For over a month I have been riding around in the bus getting used to its many idiosyncrasies however one afternoon with my kids on board and bickering with each other I had come to a conclusion. There was one project I had planed for later that I would have to due a little something about now.
The end of Radio Silence!
I found it interesting when I bought the bus that it didn't have a AM/FM radio in it at all. I can remember riding the school bus as a kid and always having the drivers favorite station on. My Amtran however is not so equipped and wasn't really laid out for one it seems. It has a slot for an intercom which is great for yelling out my fast food order but that's it.
I have some idea of what I want to have for the audio system setup when the conversion is complete but I'm hoping to utilize the intercom speakers running down the head molding of the bus and just add a deck and a sub to fill in the bass for now.
I run around to a few audio stores and evaluated what I would need to get set up for now and be able to work with it in the future. I got a good deal at DFW Audio on a Sony deck, a pair of 8" Infinity 3 way speakers and a ported dual 8" box.
Now to get some tunes!
I quickly removed the intercom system to see if I would be able to use that location as it would be the most user friendly but decided that I will save that space to mount a CB radio in the future. I then decided that there was a good space that would work out and keep the radio accessible but not in the way just to the left at the end of the console where they have the Webasto heater module mounted. I have planed on removing the Webasto system so that area should be good.
The first thing I've needed to do is make a new hole. Like any good minded and mechanical guy would do I grabbed my interchangeable blade folding Milwaukee hand saw and just cut in. Literally. I estimated how much space I would need around the top and left side of the radio and cut into that corner as a starting point. Then I used a straight edge to line out the left side and the top and started cutting it out. I opened the radio box and started looking at the mounting setup when I abruptly noticed that it did not come with a deck mounting cartridge frame like every other deck I've installed in my other cars in the past. Um Crap. Well it was starting to get late and I had to get to work so it would have to wait till tomorrow.
The next day I made a trip to the audio store to explain my new problem and they kindly explained that that's the new normal and that the decks have the holes preset in them to mount into the newer model cars. I would need an install kit to mount the way I wanted to and that it would be awhile to get one ordered for my deck. Then he offered up, if you want to try to modify one from Kenwood for that Sony I have one you can have. With out hesitation I said yes. Surely I could make it work somehow. I headed back to get to started.
Armed with a new mounting piece I made some sizing measurements and finished cutting the hole for the mounting piece. I also made sure there was good clearance behind the deck for the electrical to be run. I was going to need to get some wire and connectors to get the power hooked up so I made the trip to my storage unit. I dug around for and found my collection of connectors and wire of which didn't have the sizes I would need for this project. Again with it getting late and having to get headed to work I would have to wait for another day to finish this project.
I put up my tools and started the bus to head back to town and I had a new problem.
The front air door would not close. It was open with air pressure and the control switch wasn't in the open position. I tried to evaluate what it might be but that wasn't changing anything and I had to get going to be on time for work. I disabled the air door system with the manual override switch and closed the door and headed out. As soon as I hit the road and turned to the left the doors swung wide open. I should have figured. I pulled over and found a couple bungee cords to use to hold it closed on the inside. Not but a minute later as I just got to speed the doors were being pulled open and flapping in and out a few inches . I again puled over found another heavy duty bungee and hooked it tight. As I pulled back on the road that HD bungee came unhooked and bounced right past me. I hooked it back up to the door and to a different mounting location. I made it to work with this arrangement with the doors flexing in and out a bit as I traveled down the road as if the bus was breathing through a set of gills. This would be fun since I had an appointment with the radiator shop the next morning.
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