New Modifications for the Short Baby Bus

[BirdbyBird]

Just got the Baby Short Bus back from the RV "Creative Interior Design" Place just south of Columbus. Let us just say that most of the rigs they work on are the fancy ones but they are real nice and do work on small jobs with a smile, too! Today's story was about a custom coach that they were rehabing for a private customer. The gentleman had purchased the coach from a coach line and was having it completely upgraded with quality delux materials inside. While the crew was taking out the "guts" of the coach they found two large black boxes that resembled large black metal safes.....they figured out that they had discovered hidden drug smuggling boxes in the old coach..... Little did the new owner suspect!

Anyway....Here is what the area above the cab looked like before. I had already moved the TV to a flat screen that hangs above the bed area. There were two small closed cabinet areas on each side and the open area in the middle that didn't go back too far.


Here is what it looks like now! Even the design consultant that I worked with said he was surprise that there was so much room behind the cabinets. I wasn't. I had pulled the thin wood apart enough to look behind it and had seen all the empty wasted air!



Room for a medium sized person to sleep....storage for an inflatable kayak...storage for some rubbermaid tubs pick your size For $250 they offered to make me a curtain. Yeah, right! I think I can find a tension rod, curtain rod or other suitable solution. I will think about that another day.



Look, even fits a Stuart dog!



This is a picture of the back of the rig where the exhaust used to come out a little to the left of the hitch. Which was fine unless I wanted to haul a rack on the back of the rig. The exhaust would come out right under the left side of the rack which meant that I could only use about 2/3's of the rack. It wasn't very practical. I melted the end of one of my ground rugs by not guessing a safe distance....



Here is where the exhaust now come out to the side. Now melting nothing!



I didn't climb to the roof to check their sealing around the sky light over the bathroom. I took them at their word for that.
No pictures either.

So now I get to pull all sorts of stuff out and rearrange things and figure out where I want to store what and what I want to store things in. I like that the spaces can accommodate things that are different sizes.....

[Redetotry]

What a good idea, looks like they did a terrific job! You know,it looks like there is room for Mitch up there, you could take her along to AK with you & have your own personal chef

[AlmostThere]

It looks very nice and I am sure you will enjoy the new sq. footage!
Did they have to reinforce it in any way since that area wasn't designated for weight bearing?

[mitch5252]

...You know,it looks like there is room for Mitch up there, you could take her along to AK with you & have your own personal chef

Hey, I like that idea...Abby sauteed 10 different ways, with and without the bacon collar!!!

That is soooo great looking. Except for Stuart. He doesn't look so happy. So, what day/time do you want me to show up to pack my stuff in?

[Bethers]

Tina, I LOVE it - look at all that space up there. They did a good job. And moving the exhaust was smart. Then again, I know you are one smart lady.

Now, when did the Short Bus become the "Short Baby Bus"?

[rvgrammy1953]

WOW!!! Looks great!!! They did a great job....so much more room for "stuff".... Poor Stuart, thou, he looks so discussed with you....

[Irmi]

You have so much extra room, now! Good job!

[BirdbyBird]

It becomes the "baby" when I leave it in someone else's hands...... Particularly when the place if full of big class A's and shiny Sprinters that they custom design from the base on out.....

[Birdie]

Looks great Tina. I think Stuart is saying "Now can I jump down and you'll give me the treat you promised?" He is a shy puppy anyway. Maybe he is embarrased.

The cabover is a cabover. Weight bearing doesn't enter into it on the Class C's. It will still be the overall rig weight. Mitch won't add that much weight, but all her 'stuff' might cause a problem.

Looks like you are going to be ready pretty quickly. Oh, yeah, I forgot the packing can be a lot of fun as you normally will have to do that a couple of times.

Can't wait to meet up with you Tina. Don't work too hard as you need to save a bit of energy for the summer.

[Dawn309]

Tina,

It all looks great. I know you are going to enjoy all your new room. I would never have thought of doing those changes.

Dawn

[sharon]

Awesome, Miss Tina! And that's what it's all about, making our homes on wheels what we need and want for our comfort. Good job! I agree, Stuart doesn't look happy up there, hope he got a good treat for being a good sport!

[Liz]

Great improvements!

[BirdbyBird]

I thought through the math while the dogs were busy visiting their friends.... How can we say this nicely I probably have room for Mitch and "some" of her stuff but by the time you add in the Dutch ovens and "both" lanterns, I think I would be over my limit. You know she won't go with out both of her lanterns......

I also found this picture that showed just how limiting the inside of those cabinet spaces were....



I still have to decide where I want to pack my spare tire. The team evaluated the structure on the back of the rig and felt that they could not be sure there was anything strong enough to support the weight of the tire. I don't want to fasten it onto the rack I want to haul because I don't want to have to move it every time I want/need to access my play things in the rack.... for example....one of my kayaks.

[Nasoosie]

GREAT job, Tina! I guess the former owners must have wanted shallow cabinet space rather than all that neat deep space! I love the new look and packing area!

And the movement of the tailpipe is neat, too. Do you know if I were to have dogs traveling in the back of my covered pickup bed, with open windows in the top, if the carbon monoxide/dioxide would gas them, turn them into turnips, or kill them? How can I tell? I am wondering if somebody could vent the tailpipe up to the roof and out into the air without costing me an arm and a leg? If I don't get a truck camper and sell my trailer, I need to consider being able to use that camper-top area for something useful, like dog travelers.

[Bethers]

Tina, could the spare be mounted underneath? That's not uncommon? Just a thought.

Somewhere in my "stuff" on this rig - it does have a recommended weight limit on the overcab bed. Have no memory of what it was - something like 300 lbs - which I'll never come close to - so don't worry about it. Well, listen to me say that - then watch me toss more and more up there as I'm prone to do - but mainly lightweight stuff.