13 fun steps to a skoolie and a toad!

[ol trunt]

Hello All. Well, yesterday was the coming out party for my little creation. Wiffy and I had decided long ago that the proper venue for this party would be the large regional hot rod show known as Harbor Run. The event takes place at a local marina with the backdrop of other people's money bobbing up and down in the water, a perfectly blue sky and a cool ocean breeze. I had made sure beforehand that my skoolie and her entourage would be allowed in the show and had been assured that it would be OK. In order to park on the lawn rather than the asphalt one had to be among the first 250 cars. While we arrived shortly after 6 AM, we just made the cutoff . While the event was scheduled to open at 10 AM, it was well attended by 7:30 AM and ran full tilt until almost 5 PM. While I'm sure many of you have seen most of the pics I'm about to post, I'll do a little recap just to set the scene.

Here are the 13 steps: 1) buy a 1935 Chevy 1 1/2 ton truck.

2) Buy a 1935 Superior school bus body.

Buy a Chevy W3500 turbo diesel truck.

Stretch the frame.

Drop the bus body on the frame.

Cut a hole in the roof.

Cut a hole in the side of the bus.

Build a tilt front end.

Add a bath.

Add a kitchen.

Buy a 1959 Morris Minor Traveller woody wagon.

But a Geo Tracker 4X4.

Drop the Traveller body on the 4X4 frame and there you have it--a skoolie and a toad!






THE PARTY

Her name is Honeysuckle Rose after Hoyt Axton's tour bus because she thinks she is a Hound but she is really (a) Superior.

We arrived Sunday morning at 6 AM in order to be among the first 250 entrants who then would be allowed to park on the grass rather than the pavement--we just barely made the cut for a show that didn't start until 10 AM. By 7:30 AM the place was crawling with people and from then until about 5 PM Wiffy, friend Tom and I talked with well wishers and the curious about the bus and skoolies in general. I had planned on taking some pics of other vehicles to post here but it was not to be. The three of us decided we talked to about 500 people and we were toast (but happy) by the end of the show. While there wasn't a judging class the bus fit in we figure Honeysuckle Rose was the big winner based upon the number of people who told us she was their favorite entry. She was without a doubt the most looked at entry in the show--who da thunk.




HONEYSUCKLE ROSE

A brief tour:

Toad attached.

Awning extended.

Right front.

left front. Notice how the front bumperettes fold down to allow the front to tilt.

Slide out.

Entry







Now wall to wall people.






I just love the perspective of this pic-Ha!

[somewhereinusa]

All I can say is WOW. WELL DONE!!!!!! You are a true craftsman.
Great looking rig, and we know a bit of what you went through getting some
of that stuff to work.

Do you have any pics of the whole rig,all buttoned up, no people?

[Lostranger]

Congratulations, my friend. I feel kinda like the proud uncle. I had nothing to with the birth, but I was nearby during the process. I'm so glad you're part of our group.

Jim

[roach711]

A.W.E.S.O.M.E!!!!!

You did a miraculous transformation on both vehicles. WELL DONE

[bansil]

we LOVE it, great job

[tango]

Hey Jack, Simply outstanding my friend! --- has to be the most productive "13 Step Program" ever! I can tell by the fact that just about every onlooker has a big-ass grin on their faces while looking her and the toad over.

Just don't stop posting!

We all want to keep up with the adventure you started here bud, so we fully expect to see photos of you both...at Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Jellystone, Hollywood, Dollywood, Fisherman's Wharf, Key West (celebrating sundown with the Conks), Tijuana...well, maybe not Tijuana...how about Cabo San Lucas?...Camp David...Then you go through Saint Looey, Joplin, Missouri, and Oklahoma City is mighty pretty. You see Amarillo, Gallup, New Mexico, Flagstaff, Arizona. Don't forget Winona, Kingman, Barstow, San Bernandino.

You get get idea, right?

Congratulations and many thanks for sharing so very much here.

