My short bus build - 97 e350 advice is welcome
Hi everyone.
I just bought a 1997 e350 5 window short bus. Its got the 7.3L diesel, standing headroom and a wicked cool roof rack.
As far as I can tell it strated life and a Transit bus, most likley a handy dart, then owned by a limo company and was converted into a party bus, then used for filming and supporting Mtn Bikers. Odometer is 320 000 km and it has recently had a bunch of mechanical work done. Overall we are pretty excited, and looking forward to having a sweet getaway RV.
So far I have torn out the old floor, spent hours grinding the rust out of the steel coach floor and got the first coat of tremclad rust paint down. What an imense amount of work so far. Wow. Next is stripping the wall and celing panels to replace the insulation. We plan on re-using the roof skin but most likely will replace the skin under the windows with wide strips of 1/2 inch thick plywood screwed into the bus ribs to keep the strucre rigid.
Sub floor will be this : https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.r-insulated-panel.1000788120.html - With vynil fake wood over it. Couple questions here, should I glue the sub floor to the steel floor?, and should I also screw it down with some self tapping metal screws?
I will be keeping the 'L' rails that run long under the bus windows and attach 2x4's along the floor, through the sub floor and steel floor and build my furniture from there. Hopefully keeping the bed, kitchen, seating, and floor secure incase of any unfortunate accident.
The bed will have to run long ways on the right side of the bus and high enough to allow bike and tool storage underneath. The kitchen counter will be behind the drivers seat, might add a co-pilot seat and have an L shape couch oppiste the kitchen and in front of the bed. With a small removable table. I am open to layout chages and ideas from the experts!
Looking to make this into a nice, somewhat bare necessities camping and support RV to support my kayaking, biking and hiking habits. There will normally be two people and a dog on board.
Any good input will be greatly appreaciated. Thanks guys!
Richard
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