Tobeamiss Builds it!

[tobeamiss]

It took me a while to get in here and start my build thread because I'd rather be working in the bus than inside on the laptop!

I got my 2002 International AmTran 3000 back in Sept. I won it at auction for $2000. I got it at govdeals.com but funny thing is....it comes from my old High School. I knew right then and there it was meant to be <3



I started working on her basically as soon as I got her home....rivets...rivets and more rivets! 1,140 to be exact! With not much time, I worked every day for an hour and on weekends anywhere from 5-8. Needless to say that doing it by myself except when my Son would come over on occasion on the weekends it's taken me nearly 3 months just to gut it out. All the rivets are out now....walls are out and next I tear down the ceiling.

 

[tobeamiss]

I'll take off the rest of the trim around the wheel wells and get to that rust. I hope it's not too bad and hasn't rusted all the way through.

 

[turf]

how cool to get a bus from your old stomping grounds!!! that does sound like a deal clincher.

good luck on the conversion! post lots of pictures!

 

[tobeamiss]

how cool to get a bus from your old stomping grounds!!! that does sound like a deal clincher.

good luck on the conversion! post lots of pictures!

It's almost like it was meant to be. What memories I had when I went over to look at it and walked down the middle aisle I was sold right then and there...that along with the price.
Well, I didn't have anyone to look it over and figured that I would learn as I go along (as far as engine and everything goes)
as luck would have it, I've been told that the dt466 is a good engine...pretty basic repair wise.
thanks for the congrats and I will post alot of pics along the way

 

[Stewzer55]

Looks like a really nice bus, I've found busses from around where I grew up, lots of rust from the excessive road salt in northeastern Ohio.

 

[tobeamiss]

Looks like a really nice bus, I've found busses from around where I grew up, lots of rust from the excessive road salt in northeastern Ohio.

Yeah, it has it's fair share of rust but I took a walk around and found small spots and didn't figure it was too bad for the wear. Overall it didn't look too bad. My biggest problem might be the wheel wells. I got the plastic trim off from the inside but won't really know until I brush the visible rust off.

 

[tobeamiss]

Some time soon I'll deal with the heaters. Got the casings off yesterday. I'm one more step closer to getting to the fun stuff!

 

[tobeamiss]

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I took off my first ceiling panel yesterday only to find the roof has rust. With some grinding it's not looking too bad. I can get down to shiny metal so that's encouraging. So then once treated i should be OK. I can't get the rest of the ceiling panels off right now because I'm working by myself.... taking the one panel off yesterday by myself, alerted me to the danger. Son said to wait for him and that's probably what i should do but I'm so inpatient. In the meantime I'll keep working on the rust.
Dealing with all the electric wires is probably where I'll be heading next. I have to hire someone in because I don't know the first thing about it. $$$$
Here's some pics of my ceiling rust...

 

[Stewzer55]

Doesn't look too bad, get it before it gets worse.

 

[tobeamiss]

Doesn't look too bad, get it before it gets worse.

Yeah I won't be leaving it alone until it's finished. Seeing that makes me want to work all the faster on it

 

[Rusty-SKO]

Rust Never Sleeps

 

[milkmania]

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I took off my first ceiling panel yesterday only to find the roof has rust. With some grinding it's not looking too bad. I can get down to shiny metal so that's encouraging. So then once treated i should be OK. I can't get the rest of the ceiling panels off right now because I'm working by myself.... taking the one panel off yesterday by myself, alerted me to the danger. Son said to wait for him and that's probably what i should do but I'm so inpatient. In the meantime I'll keep working on the rust.
Dealing with all the electric wires is probably where I'll be heading next. I have to hire someone in because I don't know the first thing about it. $$$$
Here's some pics of my ceiling rust...

Looks like a knotted wire cup wheel would make short work of that amount of rust! Hardest part would holding an angle grinder over your head for a while

 

[tobeamiss]

Thank you Milkmania...used that same wire grinding wheel with some success and then decided to switch over to a Diablo 60 grit wheel and had much much more success. I thought the wire wheel would eat it right up but it did a so-so job. I'm so glad i stopped and switched it over. I'm now getting down to shiny metal and have to be careful and not let it grind the ceiling down too thin.
Let's see if I can post a pic.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

 

[EastCoastCB]

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I took off my first ceiling panel yesterday only to find the roof has rust. With some grinding it's not looking too bad. I can get down to shiny metal so that's encouraging. So then once treated i should be OK. I can't get the rest of the ceiling panels off right now because I'm working by myself.... taking the one panel off yesterday by myself, alerted me to the danger. Son said to wait for him and that's probably what i should do but I'm so inpatient. In the meantime I'll keep working on the rust.
Dealing with all the electric wires is probably where I'll be heading next. I have to hire someone in because I don't know the first thing about it. $$$$
Here's some pics of my ceiling rust...

looks similar to parts of my roof's underside.
AREN"T YOU GLAD YOU LOOKED???

If you've looked through my long, meandering build thread there's lots of that documented. Worst part so far.
THe tar underneath was hiding rust and corrosion. Spent a lot of time getting the tar off.

 

[tobeamiss]

looks similar to parts of my roof's underside.
AREN"T YOU GLAD YOU LOOKED???

If you've looked through my long, meandering build thread there's lots of that documented. Worst part so far.
THe tar underneath was hiding rust and corrosion. Spent a lot of time getting the tar off.

I do remember you talking about your ceiling and the tar. The wire grinding wheel takes that off nicely. YES! I AM SO GLAD I decided to take my ceiling down. I had no idea all of that was happening! It's no joke how that fiberglass insulation holds the moisture in. Seems to me there was a small leak from the hatch over the years. I can't wait to see what's going on at the hatch in the front of the bus. Oh joy.

 

[EastCoastCB]

I do remember you talking about your ceiling and the tar. The wire grinding wheel takes that off nicely. YES! I AM SO GLAD I decided to take my ceiling down. I had no idea all of that was happening! It's no joke how that fiberglass insulation holds the moisture in. Seems to me there was a small leak from the hatch over the years. I can't wait to see what's going on at the hatch in the front of the bus. Oh joy.

In my experience, the hatches all leak!

 

[tobeamiss]

In my experience, the hatches all leak!

Umhmm. I'm sure you're right. Hey!! I'm glad you found your rivets!! You must be getting real excited now.

 

[EastCoastCB]

Umhmm. I'm sure you're right.

Just my 2 cents- panel over where the hatches were and put in pup up vents with built in fans AND rain covers. Will totally make it so worth it.

 

[tobeamiss]

Just my 2 cents- panel over where the hatches were and put in pup up vents with built in fans AND rain covers. Will totally make it so worth it.

Do you know if there's anyway i can put AC units in where the hatches are? Has anyone that you've heard of done it?

 

[EastCoastCB]

Do you know if there's anyway i can put AC units in where the hatches are? Has anyone that you've heard of done it?

Yeah not much to it at all.
Just use google.