Mesa Bus- The Other One

[o1marc]

Okay, I went out and looked at mine to see if the door glass was the same as the rear windows and they are. If you look at the outside of the window gasket you will see the center is rounded, this is actually a separate piece that when pried out will allow the gasket to squeeze back through the hole from the outside in. Use plastic bicycle tire spoons to pry the gasket out. I learned the hard way, breaking 2 windows before figuring out that gasket. Start in a corner and work around those 2 sides. Reverse the process using the rope/twine trick and then push in the round seal to secure everything.

[peakbus]

01marc, I remember you posted about that earlier. Thanks for the idea. My rear windows are like that but my entry door windows are different. My picture wasn't very clear. They have a square- flat appearance. If I pry up the inner-side rubber, the glass is sandwiched in. On the outer-side of the door there is a metal frame piece help between the rubber. I 'm hoping that now they are warming up in the shop the rubber will get a bit more pliable and maybe with a bunch of putty knives I can flex the gasket over the door flange and pop it and the glass out. I want to pull them since the rubber will probably melt when I weld the panels together.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by peakbus

01marc, I remember you posted about that earlier. Thanks for the idea. My rear windows are like that but my entry door windows are different. My picture wasn't very clear. They have a square- flat appearance. If I pry up the inner-side rubber, the glass is sandwiched in. On the outer-side of the door there is a metal frame piece help between the rubber. I 'm hoping that now they are warming up in the shop the rubber will get a bit more pliable and maybe with a bunch of putty knives I can flex the gasket over the door flange and pop it and the glass out. I want to pull them since the rubber will probably melt when I weld the panels together.

....

[peakbus]

As many people say, been a while since posting.
I finished my door replacement last month. Pulled the two doors off, removed the rear door hinge and welded the panels together. Then I welded a 3/4x1" rectangular tube to the rear to fill the space the rubber seals took. That also gave me space to install a solid storm door handle with deadbolt. Mortising the steel tube for the lock was fun! I rehung the new door on the existing front hinge. Its sooo much more solid and weather tight. I think it will cut down on road noise and wind.

[peakbus]

In April, I got the walls below windows insulated. Last week I pulled all the windows (, cleaned and rebedded them with 3M Dynatron 550. Hopefully that will keep leaks at bay. I'm going to order new seals for the marker lights and flashers to seal them well before getting the ceiling spray foamed.

[Rovobay]

I love the door. keeping the school bus look but adding a conventional style door. brilliant! I would love to see a closeup picture of the handle and lock.

[Rovobay]

never mind. I could zoom enough to see. very cool. I also love that you left the "special needs" decal on the hood.

[Sleddgracer]

I've thought of getting a galvanised steel door and frame, cutting suitable sized openings in it and having automotive glass installed

[Shorty22]

Following! Starting conversion finally on my 96 Thomas Vista, same as yours! Just got hardwood in on the floors and it’s a blank slate. Best of luck with the build, your front door is such a great idea!

[peakbus]

Originally Posted by Shorty22

Following! Starting conversion finally on my 96 Thomas Vista, same as yours! Just got hardwood in on the floors and it’s a blank slate. Best of luck with the build, your front door is such a great idea!

Thanks! Good luck on yours too! Definitely a project that keeps you thinking. Where are you located?

I have just been adding some wood framing as needed to anchor ceiling and wall material prior to having it spray foamed. I pulled all the warning lights and markers, cleaned them and replaced all the gaskets. New clear lenses where the reds were.

Next is protect wiring and masking off for the foamapocalypse. Been debating spray foam vs. rigid, but spray wins out for R-value.

I need to decide whether to keep both A/C units. I'd like to remove the rear one to gain space above our bed.

[mikerob643]

Hey! Love your bus, my husband and I have a Thomas Vista as well, so we relate to your build very much so!

Two things I’m stoked on about your post is the doghouse conversion. Mikey and I were thinking about doing exactly what you did, nice to know it is working pretty well for you.

Also, genius idea to place the door on hinges. We were considering making a house door to fit. Our door opens using electric, so opening and closing it will drain our battery when we are just in town (our bus is going to be our home),. So taking the door off and connecting them as you did might be a great option! Thanks.

[Shorty22]

I'm located in Humboldt, North coast of Cali.

I'll go ahead and start a thread of my build as well There's so many little details, I have started a webpage for my Vista conversion, if you're interested:
https://www.appropedia.org/Short_Sch...%22_Conversion


Can't wait to see how the bus unfolds!

