Finally...after all of this time...the day came to actually start building some real structure into this bus. I know we already have the pocket doors in, but starting the closet feels much more momentous. Also, I’ve decided not to call it the closet. I want to call
Building the Pocket Doors
In last week’s video and post, we shared with you part of our design plans for our two pocket doors that will be for either side of the walk-through bathroom. After finalizing the plan, we got to work building the doors.
We started with a sheet of ¾” birch plywood
Planning for Pocket Doors - A Peek Inside our Thought Process
Although the demo process of the previous conversion was long, arduous, and mostly gross, the fact that we bought a bus that was already converted did give us one big advantage. We were able to really get a feel for what would work and what wouldn’t work for our
Wiring for Overhead Lights
We finished the first part of the insulation (Ceratex) and the furring strips. Before we could move onto the rest of the insulation (Roxul) or putting up any structure, we had to get the wiring in place for all of the overhead lighting.
When we last shared our progress with
Framing the Windows
After we finished installing furring strips on the ceiling, we finished cutting and installing the furring strips on the lower part of the bus under the windows. Again, we made the 1/4" plywood pieces 6" wide, attaching them to the ribs. The extra width will allow us to tuck
Installing CeraTex and Furring Strips
After finally deciding on a plan for insulation, we got to work. We were ready to start with the first layer of insulation, Ceratex. This ⅛” ceramic fiber paper insulation is extremely easy to work with. Since the giant roll of the Ceratex comes on a cardboard tube (like a huge
Should We Add More Insulation? - Testing EHP vs Ceratex
A year and a half ago, we still were figuring out the complete scope of this renovation. We originally thought that we would leave the original bus ceiling with its insulation and simply clad over the top of that as the previous owner had done (we had already ripped out
Installing a Window A/C Unit (but not in a window)
Climate control is one of the biggest issues in building a comfortable living space. While there is only so much you can do when you’re living in a metal tube, we are going to do what we can to maximize the comfort level inside. The most important factor in
Interior Layout Plans
We are so excited to finally get back to work inside the bus. This time, however, we are actually building it back up instead of tearing it all down. In today’s video, we share our plans for the interior layout. The goal is to make it as functional as
Replacing the Windshield and Locking Strip Gasket
We have needed to replace the windshield and rubber gasket on the bus since we bought it. We put it off for a long time for a few reasons. First, we had to wait for the rubber gasket to be remanufactured. Luke at US Coach was able to find a
Replacing Side Windows on a Vintage Bus
We are so, so close to sharing what we are starting on the inside of the bus. Before we were able to finally get started in there, we had two last projects outside we had to wrap up. Windows! This week we are talking about side windows; next week we
Installing Stainless Steel Bay Door Hinges
When we first bought the bus, we noticed that several of the rubber hinges on the bay doors were cracked and needed to be replaced. It was one of those projects that just wasn’t high on our priority list, however. We knew we would do it at some point
Security & Driving Cameras - Part 2: Mounting and Wiring the Cameras & Initial Performance
After deciding to use the Lorex security cameras on the bus as both security and driving cameras and spending some time testing them out and deciding where to position them, the time came to mount and wire the cameras on the bus.
We decided to have five cameras outside the