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Old 08-18-2014, 12:47 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Lingleville, TX
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Year: 1999
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1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

So.... I bought a Bird! I can't wait to get started. I paid a fair price (I hope) for it, $3000. A little over 150k on a Cummins 5.9 but I'm unsure which transmission. My first obstacle is getting it home. The bus is located in St. Louis, well Festus, MO. I'm flying up there from Texas this Saturday to drive it 800 miles home, hopefully without too many snags! I've been reading the forums for over a year and I'm always amazed with the abilities many of you have! Thanks for all of the great ideas you've already given me and for the ones yet to come. The wife seems to be just as excited as I am which makes it even more fun.

Here's what she looks like... The bus not the wife....

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Old 08-18-2014, 09:48 AM   #2
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird



Welcome...how did it go getting the bus?

my luck it would of been in ferguson
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Old 08-18-2014, 10:35 AM   #3
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird

Haha! Well luckily I won't even have to drive through Ferguson. I'm a little concerned driving a bus 800 miles that I've never seen anything but a picture of before. I'm hoping my "leap of faith" doesn't bite me in the butt!

I read through your build a few weeks back, bansil. Love your Crown! I think my approach will be very similar to yours, getting a quick and dirty conversion done, then going back and "adjusting" from there. There are a couple of red dirt music fests I'd like to have it usable for this fall then getting back to work on it through the winter. We'll see. I know the time line I am shooting for will change multiple times throughout the build.
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Old 08-18-2014, 11:35 AM   #4
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird

thank you, building and using is the only way it would of gotten done, sitting in my yard for a few years would get old real fast

Godspeed on the voyage
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Old 08-22-2014, 12:38 AM   #5
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird

Might I suggest that you try and find the maintenance shop for the Bus and ask for the
maintenance file for the Unit since they will no longer need it with the bus gone. This will
give you and Idea as to how well it was maintained and what it might need soon. You might
also go to Central States Bus Sales and go to their technical section and download a pdf of
their service manual and drivers manual so you can be familiar with all the controls and
switches. Have a safe and pleasant journey. Cummins engines get their best fuel mileage
at 1600 to 1800 rpm.
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Old 08-22-2014, 11:46 PM   #6
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Join Date: Apr 2014
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Coachwork: Blue Bird
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: 77
Re: 1999 Blue Bird

Awesome, Dragonpop! I found the manual at www.centralstatesbus.com and got acquainted with locations of everything. So 16-1700 rpm i'm guessing would probably put me around a 60mph cruising speed??? I think I can handle that. Thanks for the advice.
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Old 08-24-2014, 11:34 PM   #7
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Join Date: Apr 2014
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Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: 77
GUNSMOKE

Here are some pictures...

First picture with the bus

The "Best tail in town"

900+ miles and a bunch of coffee and redbull later we made it home! I have an awesome friend that made the journey with me that took this as I was leaving after I dropped him off. (My wife said she wouldn't let me make the trip alone... I said I'd be fine but she won that battle. It was nice having someone to talk to during the 26 hour adventure, but don't tell her I said that!)


Since I bought and picked her up from a town called Festus, I think it's only fitting that She be named "GUNSMOKE"
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Old 08-25-2014, 01:33 AM   #8
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Nice bus. I can't believe the overhang. Be careful pulling away from the curb.

Festus, huh. That reminds me of Uncle Fester. I think I'll name my bus Uncle Fester.
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Old 08-25-2014, 05:50 AM   #9
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal
Nice bus. I can't believe the overhang. Be careful pulling away from the curb.
What's wrong with the overhang? It's 10 ft. That's what ours is. I thought that was the norm.
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Old 08-25-2014, 08:09 AM   #10
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Year: 1999
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Engine: 5.9L Cummins
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

I think the picture with me by it makes the overhang appear more than it actually is. Kinda an optical illusion from the angle it was taken from.
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Old 08-25-2014, 08:20 AM   #11
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

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Old 08-25-2014, 09:42 AM   #12
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Quote:
Originally Posted by lornaschinske
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal
Nice bus. I can't believe the overhang. Be careful pulling away from the curb.
What's wrong with the overhang? It's 10 ft. That's what ours is. I thought that was the norm.

I didn't say anything was wrong with it. I said to be careful pulling away from the curb. Go park your bus next to a pole just behind the rear wheel. Crank your steering wheel hard like you are pulling out from the curb because some idiot backed right up to your bus. Tell me what happens next?
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Old 08-25-2014, 12:34 PM   #13
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Join Date: Apr 2014
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Year: 1999
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Engine: 5.9L Cummins
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal
Tell me what happens next?
Nice visual you painted there!
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Old 08-25-2014, 12:55 PM   #14
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Welcome "Gunsmoke" and congrats on your new bus
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Old 08-25-2014, 01:53 PM   #15
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal
Tell me what happens next?
Cocktail hour and a movie?
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Old 08-25-2014, 02:01 PM   #16
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Congrats on the bus........ Gunsmoke will be a very suitable name for her......
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Old 08-25-2014, 11:09 PM   #17
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Glad you made it home safe. What speed did you travel and what kind of fuel economy did
you obtain?
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Old 08-26-2014, 08:51 AM   #18
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Lingleville, TX
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Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: 77
Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragonpop
Glad you made it home safe. What speed did you travel and what kind of fuel economy did
you obtain?
Thanks! I set the cruise at 63-64. Top speed was around 72 on flats but I only tried that once. The bus gets a little shaky once you hit 70 and the RPM was up to around 2800 so I immediately backed it down to about 2400-2500 RPM and that is where I stayed. Fuel mileage was around 9-10 mpg. I wound have liked to take your advice of 1800 RPM but that equated to about 45 MPH and on a 900 mile trip, screw that!!!
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Old 08-31-2014, 12:18 AM   #19
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Who says good help is hard to find?! We got half the seats out this afternoon, more to come tommorow.
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Old 08-31-2014, 07:40 AM   #20
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Re: 1999 Blue Bird "GUNSMOKE"

Quote:
Who says good help is hard to find?!
That was my son when he was that age (seems like just yesterday). He's now at 24 running one of the departments at a local metal fab company in the engineering dept. One can never teach the value of a good work ethic young enough. Keep up the good work and suck the juice out of every moment. They grow up way too fast.

Interesting where and how we all get our buses. I'm in SC and flew to TX to drive it 1800 miles home sight unseen (other than the pics of the auction ad). I hear you on the apprehension. It is, after all, an adventure!! Glad you made it home fine.
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