1935 Chevy school bus

[tango]

Hey Jack --- you could just whip out a pair of these...



Piece-O'-Cake. And a nice Industrial Age look to boot.

[ol trunt]

Hey Tango. I really appreciate your having an extra monkey cage built for me! It looks just like the one on your bus. Folks won't be able to tell our buses apart now Jack

I think that little beauty will fit right on--don't you? And, I won't have to worry about my shower staying damp with that vent!

[ol trunt]

Hello All. Another week of hop scotch. I had the bus towed to my buddies upholstery shop where we installed most of the "wall paper" (carpet) to the ceiling and some of the side areas. It is now back in my garage waiting for another free day to complete the little stuff. Though the carpet is only 3/16" thick it does a fantastic job of deadening the sound within the tin tent. I'll post pics when I get a bit more done.

My other project for the week was to complete the brackets for the fold down front bumpers. I had planned to use blind bumper bolts but I'll have to use standard chrome bumper bolts as it turned out to be impossible to weld the old school spring steel bumper. While the original bumper is very strong, its steel is of a granular nature like a bed frame and my initial small tack welds promptly broke loose exposing the granular nature of the steel. I'll end up drilling the bumper and bolting it to the mild steel brackets. I am thankful that I discovered this now as eventually the welds would have failed and launched my bumper into traffic . Pics when I get things figured out. Jack

[tango]

Building a bus from ancient iron parts is indeed a voyage of discovery --- There are times when I think to myself..."they don't build'em like they used to"...and it is a complement to old school engineering. At other times I think the same thing but it translates more like..."WTF were those guys thinking!?"

[ol trunt]

Hello All. Since I want to get the upholstery completed this week I figured I'd better finish the bed mechanism to allow for that completion. The final form of the bed looks something like a cross between a futon and a murphy bed but does allow for a queen size bed while still retaining walk around space in the bus even when the slide out is retracted. I plan eventually to have a foam mattress but for the time being I'll use my inflatable mattress. Jack

I used stainless steel piano hinges, 1/2" plywood and some angle iron for the mechanism.

This pic shows the bed frame folded in and the slide out retracted as it would be for travel. The walkway in the center of the bus remains clear.

Here the slide out is shown extended with the folding mechanism still folded back on itself. The small black knob is used to keep the pieces of the fold up from opening out when in the travel position.

Bed frame folded out.

I couldn't resist a short nap once the mattress was deployed .

[tango]

Looks almost ready to move into Jack --- Getting closer by the day. Me...I'm still trying to figure out how to wrangle that Dana 80 into my shop, let alone how to swap it out. May actually have a week or two coming up to get a little work done.

[ol trunt]

Hey Tango and All. I'm sure you'll figure a simple way to get that Dana 80 into your shop and under your bus, but I'll share what I did when I needed to remove some leaves from the rear axle of my bus so it would fit in the garage . I jacked the rear up by the punkin until the springs were fully relieved. Then I removed the tandems and the "U" bolts and dropped the axle on a couple of Harbor freight (gag) wheel dollies and pulled the axle out sideways. I forgot to mention that I supported the frame with appropriately cut off scraps of 16"x 8" wood garage door headers positioned fore and aft of the spring hangers. I saved the blocks and I'm now glad I did as I'll have to add back at least one leaf now that I've loaded all that motor home crap into the bus.

For no good reason other than the Devil probably made me do it, I added a pneumatic ram to bring the folding leaves of the bed up to the plane of the bed frame during deployment of the slide out. I had a speed and pressure regulating gaget left over from the pneumatic door as well as a beautiful new 12" x 1" ram that has been just begg'in to be used so I guess this was as good a time as any to use it.

After two years on and off Craigs List I was able to sell the cab left over from the Chevy W 3500 (Isuzu NPR) I cut up for the bus. The buyer sent two of his gorilla friends ( fresh out of prison by a day or two I'd guess) to collect the cab. They arrived in a 1/2 ton lifted GMC 4X4 with a very short bed. I'd been told they would have a flat bed trailer so what should have been a 20 min load turned into 4 hours of trial and error with a fork lift and tug boat ropes and blocks of wood and fried nerves before they finally got under way with their load hanging off the back of their truck its front wheels barely touching the pavement . Oh well, I got enough to pay for 6 new tires!

I'm heading off for a week in Yosemite Tuesday so the bus will just have to do without me--wish it was done so I could take it-------. Jack

[tango]

Have a great time Jack. And say hello to Yogi & Booboo for me.

Also, a reminder to all...

I do hope everyone here in the US is making the most of some quality time this Memorial Day weekend. Family, friends, fun and possibly all around a grill loaded with great eats. But please take a moment to say thank you to those who aren't here because they made this day possible by giving their all that you might have the freedom to enjoy these simple things.

