2011 Girardin G5 HC Bus Build

[Vineyardseashell]

Originally Posted by joeblack5

Nice progress, do i understand correct that you have 3" foam insulation in the wall?
Johan

Hi Johan,


Thanks!


Lol, no I only have two inches of insulation in my bus.


Clyn

[Vineyardseashell]

Originally Posted by Buster Junior

Yay you!!! Looking good girl!!!

Thanks Liz! Enjoy your Sunday!


Clyn

[Vineyardseashell]

Hi everyone,


Just a quick update. I finished framing and insulating the passenger side lower wall. I am very happy with my progress today, and will be back at it tomorrow.


I am not sure what tomorrow's agenda will hold, as I only have one 16-foot piece of wood left out of the stack that came this morning. Most likely, I will do between the windows; and then go see what I can find for pallets. After paying $70 plus for a sheet of generic grade 3/8 inch plywood, I have decided to cover the passenger side lower wall with pallets.


Have a great evening!


Clyn

[Buster Junior]

Looks great. Must feel great getting a decent section done. Can't believe the price of wood lately. Fortunately we have most all we need to get her done in stock in the garage. But freakin bought it last year. The cabin upstate will be on hold as we have NO wood in possession for that project. Anyway...congrats for getting back at it. It really is coming along. Keep positive my friend��

[Vineyardseashell]

Thanks Liz! I am trying to plug away at it now that the nice weather is here.

I have most of my non-wood goodies in the bus... I just keep moving things from one side to the other as needed until they get installed. Not much room.left to store wood.

Thanks again, and have a great day!

Clyn

[Vineyardseashell]

I am looming for feedback....


In the interest of saving time and wesr and tear on my wrist, I am highly considering not removing the wheelchair rails in the floor.


I have been wracking my brain trying fo figure out an efficient and afordable way to just cover over them. I think I have found the way.


Because the rails stand 1/4 inch above the floor, I am going to use the saved yellow insulation to lay on the dloor between the rails to gently build the floor up to the heigbt of the rails: and stuff the rails with the yellow insulation.


Then I will cover tje dloor with 1 inch ridgid foam insulation followed by 1/2 inch plywood.


While it does raise my floor a considerable amount, I still have plenty of standing room.


With that said, I am debating whether or not to extend this raised floor all the way to the back of the bus, or stop it at the beginning of the bed will/underbed storage will be.


Any thoughts or alternative ideas?


Thamks,
Clyn

[Vineyardseashell]

Or maybe...


Just do 1 x 4 furring strips and add a 1/4 inch piece of luan to the underneath of the 1 x 4s that need it...so they all match in height? Then add my rigid insulation and plywood.


Thanks,
Clyn

[Mountain Gnome]

I like my wheelchair floor tracks, and the ones above the windows. Everything is tied into them. No holes to drill in the floor to secure the bed, shelves, cabinets (did have to drill into the chair rails on the side wall a bit). I can move things around in the future if I want. I can remove stuff to replace or fix or clean or paint or whatever, fairly easy. I still need to find a dry place to remove my windows on the driver's side, clean them, polish, paint, and reinstall them with new sealant. Then I can tear up the flooring. But I will first remove the rubber top, then set the depth of the circular saw and cut through the plywood most of the way, and pry that out. Then I plan on bamboo flooring. It swells a lot in humidity, but not too much. I believe I can slip it right under the lip on the edge of the wheelchair tracks, maybe it will need spacers underneath, but no prob. Seems to me my tracks were deeper than 1/4" though. More like 1/2" to 3/4", but that is by memory.



However, I've spent over $200 on those Qstraint track bolts, even after keeping the ones that came with the seats that I removed. I still feel it was worth it, though.


Just my thoughts on those tracks. I like them.

[musigenesis]

I've never dealt with the tracks, but I saw a Youtube video (which I've been unable to find again, of course) where a guy used a bimetal hole saw (without the pilot bit) to drill down through the track around each bolt (apparently pretty easy to do since the tracks are just aluminum). Then he just easily peeled up the track, exposing all the bolt heads so they could be (relatively) easily cut off with an angle grinder. If you're near Philly I'd be happy to help you with this - I've been dying to have a crack at these bastards.

[peakbus]

Hi Clyn,
If you're going to leave the rails, I would recommend 1/4" ply like you suggested rather than the fiberglass insulation. It would be tricky to get an even layer. Then it would compress, not to mention being an absorbent layer.

[Sander]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

a guy used a bimetal hole saw (without the pilot bit) to drill down through the track around each bolt (apparently pretty easy to do since the tracks are just aluminum).

I just removed some yesterday. I used an angle grinder to grind down the head of each bolt and removed the tracks.

[Sander]

Originally Posted by Mountain Gnome

and cut through the plywood most of the way, and pry that out.

I used a 36" crowbar and some wood blocks to take some out. Lift with the
crowbar, slide the blocks under the plywood, then lift more with the crowbar till plywood came loose. I then used an angle grinder to cut-off the rusted screws.

[Vineyardseashell]

Hi guys,


Thanks for the feedback!


@ Mountain Gnome:


I saved all my WC items thinking that I would either use them or sell everything as a pkg deal i.e.) lift, restraints, etc.



The other week, I noticed an ad in the local paper for a lift removed from a transit bus; at $50 there were no takers. Maybe I can find someone to donate it to or sell it for scrap metal.