[peakbus]

Originally Posted by mikerob643

Hey! Love your bus, my husband and I have a Thomas Vista as well, so we relate to your build very much so!

Two things I’m stoked on about your post is the doghouse conversion. Mikey and I were thinking about doing exactly what you did, nice to know it is working pretty well for you.

Also, genius idea to place the door on hinges. We were considering making a house door to fit. Our door opens using electric, so opening and closing it will drain our battery when we are just in town (our bus is going to be our home),. So taking the door off and connecting them as you did might be a great option! Thanks.

Thanks Mikerob,
Both of those projects were fun challenges, as are most on skoolie builds
Looking forward to following your build too.

[peakbus]

Originally Posted by Shorty22

I'm located in Humboldt, North coast of Cali.

I'll go ahead and start a thread of my build as well There's so many little details, I have started a webpage for my Vista conversion, if you're interested:
https://www.appropedia.org/Short_Sch...%22_Conversion


Can't wait to see how the bus unfolds!

Just checked out your webpage. Nice work! I too am interested in green building and am conflicted about wanting sprayfoam for the ceiling. I mulled over options though and from an insulation standpoint foam is so far superior. Trying to get the local Demilec installer, as that uses some recycled product in their closed cell foam.
Did you buy your Vista in WA state? Looks like photos of one I looked at up there. I got mine in Mesa, AZ

[Shorty22]

Thanks! I have a hard time trying to balance the negative environmental impacts of living in a diesel rig that gets 10 mpg's...but my build is taking a long time as I'm only able to make about one big purchase every month and when I am looking for materials, I am helping friends mill up some lumber and taking the scraps, using salvaged materials when I can, and welding custom parts from the scrap yard as much as possible. It all takes so much time, but it will be worth it in the end I went with mineral wool insulation, since it's an industrial waste material...and it's 3" thick so about R-9 in the ceiling with a roof deck above should be decent. BETTER THAN A MOLDY APARTMENT lol those are most the affordable options here in my area!

I did buy this in Washington! it was over a year ago- it made the 12 hour drive just fine, so I feel confident. Just have to learn how to service a diesel myself...that's on my To Do list
Mesa AZ should have a solid rig for you, no rust! What a deal!

[peakbus]

Summer is too busy with work but I managed to get a few things done. I spent months trying to wrangle a spray foam installed and finally got the local guy locked down in late July. He uses Demilac Brand which supposedly has some recycled content and soy base to make you feel good about spraying greenhouse gas product in your bus.







He sprayed and I trimmed. His recommended tool was a right angle grinder with a wire wheel. It did a great job trimming but what a mess! A snowstorm of clingy foam chips. I had masked well but the wire wheel would catch the plastic sheeting and rip holes and the stuff got into everything- dashboard, heater vents, engine bay. Tyvek in the summer is no fun to wear!



After trimming, I had my son seal the 5/16" T&G pine ceiling material

[peakbus]

I paused the ceiling project since I have a few loose ends to figure out with lighting/wiring. Also debating repositioning the rear A/C more to the front.

So I got down to flooring. I filled floor small holes with caulk, medium holes with metal duct tape and large holes with metal flashing sealed with (Through the roof) caulk.

My bus had 6'-6" headroom fully gutted, and I'm 6'-2" so trying to minimize construction material height
1" rigid XPS Foamular board with 1x2-1/2" support between panels and at the edge of steps/engine. I glued (PL Premium) and screwed the framing down and glued the panels down (PL Foamboard). I then glued 1/2" A/C ply to the foam with screws into the 1x3 boards.







Still have 6-4-1/2" height

[Native]

It is great that you retained a lot of that height. Are you going to do much the same on the ceiling?

[peakbus]

Originally Posted by Native

It is great that you retained a lot of that height. Are you going to do much the same on the ceiling?

On top I have 2" of spray foam for about R14. Below that I will screw 5/16" tongue and groove pine to the hat channels. I wonder if it would help to stick a layer of butyl flashing tape to the hat channels as a condensation barrier?

[mikerob643]

Originally Posted by peakbus

Thanks Mikerob,
Both of those projects were fun challenges, as are most on skoolie builds
Looking forward to following your build too.

We ended up making our door one piece! I will try to get a photo of it for you soon. SO much better to prevent draining our battery and locking the bus for safety.