Are the black stripes along the side of the skoolies part of the frame? Are they there to provide structure and safety, or can they be removed and the bus driven with out them? I just think they look so ugly and have 2000 holes that sooner or later start leaking. (I think mine started to leak already)
I just tought it would be nicer to remove them fill all the holes with bondo (since we anyway paint the bus) but if they are part of the structure then I guess they would have to stay.
Can somebody enlighten me on this?
They are there to provide extra protection to the body of the bus. They are called rub rails and can be removed and driven without them. Look through the gallery or do a search in the forum for buses without rub rails.
You can't really bondo them shut, they need to be welded shut or you will have the bondo falling out sometime in the future and giving you big leaks. Also the holes don't seal the bondo on the back side from moisture, it gets in there and helps them fall out sooner than later anyway. Welding a couple of hundred holes shut and keeping the panels straight is another problem all it's own. I would leave that can of worms alone. Once painted they dissapear for the most part or do as I did and use them for accents. sportyrick
A firefighter friend of mine told me that by law those rub rails and black stripes are required to line up with the top of the seats, the bottom of the seats and the floor of the school bus. So when rescuers arrive at a bus accident they know where to start cutting to get into the bus to help the kids.
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1988 Chevrolet S6000 8.2L Detroit Diesel