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The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 9:57 pm
by dirtygoat
Hi, my name is Luey, I live in Washington State, Married with 3 kids...
We bought a bus about a year and a half ago and started building our home on wheels...
Plan on using it for camping, but you never know with the way things are going, it could be our permanent home one day... Always good to have a back up...
I'll post up pics over the next few days to bring the thread up to speed... Hope you all enjoy...
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 9:58 pm
by dirtygoat
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:01 pm
by dirtygoat
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:02 pm
by dirtygoat
So, we got the heaters out... Gonna save them in case I want to do the veggie oil conversion later... Took the front apart to get to the hoses...
Got the lift out, then started pulling up the plywood on the floor... Almost got it all out... My oldest boy is getting after it....
Have to clean everything up and prep the floor surface for paint...
It looks bad, but it's surface rust... I'll hit it with the wire wheel and coat it with some por15...
I just about ready to start building...
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:05 pm
by dirtygoat
The oldest boy was getting after it... He got in trouble a few days ago and he's kicked it up a notch to get back in Dad's good graces... He's usually a pretty hard worker, but you can tell when he wants something or trying to get his ass out of the fire...
Also got the boy some safety glasses are a member on another forum pointed out my error in judgement...
Here's the lift out and on the ground... That is heavy as hell...
Here she is in all her gutted glory... Gonna finish up the prep and hit the floor with some rusty metal primer then the black enamel...
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:07 pm
by dirtygoat
Started taking out the windows...
Had to get after the rivets, so I can skin it...
I thought I hated rivets when I was building the Blazer...
Then I went and bought a bus that has a million rivets...
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:09 pm
by dirtygoat
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:12 pm
by dirtygoat
I found an RV Salvage yard that just opened up out in Bonney Lake...
They have a good selection for just getting started and the prices are really good...
I picked up 5 windows, all have screens except for the one that is non-functional... $100 for all 5...
Also bought a 21' awning for $150... It's complete and in great shape, only has one tear about 2" long at the end right where it attaches to the RV(easy fix)... I still need to find a way to get that back to the house... I don't have a way to tow the car trailer until I put a hitch on the bus...
Got the side door off and gonna start grinding away at the rivets, then rebuild it so it has the same shape as the rest of the bus... I would never be able to use the side door with the awning open and I really don't want to work around it with the floor plan...
The stove I got off ebay... I pulled out the slate that I'm gonna use for the hearth...
Gonna build a riser with storage underneath for fire wood... Thinking it'll be about a foot tall... Then some corrugated metal for the walls behind it that will be mounted away from the wall about an inch and a half for air flow...
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:14 pm
by dirtygoat
175 rivets... That's just on the outside of the door...
Here's some pics of the door frame out...
Started getting the hole filled in...
I'll pull the rub rails off of the old door and put them on the new metal to kinda help out with the look...
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:16 pm
by dirtygoat
I've looked around for the matching skins... Haven't had any luck... If it bothers me to much I'll replace them later...
OK, here's the BS I've been whining about...
Removed all the rivets holding the skins on so I can put some real insulation in there and cover everything with osb...
Still have the other side to do...
So, we got the side door closed up and skinned the windows on the passenger side... Getting closer... Still have some rivets on the inside to deal with, I'll get to them later... Right now I'm pushing to get the outside buttoned up and paint it this week...
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:18 pm
by dirtygoat
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:20 pm
by dirtygoat
Got the sheet metal work finished along with sealing the seams... Removed the rest of the glue from the stickers and knocked off most of the rust/flaked paint crap...
Still have a few spots to prep and then I'll start priming... Not really putting to much work into the body, just trying to get it prepped well enough for the paint... If you look down the side of any school bus you'll notice that all the panels are wavy... So it's kinda pointless to try and make it perfect...
Hopefully it'll be painted and ready to put the awnings on next week...
Doesn't look like we've been doing a whole lot, because of how time consuming the little stuff is... Should start looking like the progress is moving much quicker after paint...
You don't realize just how big a bus is until you start sanding one...
Washed, Masked And Ready For Paint... Gonna Put Some Color On It Tomorrow...
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:23 pm
by dirtygoat
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:24 pm
by dirtygoat
Re: The MUCV (Multi-Purpose Utility Command Vehicle)
Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:27 pm
by dirtygoat