I guess I'll name her Raven...

[Marvin-SKO]

I picked up my 2001 T444E International shorty bus last week and I'm anxious to get it converted into the food truck. I started an introduction thread, but wanted to make a formal project thread in the "Short Bus Conversion Projects" section. Anyway, here are some pictures and also some questions that I had as well. I of course try to search as much as possible though, but if you have links to threads where they're mentioned, please post.

Thanks,
Anthony


Completed:
-Buy bus
-Remove seats & wheelchair lift
-Remove rubber flooring (no wood was under it)
-Remove driver seat for cleaning and add cover

List to complete:
-Take the bus in for a full service
-Add 2nd battery since there is only one in the bay
-Upgrade weak yellow headlights
-Fix 3 chips in windshield
-Fix radio that doesn't work, upgrade speakers, and install some waterproof speakers outside
-Fix stop sign and cross bar that doesn't work
-Install lock on wheelchair door
-Add 4 security cameras including a backup cam
-Install air conditioning
-Check windows for leaks and re-seal if necessary
-Corroseal floor
-Install diamond plated floors
-Replace interior & exterior bulbs with LED version
-Remove top 4 rear exterior lights (if legal)
-Paint the roof with Henry's Tropi-Cool
-Paint entire bus white to match the roof color
-Paint the rims (color TBD)
-Add extra lighting on the exterior (LED bar, neons, advertising, etc)
-Install awning system
-Upgrade horn (low priority)
-Add solar panels (later project)
-Install all the necessary food truck items such as exhaust/hood, fryer, propane, water tanks, refrigeration, 110 electricity, generator, sinks, storage, cash register, etc.

Exterior:

Battery:
Shouldn't it have 2? I only got one. Is this why my stop sign and cross bar isn't working? What would I benefit by hooking up another one?

 

[EastCoastCB]

Dealer shorted you a battery. Seems a little shady.

You don't want the stop sign working, that's illegal. You want it removed.

 

[Marvin-SKO]

Dealer shorted you a battery. Seems a little shady.

You don't want the stop sign working, that's illegal. You want it removed.

It could have been him or the auction place. When I went to pick it up, we sat and talked for a while and he mentioned how one of his drivers was actually up in Georgia to pick up one of the auctions he won but when he got there, they had taken a bunch of stuff out, so he's having to dispute it since it doesn't match the pictures on the listing. That's another thing I was concerned about from the auction standpoint. I'm leaning more toward it not being him since he went out of his way to take the seats, wheelchair lift, and put new front tires on even though I had already signed the purchase agreement and he didn't have to do any of that.

Either way, I'm not worried about it, I just wanted to know if that's what ran the accessories like the sign, arm, and wheelchair or if it was just a backup for starting it. I'll put a new one in and try it out before I start troubleshooting like this guy did... School Bus Stop Sign Repair

I plan on changing the stop sign though for advertising purposes and won't use it on the street of course, but when I'm parked at an event, I think it will be nice to have out. (Stay tuned for pics)

 

[cadillackid]

nice lookin Bus, yeah you should get a 2nd battery in it...

I used Feolas for a full service for both my busses... it wasnt Cheap but they did everything.. coolant, oil, trans fluid / filter, full lube, checked and adjusted the brakes, id have to look at what else they did but it was a good bunch of stuff..

many here will tel lyou to do it yourself, which you can, i just didnt have a spot in florida i could drain fluids and dispose of them,..

-Christopher

 

[EastCoastCB]

nice lookin Bus, yeah you should get a 2nd battery in it...

I used Feolas for a full service for both my busses... it wasnt Cheap but they did everything.. coolant, oil, trans fluid / filter, full lube, checked and adjusted the brakes, id have to look at what else they did but it was a good bunch of stuff..

many here will tel lyou to do it yourself, which you can, i just didnt have a spot in florida i could drain fluids and dispose of them,..

-Christopher

You do now! :wink1:

 

[Marvin-SKO]

I wanted to give an update on the bus (food truck). I had it serviced and they found a couple of leaks. $2,500 later, it's perfect! I have 2 new G31 batteries and just took these two pics today while at the shop checking out the diamond plate install. It's coming along.

 

[bansil]

:biggrin: That is going to be all pretty and shiny, very nice

Are you going to do all surfaces in S.S. for easy cleaning?

 

[Marvin-SKO]

I'm not sure if I'll do all of it in SS, but it'll be easy to clean for sure. The equipment is SS. I'll post some more pictures in the next week or two once I get it loaded up for fitment. Sorry about the advertising, I'll remember going forward.

 

[Marvin-SKO]

Sneak peek at the sink and counter setup that I just picked up yesterday. I have to mount it and raise it a bit. Once that's done, it's off to see how much room I have for water tanks and propane heater. Slowly but surely getting there.

 

[Johnny Mullet]

Thanks for the update on this.

 

[cadillackid]

yeah!!! love all the diamond plated floor amnd that blue cabinet rocks!!!

 

[Rusty-SKO]

Grat start ! Floor looks great- I like how you used the tread plate for baseboard.

Sink looks mungous- might be camera angle. Reminds me of my barback days....before Prohibition.

Sooo, whatcha cooking in that bus? When is the soft open and where????