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Old 09-18-2018, 05:30 PM   #41
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Had to add a few progress pics. I wish I had more time and more hands to dedicate to the bus build. As fall approaches I am trying to finish the outside work first, after all I do live in the PNW and we get wet winters here!

I wish I had more experience with a HVLP spray gun. It was spraying extremely slow. I think I need to thin my paint with xylene and adjust the pressure to a max of 40 PSI. Of course I will figure it out by the time I am done. I was also just thinking of rolling it or using a wagner type paint sprayer (harbor freight special that says water based paints and stains only). I opted with a flat finish desert tan paint from Gillespie Coatings (GCI). I plan on painting the bumpers and rub rails a darker brown but I can always do that in the spring if I don't have time or get bored of painting. Prep has been exhausting. Those damnnned stickers. so much adhesive. Thank god for my heat gun and goo gone. followed by sanding, pressure washing, and final cleaning with alcohol.

I finally got the guts to cut a whole in my bus for the propane tanks. One downside to a flat floor bus (at least the one I have) is the smaller tires which make the bus lower to the ground. I decided that the propane tanks will be installed inside the bus using the box and door I salvaged from the camper I gutted earlier in the year. I like the fit. Inside I will insulate around the box and I will be building my raised bed above it. below my bed will also host my fresh water tank. I am electing to have the fresh water tank inside because I will be using my bus when I go elk hunting and it gets cold!

I got some free cabinets from a friend. New never used. they are a mixed set but I will paint over them. very nice quality. one is maple and the others are cherry. the door faces are different, but you can't beat the price. they also have soft close drawers. just need to get some drawer pulls. Also I am still torn between panels for a roof or a T&G style wood roof. I already have the panels so I guess I should go with those, but I will need a hand to install them. I think I will finish the kitchen first because I will need to cut a hole in the roof for the fridge vent.

So thankful for this site to keep me motivated.

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Old 09-18-2018, 08:22 PM   #42
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Lookin good. And I do feel your pain when it comes to (totally necessary) paint prep. I HATE that part!
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Old 09-18-2018, 09:58 PM   #43
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Your bus is looking GREAT, Rovo!
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Old 09-26-2018, 06:00 PM   #44
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Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
Where does one look fir salvage RV's?
storage places have stuff sitting without moving for years, if they would give out the names of the owners I bet that would be a good spot to find doner campers. I bought a boat that way. you could run a plate I guess
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Old 09-26-2018, 06:27 PM   #45
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storage places have stuff sitting without moving for years, if they would give out the names of the owners I bet that would be a good spot to find doner campers. I bought a boat that way. you could run a plate I guess
Surely they won't give you info, but if you give the storage place your contact info and let them know what you're interested in buying and they can contact the owners to contact you. Trick I played to get the Airstream was to contact all the people who had a "want ad" and asked them to forward any contact info on ones they found but didn't want. A week later I had a trailer and motorhome.
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Old 09-26-2018, 07:53 PM   #46
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Love the build! I did something very similar with finding a camper... however when we bought the camper, we were entirely set on rebuilding it... we didn't have a bus.


Then when we found out just how far gone it was... we had a bus donated to us so we scraped it out and salvaged all the goodies same as you. Saved a FORTUNE on appliances and such. I wish ours had an oven... ours only had the cook top.


Where did you get the dual propane tank mount? Was that also salvaged from the camper?



Anyways.. great progress. Looking forward to more!
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Old 09-28-2018, 12:59 PM   #47
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Old 09-28-2018, 01:19 PM   #48
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So happy the exterior painting is almost done. that prep work is a real pain and time consuming. It is all the little things you stumble across that needs to be done. door, removal to get behind the jams, mirrors, fenders, lenses, masking, sanding, cleaning, etc.... it all takes time. luckily, all I have left now is some parts to put back on, then the painting of the grill, rub rails, and bumpers which will all be a flat brown (CARC 383, AKA 30051 flat brown). I will likely finish it up with some "Skoolie Doo" decals where the "School Bus" stickers were on the top front and rear caps. I think I will even get the wheels painted too.
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Old 09-28-2018, 01:24 PM   #49
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr4btTahoe View Post
Love the build! I did something very similar with finding a camper... however when we bought the camper, we were entirely set on rebuilding it... we didn't have a bus.


