After lifting the roof, Rob then needed to start to fill in the gaps created.
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| The gap above the windscreen needed filling in. |
He wanted to start on the part above the windscreen first. He used polystyrene blocks to fill in the shape as much as possible. He asked and was advised to wrap the polystyrene in cling wrap. However we found that the chemicals of the fiberglass just ate right through the cling wrap.
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| A view of the foil wrapped styrofoam & the welded roof support (from the inside of the bus) |
I had the idea of using common cooking aluminium foil to stop fibreglass resin from eating into it and lo and behold it worked! (As I like to remind my very practical husband that once in a blue moon I do have an idea that actually works. - I just have to think up about 100 to get that one decent idea LOL).
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| Getting started on the fibre glass |
It is a long, slow, boring, messy and smelly job and took several days. It also needed curing time for the resin to harden along the way.
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| Applying yet more fibre glass |
One of those days was a stinking hot day, Bob erected an outdoor umbrella to shade the area he was working on or was it to give him shade whilst working, either way he needed it! I just thought it 'cute' to have the umbrella up on the back of the ute! I will have to watch out, I might get into trouble if he reads how cheeky I am being LOL.
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| A bit of shade is required! |
When all the fiberglassing is done, it required a bit of bog filler for a bit more shaping. Once that had cured then there was a lot of sanding which also is a long slow and boring job. Thank goodness for electrical tools that make it faster than doing it all by hand!
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| Bogging done |
Once it is all sanded smooth, a few layers of 'FlowCoat,' type of resin needs to go on. Three layers of this goes on over 3 days with more sanding required before we can begin the removal of the scaffolding which we hired for the job.
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| Sanding, sanding and more sanding |
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| FlowCoat done |
I am very interested in your bus to motor home conversion and will follow your blog from time to time. How long do you expect it to take all up? I have thought of doing a similar job but have put it off for now. Do you know of others that are doing this sort of thing?
ReplyDeleteThank you for you interest in our bus conversion. Rob has said loosely that we will take six months to do it. He is fully retired now and though he does one day volunteer work a week, the rest of his time is on the bus to motorhome conversion. Already we are running behind schedule, mainly due to our problem in getting the chain repaired or replaced. There is no point in spending too much money on the bus until we are confident of getting it fixed.
Deleteyes there are others. I know of 3 in my area and several on the internet. Google 'New Life on the Road' for one of our friends!