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Old 05-21-2009, 07:18 PM   #21
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Hey dire Baadoggie I think you going to want that switch on your marker lites. I use them to thank truckers for giving me a high beam flash after I pass letting me know my donkey has passed them and I can have the lane. But I guess thats old skoolie with the advent of the C. B. radio. But they should be controlled independently from the headlights, in the old days they were called parking lights.great for parking in the dark without involving your power drainig head lights.

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Old 05-21-2009, 09:29 PM   #22
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Yep, it is my intention to have the clearance/marker lights be separate from the parking lights as it was originally wired. Someone prior to me connected the two circuits for some unknown reason.

thanks,
jim
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Old 05-26-2009, 08:51 AM   #23
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

The conversion has been on hold for a while for a variety of reasons. These include the infestation of the bus with birds and mites as well as the use of the bus for storage.

This weekend I dealt with 2 of those 3 issues.

I bought a second bus to deal with the storage issue. This second bus is about 35' long, conventional style, 366 ci tall block chevy gas engine, 5 speed manual transmission, 25,500 pound GVWR. You can read about it at: http://www.skoolie.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4271

I plan to remove all but 3 rows of seats, the 2 behind the driver and one somewhere near the middle. This will divide the bus into two main storage areas and also allow me to carry a few passengers if need be.

I will then move all of my belongings and conversion stuff into the forward most storage area in this bus. I want to keep the rearward storage area clear for going to the store to buy materials for the conversion.

Once all of my stuff is out of the sheds on the property, I'll then have room to move the stuff that is in my conversion bus into the sheds, freeing the conversion bus for being converted.

The second problem, that of mites, was dealt with with pesticides. The new "shed" bus as I'm calling it had some weird looking creepy crawlies in it, so I bought some foggers and set one off in each bus. Each fogger is rated for 7000 square feet, so should be more than enough for a bus.

As for the new bus, I do plan to title it, however I'm considering going the "farm use only" route with it, as I should only need it on the road for going to get materials for the conversion.

This week I hope I can get out there with some help to get the seats out. And of course, I'll need help shuffling all the "stuff" around between sheds and busses.

jim
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Old 05-26-2009, 06:29 PM   #24
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jumpseat...

Hey Jim,

Well. the wife is recovering from giing birth on Mothers Day (we had a healthy little girl) & it looks like she will be up for the drive & we will be picking up the bus on Friday!!! WOOHOO, I CAN'T WAIT!

Wanted to let you know I will be pulling the seats & if you are still interested in one of the jumpseats for over the entrance steps on yer bus, just let me know, we will work something out...
Jonathan
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Old 05-26-2009, 07:50 PM   #25
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Yep definitely still interested. I've got those fans and the switch sitting nearby. Wish there was a way to get them to you before your trip as I'm sure you'd appreciate the moving air. I doubt they'd make it there by friday though.

Drop me a PM, lemme know how you wanna work things out.
jim
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Old 05-28-2009, 07:23 PM   #26
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Well, this evening, my 11yr old niece, my father, and myself all got out there and knocked out the seat removal from the shed bus.

I left the front row on both sides.

I also left the row just forward of the rear wheel humps on both sides.

This gives me 2 large cargo areas, and seating for 3 passengers. The row in front of the wheel humps doesn't have the seat bottoms anymore. The curb side front row is a half-seat, 1 adult, 2 kids.

I was under the shed bus with a 1/2" wrench, using it to keep the nuts from spinning while my niece was inside the bus with the air ratchet undoing the bolts. My father assisted her when it was difficult, and also followed behind yanking the seats loose from the floor. The use of a universal joint for the ratchet was essential! And we didn't get to use the angle grinder even once.

Unfortunately, the dealer I bought from had left several windows open, and the seats have a lot of water damage. I'm sure the floor does too, but I don't care so much about that right now. Anyway, I don't consider any of the seat wood, foam, or coverings to be salvageable. I'm planning to toss the wood, foam, and coverings completely. I'm hanging onto the steel for now though. You just never know when you'll need a steel tube with a flat bracket on the end.

This weekend I'll pull out the steel frames and set them aside, then drive to the dump and dump the misc seat junk, then head to the scale for an empty weight. I do need to add some fuel before I go though. Gonna siphon some of the approximately 45 gallons that are left in the old motorhome and see how that does.

The fuel tank is HUGE. I don't think I'll be filling it any time soon.

Oh, and my niece is addicted to the use of power tools now. More free labor for my conversion!

jim

edit: almost forgot... while I was under there I got to see everything up close and personal.... turns out this bus has 4 wheel disc brakes. Sweet.
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Old 06-07-2009, 12:45 PM   #27
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

It's been rather rainy here lately, so not too much progress.

However, I've confirmed that the shed bus doesn't leak. That's good news for storing things in it.

Also, I spent some time last night hanging 4 4' long 2 bulb el-cheapo fluorescent shop lamps from ceiling screws, and ran some cords and such to make them work. Now I've got light in there for when I need to find something at night. They are easily pulled off the chains when the vehicle needs to move.

