Big Betty found a home!

[Native]

What EastCoastCB said ... plus the screws will pop out with the claw-end of a pry bar. One good thrust and they go flying ... so wear your eye protection.

[witchywoman]

I have my first look at all the rust. Ewe. All the wood is out except one pice I’m not sure what to do with. There are 4 huge bolts in it that are holding up a large bank of dabs under the bus. My only option I think is to cut off sections around them and leave part of the gross wood in place.

[Native]

Take a look at the underside of the bus at the driver side rear ... right where that last bit of wood is located. This will tall you if you can remove it or what you might be able to do to remove it.


My opinion ... get rid of ALL of the old messy rotted wood!


You may find that there is an easy solution once you go looking.

[Truthseeker4449]

I bet those bolts are for your AC condensers, I've got a bus with that type of bolt in the same area as my condensers. Might be worth getting the systems evacuated (the R134a fittings will be the same as a car), then dropping the condensers to remove the bolts, before reinstalling later once you get your floor fixed up. This method will require you to replace the AC filters and driers due to moisture exposure, but they probably needed to be changed anyway. Presuming you want to keep the factory AC, personally I would.

Out of complete curiosity, what number was that bus?

[cadillackid]

be careful with those air conditioner bolts.. the units may just hang from the floor in which case you can pull the wood and let them drop down then tighten the nuts on the underside.. however they may be also anchored to the bus skirting in which case you may bend the skirt or damage the air conditioner by just droppiung it down.. in those cases you put a jack under the condensor and then pull the wood and tighten up the nuts , the bolts shouldnt pull theroug hthe floor unless its really rusty.. if it is i would jack the condensors, pull the bolts and install fender washers to distribute the weight..

[witchywoman]

It was number 624. I got it at M&M salvage in Ruckersville. I’m definitely keeping the factory AC. It works great

[ACamper]

Great Progress !

You should get the last of the wood if you can. If you are anything like me it will bug you forever if you don't.

[witchywoman]

Agh, I know. It bugs me already.

[witchywoman]

First hatch has been removed!!! Took sooo long with all my mistakes. But, one is down.

[EastCoastCB]

You're doing so well!
Rock on!

Getting those leaky hatches out is a very good thing.

[tlzimmerman]

Keep going you are doing great.

A hammer and a bar would get that last wood out then you can just retighten the nuts.

[witchywoman]

Rust conversion is done. I used 2 Ciara of the chemicals. We took advantage of the cooler temps today and started removing decals and reflective strips. We used a combination of a heat gun and a drill with an eraser wheel. One side of the bus is done.

[witchywoman]

Painted the floor with a coat of rustoleum thus morning. I’m digging the color! Next step, subfloor.

[Native]

Ooooooh, that blue looks nice on the floor!

[musigenesis]

Looking good! I painted most of my floor the safety yellow but my cab area up front got the safety blue like this (I'm not going to post the Eiffel 65 song again, don't worry). For whatever reason, it seems like the blue covered completely in one coat while the yellow always required two coats. So, good choice and not just for aesthetics.

If possible, I'd recommend leaving your paint job to cure for at least a week before putting anything on top of it. I waited about three days before I put my cab plywood down on top of it, but when I took some of the plywood back up to correct a fitting mistake I'd made, a lot of blue paint came up with it.

[witchywoman]

So after a 5 day break we measured out and layed down the foam board insulation. Now we have to wait again to put in the plywood. Rain is coming our way and we have nowhere inside to cut wood. These are the days I wish I had a garage.

[musigenesis]

Looking good. You're doing a floating floor?

[witchywoman]

Yes. I like the idea of the floating floor. Plus this isn’t my permanent home. It will be for camping trips and a mobile storefront. I may have gone a different route otherwise.

[BamaBus]

I see the insulation on the painted floor but what is your layering going to be and have you decided on the finished floor?

[witchywoman]

It’s a floating floor. Insulation, plywood and vinyl floor tiles