Into The Mystic

carneiro1292 · 02-26-2016, 12:36 PM

Ok well, i finally did it, took almost a year of dreaming, 6 months of saving, and 4.5 months of searching, but i finally took the plunge and bought my first bus. She's a 2000 BlueBird Tc1000 with 200k miles. Ladies and Gents, let me introduce you to Mystic...

First off i wanted to thank everyone on this site for all the love and information you guys constantly shell out, sometimes the same info again and again to people like me who just dont seem to "get it," thank you for putting up with us. Its kind of crazy how just over a year ago the notion of building a skoolie never even crossed my mind and how now, thanks to all the knowledge that you guys pass on and the pictures and the articles you guys post and just the all around warmth and love that seems to come through these threads, i can honestly say that I am ready to kick ass in this project.

A little background on me, im 23, moved to Los Anegles last year from CT,Im a waiter in Malibu, I have a bit of experience in constructions and love to design and built stuff out of wood. Thats it. Never riveted before, i think ive changed a tire once, I put new coolant in the bus while getting her home which was a first and very exciting, ive never done much of anything but hey, screw it im excited to kick some but. I plan on traveling with her around the country with my girlfriend a few months out of the year and the rest of the year stealth camp in west Los Angeles and work and save for the next adventure, also contemplating on making it into a mobile sound stage as well so i can travel with dj friends to festivals and have them dj on the deck on the roof or something. who knows well see.

So yea thats me, this is Mystic, we are excited and we're ready, I am curently building her in Lancaster Ca, if anyone is nearby and wants to mingle lmk. Cheers.

keiffith · 02-26-2016, 02:41 PM

Good to have you here. The Tc1000 and the shorty Thomas FE flat fronts are what I am looking for.

If your not too familiar with engines, Deisels are a bit easier to troubleshoot than gas jobs. primarily because there is just suck, squeeze, bang, blow with no need for spark.

A good place to start for preventative maintenance is to change ALL fluids and filters, especially the fuel water separator.

Robin97396 · 02-26-2016, 03:59 PM

Hey, nice catch carneiro1292. I just got a TC1000 this past November. You're obviously an independent fast learner, and at a young age. That's going to take you far. I'm sure you'll be riveting and lag bolting things in place soon. Are you doing the full remodel or are you living in the "can" as I call it. I'm living in the can with movable components inside. I didn't have a choice this winter but a month ago I was wondering if living in the can was a good choice. I'm on the Oregon coast and it gets cold for a month or so up here. I opted for the wood stove, while you'll probably have invested in an AC unit.

Yeah, talk about cutting living expenses. I also feel much safer in a bus than I would in a motor home, and I'm pretty sure this is cheaper to operate than a motor home. It's sure cheaper to operate than an apartment, depending on how much you drive.

sdwarf36 · 02-26-2016, 05:37 PM

Welcome! Nice size bus. Ct.? I bet I can tell your former hometown.

1 word: tools. Lots of tools. If you don't have any, befriend someone who does-or be ready to spend money. You can't learn to play a violin --without a violin.

Riveting is easy-first get a piece of metal +cut it to size. (Oops-need something to cut it with-got to get some shears-or tin snips. Do I need left hand-right hand or straight? better get them all.)
Then drill your holes. (Drill? I got to get a drill too. And drill bits. Battery or electric? If electric you need an extension--and power. )
You DID buy a rivet gun on your first two trips to Home Depot-didn't you?

And you got the rivets?
Now put one end of the rivet in the hole + the other in the gun. Squeeze a few times till you hear 'pop'. Volia! you put in a rivet. And the first one only cost you 300 bucks*.

* Depending on luck and common sense. The 5th trip to HD will be to replace the cheapest riv gun on the shelf you broke on the second rivet with a better one-and more drill bits cuz you broke a couple-and a longer ext. the will reach to the back of the bus...

2kool4skool · 02-26-2016, 05:48 PM

Nice TC!!

Here's ours!

carneiro1292 · 02-27-2016, 01:11 AM

Keiffith good advice i will take care of those soon, the district i bought it from told me they changed everything for me before i came but its not on the records so i dont know for sure but will make sure and have them checked.

Robin97396 I will be going full crazy on this one. i start the conversion proccess on monday, will be driving an hour and half to the site everyone monday morning, staying till and leaving on wed night, every week from here on out since i only have those days off and need work on weekends to make money so i can work on the bus. Aint tht crazy? I need to work to make money so i can work some more, being an adult is hard.I will be stripping it, pulling out roof and side panels, floor, painting floor and clearing rust, treating any outside issues, painting, spray insulating, putting a deck, plumbing, fresh and grey tanks, compost toilet, wood stove, solar; the works. Will i check all these things off? def, will it hurt and take forever, without a doubt in my mind. oh btw i picked it up in Eugene Oregon, nice country up there from what i could see.

SDdwarf im from Danbury/ Redding Ct, never been tht far east in CT. its funny Ct is so small and yet ive barely left my county, its such a shame but when i head back East with Mystic im gonna go explore.

