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Old 09-19-2019, 11:41 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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The Crux Bus Build Thread!

Hey guys so i wanted to start this for my conversion. I quickly demoed most of my bus and am going to start the floor pretty soon!

for starters I have a 1998 shortie bluebird so i can go crazy with some expense because I dont have to buy nearly as much it measures something like 80 SQ. FT

Floor:
-Demo to bare metal
-Rust stopper
-Coat with a sealant
-Fiberglass or bondo all holes in the floor
-lay 3/4-1" foam insulation (I am VERY limited on head room)
-lay 1/2- 3/4" ply
-Float a vinyl waterproof floor and maybe have a sound layer underneath that.

Ceiling:
-Demo and remove insulation
-Remove as much around A/C and leave Roof A/C (Still on the fence, but i think im keeping it)
-foam insulate with 1" or more
-Cedar ceiling runners
-Custom A/C cover made of wood to blend nicely
-RV Fan Cut out
-holes to run solar panel cables

Walls:
-Remove walls
-Seat rails lets not talk about those but i think the consensus is imma keep em mainly cause there good to anchor stuff too. so I might just cut the areas I need out.
-re-insulate and seal with either paneling or cedar in noticeable areas
-Re-seal Windows
-make small window sills
-Remove all handles for emergency exit and go with a clean dead bolt look

Bed:
-Full XL bed
-Storage underneath
-Storage in the headboard

Kitchen:
-Custom cabinets or get something from IKEA not sure yet.
-4'-5.5' kitchen featuring:
-2 burner propane stove (12" RV stoves)
-Propane will either be run from a small bottle inside or a hose that will run outside into a normal tank
-15"X 15" sink under mount with a work space filler.
-Butcher block counter top or natural slab epoxied
-block off 2 bottom windows so that you cant see the back of the cabinets from the inside.
-hoping to fit 2 normal cabinets and a 3 drawer
-Fresh and grey water tank with city hook up, not sure where they will mount yet.
- 2 or 3 upper cabinets for food storage like long ones that will curve with the ceiling and only come out about 8-12".
- all the way to the right will be a Wynter chest fridge

Dinette:
- Standard RV Dinette that will fold down to a very tight twin lol. This will be for guest that need to crash or kids. (Honestly I cant see more then my Girl and I being in this bus at once but if i sold it in the future its prob a nice option to have. )
- There will also be a table that will be comfortable for 2 or a tight 3.
- This will also be equipped with a seat belt in each seat from the old bus seats

Stove/A/C Space:
-My favorite thing im going to try is about a 24" X 24" space that I will make mount read for either a wood burning stove or portable A/C for when im docked up and need some extra cooling or heat. kinda hard to explain so diagrams to come.

Electricity:
- 2 or 3 solar Flexible panels (6' X 2')
- custom 300 MaH Lithium ion battery (I got one very cheap)
- full 12 volt system and one inverter for MINOR things that aren't possible to be ran off 12V.
- Shore power hook up
- wind turbine connector when parked up with no solar. (later addition)

Driver Console:
-remove or cover metal above head so that it flows better.
-back up camera addition
-new head unit
-New Speakers i might go with a full Bluetooth speaker set up kinda like a home theater gig and just run that but we will see

Bus Exterior:
- Full LED light upgrades
- Light bar up top for the back road driving
- DOT regulation lights (this thing will be a Christmas tree)
- White paint and accent of mountains or trees in a diff color.

So pretty ambitious right!?!? well that's the plan im sure it will change as the build goes on! right now im at the demo and planning stage we finally decided on our layout now we are going to make a diagram. im going to post all the pics i have right now and ill post a pic of the actual diagram maybe tomorrow. KEEP ME ACCOUNTABLE!! have a great day!

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Old 09-19-2019, 11:59 PM   #2
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Crux Bus PART: DEMO

Some Before and after pics of the demo. More is demoed, but it was night when I was done so I will get those for you guys once I get back out there.
Attached Thumbnails
IMG_4275 (1).jpg   IMG_4271.jpg   IMG_4589.jpg   IMG_4270.jpg   IMG_4591.jpg  

IMG_4587.jpg   IMG_4596.jpg  
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Old 09-20-2019, 02:01 AM   #3
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Looks like it will be a fun build. You did not mention a toilet. What is your planned use (picnics, camping, vacations, full-time)?
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Old 09-20-2019, 05:29 AM   #4
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Good start on your conversion. I have a very similar 1996 Bluebird 4 window shorty. It’s empty waiting for conversion next year. I’m looking forward to following your build.
I guess I m also wondering about toilet options?
I wasn’t planning on tearing up the floor but maybe I will. Why do so many take the floor out?? Looks like a real mess!! Thanks
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Old 09-20-2019, 06:49 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doktari View Post
Good start on your conversion. I have a very similar 1996 Bluebird 4 window shorty. It’s empty waiting for conversion next year. I’m looking forward to following your build.
I guess I m also wondering about toilet options?
I wasn’t planning on tearing up the floor but maybe I will. Why do so many take the floor out?? Looks like a real mess!! Thanks
Most people remove the floor because the plywood under the rubber is a magnet for moisture, which eats away at the steel underneath. You'll never get a better chance to fix that then now at the start of the build! Unless you plan to use for just a few years then scrap, then it's worth taking the time, in my opinion.

I look forward to watching this build! I love the shorties!

