Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-11-2016, 09:37 PM   #1641
Bus Crazy
 
sdwarf36's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Moodus, Ct.
Posts: 1,062
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Champion
Chassis: Ford e-450
Engine: 7.3 Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 14
The best- BY FAR- glue/sealer I've ever used. Valco HV 350â„¢ Clear Silicone Sealer 710XX155 | eBay

Valco Cincinnati. Its like a thicker silicone. You ever break off a tab on a motorcycle's side cover? And say" no way to fix that-too little surface area." This stuff will. Its doesn't harden to brittle like crazy glue. I've seen plastic gas tanks repaired with it. Its stuck to any surface I've ever tried.
Buy a tube-if you ain't amazed by it, I'll buy the rest of the tube off you.

__________________
Don't make a fuss-just get on the bus!

my bus build https://www.skoolie.net/gallery/Skoolies/Sped
sdwarf36 is offline  
Old 05-11-2016, 09:43 PM   #1642
Bus Geek
 
ol trunt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: So Cal
Posts: 3,227
Year: 1935
Coachwork: Superior
Chassis: Chevy
Engine: 317 ci/tid / Isuzu
I think Tango is on to something with the abs tanks. The poly tanks are OK until you want to modify or repair them and then things get tricky. Plugging un- wanted holes with compression fittings (rubber seals) looks like it should work, but somehow the seals squirm their way out and leaks begin. In fact, after years of failure trying to patch poly water tanks I have come to the conclusion that "welding" is the only surefire method for repairing or modifying poly tanks. I needed to shorten one of my freebee poly tanks so I cut out the extra section, ground the edges back at a 45 degree angle and welded the parts back together using strips of waste poly as welding rods with a very hot soldering gun. So far, two years, the seams are still drip free. I made up my own "spin welder" for installing new threaded fittings by adapting my router. The friction from the spinning fitting when it is pressed against the tank produces enough heat to weld (melt) the parts together. I did this on a hot summer day while wearing a light weight tank top shirt. Not only did the friction of the spinning fitting melt its way into the tank, a good bit of the molten material spun its way through my tank top and onto my skin. I still have a strip of little white spots across my chest which look like Botts Dots on the fwy after I have been in the sun for a while--so watch out if you try this. Jack
ol trunt is offline  
Old 05-11-2016, 11:45 PM   #1643
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Ya...according to the poly tanks manufacturers, there is no adhesive that will work on their stuff. The only way to get the stuff to "stick together"is to melt it. Can be done with a home made "spinner" as Jack noted or the proper plastic welding equipment.

The ABS is joined using a solvent that chemically melts the parts together. Once set, it is non toxic and even FDA approved.

BTW...Kudos so far for PPL Motorhomes here in Houston. The Customer Service rep called back, apologized for the manufacturer and has another on the way (they don't stock them).
Tango is offline  
Old 05-12-2016, 12:40 AM   #1644
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Oh yeah...and here is what the ABS tanks look like all lined up. I think I'll go ahead and get started on the steel containment while waiting on the replacement.


3 Valterra 12 gallon fresh water tanks. The group measures 24" x 24" x 16".
Tango is offline  
Old 05-12-2016, 03:54 AM   #1645
Bus Crazy
 
M1031A1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Dowdy Lakes, Colorado
Posts: 1,444
Year: 1989
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner ER
Engine: 3208 CAT/MT643 tranny
Rated Cap: 87
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango View Post
Oh yeah...and here is what the ABS tanks look like all lined up. I think I'll go ahead and get started on the steel containment while waiting on the replacement.


3 Valterra 12 gallon fresh water tanks. The group measures 24" x 24" x 16".
*With, of course, one SMAAAALL exception......

WOW, who knew one small error could cause such an education for the rest of us.

I believe I'm sticking with my original plan of using stainless steel with baffles.........
__________________
Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people’s liberty teeth and keystone under independence. — George Washington
M1031A1 is offline  
Old 05-12-2016, 04:56 AM   #1646
Bus Crazy
 
Scooternj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: EHT New Jersey
Posts: 1,134
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTran
Chassis: International 3000RE
Engine: T444E/AT545
Rated Cap: 75
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango View Post
The ABS is joined using a solvent that chemically melts the parts together. Once set, it is non toxic and even FDA approved.
I build plastic models, and use an ABS cement (Plasti-weld) on the parts. Nice, easy to work with, runs between the seams through capillary action, and lets you fine-tune while setting.

