Newbie with a Shuttle Bus

[KevlarGypsy]

.
We have a 92 E350 24ft shuttle conversion by champion. We can't wait to dive into this forum with some seasoned minds.

Our current project is picking out the flooring and insulation. I was thinking insulated vapor barrier with floating floor that will be fastened with benches.
And possibly insulating the exterior floor.

Still in contemplation, so many questions.:marshmallow:

 

[sdwarf36]

Poke around your wheel arches. My Champion had all kinds of rust. The factory Ford wheel arches didn't match up with curvature of the Champ body-missing by about 3 " . They filled in the whole gap with expandable foam-which collected water over time. I ended up having to scape the foam out + replace some metal. If you see any rust on the outside metal below the beltline around the wheels, the problem started inside around the arches.

 

[Thomas1985]

I have an E-450 shuttle bus. The biggest pain in my ass has been screwing anything into the fiberglass walls and keeping it there. I definitely recommend removing them.

-Thomas

 

[TheCog]

Hello from West of the Mississippi.

 

[Carytowncat]

Welcome, glad you are here!

 

[KevlarGypsy]

Poke around your wheel arches. My Champion had all kinds of rust. The factory Ford wheel arches didn't match up with curvature of the Champ body-missing by about 3 " . They filled in the whole gap with expandable foam-which collected water over time. I ended up having to scape the foam out + replace some metal. If you see any rust on the outside metal below the beltline around the wheels, the problem started inside around the arches.

Oh boy, they sure used a lot of spray foam on these units. I had a look under those wheel wells, and from what I can see no rust, just a lot of road build up; seems to have given the foam a protective barrier. For now, I will leave it. Especially since my current climate is too humid to properly replace it... But trust me, I have removed a copious amounts of rust from the roof, pretty much replaced all the seals up there and put on a new skin. Oi, chasing rust is like chasing condensation.

 

[sdwarf36]

Oh boy, they sure used a lot of spray foam on these units. I had a look under those wheel wells, and from what I can see no rust, just a lot of road build up; seems to have given the foam a protective barrier. For now, I will leave it. Especially since my current climate is too humid to properly replace it... But trust me, I have removed a copious amounts of rust from the roof, pretty much replaced all the seals up there and put on a new skin. Oi, chasing rust is like chasing condensation.

The tell is the aluminum trim holding down the carpet near the arches. If it is crusty, you have rust there. Also below the rub strip on the outside. (If your box is like mine, its glass from the floorboards up-thin steel from the rub strip down.)

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/a-bus-is-never-done-wheel-arch-rebuild-13860.html

 

[Q'willWorks]

I have an E-450 shuttle bus. The biggest pain in my ass has been screwing anything into the fiberglass walls and keeping it there. I definitely recommend removing them.

-Thomas

Hi Thomas, so did you end up removing the walls? If so how did you deal with the rivets?

 

[Thomas1985]

Hi Thomas, so did you end up removing the walls? If so how did you deal with the rivets?

No, unfortunately I found this site for knowledge after I had gone too far. My build is almost finished. In order to hang overhead metal cabinets I ended up bolting them all the way through the outer wall. Kind of looks like it has a couple rows of piercings from the outside. My next bus I will fully insulate.

-Thomas

 

[Q'willWorks]

Ok Thanks! Hope you post some photos of your end result!

 

[Collector]

Hello, got pics I'm new and learning don't yet have a bus but transit seems to be my preference from what I have learned.

 

[KevlarGypsy]

I have an E-450 shuttle bus. The biggest pain in my ass has been screwing anything into the fiberglass walls and keeping it there. I definitely recommend removing them.

-Thomas

Interesting, the only fiberglass I have is above the driver area. Eventually, I will have a solar panel on the roof there, but it will be attached to the steal frame under the fiberglass section of the roof.

 

[KevlarGypsy]

The tell is the aluminum trim holding down the carpet near the arches. If it is crusty, you have rust there. Also below the rub strip on the outside. (If your box is like mine, its glass from the floorboards up-thin steel from the rub strip down.)

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/a-bus-is-never-done-wheel-arch-rebuild-13860.html

Mine did not come with carpet. It was a city transporter for Sana Cruze CA. So the walls and flooring have great air flow. Made for a fun insulating project. Especially since you need your floor and walls to have air flow.

 

[KevlarGypsy]

Hi Thomas, so did you end up removing the walls? If so how did you deal with the rivets?

I recommend drilling out the rivets and replacing them with something you can replace with ease later. Unless you want the rivet look than you might want to invest in a rivet gun. Either way, you still need to drill out the center.

 

[KevlarGypsy]

Hello, got pics I'm new and learning don't yet have a bus but transit seems to be my preference from what I have learned.

None at the moment. My best advice, check the roof before you purchase. That was the only thing I forgot. I've spent close to a 2 yrs and a grand on just fixing the roof. It use to leak to the point of wondering if it was raining more inside than out side. That was due to the tongue and groove seams it had. I still ask myself "why & who decided that was a good design for a steal body"

 

[KevlarGypsy]

Thanks for the warm welcoming!