New Toy: 1972 Mercedes 0 309 Omnibus

[rbgerrish]

Just picked this up:



- OM314 4cyl Diesel, 4 speed. Needs some minor clutch work, a seat, a couple tires at some point and some awesome Euro paint. It was a bus with windows but they were removed and sheet bolted over the holes. It's empty in the back, ready for a camper conversion or Haflinger Hauling. The rear doors were removed and a roll-up door added.

Video:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rbgerri...7627455332545/

Fun project!!

[Overland Hadley]

Now that thing is amazing!

[rbgerrish]

Did more work on it today. Cleaned it out a bit, bled and cleaned both fuel filters, and drove it around the block a few times. Fun stuff! Here are some progress pictures:

The inside before:







Tore out the partition:



Under the old wood walls are the window areas, insulated.







We're going to redo it for camping!

[jeffryscott]

This looks awesome, what a cool find.

[Iain_U1250]

Great project - get a copy of John Speed's "Travel Vans" - he has converted on that looks just like that, will give you loads of ideas.

[rbgerrish]

I would like to do the interior walls and floors like the new sprinter. I took some pictures, but was wondering if anyone knew what the wall and floor materials are called, and where I might find them. (Or similar) I can always go to TAP plastics and get some kind of sheet, but I thought I'd check here first. Any info on the finish washers in the pic would be great too!

Walls: (some kind of light corrugated plastic)



Floor: (thick and hard)



Thanks for any help!
Ryan

[nick disjunkt]

the floor looks like buffalo board to me. It's essentially a birch plywood sheet with a patterned phenolic laminate. The walls I'm not sure of, but something like wisa multiwall works well and comes in various thicknesses.

http://w3.upm-kymmene.com/upm/internet/cms/upmmma.nsf/lupgraphics/multiwall_EN.pdf/$file/multiwall_EN.pdf

[rbgerrish]

Thanks for that information, that Multiwall looks like nice stuff!

[rbgerrish]

I started tearing the old floor out and discovered some treasure! Under the rear panel is an old Webasto heater:





And next to that was the roll of original MB tools!

[Esmi]

I am jealous.

Great project - get a copy of John Speed's "Travel Vans" - he has converted on that looks just like that, will give you loads of ideas.

As one eurotruck sycophant to another, I'd be willing to loan you my copy of said book if you'd like.

Good luck with project. I tried to revive an O-309-D bus like that and failed. I also failed on a 407-D doublecab pickup, and a 207 firetruck. I'll be watching you and rooting for your success