Rusty 87 build thread

[musigenesis]

Just ordered a three-point latch and a door handle for my bulkhead door:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KGCKL91/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MFBCJ79/

I don't know how this thing works exactly, and I think I'm going to have to mount it on the outside which will look kind strange.

[ol trunt]

You'll need to modify the way the handle is mounted. The way it is offered a key wouldn't be necessary---just a screwdriver. Both my bus and my toad have a similar 3 pt latch also with a screw on handle. So far I've gotten away with trusting people to be basically honest and not in possession of a screwdriver. Jack

[Jocelyn]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Just ordered a three-point latch and a door handle for my bulkhead door:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KGCKL91/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MFBCJ79/

I don't know how this thing works exactly, and I think I'm going to have to mount it on the outside which will look kind strange.

Interested in what you think of this after installing! I'm still debating what to do with my back door.
Really impressed by all the work you've done. This thing is going to be a rolling apocalypse-proof fortress by the time you're done.

[musigenesis]

I welded in the last of the screws for rear section. Now I just have to prep and paint and then I can install the floor in the back.



Decided to attach the mud flaps by running 3/8" screws out from the inside and welding the heads.





I think this bar will look better than just using four washers.





I'm going to have to trim it a bit so it doesn't continually hit the shock, but it fits almost perfectly back there.



Much more solidly attached than the originals, which were basically held on by paint.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by ol trunt

You'll need to modify the way the handle is mounted. The way it is offered a key wouldn't be necessary---just a screwdriver. Both my bus and my toad have a similar 3 pt latch also with a screw on handle. So far I've gotten away with trusting people to be basically honest and not in possession of a screwdriver. Jack

Ha ha, this is true. I'm actually thinking that if the handle is made of robust enough steel, I'll do a variant of my bolt thing where I weld two bolts into those holes and then secure it with nuts from the inside. In fact I wonder if maybe I'd searched a little harder, I would have found one with the bolts already like that.

I also have to cover up the bolts on the hinge side, since right now you could just unbolt the hinges from the cab side and get in that way.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Jocelyn

Interested in what you think of this after installing! I'm still debating what to do with my back door.
Really impressed by all the work you've done. This thing is going to be a rolling apocalypse-proof fortress by the time you're done.

I feel like an apocalypse-proof fortress would not have bird poop all over the inside.

Thanks for the kind words.

[musigenesis]

Driver's side mud flap up. I think I am finally done with drilling big holes in my bus.



Spilled some oshpo in the bottom of this box a few weeks ago - completely bubbled up the rusto primer.



Yet another lesson in how surface rust is never just surface rust. All this was taken out just with a flap disk. I'm worried that I'm having leaking inside the door, probably from the gasket around the top window in the door.



Rusty eyebrow cleanup. These eyebrows were the first thing I took down and de-rusted and fixed with bondo. Seems like automotive primer by itself is not really a sufficient protection against continuing water damage, and I put the coat on way too thin anyway.

[musigenesis]

I just could not get a good arc on this door no matter what I did.









All the welded-on screws in the back with their safety covers on. I didn't cover the ones on the edges, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to be stepping on one of those at some point.

I probably could have gotten away with fewer of these, is what I'm thinking right now. But it can't hurt, it will only be extra work.

[musigenesis]

[musigenesis]

Still have to weld some stuff on the bulkhead wall and doors, so I just painted the parts I won't be able to reach after installation. The edges that will be visible through the windows from the outside, I painted black instead of safety blue (my chosen color for the cab instead of the yellow).



SEM self-etching primer on the rusty parts and Rustoleum black semi-gloss enamel.



Valspar primer/sealer and Valspar satin porch paint.



Bulkhead lintel.



Rear floor reinforcement and transit van seat brackets.



Seat brackets.



Door latch in closed position.



Door latch in open position.



Handle and latch mechanism.



This latch is pretty nice and I think I'll be able to mount it on the inside (i.e. the back) and still get insulation over top of it. It's not quite what I was looking for, since ideally I'd have a door that I could just slam shut behind me, but this latch I would have to turn the inside handle to close the door behind me. But it will definitely hold the door very securely and prevent it from opening into my seat in an accident. Should also make for a very tight seal once I figure out how I'm going to actually seal this door.

The lock on this handle is really crappy, it probably opens with a hairpin. I'm going to remove the lock and weld over the hole - or maybe just fabricate a handle entirely.

I think this latch would be a good replacement for a standard bus three-point latch. It has a slimmer profile, although the rods are certainly much weaker than those on a bus door latch.

[musigenesis]

[musigenesis]

[musigenesis]

Grinding wheel, flap disc, ospho. Looks better in real life than in this pic.

[musigenesis]

Putting masking tape on every floor bolt is a huge PITA, probably the worst part of this method. Probably not really necessary, but I do have trouble getting the nuts down over paint.



Missed a few globs on tar on the floor when I painted it. Fortunately these globs bubble up and are easy to spot once the paint dries.



Cab is all primed. Now it and the back just need seam sealer and they'll be ready for the final paint.

[musigenesis]

For some reason I thought this latch was only a little bit slimmer than the standard bus door latch, but it's a lot slimmer, like less than 1".

[Native]

I am really liking your progress and attention to completeness. Lots of folk will forget to paint the inaccessable parts before assembly. Nice work!

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Native

I am really liking your progress and attention to completeness. Lots of folk will forget to paint the inaccessable parts before assembly. Nice work!

Thanks very much! Really slows things down, though. Or else that's my excuse for making such slow progress.

[musigenesis]

[Native]

You are right . it will be held together with Dynatron 550!


It sure will look nice once th paint is applied. I can hardly wait to see that blue in there.

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

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For some reason I thought this latch was only a little bit slimmer than the standard bus door latch, but it's a lot slimmer, like less than 1".

Attachment 45839

Guess I lost track, do you have a shop now?