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Old 09-23-2012, 06:12 PM   #101
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Re: El Tortuga

Its looking good, your counters are looking nice

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Old 09-27-2012, 07:40 AM   #102
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Re: El Tortuga

Stopped by Cline Holder yesterday (contractor supply)
Walked in and saw all the "electricions" and thought this should be fun...I wondered which one would be an ass and make fun of my requests.
Heck would they even deal with me with the small order i was looking for?

I kinda wandered around looking until a sales guy said "can I help you?"

"I hope so, I'm not an electricion tho'"

"that's fine whatcha need?"

I proceeded to tell him I had been to lowes,ebay amazon etc and the panels were to big and $$

I said "I am looking to have 30 amps or so in my...ugh.... skool bus"

He smiled and said "that's cool I have a skoolie also, a 1973 GM short bus!"
He had converted it about 20 years ago and has put thousands of miles on it, he just got back from the beach last week.

He was explaining some things he did and said you need to stop by and I'll show you it.

He hooked me up!!!!!



I got all of this for under $50 it's a 100amp panel and 2 double breakers(that can be had anywhere...most common)

14 fittings for the box to emt,14 emt connectors,4 90* elbows a couple boxes and covers....
He said if you need anything else come back and see me!!!

Woop another awesome contact
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Old 09-27-2012, 11:07 AM   #103
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Re: El Tortuga

Bansil, great score--we SKOOLIES seem to turn up in all sorts of "real lives" don't we?
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Old 09-27-2012, 11:34 AM   #104
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Re: El Tortuga

Quote:
Originally Posted by ol trunt
Bansil, great score--we SKOOLIES seem to turn up in all sorts of "real lives" don't we?
No Doubt!!
If one of the other guys would of helped me I probably would of walked out empty handed ...here is an example: the box was less than a 12pack of "run of the mill" beer
and he didn't give me anything...it was all run through the system and printed out on an invoice....just not sure who's discount I got maybe Trumps
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Old 10-01-2012, 06:25 AM   #105
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Re: El Tortuga

found a few hours this weekend to work on the bus...3 weeks before first big trip

had to fix steps ( I still think we will remove these this winter/spring)

holes


cut out and bent

lip welded on


mounted up


I attached a 2x4 to the wall studs to mount counter

Removable counter top to facilitate cooking with pots etc.


raised position

doors on


1 fire ext mounted

storage/lockbox and arm rest...still need to put a hasp on it
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Old 10-01-2012, 06:35 AM   #106
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Re: El Tortuga

also started on some simple wiring...

we like the industrial look and this will all be painted in the future..probably like old copper

a few recepticles for fridge, one outlet will be 12v invertor and other will be shore power(I will just unplug etc)



up to junction box

across ceiling (plenty off head room)



more to follow..
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Old 10-01-2012, 12:03 PM   #107
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Re: El Tortuga

You were busy this weekend...step repair looks great Where is your trip going to take you?
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Old 10-01-2012, 12:41 PM   #108
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Re: El Tortuga

Quote:
Originally Posted by browncrown
You were busy this weekend...step repair looks great Where is your trip going to take you?
Thanks...300 miles south to Uwharrie Nat Forest,we have our annual Halloween 4wheeling trip

The fun part will be the first 1 and the last hour...long grades into and out of Boone,NC...
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Old 10-10-2012, 06:08 AM   #109
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Re: El Tortuga

No more getting squashed by the back door or tieing open!

I recycled the sign clips by screwing 2 of them into the door upside down to hold the rod I made


still need to paint etc...one more thing done
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Old 10-10-2012, 06:25 AM   #110
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Re: El Tortuga

I had to remove the door to repair the floor.

!!!!!CAUTION!!!!! the door is very frikin heavy,it was a real surprise when it came loose

Big hole


I removed the hinge and reversed it



I drilled a bunch of holes in the hinge so it lined up with tapped holes in the door.

