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Old 02-24-2018, 09:32 AM   #681
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Good looking work...keep the pix coming!

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Old 02-25-2018, 03:37 PM   #682
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I got the storage bay sheet metal skins rough cut and put in place today. Still a little bit to final fit. There's some "white rust" (oxidizing zinc) on the metal I got ($15.00/sheet - 17ga 5'x10') but I'll sand that out, acid wash (vinegar) and prime with acrylic primer (never use alkyd/oil primer on direct contact with anything galvanized) before top coating. Hopefully I can get some primer this week and get all the lower skins sanded, treated and primed.





All the doors and frames have yet to be finish prepped (sanded and glazed). I just painted them with what primer I had to keep them from rusting.

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Old 02-25-2018, 04:19 PM   #683
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Most excellent.

All this extensive prep. Where are you going?
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Old 02-26-2018, 05:40 AM   #684
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Most excellent.

All this extensive prep. Where are you going?
Wherever the road may lead. Wherever the road may lead.
The mods I'm making are, by and large, based off the desire to improve functionality yet keep things simple and implementing things I learned as a marine technician. We also hope to do some boondocking at done point. Having dual fuel tanks gives extended range to take advantage of better fuel prices. The storage bays, simply because we didn't have any and I decided a way we could. Putting the door in the side makes the place feel more like a home and opens up space in what will be the cab for Lori a navigator seat as well as the opportunity to relocate the air filter for easier service, maybe get another storage bay and gain a bit more ground clearance where the stepwell used to be. Things like the custom bumper and grill were replacements for damaged parts. I may do a rear bumper like the front to improve a hitch setup, not totally sure though. Relocating the battery was because I needed it's stock location to mount a fuel tank. Having it, and the house batteries, between the frame rails helps with the CG and, in the case of the engine battery, shortened the battery cable by almost six feet which is very good for the battery and starter.
Still lots to do though. I haven't run out of ideas yet!
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Old 02-26-2018, 05:50 AM   #685
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Do you have a completion date goal?
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https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/4-...ner-18205.html
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Old 02-26-2018, 07:02 AM   #686
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Do you have a completion date goal?
Yea, it was sometime 2015 .
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I am an sojourner in the earth; hide not Your Commandments from me. Psalm 119:19

Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones keeping the commandments of YAHWEH, and the faith of Yahshua. Rev. 14:12
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Old 02-26-2018, 07:02 AM   #687
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I've read your thread entirely a couple of times and think the work and thought you're putting into this is amazing!!

You serve as a great inspiration to those of us just starting our journey.

Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing!

James
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Old 02-26-2018, 08:16 AM   #688
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I've read your thread entirely a couple of times and think the work and thought you're putting into this is amazing!!

You serve as a great inspiration to those of us just starting our journey.

Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing!

James
Thank you for your kind words. Just trying to return the inspiration I've gained from others here .
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I am an sojourner in the earth; hide not Your Commandments from me. Psalm 119:19

Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones keeping the commandments of YAHWEH, and the faith of Yahshua. Rev. 14:12
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Old 02-26-2018, 10:16 AM   #689
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Originally Posted by JamieJackson View Post
I've read your thread entirely a couple of times and think the work and thought you're putting into this is amazing!!

You serve as a great inspiration to those of us just starting our journey.

Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing!

James
I agree. Good work and good ideas come from sojourner. I follow closely.
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Old 02-26-2018, 12:02 PM   #690
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Yea, it was sometime 2015 .
Sounds like my home reno.
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Old 02-26-2018, 12:31 PM   #691
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Sounds like my home reno.
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I am an sojourner in the earth; hide not Your Commandments from me. Psalm 119:19

Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones keeping the commandments of YAHWEH, and the faith of Yahshua. Rev. 14:12
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Old 03-08-2018, 05:46 PM   #692
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Got the air cleaner relocated today. I took a week off the project to do some preps for spring planting around here. Here's the original location with the lid facing the street. One has to crawl under the bus to change the air filter. Not something I'm going to allow if I don't have to:



I had welded in the floor framing previously and removed the air cleaner from it's original location and ordered a 4" 90 deg. ell. I'll have to shorten some of the coolant hoses to make room for the ell:



I had to remove this bracket (a plate on the inside with three studs sticking out) and re-install it 180 deg. so I could hang the air cleaner housing from the floor bracing:



I had to remove the snorkel from the air cleaner adapter plate, turn it 90 deg., re-attach and build a bracket to anchor it to the frame. Strangely, as simple as it mighty look to twist a piece of angle iron about 45 deg., it took about twenty trips back and forth to the vise to get it just right. This little bracket took more time than any other modification and fabrication. Interestingly enough, the snorkel ended up facing just about where it was in the original configuration. Well protected from scooping up water and trash from the road:



Here's the bracket that the air cleaner housing bolts to that's welded to the floor bracing:



Here's the whole thing installed in it's new location giving me access to the air filter from the outside:





While it's not facing perpendicular to the side panel, I'll be able to gain access to service the filter easily now.
I had to shim the inside of the sir cleaner cover as it didn't fit tightly against the filter. Little did I know, when in the vertical position, there was a 1/2" gap at the top of the air filter between it and the housing. I shimmed the cover to push the air filter element to contact the housing. I also put a couple spacers to hold the filter centered in the housing while installing the cover and retainer band.

