Even though I have to wait for the parts store to open in the am to get the engine running, I invested a case of beer and a few "beef on Wecks" and a few friends came over...got all the seats out and torn apart.. ready for tha scrap yard..
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg7.pictiger.com%2Fe4d%2F13052247_th.jpg&hash=747b326296fd96bce400da58f1b631cb4ae18bc3) (http://img73413.pictiger.com/images/13052247/)
The luggage racks are next..
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg7.pictiger.com%2F9e5%2F13052210_th.jpg&hash=a53b5acc2c58947f8a4450712420c4c1c234fc6c) (http://img73413.pictiger.com/images/13052210/)
Looking real good John, keep it going full bore ahead.
Gary
Hi John,
Gosh, the seats are the easy part... I see you were lucky and diddn't have a lav to remove. That would have been fun....
Looking great... now, the only thing left to do is "everything"
Good Luck with your convertion!
Nick-
The guy that started my conversion got the seats out, the package racks, lowered the floor and ran a nice little tunnel under the floor for the wiring, air lines, etc. The more I think about it, I probably need to kiss him next time I see him! ;D
Keep up the good work buddy!
Jack
DAMN THE TORPEDOES! FULL SPEED AHEAD!!
HI YO SILVER!!
Dennis
Are you going to raise the roof? How much installation are you planning on?
Bill
MCI-9
Not raising the roof.....
UMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmm.....and what exactly is that sitting on the floor in the back of the bus??? :o You'll fit right in at a bus rally....at least at one of Kyle's Non-Bus Rallys! ;D
Maybe you can get that sucker down here for the May rally just off I-95? Completeness isn't an issue since this will be held in a full facility campground. Come to think of it, I believe Gene has a site reserved for you! ::)
Gotta keep those buses exercised! (Exorcised?) Get all bound up if you don't use it.
When you pull those racks, be careful with your windows....those racks are very heavy. They'll come apart in sections. You'll have to pull the sections apart and cut the wires....BE SURE THE DROP CORD PLUGGED INTO THE STATION PLUG IS DISCONNECTED before cutting any wiring in the racks. Cap of the 110 when you finish. The 110VAC wiring is cotton coated, and not the 'Hypalon' (or whatever it is) stuff that makes up the chassis wiring. Don't cut any wires that you don't have too. The center sidelight wiring is in the rack bundle. Watch for those wires. The rest of the wires that are inside the rack can be terminated. You may want to save some of the light fixtures. The 110 flouros may be useful. The 24V reading lamps might be also. Not much else useful inside the racks. If you still have the toll box stand, there's a nice 13A 24/12 VDC converter inside the base. Small cover with 4 screws on the side.
Best, JR
One more (more or less) thing. The wood grained panels can be removed. And should be. There's a hunnerd pounds of crud behind those things...same's true of the ramp, and the stainless steel HVAC ducts along the floor. Those things will be crudded up too. You don't need them anyway. Same's true of the window "Emergency Bar" below the windows. Leave the latches in place, but you can loose the bars.
That'll leave you with a relatively square floor/wall junction. The walls are not straignt, but tapered to the bottom of the windows. Also, the floor to ceiling dimension is smaller at the rear than at the front. The bus floor tapers downward toward the front. Don't install any walls and try to square to the floor. Won't work. Square to the ceiling or windows.
I'd pull up the vinyl flooring too. That stuff stinks in warm weather.
The ramp comes out by unscrewing the SS edge around it. Lots of crud under there too.
You will probably find that the floor is in good condition once the vinyl is out.
How far do you plan to strip? Insulation?
If you pull the ceiling panels, watch out for falling heavy objects. The panels are heavy aluminum and sharp on the edges. Once the center strips and side screws are out, nothing but the side aluminum trim strips are holding up. Probably have to be pulled down due to the sticky tape, but maybe not. The factory insulation is not too good. We pulled the ceiling panels and installed 1.5" of panel foam board. Made a huge difference.
How extensive a conversion do you plan? If you plan to pull the interior aluminum panels that you'll see when the wood grained panels are removed, mark each panel for position. They are considered a structural element and must be returned to their respective locations.
You would only pull those panels if you want to foam the walls. The ceiling is important to insulate...the walls can be furred and 3/4" foam panels used. You'll lose 1.5" this way, but quick and easy. And, it is effective.
Keep in mind that if you get into the walls, you may be forced into big repairs of wall steel.
If your seat side rail bolts came out without grinding them off, your walls are dry and in good condition. But, if you have to grind them out due to corrosion, you have rust in the area the corroded bolts came out of. Gotta decide whether you want to spend years and $$ on your conversion, or git'rdone. An 87 NON restroom NJT probably has a good floor. You can cover the OEM plywood with 1/4" plywood to lose the floor seat rails. OR, you can tear out the whole floor and remove the seat rail. It's welded down to the frame. No way to remove without tearing out flooring.
