Big Mac I bought for $500!!!!!

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted by M1031

Here's a pic of MY M1031 from last year. I need to update this. I have put in quite a bit of work on her since then:



My son's M1009 is next to it.

Nice CUCV...I had one, a 1986. Most around here seem to have rotted to powder.

It cured me of two things: owning GM 6.2 diesels and owning trucks with slushpump transmissions!

My wife has a diesel Blazer, but it's not military. (Meaning it has overdrive & A/C!)

[lornaschinske]

Towing Laws by State
http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

[M1031]

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

Towing Laws by State
http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

I printed it for easy reference. Thanks lornaschinske!

[M1031]

Originally Posted by Jarlaxle

Nice CUCV...I had one, a 1986. Most around here seem to have rotted to powder.

It cured me of two things: owning GM 6.2 diesels and owning trucks with slushpump transmissions!

My wife has a diesel Blazer, but it's not military. (Meaning it has overdrive & A/C!)

I changed the gearing in the M1031 so she'll do an easy 65 mph now. I also discovered in West Texas you don't need A/C with 35% relative humidity, even if it's 95*+ in the sun it's VERY tolerable.

[crazycal]

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

Towing Laws by State
http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

Excellent link.

[M1031]

Gosh, I have friends that live in Katy, maybe I will just bring them down myself

Lily

I'd love to compare plans and shake your hand! Let me know when you'll be here and I'll chip in for fuel!

[M1031]

Here are some more pics of Big Mac. In addition, the overall length is 30' dead on. The travel trailer is 33' exactly. So over all length of both combined is 63'! No woories about being over length! I can even add a bicycle tote on the back of the trailer and still be in the clear.

Figures now I'm having issues posting pics

Most frustrating.

[M1031]

I'm trying again......

[M1031]

Well, here's one of the links:

This is the seat I'm looking to replace with a conversion van chair:

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/2241/p5220013.jpg

Here's the travel trailer:

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/9613/p5220026.jpg

Some of the damage I need to fix:

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/3414/p5220034.jpg

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/499/p5220028.jpg

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/9252/p5220031r.jpg

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8503/p5220030j.jpg

I'm looking to take out these steps:

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/9184/p5220015.jpg

Then take this hand hold in the stairwell:

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/364/p5220032.jpg

and put it on the outside alongside the handicap door, remove the elevator since it has some bad damage, and put some nerf steps below the second door:

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2092/p5220012n.jpg

[M1031]

Originally Posted by Smitty

When you post, just look above the box you type in, and click the IMG icon, then post your pic link between the brackets.

[img]Post-link-here[/img]

You should have a size option on imageshack to automatically resize your pics to 480 X 640 (I think those are the numbers) that's the best size for forum pics as they aren't too large.

Smitty

I did that in previous pics. However, I'm going back to imageshack to resize. I found out the camera was set on highest resolution. My wife (B.S. in IT) says she can resize everything. I'll get her to do it. I'm hardware, she's software. So I'll figure it out tomorrow. I'm going to take more pics when I'm out there Wednesday & Thursday. I have a Captain's chair (and other assorted parts) quest for Monday & Tuesday.

[M1031]

I was at the salvage yard today. I got a good captain's chair for me and a convertable bench seat/couch for my wife and son to share. The seat opens up into a queen sized bed! Both pieces are motorized, and when I return the driver's seat and a bench seat I get my $30 core charge back on the combination. Thus the two will cost me a total of $60. The captain's chair has a lumbar air bag too! However, while removing the convertable, I slipped on the exposed runner that had supported the fiberglass kick-board on the passenger side (now removed and jagged steel now exposed) of the '93 Chevy 3/4 ton conversion van.

*Preface*- I did not come directly into contact with the steel. I had a pair of thick jeans AND a thick pair of socks on to PREVENT direct exposure to such steel, said system worked perfectly in this instance, no direct contact occurred, AND I applied medication IMMEDIATELY after said injury (I've learned from past injuries).

Now I have a medial, inferior tibial gash just above and behind the ankle about 1&1/2 inches long and a 1/4 inch wide. Iodine woke me up REALLY quick. I followed with Neosporin. A glass of wine and some other meds (B.P., and such) have taken off the edge. SO a good night's sleep is in order. Pics will follow on Friday when I get home from the farm with the camera. I have the wiring harness ($20) to the free CD player ready to go into the dash, the antenna mount is ready as well (free), and I have the class 3 hitch prepped to be installed as well (donated from my old M109A3). Aft of the convertable will be the shelving and work bench after I take up the flooring to inspect the sheet metal. I'll be removing some of the glass to prevent breakage with the steel shelving units I have. Since the convertable is very wide I have cancelled modifiying the front door to just improving upon the existing door via a new steel door. (editor's note: I decided today 25MAY to eliminate the folding door for security reasons) I enjoy pilfering the local scrap yards. I'm sure I'll find something there. I also plan on buying some new, clean automobile carpeting for the front along with getting some free insulation from a friend of mine who owes me a favor or two.......

Lily, I'll keep an eye out for a smaller 12V fridge, but I need to know what dimensions are you looking for? I know you want smaller, but just how small? Please let me know. Thanks!

