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Old 06-09-2021, 07:02 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
Florida Build - AmTram 2003 RE

Here are some pictures from the build.

Finding and purchasing the bus.
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Old 06-09-2021, 07:20 AM   #2
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
Removing the interior.
Attached Thumbnails
Bus1-27.jpg   Bus1-40.jpg   Bus1-38.jpg   Bus1-37.jpg   Bus1-39.jpg  

Bus1-21.jpg   Bus1-22.jpg  
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Old 06-09-2021, 08:09 AM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Central Tx.
Posts: 1,949
Year: 1999
Chassis: Amtran / International
Engine: DT466E HT 250HP - Md3060
Quote:
Originally Posted by melwade View Post
Removing the interior.
Seeing you in that air damn....god am I glad got that over with...What a mission taking those things off!

While you are in that area, take a look at the pictures in posts 79 & 80 of my thread.

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/b...a-26674-4.html

I feel like this air damn hole is potentially a major source for water intrusion on the RE300 busses.

Take a look at my pics and then your bus and tell me what you think.
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Old 06-09-2021, 09:14 AM   #4
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,558
Coachwork: Integrated Coach Corp.
Chassis: RE-300 42ft
Engine: 466ci
Rated Cap: 90
Melwade, Thanks for adding the pics. Looking good.

ewo1, When you first posted those, I studied your intake pics, then opened up mine. I wonder if IC discovered the leak. They changed from the steel mesh intake to a louvered panel after about 2006, or so.
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Old 06-09-2021, 10:30 AM   #5
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Central Tx.
Posts: 1,949
Year: 1999
Chassis: Amtran / International
Engine: DT466E HT 250HP - Md3060
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeMac View Post
Melwade, Thanks for adding the pics. Looking good.

ewo1, When you first posted those, I studied your intake pics, then opened up mine. I wonder if IC discovered the leak. They changed from the steel mesh intake to a louvered panel after about 2006, or so.
Interesting, I have a second RE bus, also a 2006, but mine has the steel mesh too.

Fortunately since now we know, it's an easy fix...
Caused me a lot of rust repair though in the back of my '97 bus.

I could see the same rust on Mel's bus (see pic) as mine had...
Like I said, easy fix.
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Old 06-09-2021, 12:48 PM   #6
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Auburn, WA
Posts: 784
Year: 2000
Coachwork: IC / Amtran
Chassis: 3000 / 33' Flat Nose
Engine: IC T444E / Allison MT643
Rated Cap: 72 Kids / 48 Adults
My 2000 has steel mesh.

I haven't dug into the air dam areas on my bus yet.

Are you replacing the dams after fixing any damage?

My passenger side air scoop got crushed. I'm thinking of making a mold of the good one, then making a replacement out of fiberglass.

I also installed a tranny cooler on the drivers side under the coolant tank. It looks like a Minnie Me radiator from the outside. It uses a 1.75" tube and fin with a 1600+cfm fan. I'm putting in a 200 on/185 off thermo switch.

Any thoughts on improving air flow and cooling is appreciated.
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Old 06-09-2021, 03:03 PM   #7
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
I keep my Wanderlodge out in Apopka!
Small skoolie world.
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Old 06-10-2021, 05:13 AM   #8
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
Quote:
Originally Posted by ewo1 View Post
Seeing you in that air damn....god am I glad got that over with...What a mission taking those things off!

I feel like this air damn hole is potentially a major source for water intrusion on the RE300 busses.
We never considered the water issues that may be involved our biggest concern was the tremendous waste of space. Our bed will go on top of the engine.

Our biggest water leak issues were old windows and hatches.

Here's a video of this part... https://youtu.be/aW6Yx1bRmXM
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Old 06-10-2021, 05:25 AM   #9
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
Roof Raise

Raising the roof 21"+ was an adventure but not as hard as we thought it was going to be. The key is to be sure the bus is level first. We parked it on the most level area we had and then blocked up the bus to be sure it was solid and level. We used the bracket/threaded rod method and it worked like a charm.
Attached Thumbnails
Bus1-20.jpg   Bus1-19.jpg   Bus1-18.jpg   Bus1-17.jpg   Bus1-16.jpg  

Bus1-13.jpg   Bus1-15.jpg   Bus1-34.jpg  
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Old 06-11-2021, 03:16 AM   #10
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
Quote:
Originally Posted by Simplicity View Post
My 2000 has steel mesh.

