1947 Flxible RV restoration (1 Viewer)

TheBig1

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I wish It was as easy as using a cheap site transformer Lee!!!

Not the same thing but just the pure sine wave inverter for the bus was $2,000:Doh:
nothing seems cheap when youre doing a job properly. remember that what youre doing is akin to building a luxury yacht and quality outlasts budget everytime
 
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kex66

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The guys who are fitting out my Flxible normally build interiors in Prevost shells. So they have decided to fit the latest Prevost ceiling board in my little old bus


I genuinely hope I can see this through without having to sell before it's completed. Can't wait to see the end result:shout:

There you go terry, not a piece of wood grain in sight::bigsmile: Seriously, thanks for the advice terry, much better finish!!!!!!!!!:thumb:

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lee52

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The guys who are fitting out my Flxible normally build interiors in Prevost shells. So they have decided to fit the latest Prevost ceiling board in my little old bus


I genuinely hope I can see this through without having to sell before it's completed. Can't wait to see the end result:shout:

There you go terry, not a piece of wood grain in sight::bigsmile: Seriously, thanks for the advice terry, much better finish!!!!!!!!!:thumb:
Really like the finish on the ceilling :thumb::thumb:
 

lee52

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ive not done much with my ole girl over xmas but since seeing your thread its got my backside into gear and work has started again
 

Terry

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The guys who are fitting out my Flxible normally build interiors in Prevost shells. So they have decided to fit the latest Prevost ceiling board in my little old bus


I genuinely hope I can see this through without having to sell before it's completed. Can't wait to see the end result:shout:

There you go terry, not a piece of wood grain in sight::bigsmile: Seriously, thanks for the advice terry, much better finish!!!!!!!!!:thumb:

Looking better already :Smile:
IF you do end up having to sell her then selling over there will get a lot more than over here :winky: so leave fitting / buy fridges etc, until the last that way American Jobie can be done instead of the Brit spec ones you said.:winky: hope you manage to see it to the end :thumb: but I know money can soon disappear especially when you have to pay for someone to do the work
terry
 

wivvy's dad

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Here's a leftfield idea........

If your finances end up in the doo-doo, why don't us Funsters offer to chip in, say £100, which you can repay over a certain period of time. I'm unsure of the legal ramifications, but I bet there's quite a few on here who would happily dip into their [STRIKE]wife's piggy bank[/STRIKE] pockets and donate/lend a ton or two for such a worthwhile project.

I'm happy to say that I would willingly donate £100 to see this project finished.

How does everone else feel about this suggestion...??
 
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kex66

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Some more advice needed from you good people:Smile:

Have a look at the email below from the restorer in California and let me have your thoughts:thumb:

Hello Kerry,

I want to share some thoughts and concerns that I have over the bathroom floor height. At this point, we have lowered the shower floor height to match the aisle height so that there is adequate head room in the shower. The balance of the bathroom floor height is at the default side floor height which is 7 inches above the aisle height…. And yields a centered height (floor to ceiling in the center from outside wall to inside wall) of 66”…. Not very high. I mention this because this creates a stepping exercise. You have to step up 7 inches into the bathroom area… turn left and go past the toilet… then step down 7 inches into the shower.

The reason we cannot have all of the bathroom floor at the same height is that one of the two fuel tanks is under this area. Each tank has a volume of approximately 38 gallons, for a total of 76 gallons. The only way to get all of the bathroom floor at the same height is to remove one fuel tank.

As with all of these custom projects, there are trade-offs. The decision for you to make is do you want fuel range or more normal bathroom floor height. We are at the stage where making this modification will involve a minimum effort. Please let me know.

Thanks

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Mel

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Is that US gallons?
If its US thats 140 lts per tank
That does not seem a lot on this size vehicle.
I would keep the two tanks
After all your not in the bathroom all day
But thats just my oppinion.
Bye the way it looks great.

Mel
 
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kex66

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Is that US gallons?
If its US thats 140 lts per tank
That does not seem a lot on this size vehicle.
I would keep the two tanks
After all your not in the bathroom all day
But thats just my oppinion.
Bye the way it looks great.

Mel

Thanks Mel, yes it's US gallons. The vehicle should do about 10 miles to the gallon:cry:
 

TheBig1

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Relocate the tank is the simple answer. done now shouldnt cost too much

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Mel

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Hi Kerry

Just had a rethink
That still gives you 350 mls on a tank
As you would want to stop for a break after that distance maybe one tank is enough.
And you dont drag 140kg around for nothing.
I realy dont know which way I would go.

Best of luck with your choice.

Mel
 
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kex66

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I've emailed the restorer to see if the second tank can be cut down (not sure how much work that is). There is no room whatsoever to relocate.

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pappajohn

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Hi Kerry,

you must remember a 38 us gallon tank (31.6 uk gallons) will still give a range of approx 310 miles.

OK, if the tank cant be repositioned then it means more frequent fuel stops but just how far do you plan on travelling in one day ?

its not like you plan on travelling in the northern territories of Australia..... theres no shortage of petrol stations in the UK and Europe.

i would suggest removal (and possible repositioning) of the offending tank and have a level floor in the bathroom.
 
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kex66

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Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated.