I am SO looking forward to getting this bus in shape! After the small stuff is done the next BIG project is to change the gear ratio so I can safely drive down the highway...... YIPPEEE!!!!! ($2K to complete )Paint will happen sometime in between. I love some of the paint jobs on the site. However, my budget demands as practical a paint job as money will allow. As others have said before me, please be gentle in your evaluations of my painting skills (or, rather, the LACK thereof)......

[M1031]

I was at the farm today. I got a few things done. Not much progress since I'm the only one working on Big Mac. However, I did get the seats sorted out. I still have to remove the back seats. I'm saving the seat belts as tie-downs for my equipment I'll be loading in the back.

Here are some pics of the seats I scored yesterday:

This is my new Captain's chair -



This is the power convertable sofa/bed -



With the center console and arm rests down -



Backside - the back folds out into a comfy bed, Nick is excited about flopping on it a.s.a.p. My wife's white CUCV with spare tires is in the background. -



My Captain's chair roughed in. I still need to properly secure it.



I'm putting the convertable behind my seat. I sat on both sides of the sofa, clear view for all. -



I'm going to put the handicap ramp in the back of the bus where it's needed. The second "wall" will be moved back so we can get to the back of the bus. The front will be watertight and have plenty of insulation and creature comforts for long hauls. -

[M1031]

Well all - I've spent the past three days (24 total work hours) by myself on the farm working on Mac. Chairs are out, rubber is up in the front, I don't know if I'll have the energy to finish the back or not. Pros and cons each way since the back is my work area. I could always finish the rear floor later. We'll be out at the farm tomorrow to let my wife and son make some decisions about what they want for a floor plan. Here are some pictures:

Looking in the entry door I transferred the handle to the handicap lift where the lift doesn't move and the backside nuts are out of the way:



Seats are out and now are on their way to a camp.....



Dividing walls are roughed in, will be bolted down after some decisions are made tomorrow.



Where there is rust.....



Sun visor is now properly secured and folds down the way it should, mirror is now removed (toss-up to see if wife or son get the mirror now.....)



Can anyone please help me find the rectangles I need to fill in the dash? Please PM me....



I'm also looking for the securing bracket for the front window:



It should look something like the back one:



I'm going to use these handicap brackets to secure the bench seat in such a way so when I load something extra large in the bus I can move the bench to get it in the back:

[putterspitt]

what did the seats come out of, if you dont mind.

[M1031]

Originally Posted by putterspitt

what did the seats come out of, if you dont mind.

I thought I'd mentioned they came from a '93 Chevy 3/4 ton custom conversion van in Houston, TX. LKQ had several other similar vans in stock when I was there a week ago, if that helps any.......... If I forgot to mention the aforementioned, I'm sorry.

[M1031]

Originally Posted by putterspitt

what did the seats come out of, if you dont mind.

Oh, and the brown seats came out of the bus .......

[M1031]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I bet if you put those brown seats on Feebay, and listed them as "Rare, Vintage, and Hard to Find".....you'd get $100 a piece for 'em

Smitty

They already went to a campsite as a donation...... However, I LOVE your "creative" marketing skills!!

Well, we (the family this time went with me) went out to the farm today. Wife and little body went inside to clean, organize, and help with making some decisions about the interior. Here are the highlights:

Here is the back with the class three hitch:



A close-up:



A cleaner, more organized passenger side:



Same for the driver's side:



My wife helped me with some stubborn bolts I couldn't get just by myself. That really got this build moving in the right direction. The area between the floorboards and A/C units and battery box was just wide enough for me to squeeze my hand holding a wrench and blindly hoping to secure the locking nuts on the bottom side. 10 bolts, several bleeding knuckles, and many supurlatives (deleted) later that pain was finished.

BTW, while I was searching for some replacement U bolts (body to chassis) I came upon (and scored) this little beauty:



This is a 35 gallon diesel fuel tank I got for $10!!!! It's ready to install. I'll fab up some hangers and figure out placement later.

[M1031]

After several days of three people helping me (that's Me, Myself, & I - I hate it when I get into an feud with Me and only Myself wins...... ) this is the progress so far - along with a very sore back:

I strapped the seat belts so they wouldn't get painted......



Here's looking back to the large sofa/bed area.....



This is just before lunch today...



Looking straight back....



Removing the surface rust on the transmission plate (I thought it came out nice, especially since my ears are STILL ringing from the wire wheel grinder....) That's my daily driver giving me a work bench to use for painting (I love my military trucks.....)



I hit the cleaned up areas of rust with an anti-oxidant bonding paint...



I rattle canned the whole floor (us poor guys gotta do what we gotta do) until I ran out of paint this evening....



I rigged up the CD player to see if it actually worked.... It did!!!! So awesome for free!!!!! Don't worry, I had everything safely wired (though it doesn't quite look like it) and fused just in case. I'll do a proper installation later. Right now it's back into its composite parts.....



I know, I know, but I didn't want to risk Max's batteries (I can't afford to replace them right now).... AND everything was properly fused.....



After the heavy rain on Thursday, I discovered the rain was gushing down the interior side by the lift inside the wall, so.....



I was reading how this stuff is super sticky..... Boy howdy was that ever right!!!! I covered the passenger side front, but I'll be doing the whole roof area.



I got it all today.....



Well, that's all for this post...... More later when I get back out to the farm.

[bus-ted]

I guess I've never been in a Ward bus, but am I seeing correctly- are the floor panels all rivited down, or are they screwed?

[crazycal]

Will paint stick to that sealer?