let the fun begin

uhall · 05-04-2016, 06:37 PM

Hello All,
I just picked up my first bus, and can't wait to get it setup. It is a 1996 Thomas built bus, The tag says its up to 48 passenger, but she seems shorter than that. I have never tackled a project like this before, but really looking forward to it. I have some ideas for an outdoor kitchen by utilizing my wheelchair lift

. This will be a low budget build for my two boys and I. I would love to commit the big time and money to the skoolie, but that is not realistic right now so I will do what I can. First thing I did was remove all the seats and sweep her out.

Roadrunner · 05-04-2016, 06:53 PM

Welcome aboard uhall! Good for you getting your bus. What a great feeling. I'm sure you will have some questions so please don't hesitate to ask them. Everyone here is more than willing to help. Oh yeah, we love pictures. Good luck on your build.

uhall · 05-04-2016, 06:55 PM

Hey road runner, i tried to upload the first few that i have taken so far, but my uploads are failing (I'm sure its something I'm doing wrong). Once I can remedy that, pictures will be going up.

Jolly Roger · 05-04-2016, 07:24 PM

Welcome
Low budget is if you see a sub-division going stop and check the dumpsters when you can and finished stuff that your not ready for can go in the bus for storage if you don't have anywhere else and move around as needed and even un-treated framing lumber on a construction site is left outside un-protected? Until the dry-in phase? And if you store it outside and put a tarp or plastic over it it is going to sweat so why cover it? Protect it yes but it also needs to breath and that's when you will find you thought was a perfectly good framing board in the dumpster was actually there because of the twist or bows in the board? A bow could be helpful in the roof curve and a twist is still usable.
As long as you know what you are working with? You can make anything happen.
Don't frame with wet lumber?
I used sheetmetal framing for all of my walls. Framing turned sideways to make and boxed together (1-1/2" plus finished board) so I had a attachment face on each side.
But I get to salvage from commercial construction dumpsters and know the ones dumping there scraps and some will will let me know before the forklift hits the dumpster. If I am on the job it's mine,if I am in the area and can run look at it When I have time it's in the dumpster.
Talk to people and you will be surprised at what some of them have and don't know what to do with it?
My holding tanks and monitor system came from an old coachmen because I was driving by the man was pushing it into the woods and stopped and asked if I could have some parts? The only thing I didn't get and still can (and is a debate in my head)the Onan propane generater? All the hoses are dry rottedand a DIrt dobber nest In every opening there was?

Robin97396 · 05-04-2016, 08:32 PM

Welcome
You'll have to upload you photos to photobucket then transfer them into a thread here. It's just a guess, but I think that's how they avoid people transferring viruses here in photos.

So what did you get? Inquiring minds want to know. Did you get a 5 window shorty with a lift? Just a guess. There's a lot of mechanics here that want to know what engine and transmission you have. How many miles are on your bus. And you know someone is going to ask how much you paid. You don't have to tell.

uhall · 05-04-2016, 11:13 PM

uhall · 05-04-2016, 11:33 PM

I can't for the life of me get the picture situation under control (not too savvy i guess). I'll tell you what I know for now, and provide more info tomorrow when i take another look at the bus. there are 199k miles on her. I picked it up for scrap value after it didn't go at the auction ($500). it has 5 windows on the lift side, and 7 on the other. I'll have to recheck tomorrow for what motor and transmission it has.

uhall · 05-05-2016, 03:57 PM

uhall · 05-05-2016, 03:58 PM

Robin97396 · 05-05-2016, 05:20 PM

I like that. Again the flat floor like mine, but in a dog nose. I've never seen that before, but then I haven't seen a lot.

I'm curious to know how much floor space you have compared to the total length of your bus. I like that size and you've got the L-track all through the bus too. I thought it was cool how these special needs bus seats actually have four legs, and they still connect to the chair rail.

This bus is 26' long and it's 22.5 feet of flat floor space to the back of the drivers seat. My 5 window is 25' long and I think 16' of floor space with wheel wells. I'm amazed at how much wasted space there is.

cadillackid · 05-05-2016, 05:25 PM

thats an interestign design.. ive never seen a bus with small rear wheels like that to make a flat floor.. but the flat floor has to make cionversion much easier and probably makes the bus ride quieter as the tires stay away from protruding into the bus ..

looks like a great bus!
-Christopher

cadillackid · 05-05-2016, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robin97396

I like that. Again the flat floor like mine, but in a dog nose. I've never seen that before, but then I haven't seen a lot.

I'm curious to know how much floor space you have compared to the total length of your bus. I like that size and you've got the L-track all through the bus too. I thought it was cool how these special needs bus seats actually have four legs, and they still connect to the chair rail.

This bus is 26' long and it's 22.5 feet of flat floor space to the back of the drivers seat. My 5 window is 25' long and I think 16' of floor space with wheel wells. I'm amazed at how much wasted space there is.

is that because of seatbelts? I noticed that my seats are narrower but still have 4 legs... I didnt look closely to see where the seatbelts bolt down to.. im guessing there will be a lot of bolts for each seat I want to remove.. fortunately for me theres only a few im gooing to yank..

-Christopher

Robin97396 · 05-05-2016, 06:54 PM

I like the four legged seats. You can use them on the porch too.

Yeah, mine had a couple L-track bolts in each foot of the seats (8 bolts), plus a couple side rail bolts. The seat belts were just bolted to the back of the seat frames in mine.

In a regular bus without the L-track, I still remove the seat bolts then put lag bolts in the holes so you can unbolt them when alone. I seem to have a bad habit of changing my furniture around in this bus.

As far as I know the flat floor design is specific to these special needs buses. It is curious to see that in a dog nose.

uhall · 05-05-2016, 07:15 PM

I just measured to verify, I have 18'10" of flat floor from back wall to back of the drivers seat. I only have 7'3" width for the majority of it at the moment. I don't currently intend on gutting it, (I've read all about what a mistake this is, but I need to make sure I will enjoy this enough to spend anymore more time and money on it than already planned.) which would give me at least a few more inches to work with.

Robin97396 · 05-05-2016, 07:22 PM

I can understand that. Given the amount of time I plan on spending in this bus, and considering how cold my feet were last winter, I'm going to try insulating. In the past I've basically used them like a large van. I'd replace a bad floor, put down linoleum and paint, but I never insulated. It is a shame to mark up this nice interior but it'll work out in the end.

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