The Sickler Skoolie Build

Category: Phase 2

  • Stuck!

    When I bought the bus, I was still dealing with medical issues, so the vehicle sat in my driveway from December until March when I replaced the batteries so I could start it up.

    It sank into the ground and the front was only an inch off the ground at the bumper. I hired a tow truck to help get it unstuck. I ended up driving the bus while the tow truck pulled me out.

    After I got unstuck I placed some boards to park on until I can get ahold of some pavers.

    We tried a winch, it pulled the tow truck to the bus, what finally worked was pulling the bus while I steered it and put it in low to assist with my rear tires.

  • Weekend #4 Summary

    Phase 2 is completed! The Floors are installed! I did a bunch of work on Friday, Saturday was a rainy day and I couldn’t cut wood outside, so I took a day off. Sunday I bought the remaining lumber, glue, and silcone needed to finish the floor and Phase 2.

    Phase 2 completed!

  • 20 Feet of Floor Installed

    I spent all day Friday cutting and glueing Subterra Rigid Foam Board and Plywood. I finished the entire bus surface with the Rigid Foam Boards, and installed 5 of 9 sections of plywood. The bus floor is completed from the rear to the emergency exits. I have 3-4 more sheets of plywood to install.

    UPDATE: Rainy Saturday, really couldn’t cut plywood outside, hoping Sunday is warmer and dryer.

  • Finished patching the wheel well

    After dry fitting two sections of subfloor, it was time to finish welding the wheel well that still had a problem spot. My son Caden stopped by and welded the final piece of metal. I Threw some Chassis Saver on. I’ll be sealing with Silcone before the third subfloor is cut to size. Waiting for the weather to warm up before I glue down materials, its been high of 41 today and that just wont cut it.

  • Dry fit two floor sections

    I bought 2 rigid foam boards and 2 tongue and groove floorboards and cut them and dry fit them in place this evening. The foam is about $50 a board and the floorboards are $60 a board. It’s coming together nicely.

  • Floor Concept

    I am going with the recommendation of Chuck Cassidy on my flooring.

    Phase 1 was to gut and prep the floors to remove rust, repair/weld any holes, and prime with Chassis Saver.

    Phase 2 will involve cutting, dry fitting, and eventually gluing down the rigid foam board and subfloor sheets.

    Today I picked up one sheet of the rigid foam board and cut it to complete the first section in the back of the bus.

    I cut the board to the width of the bus (right around 90 inches), then i trimmed off a little because it would not bend enough to squeeze past the chair rails that are a structural part of the bus. I will be able to fill in that gap with the trimmed piece (lesson learned, duct tape and glue will fix it. Cutting the foam board is a breeze with a jigsaw,