February 2015 $5.00 US $6.00 Canada New Article Series! Bus Conversion Fundamentals This Month - Stripping Out The Shell Bus Conversion Magazine Quartzite 2015! BCM Eagles, GMCs, Wanderlodges and so much more! The Ramblin’ Rose A 1962 GM PD- 4106 lovingly named after the Nat ‘King’ Cole hit by the same name. Publisher’s Note Gary Hatt BusBCM Conversion Magazine 1967 Eagle Update - Number 1 PUBLISHED BY Bus Conversion Magazine I have now owned my 1967 Eagle for about three months. It has 9852 Katella Ave STE 361 come a long way but I still haven’t moved into it as of yet. I have no Anaheim, CA 92804 problem living in my MC-9 as I am very comfortable in there. I am in (657) 221-0432 no hurry to move. I swing to sleep every night in my hammock while watching Andy Griffith. After I move my hammock into the Eagle PUBLISHER someone will get a heck of a deal on a Log Cabin bus. Gary Hatt [email protected] Soon after we arrived back home from Phoenix after picking up the bus, we had some rain here in Southern California. That is when I Stacy Held - Office Administrator discovered six different leaks in the Eagles’ roof. I also found another leak [email protected] in one of the three roof A/C units and a leak near the front driver’s side window trim that had come loose. The bus has been sitting in the hot ADVERTISING Phoenix sun for almost three years before I purchased it and it baked Lisa Garcia away some of the roof paint and sealant causing it to leak. [email protected] So the first thing we had to do is to paint the roof with the white ACCOUNTING/SUBSCRIPTIONS Plas-T-Cote roof coating. I bought two gallons of the stuff but had to Linda Sohn keep going back for more and I think we ended up using about eight [email protected] gallons to cover the entire roof. The paint goes on as thick as silicone and ends up being up to an eighth of an inch thick in some places. EDITOR Unfortunately it has not rained yet so we are not sure if it leaks or not. Mike Sullivan But I am pretty sure we covered every square inch. If it doesn’t rain soon [email protected] I will take my hose to it. Until then I have plenty of other things to work on. Chris Barnes - Art Director Rather than trying to repair the leaking cover on the A/C unit, I CONTRIBUTORS decided to replace the entire roof A/C unit as it was not cooling anyway. I called Blair with Pacific RV Parts in Garden Grove, CA and discussed the Bruce Fay different options with him. He recommended an Atwood Air Command Clarence Holcomb with a Heat Pump unit which provides 15K BTU’s of heat or air conditioning. He said the heat pump is much better than having an A/C WEBSITE unit with a heat strip that will only take the chill off. Not only that, but it www.BusConversions.com includes a wireless remote control so I can turn it on and off and adjust Questions/Feedback: the temperature while driving down the road from the Captain’s Chair. [email protected] With the Eagles large windshield, the heat from the sun can bake the driver and co-pilot in the afternoon if you are driving westbound ONLINE BBS/DISCUSSION FORUM in the south according to the previous owner. I frequently travel alone www.BusConversions.com/bbs/ so it will be nice to be able to adjust the temperature while driving by Phil Lyons - Forum Admin tapping a couple of buttons on the wireless remote rather than having [email protected] to set my beer down, pull off onto an exit ramp and walk back to adjust the temperature. If this unit works out well, I plan to buy two more units MODERATORS Nick Badame Jack Conrad just like it as my budget allows. K.J.. “Frank” Franklin Paul Lawry We work on the Eagle most weekends so stay tuned for more Mike Sullivan updates and articles in future issues! Opinions and techniques expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those endorsed by the Publisher. Bus Conversion Magazine and the authors On The Cover: respectively accept no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions or alterations, The Ramblin’ Rose or for any consequences ensuing upon the use of, or reliance upon, any information contained herein. Tasks performed in maintaining, altering and using vehicles may require Owned by: specialized skills and involve inherent risks to the person doing the work or to the safe operation of the vehicle. It is the reader’s responsibility to assess their own skills to determine if Clarence & Charlene Holcomb they can perform any such task and to seek professionally trained assistance if needed. 