Result of little time spent with ms-paint...
Result of little time spent with ms-paint...
The white roof is almost a necessity for summer use here in the 'ol south, but the lines make it hard to do and not look goofy.
After some thought, I suggest painting only the topmost panel white - follow the seam line just to the left of the upper red marker light over the rear window. In fact, I might stop the white at horizontal line just above those marker lights for good measure.
This gives you the benefit of the reflectance while keeping visual breakup to a minimum.
If it were me...I'd paint the bus Ford New Holland Blue with Kubota orange front fenders. Run the orange down the side as a stripe just wide enough to cover the three lower body ridges but keep the very bottom edge below them blue. Mask an arch all the way around the rear wheel opening that is the same width as the orange stripe. Tint the windows dark, but paint the inset around the windows orange. This gives you a great space on the driver's side for a vintage Gulf logo or one that's tied to the Toyfamily. Continue the blue around and over the window inset to meet the white on top (which would be out of site to anyone standing beside it. Go with light gray wheels, or maybe orange.
Okay, so MS Paint is a E36 M3ty design platform, but it's all I have here at work. Something like this:
So here is my 2cent
All white roof
or this. blue with white outline. Rear to resemble Gulf racing stripe with the arrow at the top of the curved roof. (too hard to draw)
The black outline of the orange is kind of your choice. I left the rear bumper black, but thinking about it more, it should be white to match the bottom of the rv.
In reply to Mad_Ratel:
That's a pretty incredible job incorporating the lines present in the bus. Well done.
I like this idea.
Yes but label everything with language like "round rubber thingy with air in it #1".
JohnRW1621 wrote: Awesomeness spewing forth
I would do exactly as this man says.
This, but do the rear bumper and lower edge of the body in orange.
Mad_Ratel wrote: So here is my 2cent or this. blue with white outline. Rear to resemble Gulf racing stripe with the arrow at the top of the curved roof. (too hard to draw)
In reply to BrokenYugo:
I like it, although I'd leave that lower stripe black to match the rear bumper.
Wow, there are some really great paint ideas in here today. Thanks!!
I knocked off at 2 today and played with the bus some more.
To get the roof buttoned up, I need to figure out the air conditioner. I pulled the A/C unit out of the garage and did a little hot wiring. Other than a sticking contactor, it fired up and cooled fine.
There are a couple of problems though.
First off, I think it looks like crap. A big ugly white box on the roof pretty much screws up the lines of the entire bus. It will probably look better on a white roof, but I still don't like it.
The other problem is the inside shroud is huge, designed for a flat surface, and the cabinet doors hit it. It hangs down 2+ inches I can't afford to lose. My son, pictured below is 5'10", I'm 6'2". It's not going to work.
So, my choices are to scrap what I have and find something different, basement air mounted under the bus or a low profile ducted roof mount. Hack up what I have and build something different, mount it under the bus and build ducting to reroute the air. Or modify what I have to work for now, understanding that it is probably a short term (1-2 year) fix.
Funds being a little short for now, I'm going to go with option 3. Even though I don't really like the looks, the unit is going to mount on the roof. I don't have to modify the roof to install it and I can pull it later and install a regular vent. I'll have to build something less obtrusive for the interior. The roof is 2" thick, I think I can fab some vents that will fit up in the roof and then relocate the controls to one of the cabinets.
More to come on that.
Is the inside part to cover stuff that hangs down from the unit and a tiny plenum/ductwork, or just plenum/ductwork diffuser? You could always mount the unit indoors, say under a bench and have a portion of it ducted to the outside and a 'toe kick' style diffuser below it.
Or search the junkyards for conversion van/suburbans for rear mounted A/C units that run off of the engine rather than an entire separate unit.
In reply to RossD:
The inside part has the air filter and ducting to direct cooling air to the front and back. It also houses the controls. I had considered mounting the entire unit under the bus and rebuilding the cold air side to pull air down through the floor and blow it back into ducting. The problem is this unit is 20+ years old. I would hate to spend that much time redesigning it, only to have it die on me.
