My Ugly Bus

Lostranger · Post by **Lostranger** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:04 pm

I promised some of you photos, even though I'm embarrassed about the current state of the bus, so here they are. Proof that beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes to the bone.

This is a 1987 Flxible Metro transit that spent its working life in Charleston, WV. We bought it in September of 2001 and worked at the conversion steadily for about two years. In '03 we made a major move and changed jobs. in '04 we built a new house. in '05 we opened what was supposed to be a part-time business which quickly began demanding too much time. The bus saw little use and got little attention during all that time.

Now the job, the business and the house are all gone. The bus has suffered from neglect, but I'm back at it with renewed dedication. We need a place to live, and this is going to be it. I've almost finished tearing out the interior so I can do it right. Laugh all you want for now. I can't hear you from here.

Oops! I just learned that I can't post photos to the forum, and I don't know how to add photos to my own website. If you want to see the bus, send me your address, and I'll email them to you.

Jim

Post by **stuartcnz** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:10 pm

Go here to learn how to post photo's on the forum: http://www.mrsharkey.com/forum/vwtp.php?t=1565

Dennis The Bus Dweller · Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:32 pm

Ugly bus? No such thing

Lostranger · Post by **Lostranger** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:10 pm

Here's one:

I built a storage bay where the original front door was and mounted a passenger seat over that bay. Both the bay door skin and the panel immediately above it blew off when Sikaflex 252 failed after a few years. I must not have gotten the surfaces cleaned properly. I'm going to replace the middle window on this side with a larger one to match the window by the passenger seat. I'll eliminate what is now the third window on this side in order to have more inside storage. Part of the ugliness is because I removed all the lower skirt panels to replace the rubber hinges. Then I couldn't find a source for the hinges.

Lostranger · Post by **Lostranger** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:53 pm

Here's another:

Eliminating the beat up plexiglass panel that covered the original destination sign has proven more difficult than I could imagine. I've been learning to work with fiberglass, and I think I'm almost capable of doing a good job of it now. Problem is, I'm planning to start at the right front corner and work around the bus clockwise to get the body shaped up. If I stick to that plan, the nose will be the last thing finished.

splummer · Post by **splummer** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:54 pm

ugly bus, where ,i see no ugly bus, i like it

Headache · Post by **Headache** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:14 am

Awesome photos!! More please!

Lostranger · Post by **Lostranger** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:17 am

And the last for now:

One of the ugliest views. The large cavity in the upper part of the rear is where I removed the original air handler. It's where my gen set and a few other important infrastructure items will eventually live. I have the panel that served as a rear cap. It's essentially a fiberglass perimeter with a huge hole where the HVAC intake grills used to be. I've done a half-ass job of filling the huge hole with fiberglass over plywood, but I'm going to start over after the gen set is installed. I think I'll have to build in some bulge to clear the new machinery.

Dennis The Bus Dweller · Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:44 am

You may be able to get the rubber hinges at US coach Ask for Luke Ph# 888-262-2434 If he doesn't have he should know where to get them. Luke's a nice guy.

ezrablu · Post by **ezrablu** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:32 am

I agree with Dennis...there's no such thing as an ugly bus! Thanks for posting your photos and explaining your plans. Food for the soul....can't get enough! How about the inside? Have you done anything yet or have plans?

Jones'n4chrome · Post by **Jones'n4chrome** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:11 am

That bus is not ugly, it's just a work in progress.
Sometimes my bus will began to look ugly to me. But I learned a trick that helps renew motivation. I just move to a different spot. If I can't move it I will cut any grass or weeds around it, then rake everything up. You might be surprised how well it works.
Anyway, that bus isn't ugly.
Thanks for posting the pics.

graydawg · Post by **graydawg** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:39 am

That is going to be a nice rig when you finish it, already has a modern coach style look to it, I hope you document the restoring and post it, I am going to do the same when I am able financially and physically. I am going to have to learn the posting process myself. The few pictures on the site of me and my 64 4106, RUDY was gracious enough to post for me, I have so many different projects going and half done, it's overwelming at times also having some health issues that are pretty rough as well. I feel like it is not meant for me to go back to Alaska as I have dreamed for years, with everything that has came my way, but just got to push through it to succeed.
James in da GRAYDAWG

Lostranger · Post by **Lostranger** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:28 am

Thanks to all who have commented on my bus. I would have posted more photos, but about seven times out of eight I've been foiled by the process on tiny pic. The code words are often impossible to decipher. Sometimes it tells me that an error occurred while uploading, and sometimes it clocks for a long time and then tells me that I had the code words wrong. Even when I was sure of them.

Thanks especially to those who pestered me to post the pics. The process has been good because it forced me to take a fresh look and remind myself that we have accomplished a lot already, and we have plans for almost everything that needs fixed. We are highly motivated to have a decent place to live. My take on the old adage is: necessity is a mother.

Someone asked about the interior. It was mostly done with plywood walls and partitions. Complete kitchen with sink, gas range and two way refrigerator. Full size shower. Vanity sink in bathroom. Bedroom area in back that could be a queen bed over the wheel wells or four bunks when the band travelled. Never had the toilet installed because it was hard to find room for a black water tank. I have that tank installed now and the toilet will have a small room of its own just left of the entry door.

Years of serious roof leak rotted much of the plywood, and I never liked it anyway. I have most of the old interior out, and I'll build walls, counters and cabinets with square steel tubing (some 3/4 and some 1"). We'll cut rigid foam insulation to fit inside the wall partitions and glue FRP to exposed vertical surfaces. (FRP or fiberglass reinforced plastic is the thin, hard, pebble-finish sheet material found in many commercial kitchens.) We're gonna use oak flooring and natural finish hard maple for cabinet fronts and doors. Where possible, I'm trying to go lighter â€” weight and color.

And here's one more photo. Best regards to all.

Jim

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:56 am

Wow! Not even close to ugly! I see a beautiful maching! I guess it is an artist thing too, I see the finished product in my mind already...it is going to be a real head turner! Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing!

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:49 am

[quote="Lostranger"]Thanks to all who have commented on my bus. I would have posted more photos, but about seven times out of eight I've been foiled by the process on tiny pic. The code words are often impossible to decipher. Sometimes it tells me that an error occurred while uploading, and sometimes it clocks for a long time and then tells me that I had the code words wrong. Even when I was sure of them.

Rudy replied:

There is a place where you can press for new "codewords" when you are attempting to upload photos. I often press it a few times to get something is easy for me to read. Look for the little section (it's red) with the three buttons. Scroll over that area and you will see where it says "Get a new challenge".

Also, it is good to resize your photos to 640X480. The photos you posted are a great size.

When you pick a photo from your files that you wish to upload to Tinypic, you know that you have the resize function available. Where Tinypic takes a while to upload is when you are using a large photo from your files. For example, When you upload a 2048X1536 pixel from your files, it will take a while to upload to Tinypic because it is busy accepting and resizing the photo.

I set the resolution on my digital camera to it's lowest setting which allows me to keep the files to 640X480 which is the perfect size for forums and allows me to take many photos on the camera.

Now, to your bus. It's a great looking machine.

What motor do you have? Is it auto transmission?

How many MPG?

Thanks for the pics.

Rudy

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