Budget Barbie Camper

[Enjoyed]

What kind of paint was that and how was it applied? I love it! Reminds me of an airstream kind of!

[syntel]

continued painting

[syntel]

It's Rustoleum's Aluminum Paint... It's VERY thin, not tick, and covers well. I tried to brush it on... But you have to make it REALLY thin (dry brush) to get rid of brush stokes. I did the back the first time by brush. Then I rolled it - that gave it the galvanized sheet metal look.

I'm doing a "Royal Blue" for trim beveled in the middle... and block for the bumpers and bottoms.

I'm doing the top in white - that way it's 'energy efficient'.

I removed decals, WD40 to remove the sticker glue (let that sit and hit with a drill's wire brush - that was the easiest). Sand the exterior with 150 grits paper, and rivets/beveled areas got wire brushed with drill. After that, everything got rag washed with acetone then painted.

The base coat is aluminum, then blue and black. It's all oil base so keep a mineral spirits rag handy. I accidentally dumped about a quart down the side when I started. The aluminum is runny like water.

the mineral spirits also does wonders or removing roller speckle from the windows.

[syntel]

I drew in blue and black scribbles where things are getting painted.

[syntel]

I want to keep the Blue Bird decal. But repaint it.... I want the bird to be blue. Also do the same above the doors.

I think we're going to name the bus "597" - the numbers from the school where it came from.

[plfking]

I really like the way that aluminum turned out......I had done some samples, but they were a little too bright for my taste.

Originally Posted by syntel

I think we're going to name the bus "597" - the numbers from the school where it came from.

I'd send you some decals, but I already sanded them all off.

[Tango]

Make me think of the Coor's Silver Bullet!

[syntel]

Originally Posted by plfking

I really like the way that aluminum turned out......I had done some samples, but they were a little too bright for my taste.





I'd send you some decals, but I already sanded them all off.

Lol.. we took ours off to paint... I will probably make a blue mask on wax paper (blue masking tape) the size of letter sized paper. Then print the bus number in a font, use an exacto-knife to cute the template, and paint it in the same blue on the back and by the door.

[syntel]

More trim work.

[syntel]

It's been a while... And we have a new plague that has reduced my company by 4/7ths! During the first lock down, I started helping my friend build his vineyard. I was elected to do the end posts and welding a deer fence. While there, it was discussed, and their is an oak tree grove at the foot on the vineyard where the bus can take up permanent residence. I've attached photos of the grove behind me.


My mom wanted me to get pictures of flowers, and I included some of the ranch - it totals about 500 acres on two side of the freeway. We've had 4-wheelrs there since 2012.

[syntel]

We duge the irrigation, tilled the field, installed the end posts, and welded up deer fences and gates.

[syntel]

Next, I got eager to start working on the bus again. We finished the floors by sanding, and then Corrisole Rust Converter. That's an acid that turns the rust black and has a latex top coat. After that, I did a Rustoleum primer, brown. The final treatment was to fill the holes with silicone - the big ones. Then I used the Henry's Silicone RV Roof paint on the floor to fill the rest of the holes.

[syntel]

After floor treatment, I ended up pulling out the top emergancy exits and covering with 16 guage 3ft x 3ft steel plate. Screwed down. Painted with Henry's Silicon RV Roof paint. No more leaks. I don't have pictures... =(

[syntel]

To solve a problem of where to run wires and electrical, plus lighting, I've created this "bump out" that will right the tight curve on the top left and right of the bus. This will eliminate trying to bend plywood to the curve, and also give me a way to run mechanical from the front to the back.

[syntel]

We went back and insulated. I considered foam, but was intimidated. So we used R13 batting. Stuffed it into the walls. Considering the 2" compression, we should only expect about R8. We covered it with 1/8" plywood on side and top. I cut strips to cover and trim the seams.

[syntel]

This little creature appeared under the bus. It's a commercial lot, with no houses around it. On a break, I decided to say high. She sniffed, then licked, then rolled over and got a 10 minute belly rub. After that, she hopped on the bus and curled up under the driver seat and went to sleep. About 2 hours later, she was still following me - so she became mine. After a flea bath with Dial soap, and flea meds, vet visit, etc... She is a 4 month old terrier. Not trained, doesn't know what a toy is, etc. She's been wonderful. Her name is Dorie.

[syntel]

I've has a AC shed (24 x 12) that I use as a shop. I'm self taught wood working and welding. Considering I'm going to have to do custom cabinets and drawers, I needed to clean out the shop. I made a new box joint jig, tested it. Also made a welding cart for me new welder - my "depressed" Corona-virus shopping spree. That and an Acetylene-Oxigen torch.

[syntel]

We've tried to simplify the plans... I'll be me and my partner mostly. The sofa will sleep one. We are doing from back to front:


Queen Bed
Bathroom and Shower
Kitchen and Table
Sofa and Entertainment Center


Before I build something I always draw it in Sketchup/CAD. Do a virtual construction so I know what I'm dealing with.


The entertainment center will be behind the driver seat. It will not have the desk area as shown - the table will serve as one. The fronts will be a chicken wire and the TV will be on top. We will stream TV over cell data (we have unlimited on two or three lines and Comcast). The stereo will be my bluetooth speaker, and a computer will drive it all. The chicken wire will allow the speaker to be in the cabinet.


Finally, we need to replace the door. I need something that'll be our primary entry and can lock. It will be a single hindged to the front and have a traditional door knob.

[syntel]

Now that I have an idea of framing, I framed out the bathrooms and installed 1in pine toung and groove for flooring. I originally tried 1/4" cedar (I wanted cedar SOOO bad, but that would be special order and STUPID expensive - $5/sqft).


The picture with Dorie is the cedar. I pulled it out. The white is the silicon paint - it covered 90% of the small holes.


The walls and furniture are framed out of 2x2s, and will be clad with a nice 1/2" pine plywood. The wall will be painted a color that's a tan/off white with white trim. I'm going to use 2x1s for the trim. We will use sheetrock compound to fill the holes, and a wire brush to give it that 'wood grain' to match the plywood.


The ceiling will be the same - tan/off white with the trims in white.


I did cut out the metal brackets in the bathroom walls to allow for a path to run eletrical, and water through the cavities on the top. You can look closely at the pic with the plywood up.

[syntel]

Started working on the sofa. It'll double as a twin bed.