Cockpit Removal and Upgrade

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Deb went off for the day and it gave me some time to look around a little:o

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The forward crusair evap and blower behind the pass. seat . It is going to be moved 1 foot rear. If that thing ever needed to come out of there for any reason Hickox built this conversion so that it could be accessed. Everything I have removed to now took a couple hours. Replacement would be slightly quicker.
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Out with the old. This bulkhead and door and closets and drawers that divided the cockpit from the rest of the bus will be history very soon. Thru that door is the cockpit, no good no good Mr. bus driver.
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Sawdust and Alek and Lucia have volunteered there help and expertise

More to come:eek:

[Darrell and Linda]

Joe, After you remove that bulk head and open it up, it will make a big, big difference. Great project...... It will be all worth it.

lol... My wife was looking over my shoulder.........
She said; Is that the guy with the dirty arms. I said, Yeah..... That's Joe
She said; His wife leaves to town for the day and he takes on the project, I said, Yeah.... That's Joe

I just laugh......... They just don't understand do they

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Darrell that was tongue in cheek she knows what is going on.

Her ISRI seat is being replaced with a swivel recliner. The step well cover that now comes out from under her seat and goes forward will be moved to slide toward the door like most others.
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My ISRI seat will be reupholstered to match her recliner. We are going to build the two cabinets most have behind the seats in the cockpit. I am going to duplicate this size and style cabinets behind the seats, just like below. The tops will be Cherry to match what is around the windows and the carcases will be laminated to match what is already all about the bus.
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A pergo floor. A new ceiling, ultra suede. Upgraded ceiling lighting. New front room furniture. The dash is being reupholstered. New tile up the stairs and lower dash. I will add a second house control panel above the driver where I can control things while driving and put a LCD TV up there as well.

We have a bunk up above the driver that we have decided to keep. The exposed part will be redone in ultra suede to match the rest of the ceiling.
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With it down there is more than enough head room to drive and it has a great mattress and it is strong, very well engineered and built. When down it stops right at the top of the windows.
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More to come:eek:

[dreamchasers]

Joe,

What a project!!

If I lived local to you, I would gladly offer two hands for the great learning experience.

As part of your project, I see you are going to re-upholstery you dash. Mine needs that treatment as well. The plan I see is for me is to disassemble the dash, remove the existing upholstery, then have it remade by a upholstery shop using mine as a pattern. I will then re install the upholstery.

What is your plan for the dash??

My ISRI seat and Flexsteel passenger seat could offer a fresher look with new upholstery also . Are you getting your new upholstery from ISRI (an ISRI upholstery kit?) or from a local upholstery shop?

I am planning for next winter's project.


Hector

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Ed you are a riot, keep that stuff coming!

Hector we knew we would do this when we bought our bus, it being a VIP charter floor plan as originally converted.

This is about 10 different upgrades combined. Our camper has been a work in progress since we bought it and it looks like things wont be changing much anytime soon:o

My recent flurry started with inspiration I got from viewing that Silver 85 for sale on prevost-stuff:rolleyes: I am convinced more that ever these vintage (mid-80's)conversions, done well, are a real bargin.

One potential benefit of the XL over the H is the opportunity to add the drivers seat into the front room picture, but only achieved if done correctly. On many that little finger of the table behind the seat that comes forward along side the seat, prohibits that. I want to have that drivers seat both just as comfortable and appropriate as a living room recliner as it is a drivers seat now. I have an idea. It will be unique. Time will tell.

More to come:eek:

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Joe,

Maybe I am missing something, but I think our coaches are a compromise. It would be nice to make the driver's and passenger seats part of the living room (salon, excuse me) but not at the expense of giving up my side cabinet.

Besides being a place to place a drink and a sandwich, it is where my CB is mounted, the drawer has my sunglasses and stuff I refer to while driving such as maps and my little handheld device that tells me how far to the next rest area or state line or truck stop.

Removing that I would have to create some other way to keep those features or things I use close at hand and it can't be in front of me, and probably not in the limited space to my left.

If I did remove my side cabinet, I would definitely want the shift lever for my 10 speed Road Ranger put in its place.

[tdelorme]

I can see it now:)

Cannarozzi Conversions

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Ted I like Eds idea better.:rolleyes: He could be my marketing guy if he wanted to.

