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Old 05-10-2019, 05:24 PM   #41
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The nail sets are for countersinking finishing nails just below the surface of wood so they can filled flush.

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Old 05-15-2019, 02:39 PM   #42
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Engine: 350 Block
Minor update

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango View Post
The nail sets are for countersinking finishing nails just below the surface of wood so they can filled flush.
Oh they'll be super helpful for putting thin plywood facing on my bench etc! Thanks Tango!




update on progress
I'm filling floor holes with loctite PL premium then covering with aluminum tape. Seems like overkill from what I've read but there are so many dang holes it seems worthwhile to be sure they wont cause me problems down the line. I applied some ospho to the floor under where the driver seat used to be and some up in the footwell. I'll go back and thoroughly cover all that metal in ospho.. in the photo of the footwell you can sort of see where I've applied it and where the rust is untouched... It feels like an alarming amount of rust compared to the rest of the floor but it still seems structurally sound at this point.

Should I paint all that footwell metal with rustoleum paint too?

First photo shows patched holes in floor
Second photo shows driver footwell rust and patches of ospho metal
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Old 05-15-2019, 05:15 PM   #43
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Originally Posted by Orangetoes View Post
For insulation on the floor I'm planning to lay down pink board and use a can of spray foam for the corners and edges.

I believe I've read the spray foam in a can is a horrible mistake, something about it causes metal to trap moisture and rust out quickly.
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Old 05-15-2019, 07:14 PM   #44
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Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur View Post
I believe I've read the spray foam in a can is a horrible mistake, something about it causes metal to trap moisture and rust out quickly.

Thanks for the heads up! Found one of Tango's old posts:
"Ya...Great Stuff ain't so great for much of anything. And as noted above...it will attack steel like a metal munching piranha. Also...if injected into a closed area...it will remain fluid and never set except around the outer edges. Crapolla in my book."

I will stay away!
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Old 05-17-2019, 12:10 AM   #45
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Insulation and Window Sealing

I got the wall slots filled with R tech insulation. 1" with the reflective side out and .5" with the reflective side facing in. That stuff sure makes a mess but otherwise it went in relatively smoothly.

The driver window is proving to be a real pain putting back in. Tomorrow I think I'll have to use thinner seal strip on the bottom or something because it was NOT going in tonight. I ran out of daylight. I've done a couple of the other windows and popped them back in easy enough. The two sliding windows on the driver window frame make it super tricky.

I also fashioned a DIY gutter resolution. The tiny bus 'gutter' is actually quite effective (more of a water catching lip than a gutter). Up until the last 2 or 3 inches on each of the 4 corners, where the water would spill over and seep down the side of the bus and into the window frame. I tested the idea in the rain before installing and it seemed to make a huge difference.


First photo shows the DIY gutter solution -looks like rust on the exterior but it's just red primer paint that got everywhere...

Second photo shows the old window seal adhesive which is tricky as heck to get off.
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Old 06-13-2019, 12:04 PM   #46
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Questions

Photos show the fully patched and repainted floor (now at 2 layers of rustoleum, going for a third.) And the rear door panels removed; which was a big job for me since it involved unscrewing part of the rear door. I did it successfully though! Hoo rah!

I've been really pushing forward with progress and running into plenty of challenges along the way! I've got most of my ceiling insulation up -went with 1.5" R Max between the ribs, just shoved up there no adhesive needed.
Currently I'm working on a solution for some hard to get to and likely rusted in screws which are holding the pump system for the front door. Will attempt to chisel off the heads today.

Has anyone considered using Simpson Strap Ties or something similar for attaching interior stuff to the bus?
Seems straightforward to me and if I use separate strap ties for separate furniture items, they'll never exceed the 1500 psi rating of the tie.

My plan--> pop rivet the strap tie directly to the ribs, and then bolt my wooden stuff to the strap ties. Any thoughts or warnings here?


My next challenge to tackle before the flooring goes in, is the sink drainage. I want to have a simple straight pipe system from the sink down through the floor. I want to just have the grey water dump into an easy to empty container under the bus while parked.

How do I insulate a break in the thermal layer like this? AKA: How do I prevent heat loss with a gaping hole in the floor?


