Stripping the Interior [cont'd]

Below the windows you'll find upholstered panels. These panels will be removed and will expose another aluminum panel that is riveted to the bus framework. My recommendation and MCI position is to leave these panels in and put your plywood wall cover on top of them. They are a structural part of the bus, to a degree. I have never heard of anyone having a structural body failure due to the removal of these panels, but I don't want to be the one blamed if it ever does happen.

When you get to the windows, you need to decide if you're going to keep in the factory windows or re-skin the entire side of the coach and cut in RV windows where you want them. My vote is to remove all the side windows and re-skin over them with aluminum. By doing this, I don't have to design my bus around the existing windows and I have much more flexibility. More on this in another chapter. If you elect to keep the bus windows in, you can remove the channel lock system, and screw them in place using sheet metal screws going through the track area and into the side of the coach. The screws will never be seen and yet you'll still be able to seal the window or remove it should it become necessary. A big problem with keeping the bus windows is that they may not all slide open and replacement sliders for some models are expensive. Another problem is that the bus windows do not have screens and it's difficult to make screens for them. Locking them may also be a concern.

Getting down to the floor level, you encounter the air conditioning and heating ductwork. l would remove the bus air conditioning and heating ductwork along each side. This can be done with an electric screw gun and will come out quickly. Again, save your scrap metal to recycle.

Some people elect to keep the bus air conditioning system in place and use it going down the road. I don't like this for several reasons. One is that I don't believe in designing a bus conversion around a bus air conditioning system (the duct work, etc.) Second, it's expensive to maintain the bus air conditioning since replacement parts are costly, as well as the cost of recharging the system if needed. Third, the bus air conditioning works only when the bus is moving down the road being powered by the main engine, which means you still need another system to use while you're parked and camping. It just doesn't make sense to me to maintain two systems. (I know some of you will disagree with me on this issue, but that's OK. That's why people do bus conversions to begin with--to have their own way.) Before you decide to keep it, check to see what Freon costs as well as the charging and maintaining of the system. Some of the older coaches used Freon 12, which is no longer available or extremely expensive when you do find it. It's not uncommon to spend a $1,000 to check and charge a bus A/C system. Roof airs cost about $500 apiece and can work while you're parked and while you're moving down the road and are easy to replace or repair.

I do believe in over-the-road driver's air conditioning. You can purchase a unit at most auto stores or mail order through JC Witney catalog. You will have to extend the Freon line from the rear to the front, but the rest of the system will fit into the dash OK.

Once the ducting is removed, all that's left is the passenger modesty panel and the driver's rail. They normally just unbolt from the floor and wall.

If you did elect to remove the bus air conditioning system, you'll want to remove the components underneath the bus as well. They are the condenser, evaporator and compressor and related components. By removing them, you gain more room in the belly of the bus for your generator or whatever you wish to place in that area. The compressor is located in the engine compartment and may be replaced with a 12-volt generator or whatever else you might want to drive off a fan belt. Some people relocate their bus batteries to this area, and put the house batteries where the bus batteries used to be. I don't know if this is a great idea because of the heat your batteries will be exposed to in the engine compartment.

The evaporator and condenser should be removed as well. When doing so, I recommend that the main bus heater core be removed as well. When removing the heater core, leave the water lines going to the front driver's area heater and defroster. Also, T into the heater water lines from the main heater inside the coach in the living area, where you can build in another heater core inside the coach and place a 12-volt fan behind it to provide bus heat in the main coach area while driving down the road. You may want to put an additional heater core in the bathroom and/or the bedroom area.

Most of the parts you remove from below the bus are heavy and contain a lot of copper. Again, recycle and maybe get a few dollars for your efforts. You might want to talk to a local bus dealer to see if he wants to remove these items for you at no cost in exchange for keeping the used parts. Again, this all depends on how old your bus is and if someone is operating similar buses.

My recommendation is to ask the bus company or dealer you buy it from if they will strip it for you. Some charge from $500 to $1,500 for the work, but it is well worth it. By paying them you don't have to get mentally or physically burned out and bruise your hands on the dirty part of a bus conversion. They know exactly what to remove and what to leave in, and they can get rid of all the parts and scrap that come out of your bus. My vote is to pay them, get it done and over with so can get on with the fun part of putting things into the coach instead of removing them. Either way you go, be careful and have fun doing it.

Once you have all the parts out, sweep the floor. You may want to put in a new plywood floor on top of the old one. If you have the headroom, 3/4 tug and grove is best. You can glue it as well as screw it down. Use the right size screws so they go down through both layers of plywood and show up in the roof of your underbays.
Once you have your plywood down, you have one more crucial step to do (some of you will have to do the next step first). Get your partner, tape out your floorplan on the floor, bring in two chairs and two drinks, sit down, relax and dream.

If you still are determined to strip the bus interior yourself - the first time you hit your finger, cut your 2hand or otherwise abuse your body, remember, I told you to have someone else do that part!