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Old 02-14-2016, 08:56 AM   #21
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 159
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Mate,

you will need a trailer to take along ALL of the beauties!
Can't just depend on the Samurai!! WHAT if you feel the need to really rev it? ...you need the RX-7!! WHAT if you feel the need to some classy cruisin'? ......you need the 6!

Trailer, mate, ....trailer!!

And, yes, you should get a diesel! A take out from some totaled Dodge product, with the whole drive-train and you are set!

Fantastic project!!

Cheers,

thjakits

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Old 02-14-2016, 09:15 AM   #22
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 66
Year: 1956
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: Ford B-600
Engine: Ford Big Block FE
Quote:
Originally Posted by thjakits View Post
Mate,

you will need a trailer to take along ALL of the beauties!
Can't just depend on the Samurai!! WHAT if you feel the need to really rev it? ...you need the RX-7!! WHAT if you feel the need to some classy cruisin'? ......you need the 6!

Trailer, mate, ....trailer!!

And, yes, you should get a diesel! A take out from some totaled Dodge product, with the whole drive-train and you are set!

Fantastic project!!

Cheers,

thjakits
I've actually considered a double deck trailer. The Samurai on the bottom and a 15' jet boat I built on the top.

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Old 02-14-2016, 10:37 AM   #23
Skoolie
 
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Cool

Quote:
Originally Posted by Toyman01 View Post
I've actually considered a double deck trailer. The Samurai on the bottom and the 15' jet boat I built on the top.

Duuuuh!!!

thjakits
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Old 02-14-2016, 02:39 PM   #24
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 66
Year: 1956
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: Ford B-600
Engine: Ford Big Block FE
Some more work done on SanFord today. 95% of the carpet is gone.



And what a nasty job that was. Yuck! Old moldy carpet and dust.

I did get some help with this part.





I also started studying the rear windows. One of the side windows is broken. The plan was to pull the glass, have a new piece made, order new gasketing and replace it. The first step is done. I'll drop a template by my glass manufacturer tomorrow. I'm debating on tempered or laminate. I'm leaning toward tempered like modern side windows. There is less of a chance I'll break the tempered while installing it as well.





I was worried about the condition of the body around the windows. This one is in really good shape.

The curved back glasses are going to have to come out as well. The gasketing around them is pretty much rotten. The POs have gooped a ton of RTV around them, trying to stop the leaks. I think I'm going to fix it right and hope I don't break a glass.

Now if I could just find the gasket material, I'd be set. CRL has something close I'll probably have to use. Anyone have a good source for automotive window gaskets?

More to come.
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Old 02-14-2016, 04:34 PM   #25
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Your glass man should be able to steer you in the right direction for gasket material.
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Old 02-14-2016, 05:10 PM   #26
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Originally Posted by CaptSquid View Post
Your glass man should be able to steer you in the right direction for gasket material.
Unfortunately all they do is make the glass.

I was able to find the seals I needed here. https://www.metrommp.com/index.cfm
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Old 02-17-2016, 06:05 PM   #27
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
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Engine: Ford Big Block FE
I finally made it home early enough to do a little more work on the bus.

The glass and gasket for the windows hasn't come in yet, so I figured I'd start geting it ready for paint. I've had a fair amount of advice to not sandblast it because of oil canning, so I figured I'd try a pressure washer and see what happened. My only pressure washer was a cobbled together electric job. Since it's time to do the house as well, I broke down and bought a decent gas version. I'm glad I did.

3000 psi is doing wonders for the finish.

Before:



After:



Before:



After:



It's stripping almost all the paint down to the primer that is on top of the original school bus yellow.

I have found a little filler in the fenders and one new rust spot that I hadn't noticed before, but over all this thing is in pretty good shape.

I worked on it this afternoon until the temperature started to drop. It's supposed to be in the 70s this weekend, I should have the rest of it done by Saturday.
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Old 02-17-2016, 07:23 PM   #28
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 53
I just love the body style of your bus!



Speaking of, I also happened to see these beauties today by one of our construction sites out in "BFE", oklahoma.

Anybody know what they are? I couldn't get up close, didnt want to get shot or something.
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Old 02-18-2016, 08:55 PM   #29
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Year: 1956
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Mr.Friend, the white bus in the front looks a lot like a Crown. I actually considered one of those, but it was in California.
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Old 02-18-2016, 09:09 PM   #30
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Engine: Ford Big Block FE
Not much time today to get things done because of a child's chorus recital.

I did manage to pull the outside covers off of the water heater and refrigerator.

I put my youngest to work cleaning the paint out of screw heads.



The refrigerator is either 110v or propane. I had fired the propane off the other day, but wasn't willing to leave it burning long enough to see if the fridge would cool. Pulling the refrigerator covers gave me access to the plug for the 110V line. I plugged it in and for the first time in 12+ years, it started cooling. After a couple of hours, there are ice crystals forming on the cooling plates.



