A bus is never done-wheel arch rebuild

[sdwarf36]

When I first built my bus, I came across rusted out wheelwells. The 2-3" gap between the Ford wheel arches + the Champion box was filled--with spray foam. I'm sure it worked fine for years-but after a while it stays wet-and rusts everything out. I was able to chisel everything out and make a patch from the inside to seal things from the floor up-so I could start on the interior. I had this roll of plastic-pretty sure it was the sides to an above ground pool-nice thick stuff. I made a inner liner for the underside of the well-it worked awsome. I'll get to the underneath when I can...
has it really been 8 years?
Originally the metal from the floor down was thin-maybe 22 gauge-backed by spray foam. Heres a chunk.
The lower piece slides under one above-with screws in the rub rail holding it all together.

This is what was left to a piece of 1 1/2"x 2" tube that was at the back of the wheelwell-that the mudflap attaches to.
I made the new piece out of 18 gauge.
There is all kinds of open space between the frame + the outer body. I always wanted to make some underbody storage. Now was the time. So I bent up a box.

Its 22"x 28"x8"
I bought a door on ebay from an overstock camper place-for $8.00!

Its got 2 3/8" hangers on the back-and the box as a 1" lip catching the frame on the top-and new side piece all the way around. Its plenty solid.
I brushed Ace hardware Rust stop paint on plenty thick. I plan on wrapping the bus so I wasn't worried about looks.
I'll get more pics when I finish up tomorrow.

[Robin97396]

Nice job on the box. Now that's the newest looking part.

[RHOMBUS]

Awesome find on the door, and nice assembly for the box! Some day I will get to my storage box fabrication, just not this day.

[cadillackid]

lookin good!! in the pic with the box mounted to the panel there is a nice trim there. . did you bend that in or is there something you used as trim pieces?

-Christopher

[Docsgsxr]

Excellent fabrication skills! Even though the box is smaller, it will give much needed space!

[sdwarf36]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

lookin good!! in the pic with the box mounted to the panel there is a nice trim there. . did you bend that in or is there something you used as trim pieces?

-Christopher

I bent a 1" lip outwards on the box - and the lid had about the same sized trim around the outside. Confession time-I screwed up making the box. It was supposed to be made out of 2 pieces. We have an old 8 ft brake at work-which no one has really used. I bent the big piece first-and it kind rolled rather than bent. Once I saw the issue, I adjusted the brake-its now good to go. But I didn't want to scrap a 42x22" piece of steel. So a little trimming + it got a cap on one side. I seam sealed all the edges-betting it will be plenty water tight.
I wish I could have made the box larger-but thats all the room vertically-and thinking one step ahead-I wanted to leave access to the rear leaf spring hanger-I know I'm gonna have to change them-someday.
I made a new tighter fitting pool liner wheel arch. Siliconed the edges both sides. I'm sure its gotta keep 99% of any spray from getting in any of the areas that could possibly leak.
Trying to wrap up the job, I ran into a problem. I reused the rub rails, and was going to get new rubber. I couldn't find anything to match-so I went to reuse the old stuff. It was about 6" short! Its 20 years old + pretty stiff. It must have shrunk once unscrewed-and it was cold today. Got to wait for a sunny day + hope I can get it in place.