G Bus Progress

[ezbme]

Originally Posted by tfdfyrman

Posting pics is super easy. Log onto photobucket.com, register an acct. upload your pics from your computer onto their server. Be sure and automatically resize them to 640x480 (this is the size that fits best on message boards) when you upload them other wise you will have to do it later. Once you get them on photobucket, move you mouse over the pic, a drop down pulls up. Left click on the "img" link, highlighting it, Then right click, copy, then paste on here. your done.

What he said! Its easy...

[rjz5400]

well bad news today! i have been kinda busy and gotten some stuff done and i will post those pictures later on the forum.
Today i got the timing done on my 12v cummins. on valve number 12 the furthest one back, i ignored my instincts about tightness and proceeded to crank down on my tourque wrench long past it clicked from the 18 ft-lbs the adjusting screw requires. it snapped right off and fell to the parking lot under the bus, so now instead of cleaning up the valve covers and buttoning the whole thing up i am searching the internet for parts and advise on how to take the rocker arm off and replace the valve adjusting screw when i find a new one.

this should be much longer and telling my number 6 exhaust valve exactly when to burp out the blackness

[rjz5400]

It has been a few days but i have been busy chasing a fuel problem, doing regular maintenance, and getting the plywood floor cut and set in place.
I bought a Saw and some other stuff including some lock appratus but havent actually installed them yet.
Moved to my friend's driveway to use his power and tools while i do the bulf of the framing and such. should move quickly from here on out.
Check out my photo gallery for the recent work! http://www.skoolie.net/gallery2/v/Skoolies/G+Bus/
Has anyone built their floor directly on plywood? i was wondering if i should get blue foam, i am trying to save headroom and money...


Current copilot until i mount one of the salvaged fake leather tahoe seats for my lady

[swhite832]

I have been watching your thread. I have a Thomas with a cummins as well but it is a front engine bus. USAA told me right away they would not insure an RV. I ended up with State Farm @ $90/six months for our State's minimum.

I sure wish i had those boxes you have. I am going to have to build some which will take a significant amount of time. It will include skirts around the entire bus as well.

Keep the pictures coming....and trust your torque wrench(what a bummer).

s

[rjz5400]

thanks for the encouragement. what i did was tightened it past 18 lb/ft with my regular ratchet, then when i came back with the torque wrench it clicked immediately and i didn't notice when it did.
oh yes the belly storage will be handy for gear. mine actually need quite a bit of welding to get them to close and latch all sealed up but it sure is a great start! I will probably partition it for black water/ propane/ and other storages.
and i have been finally building up the inside with stolen ideas from this forum and updating my photo blog pretty regular so here it comes next couple of days will be update city.

[rjz5400]

well i am back and i have finally actually done some non demo and non cosmetic work. i got the engine put back together after i overtightened that adjusting screw and took out the old thermostat and replaced it with a new one. bus seems to be driving much smoother since i have done the maintenance the last few weeks and have run the tank dry with additive and since filled it to a half again.

I have not gotten up to highway speed since i have cleaned out the radiator fins and switched the thermostat. I am hoping it breaks the 55mph barrier. If not then i just hope i can drive longer than 15 minutes at a time without losing power.

lots of great stories to go with the pictures in the gallery. I have had a long week or two as just recently i have begun to have migranes.
Sweet mixed Vascular/Stress throbbing that made me consider a self inflicted full frontal labotomy, with a power tool or firearm. luckly my sweet GF dragged me to the emergency room after much council with my stepmother( Careear RN) and my associates. one MRI and who knows how many uninsured dollars later and now i am taking an over the counter advil migraine every day and it is working so far.

Anyway here is one pic to peak your interest and check my gallery for the details. and the deals, Man i have been getting the sweet deals, RV specific, flooring, fabric, woo hoo

[ezbme]

thats a cool dining table!