2 Bus Conversion Magazine RV Body & Paint Is More Than Skin Deep! Before After No matter what your RV needs, from motorhomes and coaches, to 5th wheels and tent trailers, our team can make your dreams come true. Customer satisfaction is our number one priority ! All insurance accepted RV Fiberglass repair RV Aluminum repair Stainless steel repair Exterior and interior repairs Interior remodeling & cabinetry RV Rubber roof replacement RV Delaminated wall repair Water Damage repair specialist Mobile estimates available (within 50 mile radius) Located within 2 miles of Disneyland Pacic RV Paint, Inc. has provided quality RV repair and maintenance in Garden Grove, Ca. for over 20 years. Pacic RV Paint, Inc. 13731 Harbor Blvd. Garden Grove, CA. 92843 February 2015 www.rvpaint.com 3 Bus Conversion Magazine February 2015 In This Issue Publisher’s Note ....................................................................... 2 5 Index of Advertisers ................................................................. 3 Bus Conversion Fundamentals - Stripping Out The Shell ..... 5 The Ramblin‘ Rose by Clarence Holcomb .............................. 12 Quartzite 2015 by Bruce Fay .............................................. 20 12 Rally News ............................................................................. 25 Service Directory .................................................................... 25 Sterling Classifieds ................................................................. 26 Classifieds ............................................................................. 30 Digital Edition Bonus Content Section .................................... 33 Quartzite 2015 Bonus Content ........................................... 34 Filmore - Bonus Content from The Ramblin’ Rose 20 by Clarence Holcomb ......................................................... 44 Bus Chat - Designing Dash Gauges ..................................... 47 Blast From The Past - Overcoming Wiring Gremlins by Mark Penlerick ................................................................... 52 Digital Classifieds ........................................................................................ 58 Available Print Edition Back Issues With Article Lists ...................... 61 Exclusively in the Index of Advertisers February Digital Edition of BCM Additional photos from Ardemco ............................................................................. 31 Bruce Fay’s article on the Atlantic Custom Coach ............................................................. 7 Quartzite 2015 rallies and Autex ..................................................................................... 9 the points of interest in the region are included in the B & B Coachworks ................................................................. 9 Digital Edition. Balance Masters .................................................................... 18 Byler Rivet Supply .................................................................... 6 Additional photos from The Custom Instrument Panels ..................................................... 19 Ramblin’ Rose article, and Engine Heat Protection .......................................................... 10 an exclusive Blast From The Past article. Plus the Bus Chat Engine Power Source .............................................................. 8 feature brings you high interest discussions from the BCM Fastening Systems International ............................................ 22 Online Discussion Forum. Hitching Post ......................................................................... 13 Mobile RV Glass .................................................................... 21 Also additional bus related classifieds and potentially other late breaking info. Plus most photos can be Pacific RV Paint, Inc. ........................................................ 3 & 25 clicked to open a much larger view of them. Pacific RV Parts ...................................................................... 14 RV LED Bulbs .................................................................. 7 & 32 Do you receive only a Print Edition subscription Sure Marine Service ............................................................... 21 and would like to add access to the Online Digital Tommy Kaylor’s Bus and Truck Service .................................. 15 Edition? It is easy to upgrade your subscription for Wrico International ................................................................. 11 absolutely FREE. Just go online to: www.BusConversions.com/UpgradeMe Then click the Online Add-On from the Thanks to our advertisers for bottom of the list to order it. supporting Bus Conversion Magazine. 4 Bus Conversion Magazine Bus Conversion Fundamentals Stripping Out The Shell Bus Conversion Fundamentals is a new BCM original series of articles that will take you through the process of converting a bus, covering the basics of each