Finally I post a nice picture of my RTS

Kevin Warnock · July 21, 2011, 08:29:11 AM

Even though I bought my 1994 RTS in 2007, I've never posted a high resolution attractive photograph of it online, either here or elsewhere.

Today I posted a writeup about my bus conversion on my blog here:

http://kevinwarnock.com/2011/07/21/tmc-t80206-bus-conversion/

If you click on the picture on my blog, you can see it in high resolution.

The picture was taken in 2007 soon after I bought it on EBay for $10,000.

It's a TMC T80206 and it's from a central California transit district, so there's no rust.

Enjoy!

Kevin Warnock
http://KevinWarnock.com - my blog

Uglydog56 · July 21, 2011, 08:59:14 AM

Unsolicited advice: Only paint the roof white - I like the black/gold look - very sharp.

Dreamscape · July 21, 2011, 09:08:59 AM

Very nice! She looks like BCM centerfold material to me!

boxcarOkie · July 21, 2011, 09:10:52 AM

Nice looking bus, good job.

If you "double click on the photo" it will really bring it in up close and personal.

One note, no such thing as no rust, it has it somewhere, fact of life, all buses have it. Mine came from California (Sacramento and lived most of its life in Florida and Arizona) and it has some rust.

BCO

mike802 · July 21, 2011, 10:00:29 AM

Great looking bus Kevin, something to be proud of

Mex-Busnut · July 21, 2011, 10:30:36 AM

Kevin:

Awesome bus!

I agree with Uglydog56: If you must paint, paint only the roof white. Or better yet, paint it gold, but with ceramic heat-reducing paint. See the link here:

http://www.tcceramic.com/bus%20conversions/busconversion.htm

Kevin Warnock · July 22, 2011, 10:33:29 AM

Sorry, when I wrote 'no rust' I should have written 'no significant rust.' Yes, there are some tiny and non bothersome areas with some rust. What I was trying to get across is there are no sections that need repair or that needed repair due to rust.

On another subject, people above have suggested not painting the whole bus white. I had been planning to even paint the window frames white.

Does anyone here have an all white bus conversion? If so, what has been your experience with keeping it clean and keeping it cool in the summer?

Thanks,

Kevin Warnock
http://KevinWarnock.com - my blog

Busted Knuckle · July 22, 2011, 10:37:30 AM

Kevin,
FWIW I have seen lots of all white bus conversions.

Or in my words "PLAIN white" conversion.

Nothing at all wrong with white, but I my self like some color.

BK

happycamperbrat · July 22, 2011, 11:46:06 AM

I like your pic Kevin

Lookin REAL good!! It would make a nice poster for your wall!

As to the all white, my bus is white with minimal colored striping. It still gets hot inside, but that is relative. I live on the surface of the sun and it is hotter then he** here anyway. My windows are stock unpainted lexan and Im told these are better for keeping out the hot..... I know my driver's area (cuz the HUGE windshield gets real toasty real quick compared to the rest of the bus). I dont have insulation in yet either....... so......

White is the best color for keeping out the hot and it doesnt show the dirt as much as a darker color does. Personally, my bus will stay white though Im going to change the color of the striping or accents.

Van · July 22, 2011, 12:21:22 PM

Nice photo Kevin, Double clicked it (thanx Oakie

) and WOW! Eh? whats wrong with the color? I think it is gorgeously clean looking IMHO

Van

Busted Knuckle · July 22, 2011, 01:03:15 PM

White will show dirt much quicker than the gold will trust me I know we own 5 white 2 silver & 1 gold and the gold always looks cleaner than the others when not freshly washed!

BK

happycamperbrat · July 23, 2011, 09:31:14 AM

If BK says gold is good, then go with that! Ive never owned a gold car, but I have owned red, silver, black, blue, dk green and white. Silver is good and might be as good as the white...... but the other colors sucked as for keeping clean and the heat.

JohnEd · July 23, 2011, 10:07:38 AM

Kevin,

Your bus looks simply great. great! I like the gold and I would prefer it to the white if aesthetics were the only consideration. I think you said you wanted to reduce your thermal loading so white is the only option and I would investigate "pure" white a opposed to ALL THE OTHER WHITES that have pigment mixed in. You sound like being green is your highest priority and I applaud you for that.

I recently learned on here that there is a window film that can be affixed to the exterior surface of your windows. The metalized reflecting film rejects 80 or 90 percent of the heat loading from the window and they brought up another benefit.....you can apply the film to the exterior of thermopane. I have put that film on the interior of thermopane many times and had no issues but that wasn't in AZ. I bow to the collective wisdom on this board and have signed a legally enforceable contract to never do it again...anywhere. That dark glass is a mistake from a performance perspective but it sure is look'n good.

John

Kevin Warnock · July 24, 2011, 02:42:59 PM

JohnEd,

In 2009 I applied silver window film to the outside of my RTS windows. It makes the conversion look better, and I am convinced it does keep heat out.

Amazingly, the film has not peeled off, even in the corners. It's wet and foggy in San Francisco, where I park the conversion, so I'm particularly impressed by whatever adhesive the film manufacturer applied to the film.

It takes practice and time to neatly apply the film, but it is something you can do yourself. I couldn't find a shop willing to work on such a large vehicle.

I paid about USD $350 for the roll of film, and I only used about 3/4 of the roll, so I have some extra in case of future damage.

I recommend this upgrade without reservation.

Kevin Warnock
http://KevinWarnock.com - my blog