JR
I plan on insulating the ceiling and I like the idea of the 1.5" insulation on the walls. Something was mentioned about pulling the vinyl floor due to smell. Do I want to do this even if I cover it with plywood ?
Got the passenger side luggage racks down tonight. What a PITA that was. I HATE RIVITS ! Ill have a sawzall on hand for the other side. Had a few of my "Will work for beer" friends over and had it out in a few hours. We hauled in an old couch and chair so we can hang out after we're done working and admire the fruits of our labor.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg4.pictiger.com%2F202%2F13200058_th.jpg&hash=d597a8219af271ea56e96c04221cd53e4e228087) (http://img40053.pictiger.com/images/13200058/)
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg4.pictiger.com%2Ffbd%2F13200059_th.jpg&hash=2d6abb35fb1d4f2a9e5c94ea19b7d7ba6d4267db) (http://img40053.pictiger.com/images/13200059/)
Quote from: travelingfools on November 25, 2007, 11:58:42 PM
I plan on insulating the ceiling and I like the idea of the 1.5" insulation on the walls. Something was mentioned about pulling the vinyl floor due to smell. Do I want to do this even if I cover it with plywood ?
I always recommend removing not only the vinyl, but also the plywood so you can clean out the remnants of the previous occupants from
the last 20 years of bus service.
You may want to look at the photos of the crud I found under my floor at http://www.gumpydog.com/bus/MC9_WIP/Structural/Floor_Removal/floor_removal.htm (http://www.gumpydog.com/bus/MC9_WIP/Structural/Floor_Removal/floor_removal.htm). You might be surprised what you find down there.
GREAT PICS everyone. Thank you. We got some $money$ from our bus seats by selling the SS at our local, unfriendly scrap yard. You might get $$$ tooss. Also gots a free bus weigh-in 'cause that was how they weighed the SS seat frames. WARP FACTOR EIGHT MISTER SULU!!! :) :) :) (can I have more wine now?)
Well, with the advent of the recent heat wave here, a balmy 26 degrees, I finally mustered up the gumpsion to go out and replace the PR2 valve I got a week ago. The wrecking crew is comming over tonight and we will tackle the removal of the drivers side luggage rack...Got to head out now to get some food and drink for the boys for after the job is done !
Quote from: travelingfools on December 06, 2007, 01:24:09 PM
Well, with the advent of the recent heat wave here, a balmy 26 degrees, I finally mustered up the gumpsion to go out and replace the PR2 valve I got a week ago. The wrecking crew is comming over tonight and we will tackle the removal of the drivers side luggage rack...Got to head out now to get some food and drink for the boys for after the job is done !
GADS I hate cold weather!~ Did you get the PR2 valve installed? And did it solve the problem?
JR
Quote from: travelingfools on December 06, 2007, 01:24:09 PM
Well, with the advent of the recent heat wave here, a balmy 26 degrees, I finally mustered up the gumpsion to go out and replace the PR2 valve I got a week ago. The wrecking crew is comming over tonight and we will tackle the removal of the drivers side luggage rack...Got to head out now to get some food and drink for the boys for after the job is done !
Thats the Ticket, Dont feed them till After the Work is done.. LOL...
Quote from: NJT5047 on December 06, 2007, 06:36:36 PM
Quote from: travelingfools on December 06, 2007, 01:24:09 PM
Well, with the advent of the recent heat wave here, a balmy 26 degrees, I finally mustered up the gumption to go out and replace the PR2 valve I got a week ago. The wrecking crew is comming over tonight and we will tackle the removal of the drivers side luggage rack...Got to head out now to get some food and drink for the boys for after the job is done !
GADS I hate cold weather!~ Did you get the PR2 valve installed? And did it solve the problem?
JR
The valve is installed, but I haven't started it yet to see if my problems solved..I'm assuming it is ( I'm big on kidding myself) ::) Its supposed to be in the low 40's on Monday, so I plan on firing it up then and if all goes well with the air, heading out to get some fuel..
For the cost of some beer and the makings for Po' boy subs, I got the other luggage rack out. Next will be the vinyl flooring..hopefully next week. Gotta start calling around to get prices for some spray on foam for the ceiling and to find out what temp they need to spray.
(http://_th.) (http://img50145.pictiger.com/images/13335168/)
I feel your pain! The temp was 72* here today. ;D
Middle 70s all thru the week...so they say.
Post the outcome on the PR2 vavle. I didn't even realize that thing was in there prior to your post on this subject. A good item to keep check on I reckon.
Make a "new topic" and ask about the spray foam temps. Probably a limit to the cold.
Truck companies spray foam into repaired trailers. Some trailer company may have room inside to do the job right.
Be sure and install, or strip out anything you don't want foamed and out of sight. Tape any attachment points so that you can clean off the foam easily once the job is completed.
Cheers, JR