Episode 4 - Removing the re-

maining seat leg stubs, the

swing out arm at the front,

and the swing-out stop sign

In the last episode we removed most of the seats by a quick- and-dirty method: just cut off the legs a couple of inches above the floor. It let us clear the bus of seats fast - great to have some room to walk around. But it was only a stop-gap solution. In this episode I remove the nuts and bolts holding down all those leg stubs. (I’ve kept one bench seat at the right front for now, so I can take family and friends for the odd ride.) When other drivers see a skoolie, they should have no confusion about whether it’s a functioning school bus. The single biggest way to achieve that is to paint over the chrome yellow paint (a requirement in Ontario.) But I have to wait till spring to do that, as the paint won’t cure in the cold. What I can do now is to remove the passenger/student safety arm that swings out from the front of the bus, and the stop sign that swings out from the side. I cover that process in this episode, too. This is the first time I cut any wires on the bus. There are a number of interlock systems on a school bus to keep the kids safe. Cut the wrong wire and the bus won’t start. Now you’ve got a seven ton doorstop that will cost you a fortune to tow to a mechanic. My advice: after you cut a wire or two, before you cut any more, try to start the bus. If it won’t start, you’ll know which wires are the reason, and you can splice them back together. Click the image below to see the episode on my YouTube channel. And while you’re there, click the Subscribe button so you don’t miss subsequent episodes.