Nice tanks, Tango. Makes me wanting to look into them, and see if they have a Jersey or SE PA vendor
__________________
Hey! That's not an RV, that's a school bus.
Well thank you for noticing, Captain Obvious

Captain Obvious on deviantArt
Scooternj is offline  
Old 05-12-2016, 06:40 AM   #1647
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,758
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
those look great!.. will you place those just like they are in the bus, or will tyou lay them flat and spread them out underneath the bus?
-Christopher
cadillackid is offline  
Old 05-12-2016, 10:10 AM   #1648
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Howdy All --- If I had the stainless welding skills, time and budget, I would very likely go that route myself, but since I don't, the ABS seemed to fit my bill pretty nicely.

As for layout, they will go as seen in the pic with the vents/overflow, cross-connections and supply lines on the end. I am also going to build in a clear plastic "sight glass" to help keep up with what's in them rather than an electrical reader. They will sit indoors on top of my driver side rear wheel well up against the shower wall with the pump below and water heater above. I'm building a steel containment to keep them in place. Total water weight works out to 306 pounds.

I ordered mine through a big, local RV dealer and got around paying any shipping by picking them up there. They don't stock them in-store but had them two days after ordering. You can also find'em on Amazon (like everything else on planet Earth), but will pay fairly hefty shipping.

They come in a fairly wide range of sizes but are all made with two common dimensions...8" wide x 16" tall. The different volumes are the result of various lengths from 9" (about a half a gallon) up to 72" (36 gallon). I had limited space indoors and the combination you saw above fit what I had available perfectly. And, they are all baffled. Something I would not consider leaving off.

The ABS cement is, as Scooter noted, very easy to work with and makes for very secure fittings and joints.

Might not work for everyone, but filled the bill for me quite nicely.
"Keep it simple and do what works" is pretty much my mantra when it comes to building anything I plan on relying on.


ONWARD!
Tango is offline  
Old 05-12-2016, 10:58 AM   #1649
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Nice job. I'm still amazed at how much stuff you keep putting in that bus.
Robin97396 is offline  
Old 05-12-2016, 11:17 AM   #1650
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Thanks Robin --- this is hardly the typical skoolie conversion given that I am having to rebuild this antique pretty much from the ground up, but it has been...interesting. I knew when I picked this old gal she would be a demanding mistress, but I do want to do right by her. And since it will be my mobile "retirement home", I have opted to try and make it something that I can live with as well as enjoy. Both in the building and on the road.

Now if I can just get it all together before dementia sets in...well, at least any more dementia than is required to even take on such a project...
Tango is offline  
Old 05-12-2016, 02:29 PM   #1651
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Love what you're doing with that old girl. I've done that most of my life and now I've discovered how much easier it is to not be working on some little thing all the time.

Same idea here, but I took a simpler path. I have no idea where I'm going to be when full onset dementia kicks in, but beyond that point it should be quite difficult to find me.
Robin97396 is offline  
Old 05-12-2016, 10:29 PM   #1652
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Well Howdy --- Got a little bit done today. Fritzed around with the containment for the fresh water tanks and also poked a hole for the gravity feed.

[/url]
Here is the basic frame for the fresh water tanks. Sits right on top of the driver side wheel well. The containment box that will sit on top of this is being built as we speak.


And here is the exterior portion of the fresh water gravity fill. Had to do a lot of playing with my body saw as well as my tungsten carbide rasp to get the right profile to fit this sucker. Discovered a reinforcing panel I didn't know I had in this spot. Mmmmmm...fun.


And here is what it looks like on the inside. Will hook it all up when I get that one tank replacement and the rest of the metal work done.


ONWARD!
Tango is offline  
Old 05-13-2016, 03:57 AM   #1653
Bus Crazy
 
M1031A1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Dowdy Lakes, Colorado
Posts: 1,444
Year: 1989
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner ER
Engine: 3208 CAT/MT643 tranny
Rated Cap: 87
Tango,

I have GOT to see her sometime soon! Hard to believe she's been a four year build so far! I'm sensing she's getting close to completion looking at how all that work is starting to come together......... WoHOO!!!!!!
__________________
Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people’s liberty teeth and keystone under independence. — George Washington
M1031A1 is offline  
Old 05-13-2016, 10:53 AM   #1654
Bus Geek
 
ol trunt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: So Cal
Posts: 3,227
Year: 1935
Coachwork: Superior
Chassis: Chevy
Engine: 317 ci/tid / Isuzu
Hey Tango, my water tanks ended up in the same location. Great minds and all that-----nah, probably not. With shorties like we have there isn't much of a choice.

When you plumb your tanks will you use separate pumps for hot and cold water or a single pump? Jack
ol trunt is offline  
Old 05-13-2016, 11:25 AM   #1655
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Hey Jack --- yep...not a whole lot of options when you only have 15' to work with is there?

