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I was beginning to wonder the same thing. I guess that Phast Phred (haha) drove them all away. I am afraid that we are driven by the "politically correct" crap to the point that most people are afraid to express their views or opinions for fear that some Neanderthal will make an issue out of what used to be the right of "free speech and free expression".
I keep checking this site for data regarding the Airstream Streamline series motor home. I am associated with a 1966 motor home. We want to rebuild it and need glass windows.
I found this board not too long ago. I have a 91 Wayne,Chevy body with GMC deisel and Allison trans. Runs like a top but loud and slow. The schoolbus is a shortbed handycap style only 4 ft longer than my Dodge Ram. Gave the lift away to get more real estate inside. Am trying to quiet it down so I can hear the radio I just installed...good tunes. Bunkbeds went in last week along with small plug in frige. New captains chair and nav seat also installed. Am going to install a fan tastic exhaust fan and AC in the next month hopefully and maybe a small generator by fall.Id like to install a shower with toilet and white, black water tanks if time and space alows. Would love to see a floor plan someone else has with a shorty.
Due to failing health I needed a hobby to get my mind off of me, and this bus filled the bill...endless stuff to do to it. Ive never done anything like this before in my life so its all a learning experience.
This NG has been a great help tho it is slow at times...thats the nature of NG sometimes.
DT
His handle is actually Fast Fred and was an active contributor to the board.
He is a fan of "flat nose" skoolies and Transit/Overland coaches and not too big a fan of "dog Nose" buses or "conventional" school buses, if you will.
He recieved a rather rancorous email response to one of his posting. In fact the response bordered on shear stupidity. Since then there have been very few postings.
Phast Phred is how he was addressed in the email posting. Probably a play on the Viet Namese language.
Now if this posting draws fire, so be it. I am a veteran of 30 years of Military Service and I can handle it.
This site may not be dead but only in a coma. i personally miss the rantings of the rig ht and left wing. at least it was alive.can''t anyone think of something controversial to say???
About Fred....you may not agree with him, but at least you know where he stands.
And he is willing to share his ideas and experience with anyone who asks.
Now about buses. Ours is slow, noisy, and rides like a buck board on a rocky river bed. But we are slowly getting it more roadable. We tinker with it abit and then go on a road test. Today's test was 130 miles to try out the new exhaust pipe hanger. This hanger transfers the weight of the exhaust pipe from the bus body to the frame rail. It works fairly well. Needs some sort of damper added to it.
John, thank you for mustering the courage to commence bus dialogue again.
What kind of a bus do you have and what are you doing to it? Maybe we should start a new header.
I am keenly interested in any and all input that those timid souls who "listen" but do not speak, on this board, may have in the way of their bus projects and experiences. If we don't use this board for the purpose that it was intended mainly SHARE IDEAS AND STORIES ABOUT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FAILURES WITH OUR BUSES then we may as well crawl back into out little holes.
People who choose to convert school buses march to a different drummer than the rest of the world so lets not let the convential trends of todays societ influence us.
We have a 1984 GMC/Bluebird. The power is Detroit Diesel and the transmission is an Allison. The rear gears are 6.14 and the GVW is 26,500 lbs. When you consider the size of the bus the springs are way too stiff. The motor is way too noisy. And.....
What we have been doing is sound proofing, insulating, and trying to improve the ride quality. We had a leaf removed from each spring, but that didn't do much. New shocks didn't help either. Adding lots of sand for ballast did improve the ride. Also, adjusting the air pressure in the tires to match the actual load helped.
We keep the bus in running condition. This lets us go camping now and then. It also lets us "road test" each improvement as it is implemented.
Soon we are going to try to install a 5 speed overdrive transmission. This should let us cruise at a more reasonable speed and let the motor run slower. Now 55 mph equals 2900 rpm. It will do this up a 5% grade as well as on the flats. So it could stand to run a bit slower-the engine that is.
Another project that is working it's way to the top of the list is coating the roof with Kool Seal or something like it. Air conditioning would be nice, but that is a ways out. The insulation that we have added does make the bus more comfortable, and it helps with the noise.
If your bus is front-engine, have you considered a Gear Vendors overdrive unit? This gives you an OD (.79, IIRC), plus lets you split trans gears. They run in huge RV's, 1000+HP drag cars, & Baja racers--it should live in your Jimmy.
My bus, BTW, is a 1984 Ford B-700/ThomasBuilt 40' dog-nose. I may go the OD route, but it already seems to be highway-geared (55MPH--terminal velocity-with the terminal 370/2V) is about 2300RPM. I'm building a 460 for it. :)
John ; do i ever know what you mean about the rough ride as i have a '77 bird that i cut the middle out of and brought the back forward and put a fifthwheel on the back to haul my 35' fifthwheel with!
the bus by its self will jar your teeth but when i hook the condo on back it smooths out pretty well! so i can really relate to the sand bag idea!
DIDN'T WANT TO GO THE CONVENTAL route of converting the bus as i have the fifthwheel trailer, so it started out as a WONDER IF I CAN CONVERT IDEA!
and so far it is working out well but still have some bugs to work out and such but it is alot of funfor me and i guess that is what matters!
and yes, i for one, check this board very morning and at nite when i get home from work!
Hi. I got interested in a bus when I saw people using them for tailgating so I found one it is an 1981 Ford with a 370 2V. I was wondering a few things. Where can you find used busses for fair prices (in minnesota or Wisconsin with pictures)?, what does the 2V mean?, why does the clutch have A LOT of movement/vibration at higher speeds?, when do you use the two speed rear axle? Anyone who could answer some of my questions would be very cool. Thanks...also, anyone with any plans or ideas for a tailgate party bus drop a line (pics are cool too) Thanks again,
- Scott
As much as want the overdrive, I want to get away from the automatic...personal taste. Because this transmission is a heavy duty unit that came from a semi it has been expensive. Things like the clutch and parking brake have nearly driven me to tears. Of course, being dumb and inexperienced has driven up the cost also. Education is always expensive.
We put Evercoat Q-pads on the transmission hump and Thermo-tech tape on the exhaust pipe from the turbo outlet on back about four or five feet. This helped quiet the noise from the engine down.
The Q-pads came from an automotive paint shop and the Thermo-tech tape came from Summit Racing.
As we have added insulation the sound has further reduced. Next is some of the stuff Freight Liner uses on the firewall of their rigs.
email Big Fred
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