Work in progress

Since my last posting, I've done quite a bit of work. I now have 3/4 of the interior removed.

The prior owner/converter did a really crappy job. All of the trim and paneling were pressboard construction. He evidently went to a mobile home supply store and purchased the "fancy" trim. That of itself isn't necessarily a bad thing. But what is a bad thing is the fact that he used an incessant amount of decking screws to attach everything directly into the skin of the bus. I honestly lost count when I reached 2,000 screws, and there's at least that many more.

With the interior now removed, I am able to get a better/clearer mental picture of how I want everything laid out. The very first items on the agenda are the 5% limo window tint for all windows, and oak hardwood flooring. Following that, I will frame the exterior walls using 1x2 furring strips. In between the strips, I will use some form of insulation, covered with natural-wood finish beaded paneling.

At this stage, everything is at a standstill while I dismantle the Winnebago motorhome. I will be using the shower unit, kitchen, and cabinets to install on the bus. The shower unit from the motorhome is substantially larger than the one currently on the bus. Additionally, I will be removing the camper toilet that's already installed on the bus, and will be putting a common household toilet in its' place. I saw this done on another bus, and really liked the idea of having a residential toilet on the bus.

On a whim, I stopped by the Morristown Home Depot and looked at paint. I didn't have a comparison piece, so I decided to look over the Behr colour charts. I selected a high-gloss "Cornhusk Green". When I got it home and applied a thin coat, it was an EXACT MATCH to the original interior bus color that came from the factory. I only applied a thin layer to a section and a half to see what it'd look like. Before proceeding further with the paint, I will be applying a liberal amount of bondo to cover up the screw holes that Einstein put in the sheet metal.

I will be drawing a rough sketch of the floorplan, and will post it when I get it done.

Thanks for reading along, and do please leave me a comment.

June 27, 2007

This blog will chronicle my work as I do things on my bus to make it more suitable for my style/liking.

The bus is a 1970 Bluebird flat-nose. It's the same body as the Wanderlodge, but nowhere near as nice.

The bottom photo is what I hope to transform mine into. It belongs to Jake VonSlatt of Massachusetts. He's quite a talented fellow. I wish I had an ounce of his knowledge.

However, the top is what I have to work with. I think that a coat of paint will make a world of difference. Where the green bus has a white top, mine will have a tan/light brown top with the same green bottom. I plan to start painting it next week.

My bus stats:
Obtained on June 26, 2007
Engine: rear mounted gasoline
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Miles: 10,000 original miles
Presently has rudimentary conversion. I will be changing a lot of things, and chronicling each change as it happens, complete with before & after photos.

I'll do my best to keep this as current as possible.