I found a rustless 1969 Eagle model 5

[kysteve]

Just kiding guys,
      I have though, created a rust free one.  After a year and a half of eating rust dust nightly I have cut out the last of the rust damage out of the ole girl now.  I am pretty sure I will be completely done with the frame repair by the end of July.  Man, it has been a long time in the coming.  I have some new pictures of progress here  http://ourbusconversion.blogspot.com/  for those who want to look in.  There's a lot of the cut out pics in the archives that show how tough these old girls are and just how little steel it takes to keep them up off the road.  Just thought I would share my moment with you....feels good to be through the rust problem....


................Kentucky Steve..........

[fraser8]

Steve, Great job. It looks better than new, you must be a master welder. It must feel good to stand back and admire your work...

[muddog16]

Steve, this work of yours is absolutely craftsmanship, I'm sure many will appreciate what you have taken on here, when you stop eating rust it gets to be fun!   I'm past that eating rust stage also and its a great feeling! You have accomplished much my friend, my hat is off to you!  There is nothing like having a great foundation to build your bus on and you definately have that!.........Talk with you later!       

[kysteve]

Thanks guys,
   
       I'm a woodworker and burning things in wood has allways been a bad thing so this burning steel sure goes against all things I have learned.  I do have a better admiration for steel workers and how life must be for them.  I know I wouldnt want to be under a welders hood in 100 dergree plus weather.

     

       Pat, has the weather been treating you a little better up there.  I know earlier in the year it seemed like you was getting bad storms everytime I looked in on the radar to see what was coming at us.  Hope all is good up your ways and all are healthy and happy.  see you soon.

     

[Green-Hornet]

What a shame to cover up such beautiful work so no one can see it! You should use plexiglass siding to show it off! Keep up the good work.

[David Anderson]

Wow, Steve,

My hat is off to you.  That is a tremendous amount of work.  I'm glad my metro 10 had very little rust on her when I stripped it to the frame.  I probably only replaced maybe 6 pieces of tubing in the whole coach.  I can see you used your cabinet skills to get the framing geometry back where it should be.  Nice explanations on technique in your blog.   Keep up the great work and post more pics.

David

[compedgemarine]

6 pieces of tubing! I replace that in a day on mine. I thought mine was bad till I saw Steve's. oh wait, mine was bad, just not AS bad. watching his has helped to keep me going on mine. thanks and congrates.
steve schmidt

[cody]

Rust? on an eagle? omg, tell me it's not true lol.

[Dreamscape]

What were you thinking? Removing all that lighter rusted steel just increased you mpg!

Just kidding. It sure does look good. You're getting there, just a few more welds then you can start having fun!

How did you come up with the corect measurements for the framework? Did you use the old to compare to?

A brand new 69 Eagle, what a tremendous achievement!

Paul

[kysteve]

Paul, you guessed it.  I put up a pic of the jig vault for you on my blog page.  I basically keep key element parts of the old frame till I get the new together and then toss the old out when I am sure I don't need it anymore.  while the pile of old parts is dwindling, it ain't gone, and when I walk by them in the garage it is a constant reminder the frame ain't done.  I'll be happy to box them up and ship them, prepaid even, right to your front door.......lol..........Just send me an address...... I have told Deb allready, that I was going to streak butt naked down the roof of the bus when the frame was all completed with rustbullet..lol....The rust control sure does try your patients.  Hope the work on the new paint job is coming along well, I know you must stay outta town allot and its got to be hard to make progress sometime. 

Steve S.,  I feel for you even if its half as bad as ours.  I have said it before, It don't matter if the tube is all rotten or half rotten its the same PITA job to take it out.  Hows about some pics from down your way?? 

Thanks again everybody for the kind words of support..
..

............Kentucky Steve ...........

[Dreamscape]

Thanks Steve,

I saw the pile of your rusted framing and thought to myself.........Self..........Mine is still attached to the skin....

Actually mine isn't too bad, a PO had already done some work, I just know I will have to do some under some of the skin around wheel wells..............That is after I get it painted. Yes it is taking longer than I had hoped, but with me being gone so much it just sits there waiting for my return. When I get back home from this three trip I hope to be home for a couple of weeks. Then the fun begins....again. I just would like to get the paint on and get it ready for TBR 2008 in September.

I did not find any rust on the upper frame at all when I stripped the interior. From what I've seen in other places I should be in pretty good shape.

Thanks for keeping us all updated, You're doing one heck of a job!

Paul

[compedgemarine]

steve
I didnt take any pics of mine. I dont ever want to be reminded that I was dumb enough to do this. If I had pics at some time I would look at them and think "that wasnt as bad as I made it out, maybe I could do another and change this or that". Plus I always forget the camara so all you would see is a whole bus when I got it. one or two of it apart and then it done. besides its like fishing, when its done the story will be up to " I replaced every tube but one and man was that a job."
keep up the good work. like I said, if I hadnt seen yours I never would have had the motivation to keep going.
steve schmidt