Powdercoated doors

Here is the first of three loads of doors as they looked the day I picked them up from the Powdercoater. I have all the doors back now and am in the process of hanging them now. Just a little hang up on getting to a brake long enough to fold the long stainless.

Bay doors ready for Powdercoat

This was early spring this year.

Weather striping flange

After I fabricated the doors up it was quite a chore to add all this flat stock for the stab on weather stripping. It all was stitch welded from behind and the welds ground out. I tried to keep the weld splatter to the inside and bottom because I am covering the jambs with 24 gauge stainless and I want it to fit fairly tight,

Stair cover

I know I have not posted much but its because I have spent more time welding and less time typing. I am done welding now and have the frame all painted up. I have made all the steel frames for the doors also and had them powder coated. I have been busy and will share with you as soon as I can.

This is the stair cover turned under the floor. Later I will add a pneumatic cylinder to operate it on the dash.

Stair cover

Just a wider view here.

Stair cover

Getting closer to done....

Stair cover

Heres a start on the frame work for the half moon stair cover that spins out from under the false floor under the cockpit area. I had this idea for some time but have had a lot to do else where on the bus.

Support ribs for face of mould

Door molds

Right and left side set of bay doors.

outer half of door mold

Here is the door plug now encased in fiberglass.

Support for face of the doors

I threw together this support structure for the face of the door. This will keep the mold from distorting the flat area of the door until they are laid up with their support ribs in side of them. As you will see it will end up fiber glassed to the mold itself.

Left door mold layup

The mold for the left door is a bit of a challenge with the center overlap for the weather stripping flange. Remember what's laid up inside the mold must be able to be removed without damaging the mold or I will have to repair the mold every time I make a door. I will be using this mold for a total of 5 doors.

Ready to lay up the 2nd half of the mould

Here I have laid up the back of the mold and have flipped the door to make the other half. I have left the half on and will then lay right over the flanges for a perfect fit around the door.

Mold plug for making a fiberglass mold

Here's a view of the corner of the plug for the bay doors. Basically a big ole 2 inch chunk of fiber core cut out to the exact specks that I want the door to end up being. After I cut and routed them I took bondo and rounded the inside corners to a quarter inch to make laying the fiberglass easier. I then sprayed a couple of good coats of lacquer on them to seal them up.

Bay doors mock up

I have been thinking of these doors all year and here's a cut away of the ideal. After careful consideration I have decided to make them out of fiberglass to save some weight and make up for the slide-outs.

Last years truck project

Here's the truck I put together last year and got out of the garage just in time to get covered by the winter weather...lol...... That's a carport paint job by the way .....

Rear wall of old ac area

Its amazing how much of the clock working in these tight quarters eats up. From here on out though every piece of sheet metal is one more closer to having a weather tight bus. Not to mention the value of keeping out the mosquitoes.

Rear sheet metal for old ac area

A few quick bends and wah la.

Old ac area between fuel tanks

I am standing where the rear end is here. Time to cover this nightmare.