Heavy Fuel

[M1031A1]

Originally Posted by HazMatt

Awwwww! That's just so darned cute!
Does it know what it wants to be when its all growed up? ��

A one ton Ford diesel dually....... Ask me how I know....... Plus this one is in need of diapers (the Honda that is....)

M

[peteg59]

There were a few of those mini trucks for sale at a no name used car dealership locally a few months ago. Then they disappeared. I was told they got shut down due to not being legal to operate on our roads due to emissions and crash safety federal standards. Some refer to them as JDM vehicles. JDM=Japanese Domestic Market.
They are a "gray market" vehicle here, that were likely imported by a service member who brought it back after an overseas tour of duty.

If not for the gray area involved in legal registration/state safety and emissions inspections, I'd likely own one. What a cool toad it would make!

[M1031A1]

Originally Posted by peteg59

There were a few of those mini trucks for sale at a no name used car dealership locally a few months ago. Then they disappeared. I was told they got shut down due to not being legal to operate on our roads due to emissions and crash safety federal standards.
They are a "gray market" vehicle that were likely imported by a service member who brought it back after an overseas tour of duty.

If not for the gray area involved in legal registration/state safety and emissions inspections, I'd likely own one. What a cool toad it would make!

If they are 25 years old or older, or are for farm or off road use, they have the same legal protections as any ATV or golf cart. When they are 25 years old or older they are 100% legal to put on the road because they fall under federal exemptions. However, some states can restrict their use if they are not properly licensed and insured. Thusly the reasons why (I notice you're from NH) we are not planning on visiting the east coast unless it pertains to a family issue.

When a service member brings in a POV they can keep it only for personal use, not as a means to derive a profit. So NH can shut them down for being too competitive in the automobile market (government hates it when people ignore their craving for a cut of the action - i.e. imposing taxes and limiting competition). My suspicion is these guys got ambitious and the state resented it.

We're buying directly from Japan. Our Honda is over 25 years old, and thusly federally exempted. Kansas has no issue with us using our Honda for personal use and is able to issue a proper tag and title. This makes us legal to operate on public roads. So, we're fine with it all.

Keen eye though Pete!

M

[peteg59]

I'm glad to hear you are good to go in Kansas with it!
I'm not sure what years the local guy was trying to sell, but NH does have a 20 year requirement for emissions testing. After the vehicle reaches 20 years of age it's exempt from emissions. Title must be in hand for any vehicle year 2000 and up.
Trouble here, is a 20 year old vehicle driven daily will have rot holes through every body panel due to salt treatments on winter roads and plenty of hidden rust!

[M1031A1]

Well everyone;

Sorry it's been so long! Posting about Mac got my eye off of HF. Wife and I have been working away bit-by-bit.

A word of caution when working with spray foam: be sure the mix is correct! We've lost two ceiling foam pieces due to the spray foam retracting between 3/4 to 1 inch on each side of the hat channel! I'm figuring to use the pieces on another part of the build. Time will tell...

Sides were not an issue, nor where steel crossed between the channels. So, with that being observed, I'm going to secure some steel bar across the open areas between the open hat channel under the roof and get the ceiling re-sprayed.... At the same time I'm working on the electrical - both 12V and 120V systems so I'll be ready for that part to be sprayed for the thermal break.

We're beginning to open the boxes of goodies for the shower, wife's office, and a few other areas of the bus where supplies are ready to install. I'll have some pics this weekend to show the spray foam shrinkage and the steel we've installed so far.

BTW, cutting back spray foam is a really MESSY endeavor! I'll have my wife take a pic of me with all that foam covering me in my breather and other safety gear. I'm sure you guys will totally enjoy the results......

Until this weekend......

M

P.S. - Forgot to add we found a dealer in Japan to find us one of these - a Honday Acty Street 4X4....... Wife prefers one of these instead of the truck....

[M1031A1]

Hey all!

