T8rTotr - It totes the Tater (1 Viewer)

[TeddyBoy]

I've hinted around with you guys that I had a rusty project that I jumped into last year but haven't revealed much about it.

till now anyways.

I know, I know, WTF!!!! Trust me I get it but it had good bones. The factory steel was mostly solid but the coach company that did the shuttle conversion should be shot.

2001 E450 w/ 7.3 Diesel Cutaway converted into a 15 passenger Shuttle bus, 215k miles.

June 2020 - day i bought it:

Why? Honestly I dont really know but I do have a few hints. First, tent Camping absolutely BLOWS!!!!! Setting up a tent blows, tearing down a tent blows, cooking in the rain blows, sleeping in the cold and heat blows, having almost no creature comforts blows. I'm over it!!!

 

[TeddyBoy]

With way more free time on my hands early-mid last year I needed something to keep my finger off the trigger. It had been yard work at first but that's just work so I started tearing into the bus.

RUST!!! wow it was a total mess

 

[TeddyBoy]

I pretty much knew the floor would need to be ripped out and replaced so I went to it.

The shell is fiberglass and supported by the (now) rusted out frame work. Since I had to pull the framework I had to devise a way of supporting the shell. It was sketchy but worked.

 

[TeddyBoy]

It only took 2-3 weeks to remove all the crap. Took it right down to the Ford framerails, nothing was salvageable.

 

[HENDOG]

them bones got stage 4 cancer. Oh MY!

 

[TeddyBoy]

Time to build a new foundation... 200' 2" square tube and I dont know how much sweat but I can tell you beer was going down easy.

 

[TeddyBoy]

Like I said @HENDOG , you guys have no idea cuz it gets better in the front (not).

Anyway, new floor going in

 

[TeddyBoy]

Got the new floor from the drivers seat back installed, felt gr8 to be building instead of tearing out. This is week 5 or 6 at this point.

3/4 ply water sealed

 

[TeddyBoy]

Now for the entry, a total god awful mess but have welder and had time so....

Dont think you can get rid of all the mess but I cut A LOT out. Didnt take many pics, who wants to see a pile of rust anyway.

 

[TeddyBoy]

A sheet of 14G for the floor and a new rocker panel

 

[TeddyBoy]

not perfect but gud nuff

passenger side

 

[TeddyBoy]

weld 'er up and throw some rust preventative pain on there before flooring goes down later

 

[TeddyBoy]

One of the issues I had (and still do) is where the fiberglass shell meets the sheet metal above the windshield. The frame flexes so much (thanks FORD) that the shell pulls away from the cab, this joint had been leaking so bad that the sheet metal above the frame was rusted through and virtually gone.

 

[TeddyBoy]

Only thing I could do is to cut out most of and replace with new sheet metal and try to seal it up as best I could.

 

[TeddyBoy]

And finally time to get on with the real reason this thing exists. Call it week 9ish

Wall & ceiling paneling going up, queen bed framed and electrical being laid out.

 

[TeddyBoy]

Cut a 14" hole for a ceiling fan

 

[TeddyBoy]

Framing in the shower w/ 2x2 and building out the kitchen counter. Found an RV oven on CL for cheap, shower is 34x32

 

[TeddyBoy]

Progress

 

[TeddyBoy]

more progress

 

[TeddyBoy]

taking shape now

there's a story behind this piece of wood that involves my father so every time I walk in the bus i think of him.