Jon I have considered that and I have a solution. Each and every one of the items you listed. Vital.;) I need to refine it some before more details are released:D

It looks like there is going to be a significant amount of the radiused edged laminated 3/4 plywood removed that all the cabinets and closets are constructed out of. I have enough to build upper drawers, forward bay, 3 across the top both sides.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

EDDIE come on, you can do better than that.:(

POG what a place.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Here is what is left of the potty room behind the drivers seat
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You can see the water supply on the left, the drain complete with trap and clean out and the 12 volt solenoid. The macerator toilet that was in there was using a starter motor, hence that solenoid.
4222

The beveled mirror strips all came off, none broken:)
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[Joe Cannarozzi]

I drew out a few things in pencil and then fashioned a jig for a router.

I wanted to try and save some things so the interior design would retain the flow as originally designed. This wall I am routering through is a full 1inch thick and it is laminated on both sides. I wanted a clean cut no chips either side and without burning the laminate.

My newest best friend Sawdust coached me, Thanks Eddie.

4225

I plowed out a cavity on the top and down the side for rope lighting behind smoked glass to match what is between the windows on the rest of the bus. It will be enclosed with laminated bull nose I have removed and will recycle.
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Starting to look like something. That little potty room is definatly GONE.
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This leading edge I have exposed will be laminated with a match to the existing.
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[Joe Cannarozzi]

Here is the simple jig needed for that forward wall. I started at the ceiling and followed the face of the cabinet to where I am pointing.

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Then I followed the radius I mounted.
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A trick is to make many multiple passes it keeps the bit from heating up and melting the edge of the laminate. It took 6 passes for me to plow through that 1 inch wall.
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[phorner]

Lookin' real good, Joe...... you must have been itchin' to do that for quite some time!

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Very Nice Joe.

How did you keep the large piece you were removing from breaking off and ruining the job before the final cut to the end???

JIM

[hobobimmer]

WOW, Joe! Looks like you are having lots of fun. I am impressed with your skills even more now. Keep the great pictures coming.

Deb

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Jim I clamped them.

This is another one of those jobs either it will kill me or make me stronger, hundreds and hundreds of hours.

Paul it took the 3 years we have had it to figure out really what we wanted to do but yes now it is time.

[dalej]

Looking great Joe, thanks for taking time to keep us posted and taking photos.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

We by chance noticed how well that vac fit in that spot so that is what the lowest cabinet will hold the vac:) It will be curved cabinet doors. As I was pondering things today it occurred to me I have all the elements in place right here for a water feature, Debbie wouldn't buy it:mad:
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The next tier will house a drawer and the top will be simply a shelf
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These tops are temporary templates they can and will be tweeked numerous times.
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The tops will overhang enough to put rope lights on the underside
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You will not see this kind of thing anywhere else in the industry:eek:
4245

I am going to have to brake down and spend the first cash on this project. Curved wood pieces.

[Darrell and Linda]

Joe, Thanks, your picture posts are more valuable that you know it. Its very much appreciated.

[lewpopp]

Hey Joe, you have the MLWD with the rope lights. That stands for "Mad Liberty Whorehouse Disease".

[phorner]

Hey Joe, if ya like the lights go with them!!

I guess us Liberty owners like them 'cause we've never seen the inside of a whorehouse.......never needed to !:eek:! :D

[Petervs]

Gee, cabinets with panel thickness exceeding 1.5 inches, any wonder these coaches are heavy? Might be a little more wood than you really need there.

Hey Joe, how about backing up and explaining what kind of coach you started with, you know, the rest of the story? I do like seeing your project progress.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Peter it is ours a 40ft Hickox, 86 XL. It was originally converted as a VIP charter floor plan. We are opening things up a little.

There are thicker walls in this bus. Combine the bathroom lower cabinet, the wall dividing the bathroom and the kitchen, and the lower kitchen cabinet on the other side of the wall, all 3 constructed of 3/4 in ply. 2&3/8 thick! ( side note: all 6 sides completely laminated regardless of the fact it is buried!

When we first got it I went down in there with a forstner bit to enlarge an existing mechanical chase.

Iy yi yi.

Here is today's progress. All the tops are still in the process of being tweaked but they are getting close.
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I wanted the drivers seat to be as comfortable and natural in the front room as it is a drivers seat. This is one option and it works well.
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[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Joe, I think they laminate on all 6 to keep warpage down. Do the same on your shelves!