A little delayed (due to old person soreness), but here are some pics before we cleaned up HF. Dang! Did she ever need a cleaning! More messes to make later on, but for now we got a bunch of spray foam shaved, and steel put up. Eight more ceiling panels and this (VERY messy) part of the build is finally DONE!!!! It's only taken us three years to get the time and resources together.... After the thermal break is finished, we're off to the races with installation (FINALLY!!!!!) Still have a bunch of wiring to run before spraying for the thermal break, but we're inching closer to installation time!

BTW, if there is anyone looking for a freelance coding and programing writer, my wife is going to be hanging her sign out in about a month or so. I specialize in hardware. She does software..... She's the one waving in the back of the bus...... We had to clean up the mess because it was getting a bit dangerous for her to walk back there with her handicap.

We ended up with two 42 gallon contractor bags full of the stuff!

Before I forget, there are two ceiling areas where the mix changed and the spray foam actually CONTRACTED from the ceiling and hat channels. If you are using a contractor, be sure they know how to properly mix the chemicals so the foam doesn't contract. Now we'll need to respray those areas. Just an FYI...

I also hooked up our little window rattler for some needed A/C. BIG difference in how we were able to work in the HF.

M

Until the next pics, enjoy these:

[peakbus]

[QUOTE=M1031A1;335870]Hey all!

A little delayed (due to old person soreness), but here are some pics before we cleaned up HF. Dang! Did she ever need a cleaning! More messes to make later on, but for now we got a bunch of spray foam shaved, and steel put up. We ended up with two 42 gallon contractor bags full of the stuff!

QUOTE]

What were your tools and technique for trimming the foam? I am trying to wrangle an installer and if I can get him pinned down will be trimming soon too. Anything work better or worse? I know it'll be a mess...

[M1031A1]

[QUOTE=peakbus;335876]

Originally Posted by peakbus

What were your tools and technique for trimming the foam? I am trying to wrangle an installer and if I can get him pinned down will be trimming soon too. Anything work better or worse? I know it'll be a mess...

I bought a coarse braided wire cup-style brush to fit on my 3/8" drill, bent the braids out as far as I could (they were tough buggers), and varied the speeds as I tackled the thick and thinner spots to be shaved.

My not-so-little drill would catch some of the larger chunks of foam and try to give my arms a twist. The foam can be somewhat resilient at times when the mix is done right. However, other times it falls apart like a hot knife to butter. Just be aware of that. Worse yet, there's really no warning when you go from bad foam to good, it just grips you and the drill.

I've learned the hard way the value of slightly underspraying the foam. It makes for much less work.

M

[HazMatt]

Wow! Isn't it kinda late in the season for a blizzard..?
I'm wondering if those contracted sections the contractor improperly mixed mightn't be salvaged. Re-adhere to the roof & fill the gaps with rattle-can foam before sheathing the ceiling?
Still pondering the image of a hot knife falling apart upon contact with butter... [emoji848]

[M1031A1]

Originally Posted by HazMatt

Wow! Isn't it kinda late in the season for a blizzard..?
I'm wondering if those contracted sections the contractor improperly mixed mightn't be salvaged. Re-adhere to the roof & fill the gaps with rattle-can foam before sheathing the ceiling?
Still pondering the image of a hot knife falling apart upon contact with butter... [emoji848]

I looked at that possibility. However, the sides shrank 3/4" on each side. The pain is to get the original blocks to stay while re-foaming the edges and other areas. Much easier just to spray a new section. I'm planning on using the blocks in other areas of the bus that also needs insulation - such as under the floors, by the hot water tanks, and so on.

Plus, most of the spray can foam is open cell, the spray foam I have is closed cell, not the best to mix and match. My biggest concern is the open cell foam collecting condensation over time and begin to rust the metalwork. No bueno...

M

[M1031A1]

Today my best friend and I fixed the rear panels to butt up to the hat-channel in the rear of HF, got the front panel in place, and I sealed the toilet area with Flex Seal - the stuff really works good!

My shoulders are in a new world of pain from the awkward positions I had to contort to in securing the front panel. But that job is now DONE!!!! Yay!!!!!