Since it's a 1973 bus and safety isnt up to code, I consider it a death trap and plan to drive it as such. This being said, I'm still interested in making my driver seat as safe as I can (mostly for my moms worrying).
I have removed the driver seat but still have it on hand. I want to install my pull out bench against the steering wheel so that it could double as the driver seat. I'm currently looking at Simpson Strong Ties/ Deck tension ties to bolt to the floor then attach my seat structure too.
Does anyone have tips on how to go about something like this?

I'm not afraid to work with metal though I have no welder or special tools. I can cut and rivet though and I think that'll get me pretty far...
I have lots of brainstorming on how to go about this and I'm willing to build the driver seat separate from the bench and then build the bench around the seat. I could have some kind of hinged cover for when in bench mode that would lift up when driving to expose the seat...?
any direction is appreciated!
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Old 06-13-2019, 12:08 PM   #47
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Second layer of paint. Fully patched.

Next step is attaching driver seat to the floor in the front and drilling the sink/grey water drain hole through the floor in the rear.
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Old 06-13-2019, 03:29 PM   #48
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Looks like a fun project.


Nice thing about the 350 chevy is they are dirt simple to work on.. cheap and plentiful. Down side is fuel mileage.


With that 4 speed (no overdrive), you're probably turning fairly high rpm at highway speed. Might be worth while to find a 5 speed down the road.


Keep up the good work!
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Old 06-13-2019, 05:14 PM   #49
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr4btTahoe View Post
Looks like a fun project.


Nice thing about the 350 chevy is they are dirt simple to work on.. cheap and plentiful. Down side is fuel mileage.


With that 4 speed (no overdrive), you're probably turning fairly high rpm at highway speed. Might be worth while to find a 5 speed down the road.


Keep up the good work!
and parts can be found anywhere
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Old 06-13-2019, 07:31 PM   #50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr4btTahoe View Post
Looks like a fun project.
Nice thing about the 350 chevy is they are dirt simple to work on.. cheap and plentiful. Might be worth while to find a 5 speed down the road.
Keep up the good work!
Let's just say I've been consistently dropping huge garbage sacks of crap off at goodwill to try and get myself and my stuff to fit. And now there'll be two of us living in there...

Skoolie livin' is definitely a lifestyle.

It will be a slow and spendy method of travel, but my love for this bus is growing deeper with each struggle. Every imperfection is part of the process
it'll be parked for 4-8 months at a time anyway.
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Old 07-17-2019, 02:30 AM   #51
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Made it into the Rocky Mts.

Greetings! I've made some serious progress and went on a true adventure with my bus. This last week I drove out to Merritt, BC from Seattle. My bus did great at made it up the steep mountain pass in third gear. Slow but steady. Discovered my brakes are definetly shot as we headed home Monday, but made it safely all the way back mainly engine braking and leaving tons of space. I sure won't let that happen again..

I managed to have some anchor points welded in thanks to my brother, before I left on the trip. So I could secure in my bench after some minor alterations. I also managed to install a driver seat at the end of June and have since made 2 attempts at engineering the back for it, with very little success.

My fold down driver seat idea is seeming unfeasible. But I've not entirely given up hope yet.

I've been using rivets as well as nuts and bolts for the metal work and metal angle from Home Depot for now. I have a family who owns a metal shop so I'm fortunate enough to be able to go through their scrap bins. I'll likely be ordering better quality metal moving forward. My brother is also willing to teach me to weld and I can find a welder to borrow for sure so securing things should be ultra easy. I have to plan exactly what I want to be installed forever though..

I was able to install some insulation where the heater/cooler used to be up front, and started installing some 1/4 inch plywood covering but I might go thicker. Think it helped a little with the engine noise but knocking that down more will be great.

I definitely need a real door locking situation. We used a rope wraped around a bolt on the door and a clip the whole way there and back and it was rough. And a crappy bike lock to secure the bus which was a real hassle.