The water heater is actually a instant heat type. It looks complete, and the pilot burns properly. I'll have to get the plumbing straight to test it though.





That's it for today, more to come as it happens.
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Old 02-18-2016, 09:34 PM   #31
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Whoever installed that water heater had a Real Good idea.
Excellent find.
Keep up the good work.
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Old 02-20-2016, 08:50 PM   #32
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Engine: Ford Big Block FE
Well, the rest of the pressure washing is done.



All the paint didn't come off, but a large majority did.

I sent the lightest member of the family up on the roof to pull that stupid wire out of all the holes I need to patch.



I also did something about these. They are some kind of vent system that has rusted enough to let water inside to run down the windshield and dash. They needed to be plugged up.



I'm not happy with the patch, but without the ability or tools to make a compound curved repair panel, this is the best I can do.

It must be time to buy a English wheel and learn how to use it.



Luckily, from the ground it isn't visible and after I get the elastomeric coating on the roof, it it should blend in and be completely sealed.



More to come...
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Old 02-21-2016, 01:01 AM   #33
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Erie, PA
Posts: 62
Definitely dig the old fords. my Father traded a snomobile for this f100 back in 95. he got it running after a few years with a 351. figured everyone loves pics so heres a few.

after throwing all the panels back on.
it had been sitting in a barn for a long time in pieces.



after sitting for 10 years in primer


and now being DD'ed by my brother during the warmer months here in PA. he cleaned her up and threw in a 90's F250 manual
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Old 02-21-2016, 02:51 AM   #34
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Year: 1989
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Chassis: Saf-T-Liner ER
Engine: 3208 CAT/MT643 tranny
Rated Cap: 87
Y'all are just BEGGING me to drool.....
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Old 02-21-2016, 02:21 PM   #35
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 66
Year: 1956
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: Ford B-600
Engine: Ford Big Block FE
Today I managed to get a coat of primer on most of the roof.



In the next couple of weeks I'd love to get the top coat on, but that's going to depend on the weather. It needs to be above 50 degrees for the top coat to cure. 70 would be even better. In the mean time, I'll be stripping all the vents for replacement and reseal.

When I moved the bus today, I found this.



Yep, that's gear oil out of the transmission. I'm not sure what changed between yesterday and today, but the transmission is puking oil and it lost that much in 24 hours.
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Old 02-21-2016, 03:56 PM   #36
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Probably an old seal that finally cracked, my guess. Considering the age and previous journey, you did an outstanding job getting her home to properly take care of issues like this that will crop up. Ask me how I know............
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Old 02-21-2016, 03:58 PM   #37
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I don't know for sure because I haven't seen it, but I'd bet it is coming out around the drive shaft seal. Let us know what you find. Jack
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Old 02-21-2016, 05:47 PM   #38
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 66
Year: 1956
Coachwork: Wayne
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Engine: Ford Big Block FE
I'm betting drive shaft seal as well. That or it knows I've been looking for a OD transmission and decided to get even.
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Old 02-23-2016, 05:32 PM   #39
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 66
Year: 1956
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: Ford B-600
Engine: Ford Big Block FE
I knocked off at 2 today and played with the bus some more.

To get the roof buttoned up, I need to figure out the air conditioner. I pulled the A/C unit out of the garage and did a little hot wiring. Other than a sticking contactor, it fired up and cooled fine.



There are a couple of problems though.

First off, I think it looks like crap. A big ugly white box on the roof pretty much screws up the lines of the entire bus. It will probably look better on a white roof, but I still don't like it.





The other problem is the inside shroud is huge, designed for a flat surface, and the cabinet doors hit it. It hangs down 2+ inches I can't afford to lose. My son, pictured below is 5'10", I'm 6'2". It's not going to work.





So, my choices are to scrap what I have and find something different, basement air mounted under the bus or a low profile ducted roof mount. Hack up what I have and build something different, mount it under the bus and build ducting to reroute the air. Or modify what I have to work for now, understanding that it is probably a short term (1-2 year) fix.

Funds being a little short for now, I'm going to go with option 3. Even though I don't really like the looks, the unit is going to mount on the roof. I don't have to modify the roof to install it and I can pull it later and install a regular vent. I'll have to build something less obtrusive for the interior. The roof is 2" thick, I think I can fab some vents that will fit up in the roof and then relocate the controls to one of the cabinets.

More to come on that.
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Old 02-28-2016, 08:01 PM   #40
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 66
Year: 1956
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: Ford B-600
Engine: Ford Big Block FE
Managed to make some more progress on SanFord this weekend. All the plumbing vents have been replaced. The refrigerator vent has been cleaned up, painted and resealed. The range hood vent has been cleaned up, paints and resealed. And the bathroom vent pulled, cleaned up and resealed.









Next up is going to be deciding which main vent is getting the A/C and replacing the other. Then it will be time for paint.

More to come.
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