Cutting Rear of Bus

[ChrisLifts]

Hey Everyone,

I will be raising the roof this week. I've already made my cut across the front of the bus roof behind the driver seat. Next I will run through all of the hat channels. My final task that I am stuck on is how to cut the rear of the bus in half. Above the windows? Remove the door and go below the windows? Take the door and windows out and go through the windows? I'm stumped. Here is a photo of the rear of my bus. Suggestions welcome!

Thank you,
Chris

[Sehnsucht]

Do you want to keep the rear exit door? Do you want to keep it at it's current dimensions? Do you plan on the floor rising significantly and if so do you still expect the door to remain the same size? Or will there be a step down to the current floor at the exit?

[Rochey6957]

My bus rear looks similar to yours... Im a dognose bluebird...

It all depends on what you want to change or alter about the rear doors and glass.

I wanted to stretch the rear door so i would stop smacking my head on the top of the door jamb. But i did not want to change the rear window size. I didnot want to deal with finding new glass or blocking out those windows.

So i think the cut line was basically right behind the upper rub rail. there was some gross rust there so we just cut her right there.

[Rochey6957]

Here is my bus pre cut. Check some of those pics on instagram

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by Rochey6957

My bus rear looks similar to yours... Im a dognose bluebird...

It all depends on what you want to change or alter about the rear doors and glass.

I wanted to stretch the rear door so i would stop smacking my head on the top of the door jamb. But i did not want to change the rear window size. I didnot want to deal with finding new glass or blocking out those windows.

So i think the cut line was basically right behind the upper rub rail. there was some gross rust there so we just cut her right there.

I got and RE Amtran but I must say that I really liked the way you did those doors, especially the side emergency exit !

I got a second bus I’m gonna do and you just inspired me to stretch the emergency door !!!

Great fab work !

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by ewo1

I got and RE Amtran but I must say that I really liked the way you did those doors, especially the side emergency exit !

I got a second bus I’m gonna do and you just inspired me to stretch the emergency door !!!

Great fab work !

clean looking roof raise!!

[Rochey6957]

Originally Posted by ewo1

I got and RE Amtran but I must say that I really liked the way you did those doors, especially the side emergency exit !

I got a second bus I’m gonna do and you just inspired me to stretch the emergency door !!!

Great fab work !

Well gosh thanks. It really wasnt hard, i used 1x1 box tube to stretch the stiles of the door. tucked and riveted the exterior skin like the rest of the bus, couple of stitch welds here and there. I had a few pieces of rub rail kicking around from cutting access holes and stuff on the other side. So a short section made the top piece for the side door. (originally the door handle lands in the middle of the upper rub rail, so factory never had one... helps it look a little more OEM) The inside got filled with spray foam and dressed with a Masonite panel.

heres my imgur link for a bunch more pics or look on FB/IG/Skoolie.net for @5speedhouse

https://imgur.com/user/der5273

Sorry for the thread jacking.

[Rochey6957]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

clean looking roof raise!!

Thanks,

Heres my build thread too.
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/p...e-17028-4.html

[Flipmode]

I went with taking the rivets out of the rear cap and raising it above the door. I didnt need the door to be higher and was planning to mount a mini split on the recessed header above the door. I used 1.5" box and notched it to the profile of the corners and just welded a ladder to fill in the gap. I went with a transition front so the metal I removed off the front was able to be reused on the rear. I'm happy with it and it wasn't hard to get it done.