| Author | Message | ||
| Roderick W. Chandler (Rod)
Registered Member Username: Rod Post Number: 52 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 173.184.52.227  Rating: N/A |
I delayed posting this because I wanted to save surprise for TBR. Went as steel tent and had a great time. Picked up my bus 102D3 in Las Vegas July 29 and drove home to Texas without a problem. Took 95 but detoured around Hoover Dam and got to I 40 at Needles,Ca Felt like I was going backwards,  | ||
| les marston (Les_marston)
Registered Member Username: Les_marston Post Number: 141 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 68.151.225.213 Rating: N/A |
Hey Rod Congratulations on getting a 102 D 3 We bought a 102 D 3 in Las Vegas about a year ago. It is still a work in slow progress. I would like to hear what you are going to do with yours. Great coach good luck Les | ||
| Roderick W. Chandler (Rod)
Registered Member Username: Rod Post Number: 55 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 173.184.52.227 Rating: N/A |
Les I am now to the ripping out the floor stage. Got one short piece of chair rail out on passenger side. Really a lot of dirt to clean up. Plan to do floor then raise roof 8 inches, Already ordered two sliders with screens that fit original frames. Will need more but it is a start. The other picture is clearer. Not sure why this one is blurry happened with resizing. Rod | ||
| les marston (Les_marston)
Registered Member Username: Les_marston Post Number: 144 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 68.151.225.213 Rating: N/A |
I know what you mean about it being dirty when you take out the old interior. Can I give you a piece of advice? Save the sheet metal from the roof and the curved pieces that make the round from the roof to the wall. If you are going to cut the window bars and weld in 8 inches of steel to raise the roof you will find these pieces of sheet metal invaluable when you go to re insulate and re sheet the inside of the coach. Also you will find that the vertical steel bars are on a weird center measure, If I remember about 58 inches, Take the time to put in extra vertical frame to make 48 inch centers. Makes re sheeting much easier. We elected to do the blown in styrofoam insulation. If you do make sure you have all of your electrical done first because it is very hard to do after but the foam is a nice way to go for insulation. We are only a few steps in front of you in our conversion. If I can give any advice so that you don't fall into the same situations I did, just ask Les P.S.. when you raise the roof are you keeping any of the original windows? consider raising them about 3 inches to accommodate the height of the back of a couch or chair The original windows can be replaced with the sliders later. Would love to compare notes as we go along L | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 694 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 64.40.216.30  Rating: N/A |
Rod, The reason for the blurry picture is you sized it larger than the picture you used. Try to use the original size and you will be happy. Good Luck and it was a pleasure to see your coach at TBR! I couldn't have kept a secret that long! | ||
| Roderick W. Chandler (Rod)
Registered Member Username: Rod Post Number: 56 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 173.184.52.227 Rating: N/A |
Les I plan to keep the windows the same in relation to the roof so they will be raised the same amount as the roof. The electrical wiring I plan to run in a chase in the ceiling AC on one side and DC on the other. I posted pictures in Photobucket but don't seem to be able to organize them. Three pages but can only organize on one page. Can't seem to move from one page to the other.http://s1137.photobucket.com/albums/n518/rwc2202/102D3/ | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1040 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.1.12  Rating: N/A |
Rod You must be nuts? Wow look at all that scrap metal,WOW Oh I forgot,BUS NUT LOL Good job keep er going. Gomer | ||
| les marston (Les_marston)
Registered Member Username: Les_marston Post Number: 147 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 68.151.225.213 Rating: N/A |
Hey Rod Thanks for sharing the pictures. I was going to raise the windows in relation to the 8 inch raise as well until someone suggested that I take a chair in that is about the hight of the furniture that I will eventually have in the coach, sit in it and see where the windows are in relation to line of sight while sitting.... you can't see out the windows. Also, as my wife just told me, raising the windows doesn't allow for cupboards above the windows. Do you plan to do a drop roof? It was something I had considered but decided against because I didn't want to give up any height at all. I am fair tall If you do any welding on the coach don't forget to unplug the computers Les | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 695 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 64.40.216.30 Rating: N/A |
Wow, you are moving right along! In PB, you can create different albums. Name them accordingly and have fun!  (Message edited by dreamscape on October 31, 2010) | ||
| Roderick W. Chandler (Rod)
Registered Member Username: Rod Post Number: 57 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 173.184.52.227 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the chair suggestion I will see what that looks like. I am Tall and was only going to drop ceiling to top of windows. I hate having to bend over to look out. No cabinets over windows that makes me fell closed in. I want an open airy look and feel. Cabinets in kitchen area, Bedroom and bathroom will have to do storage chores, | ||
| les marston (Les_marston)
Registered Member Username: Les_marston Post Number: 148 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 68.151.225.213 Rating: N/A |
Hey Rod I guess that is the beauty of building your own coach, you get to do it your way. Good on you! I look at the pictures of the pieces of the coach that you stripped out and recognize most of them. Wasn't the old lavatory a pain? Not so bad when you figure out the fiberglass around the base of the toilet in the engine compartment. Taking out the lavatory pan is also fun ain't it? Do you have a time line for when you will be finished? Please keep us up to date on your progress. Les | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1042 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.1.12 Rating: N/A |
