1973 Blue Bird

[Dennis The Bus Dweller]

Smart move Rudy. After you rap the tank with the heat tape, insulate over the tank, it will help keep that heat in.

[rlaggren]

Warm sure beats C_O_L_D for that hearth and home feeling. Another thought is "divide and conquer". I'm told they used to make beds (for rich people) that were 6' tall, had tops and sides hung with heavy curtains to keep the heat, cold out. When the boat gets colds, I'm usually OK during the day time but at night lying still, my feet sometimes take on a chill. My solution is to put some insulation under the mattress, then put a heating pad on low under foot area. I just leave it on all winter but I bet it'd work well with a timer. Just have to find one of the "old" ones that doesn't automatically shut itself off every 10 minutes (to protect people who might roast themselves somehow, I guess).

I think I mentioned this but it might be important in some situations, so: People generate a lot of moisture and that can get into the bedding and be a problem when there is no air space under the mattress. I use a cheap 1/2" foam mattress pad directly under the linens and this seems to slow/stop the migration of moisture down into the mattress. Combined with leaving the bedding turned back full length during the day, I've never had any mold problems. The cheap pad also adds some warmth.

Rufus

[Rudy]

Dennis, the tank is mounted between the I-beam frame of the bus. I am not sure I can get any "blue board" on top. I will investigate.

Rufus, I had mold problems in my 66 Chevy Camper. It was an over the cab bed. No problems in the bus though. It is a thick Sealy Posturepedic mattress on a two foot tall frame.

[Dennis The Bus Dweller]

If the top of the tank tight to the bottom of the bus then just put foam board on the sides and the bottom so it helps keep the heat on the tank. And as long as you do have plug in power, get your self an electric blanket, those thing are like wrapping a thin slice of summer around you and they use very little power and the last for years. I put mine under me and a heavy sleeping bag over me and im good for the night. There a little pricie ( 50 to a 100 bucks ) but worth it. In the summer some times they can be hat in thrift stores much cheaper just ask to plug it in for a while to make sure it works befor you buy it.

[Rudy]

The nice thing about the curved roof of buses is that rain doesn't collect in a pool on your roof. I had constant problems with the flat roof of my Dodge class C motorhome.

It has been raining heavily for two days here, but the inside of my bus is dry as a bone. Gotta love it.

[ezrablu]

Dennis, I agree on the electric blankets. Worth every penny. I have two of them....one I lay on...and when it's extra chilly, I cover up with the other one.
No more cold feet for this girl...well, until I get out of bed. Then I can ice skate on these miserable frozen floors here at my son's house

[Dennis The Bus Dweller]

And if you can spring for a good down comforter with a cover you would be good to go. Electric blanket under you and the down comforter on top, it's heaven I tell ya

[ezrablu]

I have a king size down comforter...buried in one of my storage rooms. Yes, I need to downsize, get rid of and condense. The main reason is because it costs me $80 a month for those stupid storage rooms.

Is there anything more wasteful than paying on storage??? I could have rebought that crap twice over. If it weren't for the stuff mixed in there that have personal value I'd have left them storage rooms to the vulchers LONG ago!

[graydawg]

does anyone know why snowbirds fly south when it gets cold, they don't want to become a down comforter. I never could sleep under a electric blanket, they get to hot even on low, but love a good heavy blanket when its cold

[Rudy]

Emma is too smart.

I came home this evening to find that both of my dogs were outside. Hmm, that was strange.

As you may know, from reading this thread, I have a common bifold door on my bus that folds in at the middle. You may also remember that I have vinyl window coverings that snap on to the door.

My dog, Emma, figured out that if she grabbed a hold of one of those vinyl coverings, and pulled in, she could open the door. I saw the teeth marks on the side of one of the coverings.

This whole affair was both amusing and disconcerting. I did not like the fact that she could escape, thereby letting my other dog, Buddy out as well. I did think, however, that Emma would be the dog that would drag me out of a burning house. Buddy is just not that smart.

To assure no more Houdini type dog tricks, I duct taped the loose sides of the vinyl window coverings so that she can no longer get purchase on their edges.

While I was taping the edges, Emma was looking at me from her perch atop the engine cover. I said to her, "see if you can figure it out now". I will know tomorrow.

It is unlikely that she will be able to open the door now.

I guess I am smarter than the average dog, and Emma is smarter than the average bear.

Too funny.

[ezrablu]

When you gotta go...you gotta go Smart girl.

Or maybe there was a mailman knockin on the door

My dogs were play wrestling over a piece of duct tape a few days ago...I still haven't figured out where the got it from.

[Jones'n4chrome]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqjpX-mQjKA

[Bob]

Spent my christmas morning re-reading your build. Makes me miss the days of us working together on rv's..motors and whatever else we got ourselves into! I am parked at the casino in Trinidad on the Ca coast..raining....but no ice!!! Rachelle and I went downtown Arcata last night..I spied a small bus downtown and was drawn to it..there was a sign outside that said "free tea" ...so in we went! I met a very cool guy named Guispie who has been living in his bus for about 2 years. He is coming over here sunday to visit. I told him about mrsharkys...I am sure he will be a great new member to this forum!
Thats my christmas so far...off to see some friends and play some music! Merry Christmas to all!

[Rudy]

I fooled around with Photoshop on my mac computer today. Transfered the pic to my pc so I could post it.

I have been thinking about painting my bus. After looking at 2000 bus photos last night and today, I got some ideas.

Tell me what you think of this. I think I like just the white and red without the tan.

[Dennis The Bus Dweller]