[tango]

Hey Jack --- thanks for the walk-thru. Lord knows I'm gonna need all the help I can get on this little chore. Just had the new axle dropped off today and it is a monster. Course, the original is a beastie too, but the Dana just looks more intimidating. Did get a couple of wheel dollies. They made rolling that rascal around a breeze. But I just realized I need to get two more in order to roll the old axle out. Made me wonder if we shouldn't start some kind of rental tool bin service just for Skoolies. I don't know about you, but I have acquired a boatload of one time use but essential tools/items that the next group of builders is going to need at some point. Doubt the typical yard sale crowd would get very excited over them, but a bus builder...???

[ol trunt]

Hello All. We had a fine time in Yosemite again this spring--perfect 75 degree weather, NO bugs and not too many other people! We were asked if we would like to be campground hosts--free utilities etc. It sounds like fun but still work and with my old guy's pass the camp ground (dry) only costs me $2 per day so--------. How's that for selfish

I returned to find that my bumper re-chroming was complete-BLING BLING! The shop did as near a perfect job as I have ever had. Including straightening, welding up torched holes and putting up with me, all 5 pieces only cost $500. I'll get a few pics up when I do the next trial fit.

I wasn't happy with the air over air pneumatic ram switch set for lifting the bed platform I talked about in my last post because it was very abrupt. I now have an electric over air valve set up that is as smooth as glass (at least in the mock up ) . Now all I have to do is run 120- volts to run the thing etc.

Tango, Just hang on to those one time use tools--without a doubt you'll need them for your third bus conversion

Car show season has arrived. I'll be displaying my 1971 Chevy Suburban camp mobile (and serving breakfast cooked camp style for several of my friends) again this Fathers day. Now that the bus is near completion, I need to think about parting with my current camp mobile--nobody needs two of 'em. I'm the second owner of this Suburban (stock when I bought it) and after 8 years it will be hard to say good by--Oh Well. Jack

One of many trips to Yosemite with the Suburban and my Giant GT2 trail bike.

Last year's Fathers day car show--all set up to cook breakfast.

A bunch of friends (all well fed faces).

[tango]

Boy Howdy! --- That is one SWEET lookin' Sub Jack! I'd have a mighty hard time letting go of a nice old gal like that. And given that they aren't making any more that have that much class must make it even harder.

[Stealth Camper]

Beautiful truck!

[ol trunt]

Hello All. Lots of behind the scenes activity but not too much direct work on the bus. Thanks for the kind words about the Suburban. I took it to a Father's day car show at the local marina, stuck up a sign that said "Out with the old campmobile and in with the even older campmobile" and suggested a price that I thought might slow people down but it sold within the first half hour anyway . I do miss the old girl but it is nice to have a little jingle in my jeans.

After selling the Sub I hurried off to triple A and changed the non op registration on the bus to regular use at a cost of $86/yr. I also got AAA to insure the thing on my normal million dollar auto policy for $157/yr . Since I'm feeling flush what with the sale of the Sub, I had a local muffler shop extend the tail pipe to the side of the bus at the rear wheel rather than simply dumping under the driver's seat as it had been. Things smell much better in the bus now. While they were at it I had the genny exhaust pipe extended out the back of the bus. Once they were done with their work I was allowed to keep the bus on the rack the rest of the day so that I could tidy up this and that under the bus while standing up--a real treat. I had no complaint with the bill either. It was only $203 and way more fun than laying on my back under the bus welding the pipes up myself.

I suppose that before I blather further I should report on how the bus drives. Great!!! . Although I haven't had the rig over 40 mph yet, I have no complaints. Nothing rubs, squeaks, rattles (except the stove grates), or exacerbates the normal pucker associated with the first few days driving a home built vehicle.

Today I paid a visit to the weigh master and learned the following:

Total Tare 9,820#------------------------------------- Mfg GVWR 12,000#

Front Axle 3,930#-------------------------------------- Mfg front axle load 5,360#

Rear Axle 5,890#-------------------------------------- Mfg rear axle load 8,440#

Left Side 4,630#

Right Side 5,190#

Since the 582# fresh water tank is on the lighter left hand side, after I fill the tank both left and right sides will be about the same weight when I head for the camp site. I know things won't stay in balance but it is nice to start out that way

I plan to take the bus to the propane station tomorrow for a fill and a second leak check. Hopefully that will all go OK and I'll have time for a run on the freeway--we'll see. Jack

[Lostranger]

I love the sound of progress.... Good for you, Sir.

[somewhereinusa]

Lookin good. Looking forward to the pics from your first real trip, as I'm sure you are. Strange how we sometimes live vicariously through pictures and words from someone we only know through a forum of like minded people.

Not much happening on the home front. I did go on a short trip to Wisconsin for a photo shoot last week. Bus performed flawlessly, it's a real pleasure to drive, even through Chicago. Made some money, life is good. I had the engine ready to put in the Rabbit, then decided to rebuild it while it was out. Spent many hours scraping the old undercoating out of the engine compartment. Got it running yesterday and discovered no oil to the head. Really stupid me put the head gasket in wrong. I checked it, really I did,more than once. Seems as I was looking for the wrong thing. This guy used to do this for a living?????????