JIM

[lewpopp]

Joe,

I did away with the shelf that swings forward where you put your feet over. The thickness of the wood didn't allow much storage except for a flashlight or so. I made a swingout piece that sits on the dash and swivels out for my drinks and lunch. Works great. It also opens up the entrance area that always seems conjested.

I think without the forward swing you could use the large cabinet for a place to eat when you have friends. Can you swing the front seat 180 degrees with the forward cabinet?

Now for a question. How dificult is it to pull the instrument panel off the the upholdsterd part. I want to recover that and really don't need too large a can of worms. Are ther a few bolts behing the dash panels? I should look myself, but I'd like a heads up for a problem.

[Darrell McCarley]

LEW...........When you replaced your entry steps, what did you use for the edge of the first step? I have the white rubber that I installed from Prevost but would rather have a polished stainless steel edge for the first step. I remember that you were looking around for this part several months ago. Do you know where I can purchase the stainless steel entry step edge?

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I transferred patterns of the tops to wood. I have used the 1 inch stuff that used to be the wall. I did 95% of the cutting on the table saw and 5% with a jigsaw. The final will be with a belt sander and a large medium file.

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We are going to laminate the tops with a wood veneer. I like burl, Debbie has not committed to anything yet:(
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[Alek&Lucia]

Joe,

Nice work !
You will have your bus ready by the Oysterfest Rally, right ?

Alek

[phorner]

That's really lookin' good, Joe. Quite a difference from the original setup!

[tdelorme]

Joe, your looking great. You are going to need this company just any day now.
http://www.pro-dec.com/

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I have to get some wiring into the picture now. I will plow out a grove at the underside front of the tops for rope lights and dummy up my wiring loom for this table. One switch for the shelf lights, one for the overhead, one for indirect and one for the infinity lights!

I would like to be able to turn one of those circuits on and off from 3 spots, the door the drivers panel and the house panel.

This is where we are leaning for a table behind the passenger seat. I think this is another piece I can duplicate. It will enclose a toe-kick heater and a crus-air evap and blower. Pass side front to back will be a swivel recliner up front a table similar to this and another swivel recliner.
4318.

[Alek&Lucia]

Joe,

Which supplier you will use for the rope lights on the underside cabinets ?

Alek

[Joe Cannarozzi]

My newest best friend Sawdust is donating about 40 ft of the rope lights. How about a round of applause.:)

Lew wanted to know how to remove an upholstered dash pad. 3 screws front bottom. 2 minutes

It was a mess under there.

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[lewpopp]

Joe, thanks for the info on the dash removal but I do believe my dash is more complicated than the one you pictured. Yes, it is a mess there but I have stepped back and have taken inventory of my patience and thought better of the project. I may just cover next to the entrance way where it is the worst.

[sawdust_128]

Joe,

Which supplier you will use for the rope lights on the underside cabinets ?

Alek


I'll get you a name and source. It will be about a week. I bailed out of Raleigh when they said bad words, "SNOW", "SLEET", "FREZING RAIN" and "IN THE TEENS"

When I made the decision, I thought Cape Hatteras National Seashore seemed safe. So here I sit. Very neat to be back on the banks in the winter.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

This is how everything was secured together so I reused it. The weight of the shelf is carried by the wall and these are just to hold it in place. This makes no fasteners visible and you can take everything apart when you want to.

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I started putting a drawer together. A lot going on. The drawer and full extension slides came from garage inventory. Yes the radius curves are made of the dreaded particle board. I also currently have a total of 45 bucks into this project now. I am going to reinforce and finish the inside of the curved fronts with thin sheets of plywood with grey fuz. They will become two nice little storage compartments of themselves. All in due time

4371

The drawer fit in there like it belonged, I was able to clear the plumbing I wanted to leave. I may cut an opening from the side and use that void next to the drawer as a magazine holder
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More to come.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I took some cut offs and pieces that were chipped to play around a little.
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I think I would like to eliminate the square corners where I can.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Joe, Free advice which will be worth every cent you pay for it.

That drawer head overhang on the front right is a heavy lever arm. There may be issues with that. Also, I did not see any way to secure the drawer closed. With a "drawer head" that heavy along with the contents that drawer can fly open with possible bad results.

Adding the curved pieces to eliminate inside corners has kind if a retro "South Beach" look to it, but the enemy of our coaches is weight. You have weight being added in spades.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

All good concerns

The drawer slides have built in latches and I added an additional one on the left side. It snaps shut, it is good. When it does it also slides up on a bump stop on the right side with the overhang just like our bay doors with the OTR a/c condenser hangs on. It didn't need it sitting still but bouncing down the road is another story. It is not overly heavy, it will be good to go the way I will finish it. Yes we will still have to watch storing real heavy things in the front BUT it is all useful space and I will finish it off.