[rjz5400]

the middle section /self contained toilet/ is what really gives it the functionality i am looking for in a table

[ezbme]

Originally Posted by rjz5400

the middle section /self contained toilet/ is what really gives it the functionality i am looking for in a table

Now that is multi-tasking at its finest!!! In one end, out the other!
I haven't been able to view your album till today. Looking like you are making some progress!
And good to hear your doing well!

[rjz5400]

well yesterday the neighbor showed me his plasma cutter, MIG welder and scrap steel and art projects. he told me to head on over anytime and to "think up some projects" well after i left from cutting out some stuff and doing my first welding ever i though up like 15 things i want to cut out, bend, and weld!!!
I rode out to buy a generator from my buddies mother in law. turns out it was a coleman power-mate 5000 maxa er! its a 10hp tecumseh? engine with a 5gal tank, its loud as **** but it sure does make some power. started right up. had a tune up a few months ago for hurricane season (i live at the beach wilmington nc) and she just doesn't think she will use it so i got it for 100 USD.! !!!

I know it works for sure because i took it over to the donation travel trailer and powered up the fuse panel/. Then i reached in there with my hand, spun the fan on the coleman rooftop and wouldn't you know that S.O.B hummed on and started putting out stank breeze. then it turned into a tepid wind, and gradually an Air Conditioned vent!!!!!

Has anyone renovated old appliances after a period of sitting around? i know the basics of cleaning changing fluids and lubricating but if there are specific do's and dont's then please let me know. i plan on recovering everything from the trailer into my G Bus.
Another favor please???????
If anyone has a 1981 or similar coleman mach iii rooftop ac unit could you please send a picture or a link or something i am having trouble getting the front panel directions because my plastic label is sun bleached completely white.
new pics on the forum maybe tomorrow ill post a teaser on here when i add to the gallery.

[ezbme]

There is nothing like playing with the plasma & welder! Take advantage & learn all you can! My buddy builds 100k all metal street rods & is a metal master & I have learned so much from him. I had a sub-contract job in Sarasota taking old salvaged wrought iron & making anything I wanted with the metal - art, tables, flower boxes, wine racks etc. This company dismantles old buildings & sells the pieces & they hired me to play with their metal, & gave me the Lincoln mig welder, grinder, sawzall & a sweet milwaukee hand held band saw!

And good deal on the generator!

[rjz5400]

Well it is a daily thing now, the inside paint is a very soft blue color lighter than carolina blue which gives it a kind of happy feel inside. ill put up some pictures of that when it is daytime.
then main story is all the shenanigans i have gotten into pre paint. i prepped the step by stripping down to bare metal and using oil exterior primer (stink like DS)
and put a foam and plywood layers so i can hardwood over them and not hear it when i drive over a pebble of cigarette butt. i wanna get rid of lots of road noise and squeaks. next step would be to clean up and re-grease all the grease fittings in the bus suspension and maybe new shocks.
I am already laying out the under body storage and thinking about my genset conversion for my new coleman generator.
so the teaser picture to try tp raise my hits on the gallery is as follows


how do you think this bench will turn out?

[rjz5400]

oh thats right i worked on the bus a little today. schedule goes Surf Sleep again. DD dunkin doughnuts, the bike ride over to the bus and drive around town in my buddies pickup truck all morning.
then i filled in the front steps with plywood, used those wood to metal screws i have seen on this forum to attach the treads and help silence the rest of the floor where it is not quite perfect.
i got so excited after seeing the underlayment and having all the planks laid out i banged in a few rows and i also knocked over my paint thinner cup so now there is all kinds of dissolved paint spread out over my fresh white stairway. guess what ill be doing first thing tomorrow...... repainting

first run of the foam see how it looks on the gallery....
a;so i got three of the kobalt safety razors seen in the foreground and 100 replacement blades for 12.99 i was gonna buy blades anyway but the contractor pack couldn't be beaten. now when something needs cut it already done. i don't even need to reach for a razor knife. come to think of it there is one in my hand as i type this right now. and i will have blades till i have a 401k (i am returning to school in two weeks ) i just mean i wont buy blades for years.heheheheheheh

[ezbme]

Hey the floors are lookig nice & I like the pattern going width wise instead of length wise... bonus not having to cut the flooring either!