I think with the extra thickness of the roof on the bus, I can build a vent and filter system that will very low profile on the interior. The controls are 6-8 wires and easy enough to relocate. It won't be perfect, but it will get the job done for now. Then when funds are in better shape I'll do something different with newer hardware.
I also have plans to add a engine driven A/C system as well. There are a couple of systems on Ebay that look pretty good for around $500. That way I won't have to run the generator while driving to keep things cool inside.
If the engine electrical system is stout enough, you shouldn't have to run the generator while driving to power the A/C. I don't think it's uncommon for RV's to have dual alternators - one to charge the chassis battery and one to charge the deep cycle RV batteries. I know dual alternators are a factory installed option on most vehicles often used for RV's, such as the Sprinters and Ford trucks I'm "built" online.
With a stout alternator could you wire in a dedicated 12vdc-120vac converter just to run it while in motion?
Could you mount the AC unit vertically on the back door? Hanging off the back may not look as bad as on the roof, wouldn't add to the headroom issues, and it may make it easier to replace in the future. Not sure if that AC unit can be mounted vertically but it might be worth a shot. Just a thought.
ultraclyde wrote: With a stout alternator could you wire in a dedicated 12vdc-120vac converter just to run it while in motion?
The A/C draws 1240 watts running. That would require about 120 amps to feed the inverter. That kind of running load would be a little hard on an alternator.
In reply to Firebelly:
The compressor in the AC has to stay horizontal.
Toyman01 wrote:ultraclyde wrote: With a stout alternator could you wire in a dedicated 12vdc-120vac converter just to run it while in motion?The A/C draws 1240 watts running. That would require about 120 amps to feed the inverter. That kind of running load would be a little hard on an alternator.
wow. okay, yeah, nevermind.
120A alternators are not exactly uncommon these days. I'd swear I remember seeing 200A models on some vehicles with large electrical loads like ambulances.
Please tell me you have plans to haul those kayaks on the roof for your bus adventures, camp-counselor style.
Maybe I missed it, but is that A/C unit setup for both 12VDC and 120VAC?
I would consider looking into big vehicle rear mounted A/C units (Suburban/Tahoe/Expedition/Minivans) and run a proper automotive setup.
Then for 120VAC have a 'window' A/C unit mounted like generator under the bus and have it ducted up. It would probably need a little extra fan since the one mounted in the unit probably can't do any static pressure.
Ian F wrote: 120A alternators are not exactly uncommon these days. I'd swear I remember seeing 200A models on some vehicles with large electrical loads like ambulances.
I believe the stock corvette is a 130A and stereo guys upgrade to a 200A.
Mad_Ratel wrote:Ian F wrote: 120A alternators are not exactly uncommon these days. I'd swear I remember seeing 200A models on some vehicles with large electrical loads like ambulances.I believe the stock corvette is a 130A and stereo guys upgrade to a 200A.
I thought it was something like that. All I know is modern car alternators put out a LOT more power if one is used to dinky 30A models in older, classic cars. 120A to power the roof A/C shouldn't be a problem.
You will probably need two alternators to run a A/C unit off 12V system with an invertor. Example I found: A 13,500btu rooftop A/C using an inverter while driving, draws around 130A@13V DC. That is quite a bit of draw. Alternators like to run at 30-50% of rated amps, running one at full amps will shorten its life quite a bit. Start up draw is higher, so you have to account for that as well.
81cpcamaro wrote: You will probably need two alternators to run a A/C unit off 12V system with an invertor. Example I found: A 13,500btu rooftop A/C using an inverter while driving, draws around 130A@13V DC. That is quite a bit of draw. Alternators like to run at 30-50% of rated amps, running one at full amps will shorten its life quite a bit. Start up draw is higher, so you have to account for that as well.
This.
A 120A alternator isn't designed to put out that much amperage for an extended period of time. It will burn it up.
Rear A/C systems are fine, but still need a engine mounted compressor. I can pick up a aftermarket system with compressor and all for about $500.
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