At this stage of the game, I will not be removing the floor rails.


Yes, the rails themselves are approx 1 inch in depth and are "I" shaped with a slightly curved top. The curved top and arms of the upper "I" shape stick out above the plywood floor about 1/4 inch; The upper arms (or as you said 'the lip") is approx 1/8th of an inch higher than the plywood floor. There is nothing on the island that I would find thin enough to slide under that lip.



@ musegenesis:


Thanks for the generous offer, but I am a ways away from Philly.



I did see a YT video of some guy who drilled them out, but I couldn't understand and/or see exactly where he drilled or what he used to do so.


Since I will not be removing the existing plywood on the floor, covering the rails up is my best option.


Thanks again for your generous offer!


@ Peakbus:


I fully agree with you. Attempting to test out my first listed method of laying out a thin piece of yellow insulation....it was difficult to get a uniform layer; then adding the rigid insulation with a few pieces of strapping on top- walking on all three layers showed that there was some spring/sponginess to the floor which I did not like. That thin layer of yellow insulation was the culprit. And yes, if there was any water penetration that yellow insulation would create a huge issue.




@ Sander:


Time, money and wrist are my immediate concerns with the floor. The school year is about to end, along with the paycheque. It gets more complicated than that, but suffice to say I do not have a summer job to jump into.


My end decision is to go with 1x1 (if I can find it on the island); lay it down grid style, add the rigid insulation followed by 1/2 or 3/4 inch plywood then top off with my flooring.


Thanks again everyone for your feedback- it is very much appreciated!!


Clyn

[Vineyardseashell]

Yesterday's update:


I added an update last night, but lost it due to a computer update- so here it is...


The school year is over, and we all got through it unscathed! ! I am so proud of the kids on my bus- they are rock stars! If you drive a school bus, you will appreciate the fact that I simply have the best kids a driver could ever be blessed with!


As you all know, I have opted not to remove the wheelchair rails in the floor.



I was lucky enough to score some flexible plastic panels that I used to raise the height of the floor to match the height of the wheelchair rails, so everything was level. I then added 1 inch of rigid insulation, followed by a layer of Advantech plywood.



I still have a couple of small sections left to do on the front end to finish up.



Because, this 'new' floor raised the initial floor height by a considerable amount, I only intend to take the floor 3/4ths of the length of the bus- basically from the front, ending at the start of the bed (at the back of the bus). Under the bed will be for storage, and I don't want a high lip at the back door or at the side WC doors. The new floor is fabulous!



A couple of years ago, my favorite island interior decorator/design company provided me a beautiful piece of linoleum that I originally intended to install in the van. It never got installed, so I am going to use it the front end of the bus.


A month or two ago, I also scored some leftover vinyl plank flooring which I will install in the back of the bus in the storage area under the bed. Thankfully, this flooring perfectly fits under the remaining wheelchair rail sections that are still available for use in that area.


Overall, I think it is a win-win, and am very pleased with the outcome.


I have attached a few photos, but they are not the best, but will give you the basic idea of what I am doing.


I hope to finish out the week by having my kitchen cabinets installed, along with a basic water system in place for now.


Thanks, and have a great Monday!


Clyn

[peakbus]

Looks like a good plan Clyn. I think you will like having the WC rails in place for tie downs in your storage area.

[Vineyardseashell]

Originally Posted by peakbus

Looks like a good plan Clyn. I think you will like having the WC rails in place for tie downs in your storage area.

Hi Peakbus,


Yes, I will love having use of the WC floor rails in the storage area; In fact, I am thinking of ditching my current potable water tank- a generic 20 gallon white rectangular one for this 35 gallon side barrel style one (photo), and the tie downs would be great for it.


The work around for keeping the floor rails intact may not be the most conventional plan, but it works for me, and in the end, it is a great solution for my needs.


Thanks, and have a great day!


Clyn

[Sander]

Originally Posted by Vineyardseashell

this 35 gallon side barrel style one (photo), and the tie downs would be great for it.

Looks like something we need. Would you happen to have a link for this?


Edit:
Just found it at numerous places including Tractor Supply. "35 Gal. Horizontal Leg Water Storage Tank by Norwesco_.

[Vineyardseashell]

Originally Posted by Sander

Looks like something we need. Would you happen to have a link for this?


Edit:
Just found it at numerous places including Tractor Supply. "35 Gal. Horizontal Leg Water Storage Tank by Norwesco_.

Hi Sander,


The only differences I can see between the Tractor Supply and Amazon one are: $20 price difference, color, one has a spigot attached, and a breather inlet in the cap.

[Sander]

Originally Posted by Vineyardseashell

$20 price difference, color, one has a spigot attached, and a breather inlet in the cap.

That makes the one you posted a better deal.

[Vineyardseashell]

Originally Posted by Sander

That makes the one you posted a better deal.

I ordered mine today- although there was no discount for Prime Day on it. But, I did take the Prime Day opportunity to order some other goodies.


I was just looking at induction cooktops; found a nice one, then I remembered- I already have one in storage... LOL..just saved myself $135.


Thank goodness I am accessing my storage this week- who know what other goodies I'll find.


In my bus plan thoughts today, I had a few brainwaves; and I think I have finally lost my emotional ties to all my hard core camping gear; pretty sure I am going to put it all up for sale- just haven't decided whether or not to do it as individual items or a complete set up.


Have a great night!


Clyn