Retro, I will take that as a compliment. It is an 86, the rest of it is a little retro. It is the hand I have been delt:)

Right now it is 30 or 40% lighter than the original design.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

This is the underside.

I freehanded the grove the ropelights will go in it will not be visible. I have become a little bolder with a router with all the recent practice. The pencil mark represents the edge of the drawer.

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[sawdust_128]

Joe:

You can hog out the back of the curved pieces on tha table saw. You can add an additional drawer slide on the far right side.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Ed how are the outer banks. Give the dog a piece of pepperoni.

Here is how the drawer fronts will be on the inside. The top I will finish off by laminating them in the same wood I do the table tops.
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All of this grey fuzzy stuff attached to 1/4 in ply. is just more recycled stuff right out of the bus.
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[sawdust_128]

Joe:

Banks are cold and blustery. Start warming up tomorrow. Everything is as usual. All the standard issues with the coach. One new one. I had not driven it in the rain. Opened up the storage bays and they were pretty well soaked. Tough trying to dry them out when the water is freezing.

Phone service is zero. Internet access is poor. Camp ground is empty. Power was out most of last night. We have the banks to ourselves. I like it.

We will take the ferry to Oakracoke and then onto Cedar Island. One side of the Banks is Currituck and Pamlico Sounds, the other is the Atlantic at Diamond Shoals "the graveyard of the Atlantic".

I always think that coming here in the dead of winter is going to the end of the Earth. We got some spectacular shots of the sunset today. Setting into the water of the sounds.

We will stay through the weeekend. I think we will actually see the arrival of spring here. In the maritime forest of the banks, the Carolina Bay grows wild and it is just starting to leak out. I will make sure I collect a good supply of the leaves for spicing the pasta sauce.

Maybe we should have a winter rally here. We could call it the Polar POG on the banks. No problem getting a site. I'm looking at about 400 vacancies.

I will try to post some pictures when I have a better connection.

Also, Toby the wonder dog says hey! He recovered nicely after his surgery. I think that by the time we left Florida he wasn't feeling well. Much better now.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I plowed out all the channels for the rope lights.

I decided to separate each shelf (lights) with end terminals I can unhook. I am using this black plastic wire loom protector where the lights should not be visible and where the pig-tales come off them. It looks ugly now but I left the tails long till I see just how much is really needed I'll trim them back.

Couple reasons. First if a bulb burns out I can easily replace only the string on that one shelf with the failure instead of having to pull the entire table and If anyone ever needs to get behind there for any reason you would be using wire cutters to get the table disassembled.


I have had this thing together and apart about 50 times now.:eek:
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I had to protect the harness on the left side from the opening and closing of the drawer. Having a solid 1 inch cabinet carcass makes things real easy to work with.:)
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I need to get the wood veneer and glue for the tops. Lucia is sewing up some welting for some of the seams and Ed is sending the rope lights. The project will be on hold for a while I am off to Tenn. for a week or so to do some work on an Angola XL. I will finish (I HOPE) this project when I get back.

I am still undecided as to how The edge of the shelves will be finished.

Choices: veneered with the same wood as the tops or blacked out. If I will bull-nose the top edge or not or install a small lip up or not:confused:

The floor of the enclosure will be done with the same tiger-wood we decided on for the living room and it will have a light on a switch off the door of the lower cabinet.

The wood veneer and glue will cost around 100 and I need to reimburse Lucia for supplies from Jo-Ann fabrics for the welting. Combine that with the 45 I have into the radiused cabinet fronts and I will have a whopping 200 bucks total into this project.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Today I fitted the lower front and door.

I have a air stapler but I chose to use tacks and a good bead of glue to everything on the backside. Many could easily not like that touch Debbie sure doesn't. I think it adds some visual interest and it cost nothing.

This is the first time I have been able to mock it together: cabinet, drawer, and tops, and get the seams all very close.
4404

The cabinet door at the floor swings on a piece of the piano hinge that the door I removed used.:rolleyes:
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Still playing around with designs, what do you think:confused::confused: Accept for the contrast of the wood veneer on the tops and some drawer pulls. Your looking at it. All the little design pieces here are all scraps removed or cut off.
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[garyde]

Joe, its looking great. You have my vote for convertor of the year.!