[Dusty]

Delightful Jack , thanks for sharing

[tango]

Hey Jack --- I just got a fall down crazy price for simple slider windows from an RV window company that made me want to learn more about what you used and how you installed them. The "100" series I saw at the Depot were Andersons that came in 3 frame styles. I think you mentioned the "block wall" variety but the ones I saw so labeled appeared to have a fin as well. And since there was no one in the window department the last time I was there, I don't know how they mount. Did yours install with a clamp ring or what?

[ol trunt]

Hey Tango. I went and talked to the HD guy who helped me with my windows--he's been there 13 years and knows his stuff. He says the style is actually called series 110 Shed Window. The windows come only in white powder coat and look like a million bucks. I've attached a copy of the HD special order info for Jeld-Wen windows which HD sells. The catch is that you have to specify "shed windows" the reason being that the line isn't approved for residential use though their construction is exactly the same??? Further, you have to specify 1/8" thick tempered glass with "e"coat and of course dual glazing. The thickness of the perimeter frame is 1 3/8" which is accomplished by having the stationary and sliding window protrude a bit beyond the frame. While this may sound strange, the overall effect is just fine. By ordering windows as if for new construction block wall and deleting the fin, you will get a very accurate fit for your stated window opening size. If I remember correctly I only allowed 1/8" under size in width and height. Since you need to have the stationary window leading the slider, (the stationary window is farthest outboard) it is important to know which windows will be on the left and which will be on the right as they are not interchangeable. I know, BLA, BLA, BLA.If all this turns out to be too confusing, send me some questions and I'll try to do a better job of explaining.

After looking at the pics I see they are too big to fit here and not knowing how to correct that I'll just type out the phone #'s you would have seen could you have seen them . As to installation, I used one stainless steel sheet metal screw in each vertical end frame and set the frame perimeter with a bead of Silkaflex 220+ window glazing adhesive--with that stuff you wouldn't even need the screws except that they do assure proper initial alignment Jack


Warranty: 1-888-603-0933

Direct: 1-877-648-7272

Call Center: 1-800-4708963


Here's a copy of HD's order info which you will probably have to share and explain to your local clerk.

This pic shows the 1 3/8 thickness of the frame as it is installed in my bus.

Here you can see how the glass fits in the frame.

A pic of the window closed.

[tango]

A Million Thanks Jack --- Had not seen the Jeld-Wen, only the Anderson brand. I will most definitely check them out. Seems most of the custom RV window people have gone nuts. One came back with a price of nearly $900.00 each, and Hehr, who has been around since the mid-1940's cannot for the life of them answer anything with a straight answer. Their website shows a simple, drop-slide bus window (Model 600) but after four days of trying to get info and specs and only being bounced from one plant to another just wrote them off. Finally got hold of a company who is supposed to be a licensed distributor and he'd never heard of the product. Kept insisting there was no such thing and even said I must be on the wrong website. How do these people stay in business!?

I finally found some old invoices from an earlier project on which I used Peninsula Glass for some custom windows. Went to their site and they even have an instant quote system. Plug in a couple of numbers and Bam...there you are. They came in at $321.00 but they are the clamp-ring type which makes for very easy and weather tight installation.

A more do-able price but I am still heading back to The Depot to check out the Jeld-Wens. Thanks again.

[Lostranger]

Seems most of the custom RV window people have gone nuts. One came back with a price of nearly $900.00 each, and Hehr, who has been around since the mid-1940's cannot for the life of them answer anything with a straight answer.

Tango, you've summed up my past experience with RV windows. That's why I made the recent trek to Elkhart. The windows I found were Hehr, double pane. New, but surplus. I paid $35 each for them. Filthy when I got them. Five windows made the trip worthwhile, but I got several other goodies at good prices as well.

And on the way back, I picked up that fabulous waste water tank.

Jim

[tango]

Sounds great LR --- I have often heard of some fabulous, somewhere over the rainbow RV salvage yard in Elkhart, but no idea where. Raced a motorcycle at Road America a couple of times but never saw much else.

[Dennis The Bus Dweller]

I must say, You are really good at what you do, What a great job you did

[ol trunt]

Thanks All, Tango, Like you I got crazy high prices on r/v windows. The Jeld-win windows ended up costing me $87.50 each--couldn't pass that up. Jack

[tango]

$87.50!!! --- that's jus crazy good! Home Depot, here I come!