air chisel. The black you see on one of the panels is rust converting primer. That was the bottom sheet on the pallet when I bought it and the pallet must have been wet. We started laying out for the two rear windows before calling it a weekend. Work tomorrow. Gotta get some rest.



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Old 07-20-2009, 06:19 PM   #39
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Re: "Double Deuce"

Here is what I did with my lights. I put them like this so I could get rid of the old holes.....Hope this helps....








All lights are LED
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Old 07-20-2009, 07:54 PM   #40
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Re: "Double Deuce"

I like that. looks like you're pulling off your rub rails too? I pulled a couple off the drivers side to see how it looked. It gives it a "not so industrial" look.
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