A little bus renovation I started is turning into more of an extreme bus makeover.
It started out as repairing damage from a window leak and installing a vinyl composition tile floor. I had to remove the bunks to remove the modly/rotted paneling and plywood from the walls. When I did this it turned out that more of the wall was damaged than I thought from a previously repaired roof leak so I have to remove more of the plywood on the walls.
I installed underlayment for flooring in the back of the bus previously, but it got pretty well destroyed by a trip to the desert last year from mud and dust. The underlayment is hard to remove and now I have spots all over with underlayment still stuck to the floor. Because of this and the fact that the floor is slightly springy I've decided to replace the entire floor with 3/4" Sturdifloor and then new underlayment.
I also have to deal with the bathroom. The shower needs a rebuild and the bathroom is way too big. I am planning to relocate the toilet and shrink the size of the bathroom if it all works out.
There you have it. The start of an Extreme Bus Makeover. I better get back out there. At least I have working air conditioning in the bus.
That's what I want to do. We have the most tacky red shag carpet in the bus and the ceiling has area rugs glued up to it. I know the same thing is going to happen to me once I start removing this stuff. I may wait for cooler weather. Post some pictures of your nightmare so I can dream of whats in store for me. :'(
Let it be said...
A Bus conversion is never done.... It becomes a way of life...
I would like to change a LOT of my stuff, especially since lots of stuff
just never got done or done right.
The always is the case. You build something and after you live with it a while
you either discover there was a better way or some other way something should
have been done.
It is for this reason that I always unless mentally challenged that day use SCREWS
to hold just about everything. I resized my bathroom in 2 hours when I decided to install the Splendid combo washer in there. Not pretty but functional.
Mind you that although I have all the comforts of a big bucks coach, Mine is made from considerable dumpster diving, Big Lots and a few other choice suppliers.
The design was easy... Take all the stuff you want. Pack it into a large hopper,
Set the bus on end and insert hopper at front door....
Shake like hell and hope you didn't break too much...
Get in and start fastenting stuff down... Hook up the a/c and heaters First!
Anything you didn't screw down to a wall or floor will eventually find a spot to reside,Usually during a left turn and hefty application of brakes....
I don't know about you, But just knowing there are perfectionists doing their own conversions Please don't be upset with me...
I am wierd, If it runs and drives.... Go grab some stuff to make is usable and get out there on the road... If I had to spend 5 years just building up to a running chassis... I would probably give up fairly soon. Just out of frustration!.. In fact I did on several coaches that I have aquired over 10 years.. Some were good restoration candidates and most would have been way more trouble and expense to mess with....
Funny, You start learing fairly fast which way you want things to go....
Dave.....
The bus was usable last year for a long trip. It was just all plywood for that trip.
I originally planned to just install flooring, install heat, and repair some water damage for this year, but after I got started I decided to go with the big bang. It will cost about $1000 total for stuff I don't already have. I really need to be done in six weeks and one week I will be on vacation camping with some Boy Scouts.
Brian,
Sorry, Just can't resist..
You always seem to start panic mode at 6 weeks deadlines... That's just way too funny.
I guess we will also suffer that "Oh..Fudge, Why did I buy a bus?" thing again
or have you finally discovered it's now firmly entrenched in your blood?
Don't worry I do the same thing every time I start to fix small stuff....
Have Fun, We await your adventures..
Dave...
I was already questioning last evening why I started to remove the floor. It is a bit harder to remove than I thought it would be. Oh well, I started it and now I need to see it through or the bus is not usable.
The bus thing is in my blood now. Using it for one trip was enough to make me see the light at the end of the tunnel. I will be working on it every night now that I got started.
Topic: The extreme bus makeover begins now Brian, Since you are the one that named this topic, I just can't resist saying.....
BUS DRIVER, MOVE THAT BUS!
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;D
Brian look on the bright side. About 8 years ago my neighbour in town started to replace some wallpaper in a back bedroom. Before that reno was done they had replaced 2 entire outside walls plus put a new roof on a 2000 square foot home. He was a bit of a whacko mind you but at least you aren't likely to need a new roof. Moral of that story was "don't ever buy a house with a flat roof in a temperate climate".
Quote from: Dallas on July 07, 2008, 07:44:00 AM
Topic: The extreme bus makeover begins now
Brian, Since you are the one that named this topic, I just can't resist saying.....
BUS DRIVER, MOVE THAT BUS!
[/i][/b]
;D
Sorry, no can do! The starting batteries are sitting in my garage and need to be installed.