New shorty conversion! Road trip anyone?

[SeatTaken]

Originally Posted by DarrenDriven

That is awesome... great blank canvas! Or is it a "black" canvas? Take photos as you convert it... its fun to watch these things progress from empty shells.

We got lucky with the basically primed paint job. Today, we will start painting it a silver aluminum with a compressed air spray gun. Later, I'm thinking of painting the stars and stripes on the roof. It's exciting!

[SeatTaken]

Originally Posted by cincinnati_kid

Looks like a pretty nice neighborhood .............. So how do the neighbors like it haha

They actually love it. Many of my neighbors are defense department engineers and aircraft aircrew and many came out to take a look. They thought it was the coolest thing.

[SeatTaken]

It's been a while and we've been pretty busy with a 3-day pirate festival we had this past weekend called "Billy Bowlegs." It's a annual event where "pirates" "raid" the city on a pirate ship and come on shore and "take over the city" for a weekend. It involves plenty of rum, beads and "booty!" We Pirate themed the bus and it turned out awesome! Photos are below:





Since my last posting, I have painted the exterior Rustoleum aluminum silver, painted the bumpers gloss black, replaced the oil/oil filter, installed all new fuses and some wiring, installed a new 12v accessory socket in the dash for low power use, and some other little things. We just installed solar rope lighting on the inside also which is too neat. This week we are building the bench seats that convert into a 3-man bed behind both wheel wells in the rear.

I will try to keep you updated with new additions and photos! Virtually everyone in this town now knows the bus either from word-of-mouth or seeing us on the streets or at events. I don't think I've ever made a better decision in my life than to buy this bus!

More photos next post...

[SeatTaken]

[SeatTaken]

Originally Posted by Smitty

If you build it, they will come.................

Smitty

ETA: Close-up on the blonde next time please

Haha. Yeah, she's mine. I've made her the unofficial promoter of the bus.

[sdwarf36]

I love the silver--make it look quite "industrial". If you ever have an airplane theme party-I'd decorate as a old Ford Tri-motor.

[SeatTaken]

Bus seems to be running on 7 cylinders. There's always been a "knocking" present. How would I go about diagnosing the problem? Checking the compression of each cylinder, spark plugs? What else could be the problem?

Thanks!

[crazycal]

Is it gas. How long s ince a tune up. If you don't know, it's time. Start with plugs and wires. Might as well replace cap, rotor, fuel filter and air filter. If it still misses, then do a compression check. I've only rebuilt two engines, both were small block chevys. One had a cam lobe that was toast. I was surprised it still ran OK.

[jkindt]

Originally Posted by crazycal

Is it gas. How long s ince a tune up. If you don't know, it's time. Start with plugs and wires. Might as well replace cap, rotor, fuel filter and air filter. If it still misses, then do a compression check. I've only rebuilt two engines, both were small block chevys. One had a cam lobe that was toast. I was surprised it still ran OK.

Don't forget the ignition timing! If you don't have a timing light, beg, steal, borrow, or rent one. Your engine won't run efficiently with the timing set wrong.

[crazycal]

You're right, but can you set timing on electronic ignition?

[jkindt]

Originally Posted by crazycal

You're right, but can you set timing on electronic ignition?

It's a 1982, should have a standard GM HEI distributor in it.

[SeatTaken]

Thanks for the advice. I will try to find a timing light. It has gas and I don't think it has anything to do with getting fuel through the engine.

Another question. The ignition that we rewired has an issue. I'm not able to turn the bus off with the key. I have to take out the wire the provides power to cut it. What's the possible problems here? All the ignition cluster wires are connected to all available terminals. Ideas?

And one more thing...exhaust issue that I found while under the bus. Look at the photo below and tell me if this is really an issue. There's a pipe segment just sitting in the muffler. I don't know what happened here. It had to have been like that before I bought it.

[crazycal]

This isn't a problem at all if you don't care about dying from CO poisoning. I would get that muffler replaced pretty quick. It can't cost that much.

[SeatTaken]

Originally Posted by crazycal

This isn't a problem at all if you don't care about dying from CO poisoning. I would get that muffler replaced pretty quick. It can't cost that much.

It's very close to the back left of the bus so I can't see much gas getting through the flooring and into the interior. But I will get to it eventually.

Any advice on the ignition?

[Stuff]

a backfire could have caused that. have a 73 ford that i put a new muffler on and went to get gas. started truck and KA-POW and i blew the new muffler to pieces....

[SeatTaken]

Originally Posted by Smitty

You said you re-wired it...but it's not killing the power to the ignition once the key is switched to the off position. Re-check your work.

Smitty

I only rewired it to where the wires were before I bought the bus. It has never been able to turn-off with a turn of the key. Is there a standard diagram that I could go off of? I can't find anything.

[SeatTaken]

Thanks for sending the manual.

Would anyone perhaps know where to find a gauge unit for my P30? I have all the panels and mounts for the gauges and the gauge wires are getting power, but I just don't have any gauges. I don't have my hopes up for finding one, and I don't really need all the gauges except for the fuel level gauge...I would like to know my fuel level instead of carrying around a gas can everywhere we go. Are there universal gauges that would work on my bus?