Then when we found out just how far gone it was... we had a bus donated to us so we scraped it out and salvaged all the goodies same as you. Saved a FORTUNE on appliances and such. I wish ours had an oven... ours only had the cook top.


Where did you get the dual propane tank mount? Was that also salvaged from the camper?



Anyways.. great progress. Looking forward to more!

Hey, thanks! Yeah, everything I am putting in the bus has been scavenged from that camper including the dual propane tank mount and box. I realized that I never baked in my old RV so I elected to sell the oven range combo as I found a new inbox cooktop off of craigslist for $100. sold the Range/oven for $225 to a young lady who was full timing in her old Minnie Winnie and needed a replacement. win-win for us both.
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Old 12-07-2018, 08:02 PM   #50
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How's the bus now?
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Old 02-26-2019, 06:42 PM   #51
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Haven't really worked on the actually bus in months. Crazy busy but I did finally finish the woodstove. It was a $45 craigslist find. Few hours of grinding, paint, a little welding, new gasket, it is ready for the bus. I may line the floor and walls of the stove with some 1 1/4" thick fireplace brick for added insulation/protection. Now I need to source the correct pipes. 90% certain I want it to vent out the roof, slim chance of a removable side vent through a window.Click image for larger version

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Old 02-26-2019, 11:22 PM   #52
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Beautiful and great price on that! I absolutely love that cast on the iron of the gold panner and donkey.
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Old 02-27-2019, 06:21 AM   #53
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Wow really cool

You may want to reinforce the legs or something. They look kind of spindly to survive going down the road.
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Old 02-27-2019, 07:39 AM   #54
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Rovobay, according to that one photo, you look terribly young to be taking on such a project. I admire your motivation at such a tender age. LOL

Seriously, I am amazed that you found such a stove for so reasonable a price. Around here, everyone is totally in love with their old clapped out trash stoves. It's like they expect the sale of their stoves to make up for their not having won the lottery.
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Old 02-27-2019, 09:07 AM   #55
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Question...why line the inside with fire bricks? A cast iron stove is designed to radiate heat out thru its' body and the bricks would act as insulation.
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Old 02-27-2019, 11:17 AM   #56
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Question...why line the inside with fire bricks? A cast iron stove is designed to radiate heat out thru its' body and the bricks would act as insulation.
The fire brick will hold heat longer than the steel of the oven. Without brick the oven will heat up very rapidly, but as the fire subsides, it will cool rapidly. The bricks maintain the heat longer.
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Old 02-27-2019, 12:34 PM   #57
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Beautiful and great price on that! I absolutely love that cast on the iron of the gold panner and donkey.
Thanks! this unit is a knockoff of a Jotul 602. Friend had some metallic gold paint and I figured it would add just the right about of class. not sure if it'll last or not, but I think it looks cool.
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Old 02-27-2019, 12:36 PM   #58
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Wow really cool

You may want to reinforce the legs or something. They look kind of spindly to survive going down the road.

Yes, I have been thinking how I am going to mount it on to the floor of my bus. I was thinking of fabricating some angled pipe legs with a base plate where I can bolt it in down. especially as I plan to drive this down unpaved forest service roads!
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Old 02-27-2019, 12:47 PM   #59
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Rovobay, according to that one photo, you look terribly young to be taking on such a project. I admire your motivation at such a tender age. LOL

Seriously, I am amazed that you found such a stove for so reasonable a price. Around here, everyone is totally in love with their old clapped out trash stoves. It's like they expect the sale of their stoves to make up for their not having won the lottery.
My Son (4) and Daughter ( are my little helpers. always around when it is safe enough to be. I have been looking for the right stove since I started looking at buses. They are hard to find in a size that I wanted. Hopefully I am correct in thinking that this woodstove should do the trick. Elk hunting in Eastern Oregon in Late Oct-Nov can get pretty cold. I insulated floors, walls, ceiling, so I think I should be fine. Also picked up a cool fan on amazon.
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Old 02-27-2019, 02:56 PM   #60
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Question...why line the inside with fire bricks? A cast iron stove is designed to radiate heat out thru its' body and the bricks would act as insulation.

the fire brick is to prevent the steel from burning through - brick is sually only installed where the wood burns the hottest
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