The Walters Family School Bus to RV Conversion Site
Sheet metal, paint prep and systems
The Outside
Once I removed all of the junk and had an empty interior and blank, rusty exterior I felt like I could start the build up. However, I first had to contend with a LOT of exterior rust.
I also did a lot of grinding, sanding and priming the exterior. Woo hoo! I knew whatever happened, I was going to get rid of all of that #%@$&*% yellow if it was the last thing I did.
Starting the sheet metal skin. I got this stuff called “paint prep” from a sheet metal fabrication company near my house. One rivet every three inches, please.No more bus lights on the front. Nice and smooth. I like it. I put the lines on with a Sharpie to make sure I got the rivets installed uniformly.Those bus windows were leaky and ugly. They had to go!More sheet metal over the windows.Skip ahead after some sandblasting, prep, primer and BusKote roof paint and, Viola! Something that is starting to look a little bit less like a cheese wagon. NO MORE YELLOW!A Generac Guardian RV QuietPact 5000 gas powered generator. I am running 50 amp electrical service in this bus. MORE POWER!Since the bus is diesel powered and the generator is gas powered, I needed to add a gas tank for the generator. This is the door I got. It is huge, but you’ll see why.I wanted a large capacity tank for the generator so that I can dry camp and still use the AC, Microwave and get DirecTV. I used a 27 gallon outboard motor tank.The reason I had to make the gas door so huge is so that I can reach in with the gas filler and fill this tank.I took off the bumper to have easy access to install the battery bank and propane tanks.I got this door at an RV swap meet. $125. This thing lists for over $600 retail. It has a screen door, dual locks with a deadbolt and everything.I removed the frosted glass that came in it and used one of the windows from the old door so I could see out the side when I was driving.This is the side of the bus after adding the vents for the refrigerator and the black water tank.This is the hot water heater access door and vent. This was a pain to cut out and install because I had to go through the steel in the lower side wall.The black water tank is secured with 0.25" X 1.5" steel bar that I bent into a strap and welded to brackets that I welded to the frame.The front of the beast. I had to remove the old, rusty grille. The hood is the only part of the bus that is fiberglass.