I'm planning on reusing the old battery box door to make the access door for the filter. I'll have to cut it down and make a new frame but the pad latch is in good working order and there's no reason to lock this access.
There's not enough space left over to justify making an additional storage cabinet. As a result I now have a lot of room to get around the engine from underneath. Something that was near impossible with the step well there. I've spent most of my career (marine technician) trying to service equipment that people designed and didn't have a clue about the need to actually access said equipment. Not gonna happen on my watch!!
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I am an sojourner in the earth; hide not Your Commandments from me. Psalm 119:19

Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones keeping the commandments of YAHWEH, and the faith of Yahshua. Rev. 14:12
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Old 03-13-2018, 04:13 PM   #693
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I removed the battery box door, shortened it by about 3", folded the end over and made a frame for it the other day.
My bullet hinges came in yesterday so I got to fitting the door in the frame and welding the hinges on today. Here's what it looks like with the door and frame assembly clamped in position:



With the door open so I can gain access to the air cleaner to change the filter from the side of the bus:



I got Lori to sit in the air ride seat long enough to get the position located. No pics of it as she was nervous sitting in a seat on some framework only clamped in place a couple places and no floor. Once I got the position established, I then cut the bracing, tacked in place and drilled the seat mount holes.



Now to get the bus nosed back in the shop so I can get my MIG gun in there and finish weld the floor bracing in place. Hopefully the weather will warm up a bit so I can get some primer on the framework and get to putting the floor skin on. Then I can get the rest of the wall and window framing done and get the first piece of sheet metal on where the step well used to be.

I'm really diggin' the room to crawl under and around the engine that I simply didn't have with the step well in place.
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I am an sojourner in the earth; hide not Your Commandments from me. Psalm 119:19

Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones keeping the commandments of YAHWEH, and the faith of Yahshua. Rev. 14:12
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Old 03-14-2018, 07:48 AM   #694
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That's pretty good thinkin' Sojourner. Airbox mod and adding a spot for your trusty co-pilot.
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Old 03-14-2018, 10:33 AM   #695
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Great build, I love the idea of moving the door. I just won't have the luxury of the floor space I can loose to stairs poking into the bus.....Good luck
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Old 03-15-2018, 04:40 PM   #696
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Framed in the door opening and window. Fortunately I had enough hat channel from the piece I removed to relocate the door in the side to frame in the window and facilitate a factory style mounting.



Not long before I'll start closing the opening!!
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I am an sojourner in the earth; hide not Your Commandments from me. Psalm 119:19

Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones keeping the commandments of YAHWEH, and the faith of Yahshua. Rev. 14:12
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Old 03-20-2018, 02:53 PM   #697
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I got the sheet metal cut and drilled to weld into place for the floor on the passenger side:



The next step is prime both the underside of the skin panel. and door assembly.
Welded into place and primed with "Pro Cryl" acrylic primer that will adhere to galvanized metal (Alkyd (oil) based primers will saponify and lift from galvanized metal):



Pic from the inside:



I then cut the side panel, drilled the air box access frame, drilled and tapped the framework under the skin and test fit before priming the door and frame:





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I am an sojourner in the earth; hide not Your Commandments from me. Psalm 119:19

Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones keeping the commandments of YAHWEH, and the faith of Yahshua. Rev. 14:12
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Old 03-20-2018, 10:20 PM   #698
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Lookin' Goooood!
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Old 03-21-2018, 08:55 AM   #699
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Lookin' Goooood!


It's always exciting when things begin to come together. It is kinda like watching a snail race (oxymoron?) though LOL!!

I gotta get over and see what you're doing these days!!
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I am an sojourner in the earth; hide not Your Commandments from me. Psalm 119:19

Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones keeping the commandments of YAHWEH, and the faith of Yahshua. Rev. 14:12
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Old 03-21-2018, 01:55 PM   #700
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Been a weird day today. Cool and threatening to rain but I decided to push on and hopefully make some progress.
I cut and primed the panels that will cover the school bus hatch openings when I remove the hatches.



Primed the sheet metal where the air cleaner access door is. Disassembled the paddle latch, cleaned, primed and painted the parts. Primed the air cleaner access door and frame. Lubed and reassembled the paddle latch and then installed the sheet metal and air cleaner access door assembly.





Hopefully things will warm up a bit and I can get to power washing inside and out. I've got to deal with the inside of the roof before beginning to skin the window openings I want to cover.
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I am an sojourner in the earth; hide not Your Commandments from me. Psalm 119:19

Here is the patience of the saints; here are the ones keeping the commandments of YAHWEH, and the faith of Yahshua. Rev. 14:12
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