Unfortunately, it seems the battery the shed bus came with is dead. I'll have to buy a replacement after payday. There's room in the battery bay on the gasser for a pair of batteries, and the battery in the old RV is also toast. I think I'll buy a pair of new batteries for the diesel, and use the diesel batteries in the gasser and the old RV. Once the old RV no longer needs that battery, it can go to the gasser as well. I know that's more expensive to do it that way, but then I'll know exactly how old the batteries in the diesel bus are.

jim
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Old 06-12-2009, 10:11 PM   #28
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

I bet this is the first "Shed Conversion" eh?
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Old 06-13-2009, 12:15 PM   #29
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

haha, yeah, I bet you're right about that.

Right now we have another storm. I'm about sick of rain.

If it clears up later today though, I definitely intend to get some stuff moved into the shed bus. It's beginning to look like after my conversion stuff is in the shed bus that I'll end up moving the stuff stored in the main bus in there as well.

jim
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Old 06-14-2009, 07:01 PM   #30
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

yay, some progress today!

I bought a new battery for the shed bus (I really need a better name for that one), to the tune of $117 and change. But, she cranks right up now, so I'm happy about that.

Moved the busses around in the yard a bit, so that the two emergency doors were aligned mostly. Put the headboard from an old waterbed between the two busses as a ramp/drawbridge. Then dad and I moved a lot of the stuff from 'unleashed' into the shed bus.

Originally I planned to store my conversion stuff in the shed bus, but it turns out the volume of the conversion stuff is less than the volume of the stuff currently being stored in 'unleashed', so we changed the plan.

The next clear evening that we get, I plan to move more of the stuff out of 'unleashed' into the shed bus. Hrm, perhaps 'shedbus' should be its name.

Anyway, once all that stuff is out, I get to have fun cleaning up the mess from the birds and the poisoning with sevin dust. After that, it'll be time to take up the floor and start pulling out the windows in preparation for the roof raise. Raising the roof won't happen before the last part of july though. Still haven't lined up a supplier for steel.

so... progress is progress as they say.

jim
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Old 06-14-2009, 08:41 PM   #31
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

It's a labor of love!

(...maybe you could name the shed bus "The Stowaway" )
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Old 06-14-2009, 09:04 PM   #32
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Quote:
Originally Posted by Griff
(...maybe you could name the shed bus "The Stowaway" )
That is a perfect name. Thank you!

jim
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Old 06-15-2009, 03:20 PM   #33
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Quote:
Originally Posted by baadpuppy
Quote:
Originally Posted by Griff
(...maybe you could name the shed bus "The Stowaway" )
That is a perfect name. Thank you!

jim
I agree Jim, That IS perfect!

Griff... take a looksie at our bus & maybe you can conjour up a name for us!
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Old 06-15-2009, 09:31 PM   #34
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Shucks, I'm glad you guys like it, heh, I was only kidding about "The Stowaway".

I kinda think they should be named to match their personalities, I know mine is.

@ Ezbme: "Blue Lagoon" comes immediately to mind. I'll be watching your build, so maybe something else will come to mind...lemme think on it a while.

I'm sure as you work on/with your bus, it will reveal it's true name to ya, just ask anyone else here!
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Old 06-15-2009, 10:31 PM   #35
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

I'm not sure how well 'Blue Lagoon' is for the bus. Does the engine flood alot? Does the roof leak? Has it been parked somewhere were a river/lake/pool has suddenly tried to swallow the bus?

I think you were saying that it was acting like a PITA, Call it the 'Blue Meanie'. Could call it 'Happyness', but it's not a BlueBird...
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Old 07-20-2009, 04:58 PM   #36
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

You must be busy with non-bus stuff... how ya been Jim?
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Old 07-20-2009, 06:22 PM   #37
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Quote:
Originally Posted by ezbme
I bet this is the first "Shed Conversion" eh?
Nope I have seen close to a dozen around here.

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Old 07-20-2009, 06:52 PM   #38
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Quote:
Originally Posted by ezbme
You must be busy with non-bus stuff... how ya been Jim?
Yeah, been a busy month.

This week, my goal is to start the serious demo on the old motorhome. I'm hoping to have the roof and walls off, the rear end cap removed, and the front end cap sliced below the windshield by the end of the coming weekend. I also want to have the floor gone from behind the driver's seat on back.

I've got a guy lined up interested in the 2 A/C units, and I definitely need to get them off the roof. Would be doing that tonight except the clouds are threatening to open up any second now.

I'm hoping to put the RV door on The StowAway. The existing door has got to go.

So, hopefully lots of updates coming this week.

jim
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Old 07-20-2009, 07:30 PM   #39
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Congratulations!! We wish the best for you guys!

Wow! Thats alot of stuff! Did you go on a spending spree or is this the fiance's stuff??
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Old 07-20-2009, 07:34 PM   #40
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Re: baadpuppy's bus... unleashed

Oh, that's just her stuff. lol

I haven't seen for myself yet, but I suspect the volume of clothes approximately equals the volume of the vehicle.

jim
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