Olde Skool update

[ezernut9mm]

looks much better. what kind of shape is the body in? did those old thomas or ward bus bodies have any common trouble spots? i'm just kinda interested in what all to look for in stuff like that.

[gmcjimmy88]

Looks like a new bus. Are you sure it isnt a different one? Looking really good man.

[kaptnkaos]

The sheet metal is really sound...

Besides replacing the hood and the head light doors, I can only find two 10" x 10" square flat pieces of sheet metal that go in between the rear bumper and the rear quarter panel that need to be replaced ... a very easy fix

It runs great, but has some electrical issues.

I replaced the main light switch and dimmer switch yesterday, I now have headlights and instrument lights and most of the running lights... the rest I think are just bad bulbs. I still have no tail lights or turn signals and some of the accessories aren't working.
I am trying to hunt down a wiring diagram for it...
If anyone knows where I might find one... Please let me know

KaptnKAOS

[XLT]

Amazing what a little soap can do.

[jzjames]

Classic. Id make a cool camper out of it.

[layedout72]

definitely needs to be layed out

[kaptnkaos]

This Olde Skool Shorty is definately gonna be a pimped out camper... with old skool flair.. Olde Skool as in the middle ages... her interior is going to have a Celtic medieval theme. My plans for the inside will be like stepping back in time into a medieval Irish castle. Everything modern will be disguised yet functional.
Some of the things already designed...
A draw bridge bed that will fold up into the side wall when not in use. All of the hardware will be made of wrought iron by a blacksmith friend of mine that specializes in making medieval hardware.
The throne... will look like an actual medieval throne... the seat itself will lift off to expose the porta potty. There will be a drawn style privacy curtain enclosure.
All the side windows will be made to look like stained glass (a couple of the windows will need to be removed to install a 3 way fridge and propane stove vents)
The back wall will look like a rock wall with a wooden gate. The wall will be made using faux rock. It will have a wooden mantle above the wall where my viking thrusting spear, longbow, a couple of swords will be displayed... I have some great friends that will help me create and install everything...
Currently... she is going to be a mobile workshop for awhile.
I moved my shop compressor into the bus this weekend and will be doing some parts cleaning, sandblasting and painting for my other project... my '68 F-250.
Living in Washngton state, I haven't been able to work on the F-250 all winter due to the weather and not having a place where I could work.
At least now I can get all the parts ready for installation when the weather gets nice again...

KaptnKAOS

[wt4speed#2]

That's areally cool ride , sounds like a neat plan as well.

[Heavenlyfire]

I had a buddy in Kansas that had one and turned it into a nice little camper. Sounds like you have a good start on it.

[RebelRider]

Can't wait to see this project unfold! Sounds good!

Wish I had a suit of armor to donate!

[kaptnkaos]

Yesterday, I made some astonishing discoveries on Olde Skool...

I came to realize... that she was never actually a school bus...
What that means is that there isn't four big holes in the sheet metal that I'm gonna have to patch ... and it also means several less electrical circuits to try to figure out ... Yes !!!

I found out that the bus choke cable is a foot longer than the one that came off of the '72 bump.. dang!!! I says to myself... I got the one from the bus off and got it staightened out enough to pull the center out... It was stuck real good... actually pulled the handle off getting it out. I took some steel wool and cleaned the wire real good and coated it with some white grease and stuck it back in the housing... now, it works like a champ.

I have been utterly amazed by some of the things I have found...

As I was crawling around on the floor fixing the choke cable, I noticed this red wire coming through to the inside of the fire wall... I traced it down... one end was bare and attached to nothing inside ... the other end was connected to a heavy black wire going to the front left turn signal... I assumed that maybe someone had tried to patch in a hot wire to make the turn signal work... after disconnecting the wire I used a jumper and tester to check to see if there was power... the wire was dead... ah ... but when I touched it with tester (attached to the positive battery post)... my test light came on... someone cut into the wire and ran a red wire to the ground wire and ran it inside the bus and attached it to nothing... wuuuzzzupppwitdat?? I switched leads and ran the jumper to the positive and connected the tester to ground and ... you guessed it, the turn signal light came on. ... Now, I'm gonna get some shrink tubing and fix that right... Then, I'm gonna start looking for other ghost wires and remove them as well.

Now for the treasure map adventure...

I have been searching the country high and low for a wiring diagram for this bus... it has been like the quest for the Holy Grail...
As I was cleaning up the bus, I actually found the plastic printed wiring diagram in a few pieces... like a puzzle... I brought it in the house and cleaned it up and matched all the pieces... there is a little over 3/4's of the diagram there... but alas... it was like finding all the pieces to a treasure map... except the one missing piece that has the big red X on it... the pieces I have lists all the wire colors and how the harness runs... it does not tell me which color wire goes to which circuit... that's the piece that's missing... X marks the spot... arrggg

I did manage to make some 8 foot ramps so I could roll things in and out of Shorty... I nearly gave myself a double hernia trying to get my 30 gal/6 HP air compressor inside without help... I know there has to be some multiplication factors goin' on here... I have no problem picking the thing up and tossing it in my Caravan...
hmm let's see ... the door is only 3 feet higher from the ground.. yep I can do this... nope ... dang... I should thought about using the steps before trying to pick it up... good thing I'm not thinking about havin' any more kids...
Shorty's asleep now... so I better catch some shut eye before I hear her beconing cry....