Les and Rod; I always loved it when the lavatory had left over residue in it and the animals around tried to figure where that odor was coming from LOL Always an experience when working on a coach. wheww!!!! gomer | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 608 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 70.60.102.61  Rating: N/A |
Ah, the advantages of working on a "transit bus"! | ||
| Roderick W. Chandler (Rod)
Registered Member Username: Rod Post Number: 58 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 173.184.52.227 Rating: N/A |
Almost started a fire trying to get the bolts loose for the fiberglass cover. Tank was well cleaned before I started inspected with mirror on stick to make sure. The band around the drop shoot eluded me and I cut the rubber gasket at the top and pulled whole thing out the bottom. I kind of rolled the stall into a ball and shoved it out the window. No lavatory to worry about. Probably drilled out more rivets than needed but I wanted to be sure I did not need dynamite or C4. | ||
| les marston (Les_marston)
Registered Member Username: Les_marston Post Number: 152 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 68.151.225.213 Rating: N/A |
When I took the toilet out of our 102 I got mad and busted the fiberglass, then I noticed the rivets The only way that I could see to take out the shoot and tank was out the bottom. The walls were a breeze but the floor pan is really the challenge. I am hoping to get to finish reinstalling the hydronic furnace and kick plate heaters before it turns cold again. Lots to do Rod, I just hope I can keep up Les | ||
| Teresa (Happycamperbrat)
Registered Member Username: Happycamperbrat Post Number: 59 Registered: 5-2009 Posted From: 173.25.102.158 Rating: N/A |
haha!!! I love my RTS Nobodies poop to clean up!! | ||
| les marston (Les_marston)
Registered Member Username: Les_marston Post Number: 153 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 68.151.225.213 Rating: N/A |
Bruce & Teresa Ha-Ha We love our baggage compartments and drive trains that were designed for the long trips between places we want to go. Pulling out the toilet is a one time job, albeit not a pleasant one but as Rod pointed out it can be cleaned out before you have to have any contact with it. I guess that is why so many different kinds of coaches are on the road. Different strokes for different folks. Keep loving yours Les | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 617 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 70.60.102.61 Rating: N/A |
Les, just about every day I'm envious of bays! | ||
| Roderick W. Chandler (Rod)
Registered Member Username: Rod Post Number: 59 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 173.184.52.227 Rating: N/A |
Les when you pulled your floor what did you do with the black"stuff over the rear wheel wells? Some kind of sound abating material. I found water in area over tag so I have a leak some where. Was going to spray foam these areas but not sure what to do about sound abatement. Rod | ||
| les marston (Les_marston)
Registered Member Username: Les_marston Post Number: 155 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 68.151.225.213 Rating: N/A |
Hi Rod I didn't lift the whole floor in our coach, only the area in front of the extra side entrance door we had put in. I have a few guesses as to where the wet came from. First thing I would look at is the wheel wells. See if the water is spray from the tires getting blown up while driving. second place I would look is to see if the window seal may have failed and the water got down in this area from up top. How bad is the corrosion? does it look like it has been wet for a long time? Did the wood floor start to get soft from the wet? I found that the spray in insulation is a great sound barrier but it must be covered or at least painted. I would be tempted to clean out the area that is wet then paint the metal with a good anti rust paint, spray in the insulation, paint that then put in the new floor sheeting. It might be a good idea to use some heavy rubber cement between the new floor sheeting and the metal to give some ability to the floor to move a bit to allow for expansion and contraction. This also might eliminate any annoying squeak in the floor. Good luck and let me know how you make out with it Les | ||
| Roderick W. Chandler (Rod)
Registered Member Username: Rod Post Number: 60 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 173.184.52.227 Rating: N/A |
The metal appears to be aluminum and the only thing rusted is the screws. I plan to seal along the edges before I close this area back up. first gets good power wash. Too much grime for anything less. There is an about 1/8inch rubberish type material over the whole area looks kind of like heavy duty felt but harder than that and smooth. Also this very heavy sponge type material that must be similar to sound down then fiberglass over that. Fiberglass was dry water was under the sound down stuff. Been long time since I drove in rain on the way back from LasVegas in July. have had recent hard rains here so I suspect window seal. Rod | ||
| les marston (Les_marston)
Registered Member Username: Les_marston Post Number: 156 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 68.151.225.213 Rating: N/A |
I hope you have no trouble finding where the leak is coming from and sealing it. Something came to mind when you mentioned the heavy duty felt and sponge material. maybe it can be replaced with some sheet rubber, something like they use on conveyer belts. I have a piece of it that I have been using to make gaskets for years. It is about 3/16 thick, very strong and seems indestructible. The piece I have would not be big enough anymore for what you need but you maybe able to get some from a belt place. Size of the pieces is not critical because it glues together very well with Crazy glue. Just a suggestion Les P.S. My e-mail is les@lemarston.com send me pictures if you want |