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Old 08-19-2021, 01:02 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Texas
Posts: 45
Year: 2003
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Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: Unsure.Handicap bus
Bluebird Window Question.

Does anyone know the actual dimensions of a Bluebird bus window? I know they use 28" and 35" windows but I dont know the other 2 dimensions. I have 18 windows total, 16 at 28" and 2 at 35". I think they are 24" tall, but I haven't removed one to get a precise measurement. And they appear to be 1" or 1.25" thick, but I am not sure and don't want to remove one just yet. I am living in my bus while converting it, so I don't really want to start pulling windows until I am ready to replace them.
Here is my plan:
Lowe's sells 20 guage steel sheets in various sizes. The local autobody teacher at the community college uses them to make patch panels for rust repairs on old cars (back when they were made of steel and not plastic) so I know with propper prep work they can be primered and painted and look good after.
I want to take a 36x24 sheet, and mark the center point. Measure 14" from each side, and make 90 degree bends making a "U" shape with 4" 'legs' and 28" 'bottom'. In between the legs I would cut a piece of rigid insulation to make the same thickness as the Bluebird window, and put another 90 degree bend on each 'leg' making a box shape.

Then I would sand, clean and primer both sides of the steel to prevent rusting, and use an appropriate adhesive to glue the insulation in place. Next, copy the locations of the 3 screws that hold the window in place and drill holes in the panel to match those in the windows. This would allow me to remove the trim securing the windows in place, remove the window and all old caulking from the window frame and secure my replacement insulated panels using fresh caulk, the existing holes for screws to hold the panels while the caulk dries, and the existing trim to help hold everything nice and tight.
When I go to repaint the bus, I could use the same paint and spray the entire bus to my chosen color scheme.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Why it would work, or more importantly why it would NOT work.

All of the blank out panels I have seen have been applied from the outside and involved drilling out lots of rivets, drilling exactly matching pilot holes and a pnuematic rivet gun to put the outside skin back together again. It looks good on busses without the rain rails over each window, but I dont like the way it looks on busses with the rain guards like my bus has. Not to mention I do not want to give any spaces where water might enter in between layers of steel and start rusting feom the inside out, or causing my insulation to mold.

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Old 08-19-2021, 06:10 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by Mr_Geenie View Post
I want to take a 36x24 sheet, and mark the center point. Measure 14" from each side, and make 90 degree bends making a "U" shape with 4" 'legs' and 28" 'bottom'. In between the legs I would cut a piece of rigid insulation to make the same thickness as the Bluebird window, and put another 90 degree bend on each 'leg' making a box shape.
I don't understand this at all, but in general I think your plan is sound. A school bus window is normally just a 27" x 24" x 1" (or thereabouts) thing that fits into a rectangular opening in the bus wall and is held in place with screws and washers (or things like that) run into the ribs on the inside. So you can just build your own 27" x 24" x 1" thing and put it in there instead of the window and it should work fine.

The only negative is that Lowe's sheet metal - that stuff is crazy expensive compared to what you can get at a metal supply place. See if you can find a place near you that has a scrap warehouse and buy some electric shears to cut it with.
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Old 08-19-2021, 06:37 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Mr_Geenie View Post
Next, copy the locations of the 3 screws that hold the window in place and drill holes in the panel to match those in the windows. This would allow me to remove the trim securing the windows in place, remove the window and all old caulking from the window frame and secure my replacement insulated panels using fresh caulk, the existing holes for screws to hold the panels while the caulk dries, and the existing trim to help hold everything nice and tight.
I'm not sure what you are seeing in your bus, but in my BlueBird, the "screws" that hold in the window do not go through any "trim" holding the window in place. Anything that looks like "trim" is part of the actual frame of the window. I'm not there with the bus at the moment or I'd send a picture or two. I believe the window frames were 27" wide, 28" on center between windows.
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Old 08-19-2021, 06:44 PM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
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These are the 3 screws that hold a piece of trim in place. Under the trim each window is secured to the frame with 3 eety beety tiny little screws. I dont have one taken apart at the moment or I would snap a picture of the screws. They are about 1/4 the distance down from the top, halfway in the middle, and 1/4 the distance from the bottom.
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Old 08-19-2021, 07:06 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Texas
Posts: 45
Year: 2003
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Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: Unsure.Handicap bus
Upon further review... I did not know what what the cuss I was talking about. 😁
That is, in fact, part of the frame of the window. It looked like trim to me.

And then there are only 2 screws that seem to hold the window in place. One on each side.
I watched a window removal video, and having gone back and rewatched it.... It wasnt a bluebird. So.... Yeah.... 🤔🤬
Makes my design WAY easier.
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