[phorner]

Joe, I think it looks great. The difference from the original is just amazing.

Sure looks like you're having fun!

But, doesn't it feel strange to do all this work and not have to reach for that spray bottle to check for air leaks :eek:

[Journeyone144]

Hi Joe and Debbie,
I'm so glad to see things like this happening for you..I know how great it is to see improvements to a coach..I lived every day to trying to make mine better.. My pack ratting always made it real necessary for me to find new hiding places..and like you Jon certain things had to be accessible..!!! even at the loss of a real desire..None of my driver chairs ever turned around conveniently...the way the makers said they would..especially not in that wee Coach House Class B. I lived in for 5 whole months on that 11K mile trip to Ca. in 06 when I had to drive to deal with the loss of My Son Bobby..
Good Luck with it all..Find a way ...
Hugs Always Viv..


[QUOTE=Joe Cannarozzi;43347]Ted I like Eds idea better.:rolleyes: He could be my marketing guy if he wanted to.

Jon I have considered that and I have a solution. Each and every one of the items you listed. Vital.;) I need to refine it some before more details are released:D

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Took out the remaining barrier between the cabin and the cockpit and rearranged the furniture to what it will be.

For the first time since we got this bus 3-06, it finally feels like a motor home.
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I am building another end table to fill this space and enclose the a/c and tow-kick heater.
4476

[phorner]

WOW!!..... that sure made quite a difference, Joe!

[Joe Cannarozzi]

When I pulled the bad blower motor from the dash I unbolted it from its housing and just removed the motor and squirrel cage. The new motor came with another housing. The new squirrel cage is bigger and it does not fit into the existing housing so if you have the old plastic type original blower housings like ours you have to pull that original blower housing as well.

Pulling that blower housing and reinstalling the new one was very difficult and took the better part of a day.

Take a peek.


New motor ass. with housing
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New squirrel cage sitting on the original housing. Will not go, that would have been much easier. At least now it is a standard style flange and dimension and can be had elsewhere.
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This attaches on top
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Here is its cubbyhole
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In place after giving everything a good scrub.
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[Joe Cannarozzi]

Very cold today the wind blows right off the lake out of the N/E all day. Our bus is pointed in exactly that direction.

Perfect.

I happened to be on my belly with my nose buried in the bottom of the dash doing that blower motor and I found and corrected 3 bad air leaks.


This is the cubbyhole for the blower closer to the driver. That large hose on the left upper corner is the duct for the fresh air exchanger for the dash. The seam between it and the front of the bus had broke open and cold air was BLASTING IN. I sealed off the intake and cold air continued to come in till I found that gap and stopped it. The damper door that you close, well supposedly close with that dash knob leaks like a screen door on a sub. The intake is on the upper lip of the opening after you put the front bumper down. I suggest a good sticky piece of duct tape here if you enjoy good a/c performance.:o
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These lines are the heat and a/c all prevo installed. Mounted pretty well. Your looking in the dash right at the door.
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Way down where they come through they cut a rectangular hole for the a/c lines and cold air was blasting up through there.
4492

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I have decided that instead of putting all the shut off valves for my air accessories in the steering bay I am going to dedicate part of the new additional control panel in the cockpit and use air toggle switches:)

This way as soon as I park I can shut everything off that I do not need for camping or storage.

All the air in the engine bay is currently piped off the rear brake tank and I will be switching that over to aux air and give it a toggle too. I have 3 solenoids and 3 slave cylinders back there. 1 for the engine stop 1 for the high idle and 1 for the Jake. 2 belt tension cylinders the related switch and regulator, all the plumbing for the shutters and the run going to the Schroeder valve, all potential air leaks KEY OFF

This is probably 1000 dollars worth of parts and a half a dozen potential air leaks. With a simple air toggle on the dash that I will shut off when I stop I do not have to go around replacing any of those components just because they are bubbling ever so slightly, like they so often do, dragging down the air pressure:)

I will also be able to shut off my automatic ISRI seats. Currently one of our dogs, Dakota, likes to jump in and out of it every 5 minutes and every time he does the damn thing airs up and then exhausts when he jumps down.

Another thing I am going to do is plumb plastic line out of the bottom of the air tanks and put the drain pet cocks somewhere frigin convenient.

I am also going to install 3 suspension air gauges.