Chris
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Old 09-20-2019, 07:15 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by Native View Post
Looks like it will be a fun build. You did not mention a toilet. What is your planned use (picnics, camping, vacations, full-time)?
So im actually shooting for short trips like at most a 4 day weekend. we most likely will be staying in campsites with facilities but i will probably buy a portable toilet for those emergency situations!
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Old 09-20-2019, 07:40 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doktari View Post
Good start on your conversion. I have a very similar 1996 Bluebird 4 window shorty. It’s empty waiting for conversion next year. I’m looking forward to following your build.
I guess I m also wondering about toilet options?
I wasn’t planning on tearing up the floor but maybe I will. Why do so many take the floor out?? Looks like a real mess!! Thanks
I wish I had photos of it actually getting tore up, but sadly I took those on snap chat and there gone. FAROK hit it right on the head. my bus is in great shape thought I have no issues only to find VERY rotted ply wood underneath the rubber, I mean like so soft I could literally ring out the water in it. not only heath concerns but just that musty smell is now out of my bus. Also as mentioned in the plan, HEADROOM sucks in my bus I think it measures like 69 inches and that's metal to metal, basically no way I wont be tilting my head walking around (I'm 5-10), but I figure I could maybe make it a little more comfortable changing the depths. Another thing to note is the fact that these manufactures put literally 100's of self taping screws straight through the ply wood and through your metal floor, to be able to take all those out and seal it all up IMO was a very good idea so that was no condensation or water can get flung up into the sub floor.

thanks for reading!
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Old 09-20-2019, 07:42 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by farok View Post
Most people remove the floor because the plywood under the rubber is a magnet for moisture, which eats away at the steel underneath. You'll never get a better chance to fix that then now at the start of the build! Unless you plan to use for just a few years then scrap, then it's worth taking the time, in my opinion.

I look forward to watching this build! I love the shorties!

Chris
I wonder if the chemicals used to treat the wood affect the metal. I pulled up some pristine looking factory plywood from a clean dry Texas bus this summer. It had a ton of rust under it. Made me wonder if there was some reaction going on.
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Old 09-20-2019, 07:44 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheCruxBus View Post
So im actually shooting for short trips like at most a 4 day weekend. we most likely will be staying in campsites with facilities but i will probably buy a portable toilet for those emergency situations!
There's a toilet seat that clips onto 5 gallon buckets. A bag of litter and you're done.
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Old 09-20-2019, 07:51 AM   #10
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There's a toilet seat that clips onto 5 gallon buckets. A bag of litter and you're done.
Yes i've seen those. i'll most likely do something like that or I think Coleman and Dometic both make aesthetically pleasing porta potties for less then 100 bucks. That should be more then enough for any emergencies.
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Old 09-20-2019, 07:53 AM   #11
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There's a toilet seat that clips onto 5 gallon buckets. A bag of litter and you're done.
Cabellas sells a "bucket loo" . Works great in a pinch. I bought one when my black tank bit the dust and used for a week or so while I built my composting toilet.

Random thought for the crowd: If you have a conventional RV toilet and black tank, post instructions on proper use of the toilet before you have guests. I had repeated issues with things going in the toilet that shouldn't.
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Old 09-20-2019, 10:06 AM   #12
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Cabellas sells a "bucket loo" . Works great in a pinch. I bought one when my black tank bit the dust and used for a week or so while I built my composting toilet.

Random thought for the crowd: If you have a conventional RV toilet and black tank, post instructions on proper use of the toilet before you have guests. I had repeated issues with things going in the toilet that shouldn't.
Yeah there are plenty of options out there not much of a concern for us as of now im sure we will found out our needs after our first trip lol.
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Old 09-20-2019, 10:09 AM   #13
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Once a toilet/poo situation is brought up it turns into a shitfest lol.
Sorry.
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Old 09-20-2019, 03:08 PM   #14
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Good start. You might want to run the idea of a woodburning stove past the insurance agent, many frown upon insuring them.
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Old 09-20-2019, 03:30 PM   #15
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Good start. You might want to run the idea of a woodburning stove past the insurance agent, many frown upon insuring them.
Good note Marc. Ill make sure of that. Most likely keep the A/C mode when they come and inspect it. I also thought about having one of those portable propane heaters there instead of a wood burner.
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Old 09-20-2019, 04:02 PM   #16
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Good note Marc. Ill make sure of that. Most likely keep the A/C mode when they come and inspect it. I also thought about having one of those portable propane heaters there instead of a wood burner.
I have a Mini-Split for heat and A/C, and also a diesel air heater. That might be a better option because if the stove isn't there when you insure, and it's the cause of an accident, they won't pay.
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Old 09-20-2019, 05:34 PM   #17
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I have a Mini-Split for heat and A/C, and also a diesel air heater. That might be a better option because if the stove isn't there when you insure, and it's the cause of an accident, they won't pay.
Yeah I understand. im just covering my bus with Liability anyway so I wont get any money regardless, but I will consider that the MINI split doesn't make much sense for me just due to room reasons and I dont like how it looks. Ill look into the diesel heater though, my bus is gas, but i can always just carry around extra diesel. Thanks marc
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Old 09-20-2019, 05:40 PM   #18
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Yeah I understand. im just covering my bus with Liability anyway so I wont get any money regardless, but I will consider that the MINI split doesn't make much sense for me just due to room reasons and I dont like how it looks. Ill look into the diesel heater though, my bus is gas, but i can always just carry around extra diesel. Thanks marc
Webasto does make gasoline heaters. That may be an option for you.

For me.... Nothing but diesel.
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Old 09-20-2019, 05:42 PM   #19
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Once a toilet/poo situation is brought up it turns into a shitfest lol.
Sorry.
It's amazing how long a poo thread can carry on and on.
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Old 09-21-2019, 04:16 AM   #20
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I shouldn't have mentioned the toilet!
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