2kool4skool Iv read ur whole build thread prob 3 times. U actually are the person who inspired me to get a tc1000 so for tht i cant thank you enough.

anyways no more picts for now, i bought a new phone for the trip so i could get pictures but it broke before I even got to the bus but will have a new one tomorow. The build starts this monday so more picts to come. Cheers!

Auwyn · 02-27-2016, 03:50 AM

Loving the slippers!

mad_wolf · 02-27-2016, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carneiro1292

Keiffith good advice i will take care of those soon, the district i bought it from told me they changed everything for me before i came but its not on the records so i dont know for sure but will make sure and have them checked.

Robin97396 I will be going full crazy on this one. i start the conversion proccess on monday, will be driving an hour and half to the site everyone monday morning, staying till and leaving on wed night, every week from here on out since i only have those days off and need work on weekends to make money so i can work on the bus. Aint tht crazy? I need to work to make money so i can work some more, being an adult is hard.I will be stripping it, pulling out roof and side panels, floor, painting floor and clearing rust, treating any outside issues, painting, spray insulating, putting a deck, plumbing, fresh and grey tanks, compost toilet, wood stove, solar; the works. Will i check all these things off? def, will it hurt and take forever, without a doubt in my mind. oh btw i picked it up in Eugene Oregon, nice country up there from what i could see.

SDdwarf im from Danbury/ Redding Ct, never been tht far east in CT. its funny Ct is so small and yet ive barely left my county, its such a shame but when i head back East with Mystic im gonna go explore.

2kool4skool Iv read ur whole build thread prob 3 times. U actually are the person who inspired me to get a tc1000 so for tht i cant thank you enough.

anyways no more picts for now, i bought a new phone for the trip so i could get pictures but it broke before I even got to the bus but will have a new one tomorow. The build starts this monday so more picts to come. Cheers!

Trick we learn living on a sailboat for 2 years was to send in samples of everything to a reputable lab .

You can get the kits fairly cheap Blackstone Labs

its not just to keep an eye on the oils usability it can also warn you of issues inside the engine excess wear on rings bearings coolant leakage fuel getting past the rings .

A decent bypass filter can help prolong the life of oil in a diesel . Unless your doing a lot of driving .
Once a year is all I would test another thing you might look at is getting a electric fuelpump from a junk yard and pumping out the tank there are bacteria and algae that grow in diesel fuel that has water from condensation built up not a big problem everywhere but if it gets a toe hold can sludge up a fuel system in a heart beat . I would rather waste a few hours pumping out filter and then putting it back than stuck somewhere trying to replace clogged filters .

Yeah I know overkill but I made 2 Atlantic crossings without any issues while a buddy limped into port with a dead engine and generator from water in the fuel

. And trust me repairs in Cape Verde is worse than B F backroads America .

cowlitzcoach · 02-27-2016, 09:11 AM

It would appear as if you found a great little bus!

Your plans sound pretty good. But if I may, I would like to make a suggestion as to what project you should attack first.

CA is very anal about the only vehicles that can be painted National School Bus Chrome Yellow are school buses that are actively being used as a school bus. Any vehicle painted NSBCY that isn't being actively used as a school bus is just begging for a visit by a not so very friendly member of the CHP.

It will also help the stealth camping if it doesn't look like a school bus that has gotten lost. And while wild paint schemes like the Partridge Family bus are cool they tend to draw the eye. Buses painted like the Brown Crown might be a bit pedestrian for someone of your age and background, a bus painted like the Brown Crown will tend to fade into the background and not draw any attention to it.

Since you are on a limited budget (who of us on here aren't) I would suggest you frequent swap meets and your local Craigslist to find some of the stuff you will need.

I have a couple of different friends who did low budget conversions that used very cheap donors for a lot of their conversion needs. One purchased a Class 'A' motorhome and one purchased a tandem axle travel trailer. The one who purchased the motorhome got a working stove, fridge, roof top A/C unit, furnace, toilet, tanks, and a good genset for $1000.00 because the transmission was bad. He salvaged all of the working bits he could use, including the kitchen sink, and sold the resulting hulk for scrap for enough to pay for the tow bill. The other one got all the same stuff out of a trailer that had water damage for $500.00 and then had a nice tandem axle trailer frame he turned into a cargo trailer.

Of course that was a few years ago and prices are most probably higher in CA. But you will be spending well in excess of $1000.00 for all of the parts and pieces. It might be a good idea to go shopping for a donor unless you really want brand new everything.

Good luck and happy trails!

carneiro1292 · 02-27-2016, 12:11 PM

yea def not brand new anything if possible, recycling as many things as possible. will start looking for things soon.

carneiro1292 · 03-02-2016, 01:19 AM

Alright first day working on the bus, also the forth day sick with fever and strep throat, but a good day none the less. I got a little less done then i had expected, first time using a angle grinder, but it wasn't rocket science. took the majority of the day, it wasnt untl the afternoon when i came back from homedepot with the right tools tht things really took off. turns out i was using the wrong grinder wheels... ooppss.

and now with the seats all out...

