School Busketeer (the build)

[notimeforfakes]

So, we got our bus (a 1999, 40 foot, front engine international) a couple of weeks ago and have been ripping out the seats and floors as well as sealing up leaks. Now we are going to start the build process. We have a general idea of what we want to do but that may change slightly if we find good deals on stuff that we need. We still don't know if we will full time, part time or just camp in it. I will post progress and pictures here as we go.

[WanderWoman]

Originally Posted by notimeforfakes

So, we got our bus (a 1999, 40 foot, front engine international) a couple of weeks ago and have been ripping out the seats and floors as well as sealing up leaks. Now we are going to start the build process. We have a general idea of what we want to do but that may change slightly if we find good deals on stuff that we need. We still don't know if we will full time, part time or just camp in it. I will post progress and pictures here as we go.

Looking forward to photos! Congrats on your bus buy!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Robin97396]

Congrats notimeforfakes. That's a pretty nice sounding bus. One of the favored engines and trannys. It sounds like you're doing a full build on it.

[skooolie]

very good!! we just purchased our two days ago and just got all the seats out.. not as hard as it looked on youtube.. and our is a 1995

[notimeforfakes]

The toughest part thus far was ripping out the old rubber and plywood floor.
At this point we have taken a wire wheel to the surface rust on the metal floor, and painted with rustoleum rusty metal primer (scored 2 gallons for $20 at home depot). We just started with the 2x4 and 1 1/2 inch styrofoam floor which we will cover with 3/4 inch particle board. We used liquid nail to cover all the little holes in the floor. We also got rid of all the school bus markings, signs and flashers.
We attempted to seal the roof seams with henry's elastomeric roof sealant but it rained shortly after and bubble it up. Grrrrr It has sealed the roof for now but when the weather gets better we will do a better job.
We are attempting to document our adventure on Youtube, so if you want to check us out over there than feel free.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNR...RpPnipFnClHZPw

[Robin97396]

Nice looking beast. You're well on your way.

[notimeforfakes]

So, we have the bunk beds roughed in. We are making the rear of the bus a "catch all" area. It will be the kids room (did I mention that we have 4 kids and 2 dogs?) as well as the dining room and the living room. the bottom bunks will double as the sofas, directly across will be bar seating facing out the wall of windows. under the bar will be the kids dressers.

[notimeforfakes]

Started painting the trim in the main living area. It is almost complete! Next up will be kitchen and bathroom. ugh. Plumbing. Wish us well.

[notimeforfakes]

My lovely mother, known in these parts as "peach camp" made me curtains for my bus. We have one room looking half decent now. My son and I spent the night in it for the first time. Here is a short video showing our latest progress.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ4MY7-o-AM

[Peach Camp]

[QUOTE=notimeforfakes;199327]My lovely mother, known in these parts as "peach camp" made me curtains for my bus. We have one room looking half decent now. My son and I spent the night in it for the first time. Here is a short video showing our latest progress.

This is going very well. Let's get the other 2 seats out of my bus tomorrow.
Doesn't that sound like fun!

[notimeforfakes]

So, my son had his bike stolen right off of our front porch. He had a lock but didnt use it. Go figure! That let me know it was time to lock up the bus. I saw lots of fancy ways to make locks but I went with quick, easy and efficient. The good old fashioned night latch. You may remember those from your grandmas house.

2 small hurdle to note. 1, it is made for a door that opens inward. That is fixed easy enough. One screw holds on the rear plate. Simply remove the remove the screw, take off the plate and flip the locking mechanism. Replace the same way that you took it apart. Be sure that both little horse shoe do hickies are positioned correctly. Secondly. my lock had to be shimmed about a 1/4 inch inward on the door side. Easy enough.

Booya! here are the pictures

[Robin97396]

I went to a locksmith to have them put a deadbolt on my back and lift doors. He said it wasn't possible because the metal was to weak.

What did you shim the lock with? It looks like I'm going to have to do my locks myself.