My new 2nd control panel in the cockpit is quickly filling up.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

When you select suspension air gauges I suspect you will need to have a pressure range that is substantially higher than the pressure required to bring the coach up to ride height.

When you hit a sharp bump in the coach I suspect the air bags get a very high, very rapid increase in pressure.

Now here is the question........Since you are going to great pains to put in some cockpit located shut off valve arrangement so you don't have to chase leaks (kind of like taking an aspirin for a brain tumor, the pain goes away but the problem is still there), why do you want to addd more fittings and gauges to the already complex suspension system, or do you intend to add more shut off valves to the gauges? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

It will be Basic Jon I will have 1 short source from the steering bay up the A pillar where it will feed a manifold of switches. If something is leaking switch off it would almost shurly be the switch if the feed line is plumbed and secured correctly.

If leaks develop underway and when they become noticeable, a design with adequate and simple accessibility will rule that out quickly.

For me the critical ones the seats, the engine compartment, the wipers. Again very slight leaks are not uncommon for this stuff. Being able to shut down the engine compartment on our bus eliminates spending potentially bookoo bucks chasing leaks so minute your bus doesn't even notice it underway.

If I can kill these things after stopping,thus allowing me to hold air, it would afford us the ability to safely run these components for a significantly long long time and saving my wallet too. A five dollar air-toggle seems a pretty good alternative to belt tensioner for example. The air wipers are a lot and that electric upgrade is outrageous. Some may view this as a band-aid approach. Hm, maybe? I am not adding any more fittings than those who put the valves in the steering bay and they still contain that diagnostic advantage no matter where you put them. I am simply going to put them in a different spot and use a smaller neater air toggle in place of the ball valve and will utilize them in an additional manner.

We will see, I did more repairs on my air system yesterday. We have frost this morning so it got down last night and the bus was out., I know there is still 1 small small leak at the foot valve. I just went out to check and I Have 95 psi in all tanks including the aux.

I'm gaining on it.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

If all your pressures including aux are holding the same look for leaks between the tanks. Aux air can bleed to zero and the brake system pressures should hold, and the reverse is also true.

If your aux held to 95 overnight, forget the valves. You have a tight system and all you need to sort out is the brake system pressure and find out why the three systems track one another with pressure loss.

Right now your aux is better than mine.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

For shame Jon. Dalej agrees, he keeps telling me to pull the check valves.

I am going to replace or rebuild the foot valve first I am confident it is bubbling slightly. Possibly IMO maybe half of my remaining loss, maybe more.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

What's with the for shame? I agree with Dale 100% and in fact he told you about the balloon. At the time none of us knew your pressures.

Now that we know what pressures you are left with overnight, if the pedal is leaking a little, repairing that may elminate virtually all the leakage.

However it does not solve the problem of leakage between tanks which does need to be resolved.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I have a close friend that is the dispatcher for a large Chicago land charter, H3-45ers. Thirty or forty easy. He also drove there for a good bit before moving up to top liar:rolleyes: I digress

He has convinced me of this.

Says. NONE of the buses hold air overnight. In fact they all get started from the engine cause the door locks out with no air.

He also said the drivers are under strict orders not to kneel the bus down due to the frequent inability to get it back to ride height:eek: Imagine that. They have figured out dumping the tag thing but but that only helps some.

That air loss thing Just kills me. Many have the leans too. Un frigin believable.

I think it is safe to say we do a much much better job. Some of the standards that have been set around here. We are way safer:)

[Jon Wehrenberg]

And those H3 buses have a much simpler system than we have. If they can't or won't stop their buses from losing air in the systems overnight what shape is the rest of the coach in?

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Lets put this thread back on track.

A beautiful part of having many simultaneous projects going is no matter what the weather there is always something to do:o Today it rained.

I had to trim the one last of 4 walls I removed between the cockpit and the cabin. It was the only one of the 4 that I completely pulled from the bus.
4629

A router creates a significant amount of sawdust, every pass. After each pass go back in reverse and it will blow most of it clean.
4630

The spot to focus on is not the bit but where the side of the base meets the guide. If you keep it tight here you get a perfect edge!
4631

An amazing thing happens when you roll a router around a square corner of a guide rail. You get a beautiful radius.
4632

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Here it is re-installed.

