Was possibly in an accident?

[skytz]

I have a flatnose 30' Thomas that I've been slowly gutting. I've pulled up the plywood and I came across this. As you can see the floor is made up of 1ft by 8 ft strips of metal, which to my understanding covers the floor from the front to the rear. As you can see a 3ft by 8ft was used over the rear wheel axle. The 2d picture was taken at floor level so you can see what it looks like from the side. It looks like it has sunk or the metal on either side are pushing up. I was hoping to show close-ups of what it looks like on either side of the panel where it juts up against the wall. Didn't have both. The 3rd shows the driver's side. The 4th, if you zoom in on the left side, you'll notice a change. Can someone please tell me whether or not it's been in an accident and what I can do about that area the rear axle. Thanks.

 

[ShagNasty-SKO]

Skytz,

It looks to me that someone has already done the hard work for you. I believe that it came from Factory like that as the rear wheel wells have been removed for you. Looking at the back of the bus there is a wheel chair lift (exactly like mine) and the humps have been removed for better wheel chair capacity.

You scored on that one as now you don't have to "build around humps".

Dan

 

[EastCoastCB]

Do you have a pic of the bus from the outside?

 

[skytz]

I was the one who stripped the bus. My concern is what I found under the plywood. My understanding is the floor of the typical bus is made up of 1x8 ft strips of metal that goes from front to back. It's the same with mine except for a 3x8 piece of metal sitting directly over the rear axle. Take a look at the 3d picture which is the driver's and the 4th picture on the left hand side, they don't match. Look at the 2d picture taken at floor level. You can tell that the ones that abutts up against on either side of the big is pushed up. They are seriously rusted out. Showed pictures to someone, they said they've seen something similar. Bus that was in an accident. Here are 2 pictures taken of the outside when I first bought the bus. Sorry their sideways.

 

[skytz]

I added the pictures you wanted to see.

 

[o1marc]

Is there enough clearance for the wheel tubs to be removed in our other buses?

 

[EastCoastCB]

I added the pictures you wanted to see.

Looks like you've got a lower ride height bus with no wheel wells as someone above suggested.
Hard to tell from the pics but those look like 19.5" wheels.
Even though it may not look like it to you your bus came that way in the rear.

 

[skytz]

Sorry, I guess I'm not getting my question across clearly enough. What I'm asking is, why is there a 3x8 piece metal sitting in an otherwise floor made up of 1x8 metal strips. Was it in accident like one suggested. The metal strips are not sitting flushed against but above it. Is it optical illusion based on the previous sentence and thus making it look like it has sunk? Or as yet another person suggested that the structure under that area has been compromised by rust and that's why it is how it is.

 

[ShagNasty-SKO]

Skytz,

You can clearly see in Pic #4 that the "L" track, "Wheel chair secury-downy-thingy" is still fastened on the Passenger side of the Bus. That is how it came from the factory. When the bus was made it had original Wheel wells that were removed to satisfy a Customers need i.e. more wheel chair space. The 3 foot by 8 foot piece of sheet metal was probably all they had laying around when the half drunk partially asleep fabricator was tasked with un-doing what was previously done.

Dan

 

[cadillackid]

its even possible the bus was retro-fitted to be a wheel chair bus after the fact.. or a 3rd party was used during production to outfit the bus as flat-floor and put down the L track as well as removed the wheel wells..



Lots of possibilities, but the result is that if it were mine id do a happy dance because the floor is flat.
-Christopher

 

[ShagNasty-SKO]

its even possible the bus was retro-fitted to be a wheel chair bus after the fact.. or a 3rd party was used during production to outfit the bus as flat-floor and put down the L track as well as removed the wheel wells..



Lots of possibilities, but the result is that if it were mine id do a happy dance because the floor is flat.
-Christopher

Dan

 

[skytz]

The bus was decommissioned on 7/2017 from VA school system and then transported to MD. I bought the bus 11/2017. The last picture with the L tracks before they were taken out. It's the only one I had to show the difference between either sides of the bus. Need to update. So you're telling me that the bus didn't look like what it is now? From the the get go, I thought it was built as a handicap bus from the very beginning. So my question is this, why did they replace the metal with a 3x 8? Very confused. So that section is not sinking because of the structural compromise due to the rust underneath, but because of the pieces on either side pushing up. Am I reading this right based off of what your saying? I really hope so. I've been advised to cut my losses and sell it. Buy either an RV or a converted bus. My issue with that suggestion is too expensive and someone else's sweat and tears. Nothing of me is in it. I didn't drive the bus from MD to FL, though I was supposed to during what I call the dead time to get the feel of the bus, that didn't pan out. There was no issue at all. I'm adding more pictures about my concern with the rusted areas around the large section of metal. I know it'll have to be out and replaced but I know nothing about welding. That will be later, right now I'm in the process of addressing the rusted areas by sanding it with my grinder. Things have slowed down because fall semester has begun and focus is on that. Was hoping to alleviate my concerns about the affected area while working around it. Last picture is based off of Google SketchUp. First attempt which took forever because I was trying to remake the shower that I want based off of a picture I'd seen so it's just the back half of the bus. This is why I'm glad there was no rear wheel wells in the back, otherwise this would not be possible. I have questions about this, but it can wait until further down the line. Once the inside is done, the next step is the roof and the rust on the undercarriage.

 

[EastCoastCB]

Its probably been a lowrider handi-bus its whole life.

 

[skytz]

I'm not sure what that means. I know the tires are smaller than on regular buses. Ignore this comment.

 

[skytz]

Its probably been a lowrider handi-bus its whole life.

So what is up with that big metal?

 

[skytz]

Is there enough clearance for the wheel tubs to be removed in our other buses?

I can't answer that question.

 

[skytz]

Skytz,

You can clearly see in Pic #4 that the "L" track, "Wheel chair secury-downy-thingy" is still fastened on the Passenger side of the Bus. That is how it came from the factory. When the bus was made it had original Wheel wells that were removed to satisfy a Customers need i.e. more wheel chair space. The 3 foot by 8 foot piece of sheet metal was probably all they had laying around when the half drunk partially asleep fabricator was tasked with un-doing what was previously done.

Dan

That picture was taken before the last track was taken out.

 

[EastCoastCB]

So what is up with that big metal?

IDk, there aren't any good pictures. Sorry!
All I see is a bus floor with no wheel wells.

 

[skytz]

IDk, there aren't any good pictures. Sorry!
All I see is a bus floor with no wheel wells.

I was really surprised when you said you couldn't see it, hopefully these pictures will help. 1st one taken from the side. Hopefully you can see the smaller strips on either side. 2d one you can see a large rectangle. Hope that helps.

 

[o1marc]

I'm failing to see any negative issue here. You have something many of us wish we had and you only see negative. My guess is they pulled a bus body out of the line and modified it to a customer spec with no wheel wells. The tracks lean towards that theory.
So bottom line, what is the concern?
I'd like to see a pic of the wheel well from the exterior.