NR Tow Pig

NRdomepiece · 05-04-2019, 09:07 PM

Bought this old Thomas a few months ago and haven’t had much time to get stuff done due to work and weather. But today i was able to get it cleaned out and the holes in the floor covered up and the floor coated. Going to do another coat in the morning. Then I’ll frame it in, insulate and put down subfloor.

NRdomepiece · 05-04-2019, 09:11 PM

I did add a hitch to the back bumper a couple weeks ago. It’s welded to the bumper and the plate behind the bumper.

NRdomepiece · 05-04-2019, 09:18 PM

Oh and I used the factory Air Ride seat base and modified a 94 Chevy bucket seat for it. So now I have a power seat on Air!

david.dgeorge07 · 05-04-2019, 09:31 PM

Nice looking bus! What’s your powertrain?

Mountain Gnome · 05-04-2019, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NRdomepiece

I did add a hitch to the back bumper a couple weeks ago. It’s welded to the bumper and the plate behind the bumper.

I had my truck's bumper blow out on me, and I built my own. The inspector guy said it had to be "flat, with no extrusions that would damage another vehicle upon impact." That was Hawai'i. Just my 2¢
And does that mean the bumper is now welded to the frame?

o1marc · 05-04-2019, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountain Gnome

I had my truck's bumper blow out on me, and I built my own. The inspector guy said it had to be "flat, with no extrusions that would damage another vehicle upon impact." That was Hawai'i. Just my 2¢
And does that mean the bumper is now welded to the frame?

I don't know what bus he has because he hasn't filled out his profile in the UserCP.
If it's anything like mine, which I did the same as him, but behind the bumper is not a plate, but a "U" channel bolted to each side of the frame. I have a plate to weld on top of the "U" channel and the receiver welded to that plate. My pin access will be behind the bumper , keeping the exposed short to avoid knee banging. That access hole will be hinged with the license on it.

NRdomepiece · 05-05-2019, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david.dgeorge07

Nice looking bus! What’s your powertrain?

It’s got the 8.3 liter Cummins diesel pusher. I believe the trans is the Allison 645. 🤷🏻*♂️ Can’t remember.

NRdomepiece · 05-05-2019, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountain Gnome

I had my truck's bumper blow out on me, and I built my own. The inspector guy said it had to be "flat, with no extrusions that would damage another vehicle upon impact." That was Hawai'i. Just my 2¢
And does that mean the bumper is now welded to the frame?

I’m a long ways from Hawaii. Lol. I don’t know what the difference would be between a little bit of hutch sticking out or a receiver and ball sticking out all the time like most pickups do. If it becomes an issue I’ll rebuild the whole bumper and flush mount it.

NRdomepiece · 05-05-2019, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o1marc

I don't know what bus he has because he hasn't filled out his profile in the UserCP.
If it's anything like mine, which I did the same as him, but behind the bumper is not a plate, but a "U" channel bolted to each side of the frame. I have a plate to weld on top of the "U" channel and the receiver welded to that plate. My pin access will be behind the bumper , keeping the exposed short to avoid knee banging. That access hole will be hinged with the license on it.

I filled out my UserCP. Didn’t know that was a thing. Mine has a flat vertical 1/2” thick plate behind the bumper that bolts onto both rails and the bumper bolts to it.

NRdomepiece · 05-05-2019, 11:05 PM

I got the second coat on the floor this morning. And started putting my subfloor framing together and even got a little bit of insulation down. Probably won’t get anything else done this week. It’s supposed to rain all week. And i have head gaskets to do on a Ford ranger to help fund the Tow Pig.

Yukon Cornelius · 05-06-2019, 08:02 AM

Nice Looking Rig, Can't wait to be back near civilization and scavenge a replacement seat for my rig.

NRdomepiece · 05-11-2019, 07:00 PM

Me and the ol lady got 5 more sheets worth of framing, insulation, and subfloor down today. We are going to start taking windows out and re-sealing them tomorrow as well as pull the sheetmetal off the walls and the insulation out of them. Hope to get some metal Monday to fill in the outside where we are getting rid of windows.

NRdomepiece · 05-12-2019, 03:39 PM

Well we decided to tackle the windows another time. We did get the floor down to between the front wheel wells. We’ll do the last 6 or so feet later.

NRdomepiece · 06-17-2019, 10:57 PM

Doesn’t seem like we e got much done lately. Been busy working on customer cars and works been kicking my ass. We did pull all the windows we plan on getting rid of Saturday. Unfortunately we had to set them back in because of the chance of rain and no one had 5’x10’ sheets in stock.

I did start framing the Queen size bed base in and set the fresh water tank in.

NRdomepiece · 06-23-2019, 10:32 PM

I got one of the factory engine A/Cs mounted above the back window. Still have to plumb it in and wire it up but it should be out of the way and hopefully provide some cooler traveling when needed. The other A/C unit will go up front above the windshield.

I also figured out where I’m putting one of the engine powered heaters.

Hoping to hit this thing pretty hard this week as i only have a month before the first show I plan on using it for.

NRdomepiece · 06-24-2019, 10:43 PM

Finally got the metal I ordered. 5x10x18 gauge. Had them shear them right down the middle. So i have 4 pieces of 30”x10’. Which is just barely longer then 4 windows.

I did manage to get 5 windows covered up tonight. I still have some more screws to put in but i kept breaking drill bits. So the bottoms are screwed in tight and I’ll get some more bits tomorrow and do the vertical pieces.

o1marc · 06-24-2019, 11:49 PM

Nice, I wish I could have gotten 5'er's and do what you did. Instead I have a bunch of "scrap" 18" wide.

NRdomepiece · 06-26-2019, 11:12 PM

The 5’ sheets were definitely worth the wait.

I got the rest of the screws put in on the passenger side. I’m going to have to break a piece for the tops of each window and acres them into the window frame and then i can screw the sheetmetal into it at the top. Only way i can think of to fasten the top without taking roof rivets out.

I also cut the two pieces for the other side tonight. Hope to get some help tomorrow night and start getting them put in. Maybe get the walls and ceiling spray foamed next week.

o1marc · 06-26-2019, 11:40 PM

What are you screwing the tops of the skins to? Since the window frames didn't require screwed frames, there really isn't anything to secure it to. I ran the skin up against the bottom of the roof rivets on the inside and will have the welder tack the skins to the backs of the rivets and then sealer on that edge inside and a copious amount up under the roof drip edge.

NRdomepiece · 06-29-2019, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o1marc

What are you screwing the tops of the skins to? Since the window frames didn't require screwed frames, there really isn't anything to secure it to. I ran the skin up against the bottom of the roof rivets on the inside and will have the welder tack the skins to the backs of the rivets and then sealer on that edge inside and a copious amount up under the roof drip edge.

You are correct. I plan on using some of the left over sheet metal and cutting it to the length of the window. I’ll rip them down to about 3” wide and bend them on the brake into a 90. I’ll self tap them to the window frame inside the bus then add screws to the top of the sheets from the outside. There will be plenty of Mastic and silicone to seal it up.

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