It is structural in that it holds up this side of the bunk above the driver as well as caps off the end of that compartment. Second its backside creates one side of a duct for the cruse-air.
4634
4636
4637

The beveled mirror strips that were removed from the original conversion will be re-used here creating a duct to get the cold air to the ceiling from a cruse air unit that is mounted on the floor.

[gmcbuffalo]

Joe
Did you router the groove to then cut the board in two in the groove?
GregM

[Joe Cannarozzi]

No Greg I made multiple passes till I got all the way through. This was 1 in thick and I believe it took 5 passes to get all the way through. That keeps the bit cool and it did not melt or chip the edge of the laminate.

I also routed it instead of using a saw to get a perfect true edge that can then be laminated to match.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Here is a good start on this change. Our step used to slide forward towards the dash and put the front area on 3 different floor levels.

Now it is going to slide towards the door and it will make the entire floor flush as it should be.

I will be altering the treads and when I do I will post some better pictures for how I attempted to have simplicity of design and accessibility of all components under and behind.:)

4707
The plywood piece to the right is 3/4in and that will be attached with 4 screws and removable to service dash things ,when necessary

4708
Here is the step closed and the air cylinder will be positioned close to this.

4709
Treads and risers will be tile and left and right sides will be beveled mirror strips.

4710
This is all 3/4 in plywood too. I am fitting some aluminum rails for the step to slide on. The top of the step cover might be cork but I am not sure on that.

4711

I must confess I had to brake down and BUY materials. A 4 by 8 sheet of 3/4 in plywood, 15 bucks.

[lonesome george]

Thanks for posting the progress on your update adventure. Please keep'm coming, this is fun to follow.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I cut and mounted the steps and they came our real nice, very strong.
I started by laying the air cylinder on the center landing, buy the way this is how the XL comes from Prevo. It's the converter who adds another rise and brings the floor flush all the way to the dash to hide the step well mechanical stuff just like I am doing here.

4720

I then measured from the tip of the ram to the outer edge of the first step in. It was 32 inches and there is 4 treads so I will be ending up with treads that are 8 inches, originally they were 9&1/2 inches.

If a converter does not do this to the steps they have to cut a hole in the wall in back of the end of the cylinder and shove some of it thru into the steering bay and there is all kinds of things to deal with in the steering bay ceiling towards the rear.

I decided for all the work involved I would do it this way and gain almost 7 inches of floor space on the new top landing. I have decided to copy a 2000 Featherlight XL, sorry Jack:rolleyes:

I did not want to affect the rise at all just shorten the treads so I used the same method Mr Hickox did

4722
This is looking down behind the first false rise. It is both screwed and liquid nailed.

4725

I am recycling again these were shelves in a cabinet behind the passenger seat I removed hence the laminated surfaces. The treads and rises will be tile and the sides will be beveled mirror strips.
4724


The steps but up against the lower dash panel but they are not attatched to it so that panel can be pulled out like this when you need to replace a blower motor
4721

I guess I could put one of these rises on a piano hinge and make a glove box behind it.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I ran into a problem with the cylinder. Age and lack of use have dried out the packing. It all comes apart easy enough now hopefully the manufacturer is still in business. I tried using o-rings n place of the original seals seen laying along side in the photo, they did not work.

4726

[Joe Cannarozzi]

The top landing is sitting on 1 in angle I cut and mounted and it goes down the rear and to the back. The landing is screwed in from underneath with drywall screws thru holes I drilled in the angle. I used self taping sheet metal screws to attach the angle to the bus.
4727



The front is sitting on the top edge of the lower dash panel.
I also cut a dato in the top edge of the lower dash panel for the step to slide in eliminating another piece.
4728

The other side of the step needed a ledge to slide on and again the small square strips:o
4729

4730

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Joe, your cylinder seals are probably "quad rings" here is an example of them in the link.
Go on line for them or to your O ring supplier and tell them what you are doing.
Often these products are combined with products found at a bearing supplier.

http://www.marcorubber.com/quad_rings.htm

JIM

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Thanks Jim, I have found them though. Locally no less:)

www.auroraair.com

My Dave Mathews option also incorporates one of their cylinders and I will get some spares for that. Never know when you will get the opportunity to dump over the Chicago river:o

Here is another example of what moisture in the air can do. The inside bore has a rough spot in it and I'm sure it was caused by moisture. I took a brake cylinder hone and was able to clean it up, I hope, we will see. The cylinder comes to rest either all the way extended or closed the rough spot is slightly up the bore and will not affect it (an air leak), I hope.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Put a few pieces together behind the passenger seat.

