Emergency Exit Replacement Glass / rear door - 1995 International / Bluebird 3800

A_Bus_Called_Quest · 10-10-2021, 04:24 PM

Skoolie Fam!
Tragedy has our rear lower emergency exit window has been shattered. The rear door is mostly fine, but slightly dented - mostly cosmetic.

I'll save the bloody details for now - part of my truck caught on the door when backing up next to the bus, I'm an idiot - but I'm going to need to replace the lower window on our 1995 International / Bluebird 3800 - does anyone have any experience or knowledge with replacing the emergency exit glass?

Looking for parts now - calling some auto-glass shops on Monday AM - what's the best option here?

I would even take a whole rear door and replace the whole thing, we're so close to being done with the build I feel like this set me back so far. I'm so bummed right now.

Thanks for everything, in advance, I'm going to go bang my head on an actual wall now.

Danjo · 10-10-2021, 04:50 PM

Maybe just throw a piece of aluminum in there?

DoubleO7 · 10-10-2021, 05:12 PM

I would entertain a piece of polycarbonate (Lexan) same thickness and size as the glass was.
If you paint the plastic, you can likely get a hunk of it real cheap if you take some oddball color or a piece that has been scratched or scuffed.
Install with new rubber as the old one is probably baked pretty stiff by now.

A_Bus_Called_Quest · 10-10-2021, 05:18 PM

Danjo and Double07 - both thoughts crossed my mind. We aren't using that window anyway, I actually covered it with vinyl so no one can look into our garage, so sheet metal makes sense to me. My wife wants it to look nice so she's a bit apprehensive about anything sheet metal on the bus - but I'm sure I can make it look nice

I think I found the replacement glass on MidwestBusParts, it's getting the glass back in that I'm skeptical about.

Which brings me back to sheet metal. No worries of breaking when re-installing, I could insulate between 2 sheets of metal (inside and out) and then re-paint to match the bus. . .

Anyone want to convince the boss?

DoubleO7 · 10-10-2021, 05:42 PM

I used quite a bit of aluminum sheet that is used to skin commercial freezers like the big ones at costco or sams club.
It is textured kinda like a hammered/embossed surface treatment. It is also anodized so yo can leave it unpainted if you like.
And if you paint it, the texture helps hide a crappy paint job.

Actually is almost the same texture as many ceiling panels of school buses.

Danjo · 10-10-2021, 06:00 PM

This subject came up in another thread. Someone more experienced said to use aluminum the same thickness as the glass and to chamfer the edge a little so it doesn’t tear the gasket

Studedude · 10-10-2021, 06:49 PM

Same thing happened to me. I made a cardboard template, cut 2 pieces of sheet metal and welded them in with insulation between. A little bondo to cover my poor welding and paint and you can't tell there was ever a window there. Also that window was useless to me because the bed covered the view.

A_Bus_Called_Quest · 10-10-2021, 07:01 PM

big thanks to everyone for cooling my nerves!

Lucky for me, I saved all of the sheet metal ceiling from the interior of the bus. One of the Skoolie Amendments I actually followed - don't throw anything away until the job is done!

Just got in from cutting out an exterior an interior sheet to rivet on in place of the glass, and previous interior safety mesh. This way I can fit some XPS foam board in there to get some insulation in the garage.

In the words of one of my mentors, "It's not a f***-up, it's a feature!"

All-in-all I guess this could have been way worse, at least I didn't tear the whole door off.
My truck has these little wings that stick out where the rack bolts on, sometimes I cant see them in my rear view, I caught the open bus door by 0.75", just enough slam it back against the lights, leaving a nice dent on the interior of the door and cracked

I'll take some pics of the band-aid job when it's finished. Big thanks again for the support gang, I feel like a big dumbass and y'all downplayed it nicely hahaha

musigenesis · 10-10-2021, 07:46 PM

I just riveted a piece of sheet metal over that window (after removing it), stiffened with two pieces of square tubing. Beginning here: https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/r...tml#post338642

A_Bus_Called_Quest · 10-10-2021, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musigenesis

I just riveted a piece of sheet metal over that window (after removing it), stiffened with two pieces of square tubing. Beginning here: https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/r...tml#post338642

Just spun through the pics in that thread - really great metal fabrication & solutions for that rear corner!! Amazing work!

Just waiting for thr paint to dry on my sheet metal bandaids now, I will probably have to attach them in the AM.
With some caulk around the seam, some rivets, pink foam board and another sheet metal backer on the inside, I think we will be in better shape than when we had glass!

musigenesis · 10-11-2021, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bear Gerschafer

Just spun through the pics in that thread - really great metal fabrication & solutions for that rear corner!! Amazing work!

Just waiting for thr paint to dry on my sheet metal bandaids now, I will probably have to attach them in the AM.
With some caulk around the seam, some rivets, pink foam board and another sheet metal backer on the inside, I think we will be in better shape than when we had glass!

Thanks! Sounds like you have this under control and I agree that you're better off without that window anyway. I did like being able to see how close the cars were behind me, but in my bus driver training they kept stressing that we were not supposed to use the child-view mirror (and thus the rear windows) for driving purposes. It's weird now how I don't use it when driving the school's buses but I do still use it when driving my own bus.

A_Bus_Called_Quest · 10-11-2021, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Thanks! Sounds like you have this under control and I agree that you're better off without that window anyway. I did like being able to see how close the cars were behind me, but in my bus driver training they kept stressing that we were not supposed to use the child-view mirror (and thus the rear windows) for driving purposes. It's weird now how I don't use it when driving the school's buses but I do still use it when driving my own bus.

That is interesting that they say not to use the window, I guess it could become obstructed and you would then be handicapped if used to looking out the back window.
I'll have 2 backup cameras, one up top looking down and one at bumper level looking out at who's behind me [emoji16]
Thanks for the boost of confidence in my plan!

musigenesis · 10-11-2021, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bear Gerschafer

That is interesting that they say not to use the window, I guess it could become obstructed and you would then be handicapped if used to looking out the back window.
I'll have 2 backup cameras, one up top looking down and one at bumper level looking out at who's behind me [emoji16]
Thanks for the boost of confidence in my plan!

Well, my school system is also opposed to backup cameras, so I'm not entirely sure about their opinions on the rear of the bus (apparently the theory is that backup cameras would just encourage drivers to actually back up and they want that to happen as little as possible).

katix · 10-16-2021, 05:48 PM

Mine was cracked for my first 22 years living in #TheBarbieDreambus , then last year I finally spent about $150 for the local auto glass company to replace the glass and rubber seal. They made 2 visits to my location, first one to take measurements and make a tracing of it, and second visit to install the custom cut pane. It's like new! No more ugly crack.

(covering mine wasn't an option because the cats love looking out this window. )

nords · 10-21-2021, 01:38 PM

I broke the back window in a bus a long time ago. I got the replacement glass, put it in the gasket, and was stumped how to pull the gasket around the sheet metal of the door opening. I found a great suggestion on the internet. Get some butcher's string (thin and strong) and cut a piece that will fit in the outer groove of the gasket + about 6 inches. Have someone hold the glass with gasket in place and start pulling the string straight out from the other side. (I don't remember if you work from the inside or outside of the bus - the smaller side of the gasket). Boom. The string pulls the gasket into place as you slowly pull it.

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