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05-04-2018, 08:43 AM
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#1
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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97 intersmashable Conversion
Soooooooo, got the bus into the driveway the other day, took some measurements, and initiated the further de-construct.
The plan for now is to get the bus squared away as a low tech, driveable bunk house. We have one year to sort it out, I plan to be as efficient as possible with the expansion/upgrades thought out now, to reduced the overhaul done the road.
long and short is we have a full hockey line up of kids to cart around for a few more years, and we currently live in a remote location, etc etc.
Anyways, I'll try to be as diligent as possible with the posts and any rockstars ideas I come up with. I'm by no means an expert, but I am fairly creative.
Yukon
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05-04-2018, 09:35 AM
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#2
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 17
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That's a nice looking bus. Since it's not yellow you probably don't even need to paint it. What was it used for before?
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05-04-2018, 11:20 PM
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#3
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Originally the school board had it and then it was bought up by a logistics support contractor for an Air Force base to move troops around.
Yukon
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05-05-2018, 07:58 PM
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#4
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Well, 15# of screws and 6 garbage bags later, I have all the insulation out of the roof. I have a couple side panels off, and the rear panel above the door. Only had to drill out 15 or so screws so that was a plus.
I also pulled a window out so see what that process is going to look like and what consumables I'm going to want on hand to clean and re-intall them. I plan to move the two aft emergency exit windows to the second last window slot so I can increase air circulation in the master bedroom area.
Next steps are to finish the shitty to access floor pieces in the forward drivers area, wire wheel the floor, cut the galvanized wall skins off, and remove that insulation.
I took a couple pics today, but should have looked at them while I was still out there as these are the only ones worth anything lol
Oh ya, and I fashioned up some stairs from the garage to the back door
Yukon
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05-06-2018, 10:35 PM
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#5
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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So, got some more removals done today, insulation it 95% is gone now.
I have the covered tin wagon look now. Bottom pic is part of the sheet from the ceiling.
Yukon
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05-07-2018, 01:53 AM
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#6
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Fayetteville Arkansas
Posts: 419
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: GMC G3500 Vandura
Engine: V-8 5.7L Gas
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I'm cold just looking at that. Come on south the weather's fine.
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05-07-2018, 01:25 PM
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#7
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas1985
I'm cold just looking at that. Come on south the weather's fine.
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Lol, was a balmy 40 deg yesterday hahaha
Yukon
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05-14-2018, 07:33 PM
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#8
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Harlem, GA
Posts: 21
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 65 passenger
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How did you get the metal out below the windows, cut it at the window or remove the window to take the panels out? I'm working on taking them out of my 97 International Thomas. I have removed everything else inside.
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05-14-2018, 07:45 PM
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#9
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gadawg9
How did you get the metal out below the windows, cut it at the window or remove the window to take the panels out? I'm working on taking them out of my 97 International Thomas. I have removed everything else inside.
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On Thomas bodies the wall sheeting does not go under the window, it goes under a steel strip under the window and removing them won't help.
Take a cutting wheel and cut them out just under the window. You will be covering it later so it doesn't matter that a bit stays in.
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05-14-2018, 08:36 PM
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#10
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gadawg9
How did you get the metal out below the windows, cut it at the window or remove the window to take the panels out? I'm working on taking them out of my 97 International Thomas. I have removed everything else inside.
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I popped the screws out and pushed them out a bit at the bottom I have a medium duty set of long shears, so i put from painters tape up for a reference line and snipped away. I spend enough time in a high noise environment so sometimes I favour the low speed low tech approach. I am a bit ham fisted so taking them all out was maybe 45-60 min I wasn't clocking myself on the job.
I'm sure as Twigg mentioned most people use a Cutting disc. not sure that it would be any faster though
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05-14-2018, 08:49 PM
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#11
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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So, hasn't been much on the go just lining up stuff and moving some things around to make space. Cleaning a couple things up and redesigning a thing or two.
I got the 2 front heater out, that was a PITA. I popped off the last of the floor and the firewall auto blanket carpeting crap.
We've had some weather lately so I have been going out when the wind pics up and looking for leaks etc. I have one small leak, it's got to do with the fact that the bus isn't sitting level right now. I'm resolving that this week, now that the snow is gone out of the driveway.
The only demo left is to strip the stairs down, then it's metal prep.
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05-14-2018, 08:59 PM
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#12
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yukon Cornelius
I popped the screws out and pushed them out a bit at the bottom I have a medium duty set of long shears, so i put from painters tape up for a reference line and snipped away. I spend enough time in a high noise environment so sometimes I favour the low speed low tech approach. I am a bit ham fisted so taking them all out was maybe 45-60 min I wasn't clocking myself on the job.
I'm sure as Twigg mentioned most people use a Cutting disc. not sure that it would be any faster though
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So ... actually, you can tear them out.
Make a starting cut, get some good leather gloves and rip slightly upwards and at 45 degrees.
They tear easily and neatly ... and fast
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05-14-2018, 09:28 PM
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#13
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg
So ... actually, you can tear them out.
Make a starting cut, get some good leather gloves and rip slightly upwards and at 45 degrees.
They tear easily and neatly ... and fast 
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They frowned upon that in trade school, even more when we used the wide mouth visegrips......it was how you say No Bueno.....
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05-14-2018, 09:30 PM
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#14
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yukon Cornelius
They frowned upon that in trade school, even more when we used the wide mouth visegrips......it was how you say No Bueno.....
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What can I say ... It's easy and it works.
Yeah, I used vice-grips too
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05-14-2018, 09:38 PM
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#15
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Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Upstate, SC
Posts: 164
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: DTA360
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I know they’re probably out already now, but I had luck with a plasma cutter on those side panels and went back with a grind wheel to grind the rest flush. Do you have plans for a roof raise or are you keeping all windows?
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05-15-2018, 07:35 AM
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#16
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thrifty1
I know they’re probably out already now, but I had luck with a plasma cutter on those side panels and went back with a grind wheel to grind the rest flush. Do you have plans for a roof raise or are you keeping all windows?
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Yes they are out. Wish I had a plasma cutter....maybe Santa will look after me this year 
Roof raise won't be apart of this build...or at least not initially. Should we decide to keep this bus beyond my next posting then we may reconsider later or may build a second bus.
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05-20-2018, 01:33 PM
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#17
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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So some procurement progess was made this week, I had to put in some labour, but my time was my only cost.
I snatched up some oak cabinets, and some quarter sheets of 3/4" oak cabinet plywood, along with some hardwood flooring. Some board pieces and a few other odds and ends. Pretty sweet haul and this should assist in us being able to complete more items on the "eventually/nice to have" list before we depart this posting. So pretty pumped about that.
Weather is stills balls, today is the first day with no wind avg this week was 34 knots, however we are getting about half an inch of rain soooo.....
I've started with the wire wheel on the floor, and the Corroseal should be delivered by Friday.
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05-26-2018, 09:44 PM
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#18
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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05-26-2018, 10:08 PM
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#19
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Bus Geek
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
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You can never have too many pillows! Especially cool, homemade ones!
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05-26-2018, 10:17 PM
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#20
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Barrie ON
Posts: 440
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango
You can never have too many pillows! Especially cool, homemade ones!
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True story and all of our kids like to have a pillow or ten of their own.
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