Eagles International Forum

Yes! I was starting to think this forum was completely dead, but it looks like it is making a partial comeback.

Some big news-- The bus is positively identified as 30110 SE05 Metropolitan Transit Auth. (Houston TX) 1210 8/79 in this thread on BCM https://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=27499.0
Disregard the first couple posts in this thread. Most of the information is incorrect because of paperwork found behind a cabinet that belongs to a different bus.

Other big news-- The bays have been completely cut out and rebuilt (again). After restoring a couple bay doors, I decided I didn't like the look. Instead of four doors per side- it has one 20' long door on each side...no vertical gaps, no handle holes, no lock holes, no latch handle holes, no leaky seals. It is going to look so clean once the skin is on. Also, instead of four 5' bays- it has two 7.5' free storage bays (15' of empty storage!!!) and one 5' mechanical bay for the generator, air conditioner, water heater, and propane tanks. The water tanks are perfectly sized to fit between the two fuel tanks above the bogie axle.

Sheathing under side of bays:

Those aren't bloody hand prints! Really!--nothing to see here, carry on. That is the last time I buy red chalk for my snap line.






Who wants to drill 80 holes in the bottom of my frame with a hand drill? Not me This rig took a 12+ hour job and turned it into a 3 hour job.

Anyone considering buying a rusted out salvage bus at a rock bottom price, --pay attention-- you are signing up for two years of fixing this before even starting the interior.
Before pictures of rust damage around rear axle











Engine and transmission identification found:

Bay's are looking really good. My bus is a 84 model 10 bus looks a lot like yours.Rust and all. I've just completed doing all the metal replacement up front including the wheel wells and I'm about to start ripping my bays out this weekend providing the weather holds out. How do you plan to hold those bay doors up once you get them finished? Is that plexiglass on the bottom? What did you paint your steel with? Sorry for all the questions but I want to get some ideas. I'll post some pics of my project soon. Great work and thanks for sharing

I plan on using one 100lb and four 250lb gas struts to automatically open the doors. The 250lb struts will be mounted with a 2/3rd leverage disadvantage.
1000lbs linear force x 0.33 = 333lbs actual lifting force. The finished door weight will be within a few pounds of 300lbs
The 100lb gas strut will be mounted with a 4/5ths leverage disadvantage. It opens the door the first 20 degrees, then the 250lb struts take over.


The sheathing material is corrugated plastic cardboard. One side is white and the other is black. This is the same material Fleetwood uses to protect the slide out mechanisms on their travel trailers.
48 in. x 96 in. White Corrugated Plastic Cardboard - 10 PACK
Home Depot internet item number: 202489118
Model number: WC4896-10
Online special order only. $110 for a 10 pack as of 5/30/2014

The paint is POR-15-- expensive, but good.
- Step 1 Marine Clean Greaser
- Step 2 Fast Acid Etch
- Step 3 Por-15
- Step 4 Top Coat with Exterior Latex where POR-15 will be exposed to UV

Bogart, Ga? You're out there working when it is 90F and 90% humidity? I work 15F to 85F-- My vacation from full time bus work starts June 1 and ends September 1.

See if this works.

https://secure.shoeboxapp.com/gallery/5 ... 8259a25b85

These are not in order but you can look through and get the idea I think.
Thanks for looking.

We had some problems with this thread. I think I got it squared away.

I have to say, Spark, I am amazed with your skills and ambition.

Jim

I will take this cold rainy weather any day over a hot humid summer!

I replaced all of the side windows with internally tinted glass with new bead lock seals. It is a huge improvement over the old mismatched and stress cracked glass.



Steps framed and POR15ed! The new steps are evenly spaced. 7-5/8" tall with 12" tread depth. They are much easier to climb than the original uneven 8"-10" tall steps.





Subfloor and floor insulation complete! I used Advantech 23/32" tongue and groove glued down to the steel frame with Sikaflex 221 AND screwed every 3 inches with 1-1/2" coated deck screws. Press fit pieces of fireproof mineral wool insulation 2" thick were cut and fit before laying the subfloor. Contact cement and 2-3/8" deck screws with fender washers holds the mineral wool insulation tight against the Advantech.

The first person that walked on the new subfloor commented "It sounds and feels like I am walking on concrete. Every other RV I have been in feels shaky and sounds hollow. This is totally unexpected."

My floor is the definition of overkill and permanent. It is not intended to be removed. The full length of the tunnel is accessible from the underside.







I found something strange when removing the exterior trim and drip rail... No sealant under the trim. No sealant between the aluminum panels and the steel frame. NO SEALANT ANYWHERE!! Aluminum panels overlapping the wrong way and funneling water inside the walls. WHAT THE----- I am a chill guy... but there was so much rage I thought my eyeballs were going to pop out!

I removed all of the siding on the drivers side. The frame rails were ground back to bare metal and coated with POR15. I reattached the panels (overlapping the correct way) with liberal use of Sikaflex 252 and sealed rivets every 3" hidden behind the trim strips. I reattached the aluminum trim strips and drip rails by drilling all the way through the frame rails and using stainless steel machine screws with weld on cap nuts. The trim strips are sealed with a thick layer of butyl tape. I cut off the excess butyl tape that oozed out.

The driver side skin is completely attached and sealed. No leaks for the first time in a very long time.







Comparing new and old.





These are a couple tools I built for working on the bus. The first is a welding cart for two welders and an oxy-acetylene torch. The second is a material handling cart with 2000lbs of diamond tread stacked on it.

Spark, as I have said previously, I am very impressed with your work. I really like the fact that you think "outside the box".

But even more impressive to me is your amazing adaptation of tools to make the job easier. Your welding cart is great! I really like the power panel and plan to steal some of your ideas

Jim

Great work, i am working on a welding cart also.