I will go with a single pump. There will only be three sets of lines, all very short. One hot/cold pair each to the kitchen sink & to the shower...and a single cold line to an outside "faucet". Never had one on any previous rigs but always seem to need one.
Tango is offline  
Old 05-13-2016, 04:32 PM   #1656
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
FINALLY!!!

I just now picked up my modified drag link from the machine shop!
As usual, they did a great job. They are a big shop that typically does very high dollar, very large and very critical projects so I really can't and don't complain (to them, anyway) about timing. Just happy to have some folks that really know what they are doing helping patch this old girl together. And they never charge me anything near the going rate. Great guys at Green Machine in case any of you locals need precision machine work. They have one precision mill that you could park most skoolies on. It was originally custom built for the D.O.D.,...in 1948. Two stories tall and can hold .005 from corner to corner. Gotta' love that old-school machinery.

Anyhow, I hope to test fit the whole steering system tomorrow. Will still need to take the drag link in to get a new bushing installed but at least I am getting closer to being able to get going on the dash & firewall situation. That has been a major hangup that I could not move on without this part.

ONWARD!
Tango is offline  
Old 05-13-2016, 04:46 PM   #1657
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,758
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
that kicks!!! and yes I totally understand needing to get the steering set up before you can do ANYTHING with the front clip... and getting the right steering parts always seems to be a pain too... even on more modern cars when you do big block engine swaps etc the steering parts seem always to need modified!..

great to see you got more parts and can start putting that together.. trust me you will feel good when you get the steering parts together and can start working on the motor mounts and actually set the engine and transmission for real...
-Christopher
cadillackid is offline  
Old 05-13-2016, 04:59 PM   #1658
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Thanks Cadillac --- I am ahead on the drivetrain. The engine, trans, driveline brake, driveshaft and rear axle are all done and ready. Still have more to do on and around the engine as far as oil lines, alt, A/C, accessories and such but I do feel a lot closer to the magic moment when I can crank and drive this puppy.
Tango is offline  
Old 05-13-2016, 05:27 PM   #1659
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
I sure admire your persistence and choice of vehicles. There's so many people following your build, and you write quite well. Your build is way beyond what the average parts changer is going to want to be involved in.

That other longer '46 appeared to be mostly paint, as it seemed to have the interior skin intact. It looked like a camper but I'm guessing uninsulated.
I'm pretty sure the guy was just exercising his particular skills. As far as camping, your bus has way more in it.

I'm actually thinking of spending my insulation money on fuel this fall when the temps drop rather than stick around for these frozen winters. The pipes freeze if I'm here or not.
Hitting the road means I need all that expensive equipment the rest of you have for convenience. It's a conundrum here because they simply won't insure a self built bus/RV, so it's not an RV, it's a van with file cabinets, plastic drums, fridge, bed, desk, kitchen/garage. All things I can unload from the bus in 30-40 minutes. So that's why all my creature comforts have to be modular and movable. So as I've said many times, this bus has been baptized and is now a van. Haleluya! Can I get an amen?
Robin97396 is offline  
Old 05-13-2016, 06:13 PM   #1660
Bus Geek
 
Tango's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
AMEN Robin! --- Being able to adapt your rig to your own, personal needs is to me what building a skoolie is all about. You want a "Tiny Home" with a wood burning fireplace and ice machine? Go for it. You want a rolling tin tent with minimal build out? Go for it. Whatever else you do...make it your own.

BTW...here's couple of kwik pix of the draglink. Part Isuzu NPR...part 1946 Chevy 1.5 ton truck/bus.



We opted to over weld the joint and not grind it. It needs strong...not purdy.
The diameter of the original shaft was welded up from 5/8" then turned down and threaded to 3/4" for a little extra beef. I'll add a jam nut once I get it adjusted to where I want it.

Should be a fun weekend.
Tango is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
All Or Bussed! 1990 Chevy Shorty Bus mellowdaizy Short-Bus Conversion Projects 6 02-07-2014 07:35 AM
Wayne Bodied '54 Chevy Shorty on Ebay Tango Classifieds | Buy, Sell, Swap 0 09-30-2011 09:52 AM
1955 Chevy shorty in CO: check this out! Stuff Classifieds | Buy, Sell, Swap 2 08-05-2011 08:55 AM
1983 chevy shorty A/C question trentwyrick98 Short-Bus Conversion Projects 0 05-24-2011 02:11 AM
New Member, 1959 Chevy Shorty 59Shorty Skoolie Conversion Projects 2 07-24-2007 11:58 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:17 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.