Hello from balmy, snow-free Maine

[Grumpina]

Hi all, I'm Cricket. My husband and I just bought a 2003 International with a rear engine. Some of you saw the Craigslist pictures that were up, but I will post more in our conversion thread. We have two homeschooled and mostly unschooled girls ages 9 and 12, and my husband's job is somewhat portable as long as he has a good internet connection. We hope to get some of our conversion done, and then even if we are in sleeping bags on the floor, get out and travel as soon as we can. There is always more time to be working on fancying it up, and I'm sure it will take a couple years. So far we have been taking out seats. I think maybe there is a plot to ward off those who are not seriously determined by making the first job so incredibly difficult and disgusting. Gah.

[Scooternj]

Originally Posted by Grumpina

I think maybe there is a plot to ward off those who are not seriously determined by making the first job so incredibly difficult and disgusting. Gah.

Yes it is. However, a 7" angle grinder makes quick work of the bolts holding the seats. As well as pesky screws that refuse to come out.

Be sure to pull the panels to get at the fiberglass. It's nasty work, and the batting is a breeding ground for mold.

[Grumpina]

I am pretty determined to get all the panels off, but I'll have to do some fancy talking to get my way. Thankfully my husband reads these threads, too, so he can see your nasty mold pictures (or maybe that wasn't you).

We do have an angle grinder. J has been cutting the bolt heads off and using a pneumatic punch to push the bolt out through the bottom of the aisle ide. I have been using a pneumatic socket wrench and a wrench to get the ones by the windows. It's a division of labor. Then one kid gets all the metal off the plywood and the other removes staples and takes the vinyl off. In theory it's quick, but in practice - not so much!