Sunday I'm going back to put on a second coat of Flex Seal to get the areas I missed today (which there are many....) and continue grinding on the insulation to get it to where mounting the ceiling panels goes quick. My buddy is a professional drywall contractor. He loaned me some of his equipment to make the job got waaaaaaay easier! Thanks Duke!!!!!!!

M

So here's what we got done today:

[HazMatt]

Looks like you're really moving forward!
(literally...)

[M1031A1]

Thanks!

Makes me feel much like the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0lvT0ANLGY

[HazMatt]

Good one!
Tho the theme to, "The Jeffersons," is also apropos, IMHO.
(Entirety dependant on HF's cardinal orientation, natch)

[M1031A1]

Originally Posted by HazMatt

Good one!
Tho the theme to, "The Jeffersons," is also apropos, IMHO.
(Entirety dependant on HF's cardinal orientation, natch)

LOL!!!!!

M

[M1031A1]

Hey all! Sorry for the delays in keeping this thread going. I have been informed HF will be getting built out with extra capital in the near future. My mother is in hospice and her health is declining at a steady pace. In addition, my wife is working on her Social Security Disability claims and it looks like between four to six months and that will be finished up.


I'll be effectively retired within the school year. This will allow us to get work done professionally on the bus in a very short period of time. We're planning on taking a year or so in just relaxing and then start work-camping in the summer time since I do enjoy outdoor work.


We're kicking around the idea of creating and posting some YouTube videos, but have no idea how to do that. That will be a project for a later time.


I figure working for a company like Recreational Resource Management or one of their competitors will do fine since we will have some income to live on and keep us going year round. We're looking at staying in the northern Rockies with HF and then going south to Reno where my best friend is going to be living very soon.


Since we've always wanted to go to Skooliepalooza, that will DEFINITELY be on our list in the winter! We are so looking forward to meeting like-minded skoolies! I am excited to help others with their builds during that time! Building is so relaxing and fun for me. Wifie can help with other stuff, so long as her hips and knees hold out - which is less and less every month. She tends to be a hermit, but can help with other things we're sure.


Keep tuned in for more stuff and pics of HF as this goes on!


Wishing the best for all!


M

[EastCoastCB]

Sorry to hear about your mother's health.
Good to see an update! Yall ever get to FL hit me up.

I could always use a hand. Or just some motivation/inspiration!

[M1031A1]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Sorry to hear about your mother's health.
Good to see an update! Yall ever get to FL hit me up.

I could always use a hand. Or just some motivation/inspiration!

y'all are on the list!


M

[M1031A1]

It's been a while, but the roof is almost finished! Three more internal panels and then the steel boxing of the spray foam is complete and onto the thermal break!!!!! YaHOO!!! My arms are like rubber right now. Wife is laughing at my position in order to type this update. She says I look like a crab while typing. My elbows are on the arm rests of my chair and my forearms are on the table, and my fingers are hovering above the keyboard.


However, HF is much closer to being ready! Next weekend we're going to the storage place and getting more goodies already bought and bringing them to HF! We have more steel for the inner roof, electrical stuff (BTW, how do you hook up the red and black lines to the utility box? I need an interior shot of the utility box with the cover removed. I have an idea, but I'm a visual person....), plumbing stuff, and lighting! We're getting ready to get rid of a bunch of our stuff as a precursor to moving in.


The '68 F250 is for sale dirt cheap, my wife's super-comfy power bed, some tables, chairs, a bunch of furniture as well, plus some other stuff we don't need. Thanksgiving and Christmas are a selling time for us, so if you're nearby and are looking for some incredible deals, look us up!


Pics will follow once we start putting in the thermal break!


One last (and VERY important) thing.....


My dad bought us a bunch of power tools (including a real nice portable table saw) to help with the interior work! YAY DAD!!!!!



M

[M1031A1]

Hey all!


I'm looking for a main breaker throw switch for HF. This would be before the Main Breaker Box for the 120 service.


Any ideas on where to get one? Wife and I have been searching the interwebs without success.... Maybe it's the way in which we are searching....


Anyways, we're getting ready to finish the steel part of the roof and begin to prep the thermal break! Exciting times with pics to follow!



M