1935 Chevy school bus

Discussions about all things to do with buses, trucks, and the homes made within them.

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Stealth Camper
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by Stealth Camper »

What brand batteries did you get? I am always looking for good references/recommendations. We are gonna do solar power - and probably a small wind generator - regardless of what the ignorance in this state puts in front of us!!
ol trunt
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by ol trunt »

Hello All. I'm back to playing bus build hop scotch :lol: It seems that I have to jump from one thing to another just to keep the project moving forward. I had the bathroom completed but wifey said the recycled toilet had to go because it smelled--so I took it out and waited for its $140 replacement.. I went to the Pomona Ca swap meet (car stuff only and walked for 4 hours. I did find a chrome vendor who was willing to straighten the rear bumper for my bus, let me pick it up so I could make the bumper brackets and return it for triple chroming once I got the brackets made. I've made my first 130 mile round trip to LA and will do it 3 more times before the bumpers are done--Oh Well! I finished sealing in and around the rear wheel well seams. I discovered that the cheapo latex calk works just fine for this if you prime the seams before applying the calk. Unlike auto seam sealer you have to wait until the latex dries thoroughly before you can paint over it so you need to have something lined up to work on while you wait. Once the water has evaporated out of the calk all that is left is a pliable, paintable seam. While I waited for the calk to dry I went back to work on the a/c unit that cools the cab. I cut down an add on a/c dash unit from a '67 Chevy pickup and fit it under the original '35 Chevy dash. The bus builders of the thirties simply screwed the dash that came with whatever truck chassis they were using directly to their cowl and called it good.

Since I had finished up the windshield install I figured I might as well finish up the area that surrounds the dash. I put the rear view camera monitor on the left and the emergency release valve for the pneumatic door on the right. I still have a couple of switches to install for things like the power seat, cruise control and a couple of other things I cant recall at the moment but they are all ready to snap in. I'll hop on the rear brackets tomorrow so I can complete the rear bumper. I apologize for the poor quality photos. Jack

I've had these add on a/c units before. They are a little noisey because the squirl cage fans are in the cab but the things shoot out ice cold air! Image

Pic of the little 3"X 5" back up screen. Image

Pic of emergency release. Image
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Lostranger
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by Lostranger »

Hello Stealth,

Sorry to take so long to answer. Never enough time.

The batteries I bought are sold by Carquest Auto Parts under their own label. Don't know who makes them. They have an extensive selection of AGMs, but you may have to research them yourself before ordering. I've known the local Carquest people for a long time. They are generally knowledgable and helpful, but I bought the first AGMs they ever sold. Their price on 8D AGMs was the best I found. I had bought my original bank of 6 group 27 AGMs from them a year ago, and they went bad under warranty. Luckily. I don't believe battery design was the problem. The original order for the group 27s came in one battery short, and when the missing one finally arrived, I believe it had been sitting in a warehouse for some time. It tested a little weak compared to the others, and I suspect that it eventually went bad in October and took the others with it. Carquest let me trade in the old batteries at what I originally paid AND gave me a deal on the four 8Ds. With 490 amp hours at 24v, it's what I should have done in the first place.

I'll update my thread in the next few days, but the 8Ds are in place now and impressing us. I spent a couple hundred bucks on 2/0 copper cables for the new setup and tore out the temporary laundry room to complete the change. Got some needed insulation done in the process, but I'll detail that on my thread.

I'm shopping for 24v LED lights for the bus interior. Anyone have experience or recommendations to share?
ol trunt
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by ol trunt »

Hello All. Wiffey seems to think this cartoon is VERY funny--ha, ha. Something about us living in my converted bus I guess. Jack

The caption may be hard to read but goes like this: "Not sure how much longer we can live off the proceeds from your gold tooth." Image
ol trunt
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by ol trunt »

Hello All. Well, another week has passed and I got a little work done on this and that. I found some cool flush mount latches to use in place of the bungee straps (think International tilt front) I'd planned on using. Once I got started on that I went ahead and finished up the rest of the mounts for the front fenders--they no longer flap around like Dumbo's ears.

I made the decision to use a pair of bumperettes sort of like those used on the 80-83 Camaro on the front of the bus. A complete bumper didn't look right because the grill shell sticks way out in front of the front fenders and left a huge open area. Regardless of which bumper I use, it is necessary for it to fold down to allow the tilt front to clear it. I built a hinged mechanism that locks in driving position using a pair of round keyed locks like those used on a Coke machine and then unlocks to allow the bumper to swing out of the way of the tilt front when opening the hood. Jack

Pic of flush mount latch. Image

Latch installed in fender. Image

Latch in unlatched position. Image[\b]

Tilt front lifting away from latch bracket. Image[\b]

This pic shows the shows the support bracket coming off the front frame rail. Between this and the rear latch, Dumbo's ears no longer flap.Image[\b]

This pic shows the right hand folding bumper bracket where it will be welded to the frame.Image

The red cardboard is a mock up of the bumperette--the tan is just there to hold the mock up together.Image[\b]

Pic of the bumper bracket folded down. Image[\b]
Dusty
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by Dusty »

Oh, cool ... more photos ... :)

Thanks for the update :thumbup:
58 Bedford House
tango
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by tango »

Typically cool...typically Jack on the solutions! --- You might take a look at cutting down a standard '41-46 bumper. They are plenty stout and have the right look. With a little snipping and grinding I think they would look great as a two-piece arrangement. I found a spare for mine on Ebay pretty cheap that I'm cutting up to fab as part of the rear deck.
ol trunt
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by ol trunt »

Hey Dusty, I guess my project is starting to wind down - finally! That means it doesn't lend itself to pics nearly as much as it did at the start which is too bad. I always look forward to seeing others pics just as you do.