If you're worried about locking up, find a way to secure your tophatch on your bus. That's the most well known way to get inside a bus. Occasionally someone has problems with their interlock system, and they find the tophatch latch disconnected preventing them from starting the bus. The latch doesn't disconnect itself. They get broke into. You can't reconnect the latch from the exterior of the bus, which is why they get left unlatched.
On the other hand if you lock yourself out of the bus that's a good way to get in.

[notimeforfakes]

I made it sound smooth and easy, but I actually cut the hole in the wrong place the first time and had to go back to the store and find a lock to fit. I shimmed it with a 1/4 ish inch piece of plywood I had laying around. Here is a little video of what really happened.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRKxm-WswCI

[Robin97396]

You made it work, and that's the whole point. When mistakes are made, roll with it.

[notimeforfakes]

Got rid of a bunch of the debris from the tear down on free dump day. Plus I scored some cabinets, a counter top and a sink for 20 bucks at salvation army!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDFOWO2PPzE

[cowlitzcoach]

The "Unlawful to Pass" sign looks like WA spe'c to me.

Over the years I have installed various locks on school buses to keep the bad guys out. The challenge is they have to work so that they can't lock people inside.

What has worked the best for me on the rear, side, and lift doors have been sliding barrel locks on the inside. Relatively easy install and no holes drilled to the outside. It does require installing some sort of shimming to get everything to line up. I have stacked washers and used lengths of iron water pipe to get things lined up. If someone was really motivated to get in I suppose it would be possible to gain entry. But there are a lot of other rigs out there easier so the bad guys don't bother them.

The challenge is always the service door. It is fairly easy to use either OEM style vandal locks or some sort of padlock and hasp to lock from the outside but impossible to lock from the inside. Finding an automotive/RV style door lock that can be retrofitted to the service door is not easy due mostly to the fact the service door is usually not thick enough to work with most automotive/RV style door lock.

I don't know that I would have used any sort of particle or oriented strand board for an underlayment in a bus. Personally I would have used 5/8" or thicker marine grade plywood. While the hope is it won't get wet inside I would have planned for the worst. I would hate to have to tear everything back out again because the floor got wet and became spongy.

Good luck and happy trails to you!

[notimeforfakes]

Originally Posted by cowlitzcoach

The "Unlawful to Pass" sign looks like WA spe'c to me.

Over the years I have installed various locks on school buses to keep the bad guys out. The challenge is they have to work so that they can't lock people inside.

What has worked the best for me on the rear, side, and lift doors have been sliding barrel locks on the inside. Relatively easy install and no holes drilled to the outside. It does require installing some sort of shimming to get everything to line up. I have stacked washers and used lengths of iron water pipe to get things lined up. If someone was really motivated to get in I suppose it would be possible to gain entry. But there are a lot of other rigs out there easier so the bad guys don't bother them.

The challenge is always the service door. It is fairly easy to use either OEM style vandal locks or some sort of padlock and hasp to lock from the outside but impossible to lock from the inside. Finding an automotive/RV style door lock that can be retrofitted to the service door is not easy due mostly to the fact the service door is usually not thick enough to work with most automotive/RV style door lock.

I don't know that I would have used any sort of particle or oriented strand board for an underlayment in a bus. Personally I would have used 5/8" or thicker marine grade plywood. While the hope is it won't get wet inside I would have planned for the worst. I would hate to have to tear everything back out again because the floor got wet and became spongy.

Good luck and happy trails to you!

Yes, we are in Washington. You make some good points. The wood for the floor, i kinda regret going cheap on. I have seen so many people do it that way, so i figured it must be fine. I am just going to cover it up with flooring and hope for the best.
As far as the locks. we wanted to be able to lock that back door from the outside with out having to run around to the front. It worked very well. The lock is under 20 bucks and installed very easy.

[Robin97396]

Glad to hear you're moving along with your build, and at a nice pace. Score on your $20 investment.

Did the little guy fix that broken drawer yet?

[notimeforfakes]

lol, he never did get that darn drawer open. I did however get the wall insulated and the cabinet and counter installed plus kitchen windows trimmed. I gotta figure out a shower situation now.

[Robin97396]

Watering trough with a drain, or something a little nicer? Those shorter cattle troughs make a good shower pan or even a tub for kids.