"Rustless Money Pit" update photo's on www, May 17, 2006

[Gary LaBombard]

Hello everyone,
I am trying to cut down on length of explanations on bb's as to what I am doing. Go to my www site that has conversion photo albums that continue after the CD I made stops on my conversion of my (1973 Model 05 Eagle).

The following photo albums may be boring to some but hopefully encouraging to others to do this if they can and save money doing it. You have to have the knowledge to work with metal and weld to keep from getting frustrated, believe me. Well here goes.

Album #8 is the remodification of my proposed area for the storage of my Radiator Mist tank and my Gray / Black water waste tank compartment.

Album #9 is for the actual fabrication of the Radiator Mist Tank and tips for doing so. This tank is intended to be used on long uphill hauls to spray the radiator if needed to control heating up. If not needed, I have 29 gallons of water extra for my radiator if needed. Hours to make the Mist tank is about 30 X $75 labor if fabricated as I did and it would of cost about $2,250!!!!!!!! Yikes!! My cost, because I received my materials from a local metal shop out of their dumpster mind you, total cost of $000!!! FREE!! No BS here.

Album #10 is for the actual fabrication of my Gray / Black water waste tank. This tank is a bear to work alone but possible. It weighs about 100 lbs I figure but bulky and a back breaker if you flip it, and mount it all alone, LIKE I ALWAYS DO!! So it can be done and here is how. Total hours for fabricating the Waste tank was about 65 actual work hours X $75 per hour labor if made the way I did. It would of cost about $4875.00!!!! Oh my Goodness!! The total cost for me?? Well I did purchased some material for sides of tank at a discount price and for weld fittings for the inlet & outlet of the tank at the total cost to me of $80.00. I Couldn't find the fittings in a dumpster!!.

Here is where you can go view the above 3 albums if you wish, go to:
http://community.webshots.com/user/converter101 I hope this helps some of you in your conversion decisions.

I also hope to meet and visit with many of you this coming weekend, we are leaving tomorrow for Dallas & Cat's bus gathering at TIMMONSVILLE, SC so if you are going to be there introduce yourself to me, It will be my pleasure to visit with you and get some more ideas I can use. I will be bringing some of my CD's I made, ("Inspection & Repair Guide for Bus Conversions") in case anyone is interested. Information on this CD can be viewed at:
(www.busconverter101.com).
See you at Timmonsville Tomorrow.

Gary

Well my plan to make a shorter post went down the crapper!! Sorry, I just ramble on.

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Gary,

Your doing an awsome job, I love metal fabrication.

I won't be able to make Dallas's ralley but, hope to see your bus in the future.

Nick-