Had a little mishaps early on, those sparks get pretty hot. dont mix new power tools and beer, cause when you do u end up not smelling your shoe melting. How I made it all day without hurting myself IDK.

Anyhow had a great first day with the new girl, easier to figure the spacing of everything when all the seats are out. What you cant see is tht most of the side rivets are out, lots of the ceiling rivets and most of the fixtures are out.

Here she is taking in tht Southern California sunset... till tomrow i guess. CHEERS!!!!

Tango · 03-02-2016, 10:43 AM

Good progress. And yes...grinder sparks are hot. REALLY hot. Whatever else you do, do NOT let that spray of white hot metal hit any glass you hope to keep. It will pit it very badly. Flaming work clothes are easy enough to put out. Window glass and windshields get expensive really fast.

Nice setting BTW. Rock on.

Robin97396 · 03-02-2016, 12:41 PM

I like the recycling idea. For me it's a process of change as I find better things to put in the bus, or maxi-van in my case. I've done the stripping and reflooring process previously. Never painted one though, but then this is the first time I've lived in a bus. I would like to be less visible while in the mountains.

Maybe Maxivan should be the name of my "van". I was going to name it "Nobody", because my X always said "nobody wants that". Heavy Utility Vehicle is always an option too.

For the purposes of anonymity I like the yellow bus because in the city nobody sees you. On my back woods logging roads people really take notice of a big yellow bus cruising through the woods. Oregon doesn't have any requirements concerning old school buses remaining yellow, but it's true that I may very well cross over into California or other places where it is illegal to have a yellow bus so I think I'm going with a forest green. Yeah, unimaginative. You're all lucky I don't go camo.

I've noticed that many people have painted their buses leaving varying amounts of the original yellow paint showing. Is that kind of like thumbing your nose at CHP or other law enforcement? So It's basically illegal to look like a school bus, and I can understand that. Can you imagine if a pedophile got hold of a school bus?

carneiro1292 · 03-04-2016, 01:49 AM

Worked my second day on the bus, unfortunately not much got done. The people whos house we are working at were really sick so we decided to quit making noise and leave early and let them rest(mom works graveyard shift and comes home at 8:30 a.m. an hour or so after i normally start). Did get a few things done though. took out the side panels and insulation leaving them bare. took out some more fixtures and kind of just cleaned up the inside of the bus and rounded up all the trash and left it in a pile.

The Misses brought me a beer which also comes with a well deserved break

The money shot

Protecting both eyes and lungs... momma raised a smart cookie

The love helping out

Crobars and windows dont mix

Some randoms

carneiro1292 · 03-04-2016, 01:54 AM

Anyone know how to get rid of these?

This is the wheel chair floor thingie, not sure what its called. took out the belt aparatus thing but cant seem to figure out how these go. do they just come out when i pull up the floor.

Robin97396 · 03-04-2016, 01:45 PM

carneiro1292, those wheel chair tie down rails are called L-track and they are very expensive. Check on buying some L-track rail. They should have resale value well beyond scrap.
This is interesting for me because I have the same bus with the same L-track all over the floors and above windows. For now the L-track and cargo straps are stopping my fridge and other things from scooting across the floor while I'm traveling. But then this is my fishing bus, I mean van. Eventually it will take better form as an RV, but this time of year in Oregon is not a time to remodel.
I'm thinking SoCal is a much nicer location to be in a bus. Looks good, keep up the good work.

100MPG · 03-04-2016, 02:19 PM

That image right there is what it is all about for me. I hope you slept on the bus?

Quote:

Originally Posted by carneiro1292

Here she is taking in tht Southern California sunset... till tomrow i guess. CHEERS!!!!

carneiro1292 · 03-04-2016, 03:48 PM

100MPG unfortunately i havent been able to sleep in her yet. the first night of work we left all the seats and panels in the bus as to not make a mess for the home owners, and the second day we cleaned everything and put everything outside so we could sleep in but were politely told to go home... ackward but whatever, such is life.

so does any one know how to take out the L tracks?

Also i popped out the side emergency windows so i could take out the side panels, the wires tht alert the driver tht its open are still connected but the bus wont start? should i be worried? i was very carefull not to damage the wires so i thought i would be ok but unforntualey not.

Robin97396 · 03-06-2016, 07:09 PM

Apparently you damaged the safety circuit on the window. You don't need it unless you plan on using it for a door.

L-track seems to either have large screws or bolts varying by location. It's bolted to the wall but the floor has screws holding it down. I'm sure there's a thin walled socket that could reach in to the bolt heads, and an impact screwdriver should loosen up the floor screws. It might cost you a socket if you have to grind the sidewalls to fit.

rjnye79 · 03-08-2016, 11:14 AM

Just a random curiosity... but, how tall are you carneiro1292?

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