The front passenger windshield was already cracked but upon removing the pump for the door system, it was accidentally shattered further. I managed to get someone out to cut a new glass piece and install for me right before we left

We were searched at the boarder going into Canada but otherwise weren't stopped by cops until about 1000 feet from our destination. He was checking people going to the event and made it clear that our American way of throwing everything in the back and calling it good wouldn't fly in BC. In Washington seat belts aren't required in a registered motorhome but in BC they are. After explaining I had all the tools and hardware to install seatbelts before driving anywhere (haha) he ended up giving me a warning and driving my two friends up the hill 1000 feet into the festival. So I got to roll up in a bus and my buddies were delivered in a police car Haha

So far so good in my skoolie life
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Old 07-17-2019, 09:55 AM   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Orangetoes View Post




We were searched at the boarder going into Canada but otherwise weren't stopped by cops until about 1000 feet from our destination. He was checking people going to the event and made it clear that our American way of throwing everything in the back and calling it good wouldn't fly in BC. In Washington seat belts aren't required in a registered motorhome but in BC they are. After explaining I had all the tools and hardware to install seatbelts before driving anywhere (haha) he ended up giving me a warning and driving my two friends up the hill 1000 feet into the festival. So I got to roll up in a bus and my buddies were delivered in a police car Haha

So far so good in my skoolie life
sounds like you are having fun with your skoolie - a shame that the RCMP officer didn't know the law about cross border co-operation - below is an official reply from the authorities about a request for clarification about air brakes, but the same holds true about all aspects of driving an RV in Canada - it's Federal law, not provincial - carry proof of the law where you come from and you should be free from harassment --

You are permitted to operate the same type of vehicles in British Columbia that you can operate on your home jurisdiction driver's licence. However, the burden of proof is on you to provide documents that verify you are able to operate vehicles equipped with air brakes without having an air brake endorsement if you are ever requested by law enforcement to prove this.
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Old 08-30-2019, 05:26 AM   #53
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Adventure awaits!!!

Well I've made major headway in my bus work as all as increasing my skillset! I've installed a vent, welded in framing, fully designed my kitchenette area, and even have a super nice and spacious shelf installed! I had never welded before so that was a super cool thing to learn. I have a few things to wrap up working on before everything comes together. Like the bench cushions I'm upholstering with my tie dyed canvas drop cloths... I'll do a better update in a little while but below are some preview pics.

I'm working on doing an acrylic pour for my countetop but my first attempt with it failed so I'll have to hold off on the epoxy top which is a super bummer but I'd rather guarentee a warm dry time rather than try to do it while living in the bus xD haha. Maybe I'll even end up just doing a poly coat on this countertop and making a better one with higher quality (flat) wood. Mine has a lot of bend to it currently.

I start a new job out in the boonies on Sunday and I'm planning to move out there in the bus on Saturday, so I've been working overtime and have much to do still. But I'm so overjoyed with my progress I have to share.

I've now got a combination of riveting, bolts and nuts, welding and woodwork/joinery holding things together.
My mom made me some lovely curtains and my dad designed the hanging method back when he lived in his vw van. They're suspended on a long spring with wooden dowels running inside it. I used a machine screw at each end of the windows to hold them up.
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Old 08-30-2019, 05:29 AM   #54
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Originally Posted by Sleddgracer View Post
sounds like you are having fun with your skoolie -
You are permitted to operate the same type of vehicles in British Columbia that you can operate on your home jurisdiction driver's licence. However, the burden of proof is on you to provide documents that verify you are able to operate vehicles equipped .
I am having an absolute blast. It is incredible to finally be seeing the visions I've had in my head coming to life before my very own hands!!
That is excellent to know, thank you for the info!
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Old 04-04-2020, 08:35 PM   #55
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April 2020 I love my bus!!!

Well I had planned to become full time August 2019 but that didn't end up being how things played out for me. So I put the bus on the back burner for a while but in the last month or so I've been pushing hard to continue progress.
I've learned so much from all this, its incredible. There are so many details and factors involved I will need to properly write out my product and method choices later one when I feel like typing a lot. For now, enjoy some progress photos!
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Old 04-06-2020, 12:08 PM   #56
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It's coming along nicely. It seems that these bus conversions take far longer than planned--I'm two years in and only just now got electricity and a sink with running water--and I now believe that once it gets "done enough" it'll become a long term project that just sits in the driveway and gets used but is never actually finished.
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