The restorer has been back under the bus and with a lot of re-work can get a 24 gallon custom built tank to fit somewhere??

So we will have a lowered floor and a slightly reduced fuel capacity.

I didn't realise it was US gallons and was about to email the restorer to tell him to just remove the second tank:Blush:

Once again thanks for the advice:thumb:
 

Terry

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Hi kerry, have I missed the layout drawings ? Just seems to me that you have a layout that's got too many comprising situation's on what you said you wanted/liked:Smile: last time your island bed went and now a fuel tank:Doh: I find myself questioning your intended layout :Smile: don't know if I have it right but if I have you have /had a empty box of 24ft ish long 7 ft 6 ins wide not sure on hight but realised you have a centre step ::bigsmile:Again the emergency door is / was the only thing you couldn't move ? Or ?
I Just have the feeling that you have it wrong either by constraints that I know nothing about or by what the converter suggests rather what you wanted:Eeek: only my thoughts:winky:
terry

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kex66

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Hi kerry, have I missed the layout drawings ? Just seems to me that you have a layout that's got too many comprising situation's on what you said you wanted/liked:Smile: last time your island bed went and now a fuel tank:Doh: I find myself questioning your intended layout :Smile: don't know if I have it right but if I have you have /had a empty box of 24ft ish long 7 ft 6 ins wide not sure on hight but realised you have a centre step ::bigsmile:Again the emergency door is / was the only thing you couldn't move ? Or ?
I Just have the feeling that you have it wrong either by constraints that I know nothing about or by what the converter suggests rather what you wanted:Eeek: only my thoughts:winky:
terry

Hi terry. No layout drawings due to time constraints (the restoration shop is closing down and only staying open now to finish my bus). I have discussed everything with the shop though and agreed the layout.

Problems with taking a vintage bus and changing the use to an RV are huge. Window position, chassis rail position, space under the vehicle etc, etc etc..............the list goes on and on.

Later versions of the this bus had 3 main changes made that makes them a lot easier to convert - Extra length, Extra internal height and greater clearance under the vehicle for storage lockers.

As I started this project a couple of guys in the USA emailed me to say that converting a pre '50's Clipper would be an absolute nightmare due to the points above..........how right they were!!!!

I was sure about two things here, I wanted as many of the windows left in place and I didn't want any of the partition walls to encroach any of the windows that are left. This means that moving one wall for an island bed throws everything else out and potentially loosing a few more windows.

I've attached a couple of images to show what I didn't want to happen. The first shown a conversion where nearly all of the windows are gone.

The second shows a conversion that is ongoing at the moment and costing 5 times what mine is costing. Here you can see where walls are positioned over windows, just doesn't look right to me but a fantastic build all the same.

Hopefully you'll at least like the ceiling::bigsmile: not a piece of wood in sight:ROFLMAO:
 

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Sep 3, 2013
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It seems like a restoration of compromise between looks and layout.

Can't be easy and you've a difficult job to get most of what you want without destroying the aesthetics of a vintage bus. But it looks like you're really getting there. :thumb:

I agree the second picture looks most odd. And it makes me look forward to seeing your finished bus even more.

Have you planned the route home yet? Can't be that far away now?
 

Terry

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Hi Kerry yep I like what you have done with ceiling :thumb:::bigsmile: The rest is debatable in that perhaps a European type inside may have proven a more/better use of the space ::bigsmile: rather than a yank masses of wasted space ::bigsmile:---I am liking whats been done so far :thumb: just wondered on the layout :winky:
terry

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kex66

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Hi Kerry yep I like what you have done with ceiling :thumb:::bigsmile: The rest is debatable in that perhaps a European type inside may have proven a more/better use of the space ::bigsmile: rather than a yank masses of wasted space ::bigsmile:---I am liking whats been done so far :thumb: just wondered on the layout :winky:
terry

Without your input terry and many more like you I wouldn't have anywhere near the finish I have now so a big thank you to everyone:thumb:
 
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kex66

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It seems like a restoration of compromise between looks and layout.

Can't be easy and you've a difficult job to get most of what you want without destroying the aesthetics of a vintage bus. But it looks like you're really getting there. :thumb:

I agree the second picture looks most odd. And it makes me look forward to seeing your finished bus even more.

Have you planned the route home yet? Can't be that far away now?

No plans yet. Not even sure if I can ship from the West Coast or not
 

Terry

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Without your input terry and many more like you I wouldn't have anywhere near the finish I have now so a big thank you to everyone:thumb:

Only me jumping the gun ::bigsmile:
terry

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kex66

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For those who are interested, the ceiling board used on this bus is a product called Kemlite Glasbord (sound barrier). Class A embossed in silver (66). Made by Sika and available through their distributors in the UK.
 
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kex66

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Update on the fuel tank situation:

Hello Kerry,

After letting this situation roll around in my brain all weekend…. I came up with a solution that solves the problem and preserves your fuel tank and range.

We are going to modify the mounting of the tank…. It will hang down 6 inches…. And that will give us our proper bathroom floor height and still gives you two fuel tanks. We are building a substantial frame around the tank to protect it… how’s that for a win-win?

Bl**dy marvellousLink Removed
 

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