[rjz5400]

All the hardwoods are in and now i just have to buy or make some trip pieces and put thos in place around the steps and the walls once those get built.
once i run the power and water lines and once i install the ac ect ect ect ahhhhh.
but it is nice to walk on a real floor instead of the subfloor, and now i can start putting things where they go instead of back and forth moving crap all day long to make room for flooring activities.
here is my girlfriends little dog on the cushions she recovered for the couch/bed in the front living area.

and here are the new steps!

[C00LR]

Originally Posted by rjz5400

i pay $17.34 a month or so for 30k 50k 30k liability or somthing through USAA i flirted with the girl a little bit now lets see if she sends me a cannecellation form in the mail in two weeks or whatever.

HOW???? Did you get away with USAA Insurance?? I have called several times and been told no, no and a direct quote from them "NO" Because its a BUS. And because of the weight of the thing, and blah blah blah.
You LUCKY DOG YOU!!!!!!I wanted to go with USAA on mine just for the conveince of it to have all my stuff insured through the same company.

[rjz5400]

i dont know but they seem to be letting it go because i saw the 17 dollar charge on my bank account just the other day so i have another month at least. i guess the girl i spoke to on the phone was either really nice or really stupid. i hinted that it was a housecar on the new NC title and that i wanted to avoid any kind of commercial rates or anything like that. so ??? i have been with them for 10 years and like seven or eight rides including two motorcycles. so who knows
ill be sure to post when/if i get the cancelation letter

[C00LR]

Ive had the two bikes and I think im on my 9th vehicle insured with them as well. Also been with them 9 or 10 years. You just used the right golden words when you talked to them I guess. And then there was some BS I didnt understand about insuring a vehicle with a GVWR over 2000 lbs or something. My F-150 sitting in the driveway is I think 4200 lbs in itself. The only thing I own thats less than 2000 lbs is my Karmann Ghia that weighs in at 1750 full of fuel.
LOL I guess with insurance companies its a roll of the dice and who you talk to whether or not they are stupid or not. But Ive called several times and talked to them about it. Hmm.... maybe when my new title comes abck that says RV on it I wonder if they will have a different story if I call them back????
I almost had my bus NO Wait... I mean my RV tagged with an Antique tag on it because of the age. (1969) But I goofed and told them about the conversion so It cant have an Antique tag. Which here it should be $17 a year to register. But I opened my mouth accidentally and wound up with an RV tag and I believe my title will come back saying RV on it now. But later, I'm going to go back and try it again. Hopefully I can talk to someone who doesnt know any better. And I can keep my mouth shut and get it pushed through.

[ezbme]

I hope that works out for you (USAA) as we had set it up with them & the day we went to pick up the bus they said nope & transferred us to Progressive saying they now handle the conversion vehicle insurance & then they dropped us after only 2 weeks... Yup, lucky dog!

[rjz5400]

i got some sweet bargains. i picked up everything in this picture plus there are 4 of the double blown glass 12v zenon light fixtures and 3 of those frosted globes. for 18 dollars i think. total.


i put up the cover to box in the front bench so you cant see my paint cans or my fiberglass jug.

I also got the coleman rooftop for free and it totally works. i set it up on the barrel and jammed the cut off romex into a 3 prong plug and BAM ridiculous cold air comes out. froze the barrel and thats an insulated food grade double walled barrel.


that is where the problem comes in. does anyone have reliable and safe method of getting it up onto the roof? i am thinking i need to walk or pull it up a ladder/ramp.? i don't own a two story house but i know where some loading docks are? just maybe someone could tell me that they did it, thus giving me the confidence to jack it up there myself.