Tinkering & updates
Repairs and changes we make to our bus to suit the needs of our growing family.
Dec 2021
New additions for summer
- A new fold-down isle seat with seatbelt.
- Front windscreen blind.
- I finally got around to attaching the dropdown bed mechanics which lowers and raises the bed using a battery drill, working a treat!
Sept 2021
Winter time out, Covid lockdowns, ongoing bus renos...
Unfortunately, we haven't used the bus at all recently. Things have been pretty hectic, and it's been hard to find weekends where nothing is going on (out of lockdown) and have the bus ready for trips.
With winter I always do some sort of reno's and this winter is no different, things are seriously in a state at the moment. Isaac's new dropdown bed I'm building at the front of the bus has been a big piece which has lead to tearing down a lot of the panelling around the switchboard, I took the top cupboards down due to a leak in the roof and decided to replace these with new ones.
The ceiling is still bare, wiring all hanging out, I think I ran out of steam for a bit, to be honest. A lot has been stalled by being too busy over lockdown (working, kids, pregnant wife).
We will have another kid with us in a few weeks, so I don't see that I'll be getting much done in the near future :(. The main aim is to have it travellable again by around October and then for the summer holidays (provided covid doesn't have its way).
Things have also been busy around the house, restored a couple of old bikes for the kids which I'm considering repainting the oldest one with the bus colours (would make a cool photo together).
June 2021
Tyre monitoring system
Had to try this out, in my head it makes a lot of sense knowing what's happening with the wheels, especially with kids on the bus. Another purchase from AliExpress for around $70 (on sale at moment for $60). It was easy to install, it shows the pressure in BAR which with a little calculation you can work out the PSI (maybe I can change it to PSI?). The other nice thing is it gives a temperature reading. I thought they were powered from the pressure but seems they have a battery in each sensor, the display is solar which is good.
It has a bunch of other settings which I haven't looked into, like alarms and warnings. So far so good, would recommend it, but really need to see it on the open road doing its thing.
April 2021
Plans for a double bed at the front of the bus
I've bought a bed frame which will be the start of a bed which can be lowered from the ceiling. If I can figure it out, there will be a way to manually lower and raise the bed or by a motor. When lowered, it'll be supported just above the driver and passenger seats. These plans usually take about six months before they come to fruition, so lots of experimenting is to come.
The idea is based on Euroloft's Project 2000 bed concept, but I'm just piecing it together DIY style. The mattress pictured is not the one I'm going with as it's too high/heavy, I've got a thinner foam matress lined up to keep light.
Bus name changed to Dusty
We now go by the name Dusty and the Sardines. Dusty is the bus and the rest of us are packed in like sardines :).
These graphics are just a play around with some ideas, I'm hoping to eventually have some sort of basic graphic that can make its way to the side of the bus. R.I.P. "Done and Dusted".
Bus names
We ended up going with Dusty but here are some of the other names we considered in no particular order... if you are looking for inspiration for your home on wheels you are welcome to use these but please do your own research to make sure it isn't already in use in NZ.
Meet the Feebles (movie), Worlds fastest/slowest/fattest Indian (movie reference), Wild Pork and Watercress (movie), Goodbye Pork Pie (movie), Wharewaka, Tu Meke, Rattle and Hum, Shore thing (beach shore), Rusty's Rascals, Dusty's Roamers/Crew, Dusty and the Beavers/Trailblazers, Marmalade, Scallywag, Bigfoot, Hang loose, Daydream believers, Go Bus Go (Isaac's fav), Hippo, Eddy (original owned by Edwards), La Caboose, No wind no waves (Kim's instagram handle), Misfits, The Castle (movie), Ahoy!, So far so good, Hang ten, Sunny, Sargent Pepper, Nelly, The hot tub, The cabin, Faith, The colonel, Last resort, Cabana, Bamm Bamm, Done and Dusted (old name), Merv, Koiora pahi (bus life), Tank, Shrimp, Lost, Nook, Brian, Reg, Drifter, Patunia, Way out (the way out), Waka, Pirate bus, Tucker, Pepe.
The bus is painted! Now it needs a name.
Seeing as the insurance is covering a bit of the repaint for the bus, I thought we might as well tidy up the whole thing. The paint job was done at Alan Rea Panel beaters. It was a bit of a hassle finding replacement roof lights and paints took ages to come. All done now and fairly happy with it, lots of minor bumps and imperfections still, but hey, this isn't the Mona Lisa :).
Jan 2021
A tree fell on the bus :(
The day after we returned from our summer holidays this happens, dents the top front of the bus, a couple lights broken and a window wiper arm broken off.
One very lucky passer-by is missed by the flying branch.
COF inspection and repairs
When I did our last COF I wasn't thinking of when it would be due next. Unfortunately, it ran out on the 1st Jan, and even though we knew this prior to going on holiday we decided to just take our chances on our trip even if it meant being in a town for a few days without insurance and the COF. We decided to use Napier as our base where we were lucky enough to be given a family member's empty house for a few days. It turned out the brakes needed work and we had a broken leaf spring. The leaf spring proved to be a bit tricky and ended up needing a replacement to be manufactured. There was a cock up with the replacement part that needed to be redone and sent again. We ended up being in Napier for a week, and luckily we could adjust our travel plans to accommodate the repairs.