I have been sidetracked a bunch. The plumbing bay, I waxed the entire bus, did anuall service on my batteries and I installed 8 of 10 radius rod bushings on the tag not to mention I have often been very lazy lately.

As before almost entirely from recycled stuff that I removed to begin with.

Who can guess where the table and leaf used to be used?

4871

4872

4873

4874

Excuse the dirty inside to the cabinet but it will clean up good. The whole bus for that matter. You can't stage everything:o
4875

[phorner]

Lookin' real good, Joe!

Sounds like you've been plenty busy....:D

[Journeyone144]

For the first time since we got this bus 3-06, it finally feels like a motor home.

Hello Joe,

I just had to tell you again what wonderful changes you're making to your coach...You are a gifted soul...and blessed with imagination to please the most severe critic...

Enjoy.......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hugs Always Viv...

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I have finally figured a simple solution to hiding the front cruisair without having to move it.

I am still working with recycled wood removed from the original conversion.

Sawdust is about a week out. Wait till he finds out we have 12 tops to laminate. He thinks we are doing 2 tables:eek: I am going to try to get the carcass for a nightstand constructed before he gets here. Maybe only 3 more tops there:rolleyes: All I gotta do is change his oil and filters:D

5026

5027

5028

5029

5030

[sawdust_128]

Hi Debbie; Cindy here, I see your rig's comin' right along. I think sawdust forget to tell Jo Joe he got his oil done by BillyBob and his brother BillyJoJoe here at the local flea market? He only had to do 2 countertops, one for each of them:D;):D I'll let you tell JoJoe all about it. Thanks. See ya in a week or so

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Now thats FUNNY ! :D

Joe, I think Sawdust got the best of you, at least this time? :confused: :)


Gary S.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

So Gary............. who is getting the best of what?

5077

5078

5079


She is watching like a hawk, and gacking loudly.
5080

Here is just some of the tops we (he) will complete, 14 total.
5081

[phorner]

Looks like lots of fun going on at Camp Cannarozzi :D

Can't wait to see the finished product..... keep us posted!

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Paul he comes up with this place we go to for the veneer right? The place is a treasure-trove of components for custom made cabinates. I try to give them a potential lead for a good coustomer.

They already have that customer, Liberty. That is 3 sources I (we) have now uncovered of theirs.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Joe, when you go first class everyone knows each other ;)

:D JIM

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Cindy and Ed have pulled up but not after a long week of hard work. It was great having him do our table tops. Here are some photos of the master at work.......... in the field:eek:

5089

5090

5091

5092

5093

[Joe Cannarozzi]

A few more. Butterfly maple burl is what we ended up with. I found some very unique metal laminant I might use on the center section of the ceiling where many have mirror if I can get Deb on board.

5094

5095

5096

5097

5098

Ed the next time we get togeather we will do absolutly no projects.

[dalej]

Joe, how come your bus lights are on?

Looking great! keep the camera shooting.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Dale they are not on it's magic.

I put them in place for a photo. I have to lay out a plan for the wiring and lighting aspect of this project. Puting everything togeather with the small wooden cleats as did the original builder makes it childs play to design without exposed fastners and be able to take everything apart too.

Some of these pics show a distorted edge between the black and the burl but that is something on the photo, all the edges are clean and sharp.

5099

5100

5101

5102


Here is some of the choices for the middle upper layer of the ceiling where you often see mirror. Metal laminates cool stuff
5103

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Looks very nice Joe, really starting to take shape.

JIM

[phorner]

Wow! That's really looking good, Joe. It's hard to remember the original layout at this point.

That's going to be quite a "before and after" shot when you're finished.

[ajducote]

Joe,

Looks real good. Between you and Ed sure seems like you have all the bases covered. By the time you are done, you really have a "1 of a kind" and something to be real proud of. Keep posting pictures. All the work you are doing makes be feel like I am a lazy bum, and then I get motivated to do something.

[mike kerley]

Very nice, Joe. We sense and share in your pride of a "job well done".

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I spent some time putting the beveled mirrors back in but in their new location. The ones on the passanger side needed to be cut 4 inches to fit in their new spot. I had 1 extra and the glass guy broke 1.:)

I think we have some black leather furniture and captians chairs in our future:)

5125

5126

5127

5128

[phorner]

Joe,

Looks Great! The interior of your bus is really coming together! Keep the pictures coming.....:)