Tango, once again we are on the same wave length. Had I not the original bus bumper to cut up I would have used a '41-'46 just as you suggested. Those old original bumpers were made of stern stuff. I burned up three blades sparks flying just cutting my bumper in half :lol:. I doubt the after market bumpers would have been any problem to cut. I look forward one day (soon) to parking our very similar skoolies side by side--wouldn't that be a sight! Jack
tango
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by tango »

Ya, I hear ya Jack...bumpers were made to be bumped back in the olden days --- And although I have no doubt you are gonna be on the road well ahead of me, I agree we should instigate an "Old Skool Bus-In" somewhere, sometime in the not too distant future. I'm picturing a coupla' dozen or more ancient and time worn dinosaurs all lined up in a row with a big mass of people standing around ogling them in amazement that anything that far over the hill could still be mobile.

And when they're done with us...there'd be all those buses to look at too!
roach711
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by roach711 »

tango wrote:And when they're done with us...there'd be all those buses to look at too!
:lol: :lol:
ol trunt
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by ol trunt »

Hello All. I devoted most of the week to things not quite done under the hood. These diesel engines have huge air cleaners that weigh around 20#. The only place I could fit the thing in was on top of the motor. The air cleaner feels secure enough but as you diesel fans know there is a whole lot of shaking going on. I'll have to keep an eye out for stress fatigue as the air cleaner is now bolted to the top of the engine and while it feels secure it sure vibrates when the engine is at idle. I rerouted the as yet unused heater hoses which were about to get wrapped up in the LF wheel and found a good spot to mount the radiator overflow tank.

I completed my third of five, 5 hr trips into the bowels of old LA to the shop that is working on the bumpers. A nasty drive but good guys and quality work so worth it. The rear bumper (which says SuperioR right in the center) will look better than it did 80 years ago when it was made! Superior was the mfg of the bus body.

I finished up the road A/C system today. It blows ice cubes! I eventually did qualify for my IMAC A/C license (I can still service Freon units if I can get the freon :lol: ). I've been playing with A/C since I was 15 and have done about everything there is to do wrong along the way so I'll share a couple of handy hints:

1) get all the water out of the system or ice crystals will plug up the expansion chamber and quit cooling.

2) keep things clean inside. Just a speck of grit will destroy the compressor.

3) evacuate the system (Harbor Freight's pneumatic vacuum pump works fine) for at least 30 mins and let sit over night. If the vacuum is still holding at that point finish the charge--if the vacuum has leaked down, fix the leak :lol: .

4) when you charge the system and have neither a sight glass nor a way to measure the proper weight of coolant, if the clutch cycles frequently it probably needs more coolant. On the other hand, if you put in too much coolant it is possible to liquid lock the system--which provides no cooling--drain some off and see what happens.

I have discovered that it is possible to clean out a system that has gotten water in it like rain in the junk yard. first flush it with rubbing alcohol which mixes with and removes the water. Next flush the part with mineral spirits which will get rid of the alcohol and old oil. Blow out the part with dry compressed air and re install. The receiver dehydrator is hard to clean out and is best replaced. If you have emptied the compressor oil be sure to replace it first before completing the recharge or you will fry the compressor. Be sure to keep your tongue pressed to your left cheek while you do all this and good luck! Actually it is pretty hard to really damage an A/C unit unless you do something really stupid like use propane as coolant--its been done and actually works until-----------. Jack

Bumper trial fit.Image

Again. Image
tango
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by tango »

Hey Jack --- That bumper is just way to classy to be takin' any unnecessary bumps! Hope you are getting "back-up" camera.
roach711
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by roach711 »

If the chrome was any thicker on that bumper it wouldn't fit through those doors! 8)
Dusty
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by Dusty »

roach711 wrote:If the chrome was any thicker on that bumper it wouldn't fit through those doors! 8)
Took the words right offa my keyboard ..... :D

Jack , you gonna put some nice cedar louvres over those rear vents ??
58 Bedford House
ol trunt
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Re: 1935 Chevy school bus

Post by ol trunt »

Hey Dusty. That would sure look better and on the right side it would be OK because it is only a tank vent but on the left it is the hot exhaust vent for the instant hot water heater and I expect the cedar would catch fire. I'd have to agree that the vents aren't very attractive but it seemed the only way to vent things without holes in the roof which it seems to me would ruin the lines of the bus. Jack
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