I haven't dug into the air dam areas on my bus yet.

Are you replacing the dams after fixing any damage?

My passenger side air scoop got crushed. I'm thinking of making a mold of the good one, then making a replacement out of fiberglass.

I also installed a tranny cooler on the drivers side under the coolant tank. It looks like a Minnie Me radiator from the outside. It uses a 1.75" tube and fin with a 1600+cfm fan. I'm putting in a 200 on/185 off thermo switch.

Any thoughts on improving air flow and cooling is appreciated.
The air dams are gone for good.

We are going to add air intakes to the engine compartment doors on each side. We will likely add fins to the outside of the mesh.
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Old 06-11-2021, 01:40 PM   #11
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
We are moving the main door halfway back on the bus and will be adding a passenger door by the co-captain seat. I built the stair structure and added a steel commercial door.
Attached Thumbnails
Bus1-31.jpg   Bus1-32.jpg   Bus1-14.jpg   Bus1-11.jpg   Bus1-12.jpg  

Bus1-10.jpg   Bus1-08.jpg   Bus1-09.jpg  
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Old 06-11-2021, 02:37 PM   #12
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,995
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
Some very cool fabrication happening here. Love both of the new doors!
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Old 06-15-2021, 04:45 AM   #13
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
Putting sheet metal on the side of the bus. We used 18ga galvaneal. Also beginning to fill in the extra rivet holes with bondo.
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Bus1-29.jpg   Bus1-28.jpg   Bus1-03.jpg   Bus1-04.jpg   Bus1-05.jpg  

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Old 06-16-2021, 06:43 PM   #14
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Location: FL
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Year: 2003
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
I keep my Wanderlodge out in Apopka!
Small skoolie world.
DM one of us if you want to swing by sometime!
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Old 11-27-2021, 07:33 PM   #15
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
More progress on the bus.
  • We purchased as semi cab for the door and door frame (2001 International 9100i). We added this as a passenger door.
  • Finished the roof transition
  • Painted the roof with elastomeric roof
  • Finished the siding.
  • Cut the window openings.
More on Instagram @mel.and.lois
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PXL_20210905_194147708.jpg   PXL_20210905_194055692.jpg   PXL_20211003_200745672.jpg   PXL_20211003_201008125.jpg   PXL_20211031_200248938.jpg  

PXL_20211031_202704155.jpg   PXL_20211115_212642487.jpg   PXL_20211121_210214561.jpg  
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Old 11-28-2021, 09:04 AM   #16
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,753
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
that passenget door is just plain cool as hell! love it!!
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Old 11-28-2021, 09:36 AM   #17
Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Gulfport, MS
Posts: 154
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Bluebird All American Re
Engine: Cat 3126
Great job on the fabrication! The new side door gives a cool look. I was thinking about relocating the walk in door but my bus has under storage and I didn't want to compromise that. The roof transition looks familiar, that is how I did mine.
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Old 12-23-2021, 06:22 AM   #18
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
Primer done.
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Old 12-30-2023, 06:36 PM   #19
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
Painting

So, it's been a bit since I posted pictures. Here are some updates.

Painting the bus. I have about 40 hour just in the prep/primer and then a couple of hours to paint.
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BusPaint.jpg   BusPaint1.jpg   BusPaint2.jpg  
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Old 12-30-2023, 06:41 PM   #20
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Apopka, Florida
Posts: 35
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTram
Chassis: RE
Engine: DT466e
Floor/Insulation

Adding the floor. Adding the framing and wiring. Then closed cell spray foam. We contracted the spray foam. This is the only thing we as contracted out on the project. Then I began trimming down the excess spray foam with a wire brush on an angle grinder. I quickly learned three things: 1)use a full face mask, 2) cover the grinder with a fine mesh to keep the foam from clogging the grinder and burning it out, and 3) don't do this in July in Florida!
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BusFloor.jpg   BusInsulationPre.jpg   BusInsulationDuring.jpg   BusInsulationPost.jpg   BusInsulationGriding.jpg  

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