After building up the "ground" with cinder blocks and wood,I wrestled the heavy beast back up and mounted it to the bus


test fold so I could hold it and put screws in


need to take more pics this weekend of it somewhat finished....
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Old 10-11-2012, 05:40 AM   #111
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Re: El Tortuga

got some more work done on the door last night..in the dark

made a "tie rod" ext for the door

closed
.
.
.
And OPEn..just like the $1,000,000.00 coaches



still have tweaking,gap filling, weather stripping etc,but it works

big opening actually easier getting in and out

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Old 10-11-2012, 09:49 AM   #112
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Re: El Tortuga

Way better, nice job.
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Old 10-11-2012, 01:16 PM   #113
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Re: El Tortuga

Quote:
Originally Posted by ol trunt
Way better, nice job.
Thank you Sir~

I am experimenting with everything trying to get it usable and then make it comfy
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Old 10-15-2012, 06:01 AM   #114
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Re: El Tortuga

Got some done,started off by pulling wire, 12ga stranded just like we us at work on machines

I hooked up 50 amp service, why?

Because the cord was only $20 more than 30 amp and since most of the NP we stay at are 50 amp this gives the option of running 2 ac's plus or 2 heaters plus.

We have 2 zones in the bus basically.

The bedroom and kitchen area so I wanted to make sure that we had power to it on 20/30 amp and the 50 hookup gives the advantage of just having more if needed.

I leg of 120 goes to the breakers that power bedroom and kitchen

1 leg of 120 goes to other breakers for dinete and front

with the 30 amp adapter it ties both 120's together so all circuits are powered (you just have to mind total amps needed/used) this allows all receticles to be used throughout the bus just as if we were plugged in to 30 amp.

This upcoming trip will have us plugged into 50 amp sevice so we can have a heater going in the bedroom area and in the kitchen area with plenty left over to run everything else (rotisserie,coffe pot,blender microwave and fridge)

I also added a 12v aux circuit to the front of bus to provide power to a few aux fans if needed as well as the extra lights that will be added this winter when I do some tube work to the front.

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Old 10-16-2012, 12:33 PM   #115
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Re: El Tortuga

The work you did on the front door is awesome...great job
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Old 10-17-2012, 05:38 AM   #116
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Re: El Tortuga

Quote:
Originally Posted by browncrown
The work you did on the front door is awesome...great job
Thankyou, it's fit form and function are great....it needs some help in the cosmetic dept tho' ...that will come with time.
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Old 10-17-2012, 11:25 AM   #117
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Re: El Tortuga

I like the ammo box by the passenger seat. Very handy for quick reloads while repelling zombies.
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Old 10-17-2012, 11:59 AM   #118
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Re: El Tortuga

Quote:
Originally Posted by roach711
I like the ammo box by the passenger seat. Very handy for quick reloads while repelling zombies.
you can never have too much 7.62 handy
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Old 10-17-2012, 02:26 PM   #119
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Re: El Tortuga

How did you stabalize the center of the door so it would not hinge in the middle anymore?
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Old 10-17-2012, 03:11 PM   #120
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Re: El Tortuga

Quote:
Originally Posted by thommassey
How did you stabalize the center of the door so it would not hinge in the middle anymore?
I didn't take pictures because it "looks" ghetto .(pure luck they aren't in the pictures)
Since I was just seeing if it would work I grabbed 2 pcs of 1/4 x 1-1/2 I had about 14" long drilled thru holes and just used self tapping screws(4 or so per door half-staggered) to make door not move(1 on the top and 1 on the bottom) it is very rigid for how quickly it was done

see:



My doors were pretty trashed (saved $500) since I was planning to seal it up and move the door anyways.
so far I like the door so I will actually re-do this

Door opens very wide now,and with a quick pull of the door pin it swings out past 90* to the mirror

I will paint the lower windows black before covering the inside (we really want to keep the stock bus look from the outside, but have it function differently)
***edit...I will post a pic in the morning...***
So hinges will be exsposed and sealed/weatherproofed from the inside
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