92 Thomas International Navistar

[BurlKing]

Things have been slow, we're waiting on a welder, so we can fix the floor around the wheel well. This first one here shows how clean the defroster tunnel is now. we didn't even know it was white it was that dirty.

cleaning the drivers area slowly but surely. about 50% of the wiring there is speaker wire.

If anyone knows of some good sound dampening/fire proof stuff for the barrier between the engine wall and the interior let us know.


Also, if someone has some good suggestions on how to make that door opener handle/mechanism shine let us know as well.

this floor wont take to long to wire wheel out, not too bad for a 92.




how am i able to tell who made my transmission or the type, or gear ratio etc.. if i don't have the maintenance log records or any other papers? Pretty much the only thing i have is the plaque on the inside of the bus which just lists the GVWR and pass count. any advice would help. (not that anything is wrong with it, i would just like to know.)

[Tango]

Most (but not all) trans have an ID tag attached. Can be a bear to find under the grease & grime but worth a look.

Not sure about other makes but Allison is pretty good about documentation right on the tranny. Here is mine, of course it will be harder to find after a few years on the road, but...with a Serial Number you can get all the specs from the factory. Good luck.

[crazycal]

Also, if someone has some good suggestions on how to make that door opener handle/mechanism shine let us know as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS5C5HaqGTk

[BurlKing]

this is a great site, couldn't have found a better site to be on. both of the replies were pretty much exactly what i wanted to hear. thank you crazycal and tango.

[BurlKing]

Today was a great find for the bus (if they work out.) As we were on our way to work we had spotted two chairs that definitely came from an automobile of some kind. We did not have time to stop and check them out before work, but they were only a few blocks away so on my lunch break i went down to look at them, and threw them in my car. To our luck they were free.


Here is the captains chair




Then the passenger chair

[jazty]

Fine thrones! They look plush. Do they have a swivel base?

[BurlKing]

You know i didn't even think to look until you mentioned it, so i just went over and the captains chair does which is pretty sweet. so thanks for asking that!

[jazty]

It's a good feature. Depending on your layout, it could mean two lazy boys while parked!

[BurlKing]

Today i found out with more inspection of the seats that they are a "flexsteel" brand, which before finding these seats i seen them run around $500-$800 just for one. So i cant wait to clean them up, or reupholster them. They are pretty clean too, not even a cigarette hole or burn mark of any kind!

[Tango]

Great roadkill find!

[Ryank327]

Another good option for shining that handle and any other metal is Brasso. That's what we used in the Marine Corps to shine everything and you can find it in the cleaning section of any grocery store.

[crazycal]

Originally Posted by Ryank327

Another good option for shining that handle and any other metal is Brasso. That's what we used in the Marine Corps to shine everything and you can find it in the cleaning section of any grocery store.

I think Brasso is cheaper.

[The-Breeze]

note to self: Stay away from Minnesota when traveling ------>>>>> the people there are CRAZY!!!!! (proof, look what they throw out)

GREAT FIND THERE

All I see on the side of the road are chairs & couches that some cat or dog pissed on, and that's on a good day. You don't want to know what the worst ones were like

[BurlKing]

Originally Posted by Ryank327

Another good option for shining that handle and any other metal is Brasso. That's what we used in the Marine Corps to shine everything and you can find it in the cleaning section of any grocery store.

Originally Posted by crazycal

I think Brasso is cheaper.

Thanks for the suggestion on that will definitely check it out.

Originally Posted by The-Breeze

note to self: Stay away from Minnesota when traveling ------>>>>> the people there are CRAZY!!!!! (proof, look what they throw out)

GREAT FIND THERE

All I see on the side of the road are chairs & couches that some cat or dog pissed on, and that's on a good day. You don't want to know what the worst ones were like

Yeah we live here in Minnesota and that is pretty much what they throw out. lol. when you live in a college town/old folks town you get a weird mix of things. From college kids moving out and leaving brand new stuff they cant carry back with them to older people just not having use for things. you can find a lot in this town actually which is quite nice. was super poor and had no couches or chairs for my house once, and furnished it all from a college dumpsters during move out period. was pretty funny actually, had to bring some of it back. found a long board in perfect condition, couches that reclined, sectionals, nightstands, you name it.
Did you have a bad experience driving through here one time or what?

[BurlKing]

So we finally saved enough money to buy a welder that we'd need for the thinner metal. Here it is: wirefeed flux cored. $350.


After buying the welder (online) early in the morning on one of the rare days we have off together we had bus fever, so we had to go out and do something while we waited. There are so many things that need to be done that it is daunting so i tend to find myself doing the quick easy fun things when I'm low on time. So since we did not have a seat that was bolted down to drive it around the farm while in maintenance mode we decided to make a quick fix.



All we did we use the previous floor pedestal that was stock on the bus and mounted to the new chair, two of the holes of the floor pedestal matched up with the stock bus one. All we had to do was drill two holes and we were set. The bus is a thrill to drive with this now installed, I did not want to stop driving it was now very comfortable, the seat reclines, moves up and down,forward and reverse.

We will be using the 2nd free seat as a test subject of replacing the padding in it and reupholstering.

[BurlKing]

Welder finally arrived in the mail, did some practice welds and couldn't be any happier with the purchase. now its time to get some real work done and have our goals of being insulated with a wood stove done by winter which comes quick in Minnesota.

[EastCoastCB]

Nice lil welder!

[BurlKing]

Thanks! it'll be perfect for the thin sheet metal on the floor and hard to get spaces. We also have access to two stick welders as well for larger structure pieces (one that is equipped with a 7000W generator) so now we will have a nice range of welds. Spent pretty much all day wire wheeling the floor and removing some angle iron pieces from behind the wheel well, and in front of it. So we now have all the rusted metal we want removed and now to the clean up metal stage with grinders and what not and then on to OSPHO (recommended from this site.) Pictures of progress will arrive tomorrow night. The bus progress is moving at a good rate now.

Forgot to mention we are finding more and more out about the bus. found out it has a spicer transmission 5 gears plus reverse, and 11X22.5 tires(was going faster than 70mph on way home) which from what i've heard combined with the DTA360 gets pretty good MPG. any experts with knowledge of that combo or and hints and tips about it let me know as i am far from an expert on diesel engines and transmissions.


Also really considering making the door handle opener out of an exotic wood such as purple-heart, as we've made small handles and stuff out of it before with a lathe and is some very tough wood.

[Tango]

If you are running 70, that's awesome, but...at what RPM's?

[BurlKing]

Not sure Tango but it was up there(pretty sure between 2200 and 2500) cant remember it was 2 months ago, but the pedal was to the floor or now I've found out that it is just a curved metal piece that's stopping it. Did not want to keep it at that RPM for long it was just a test of how fast it could go. any know if removing this piece will let me go to the max speed of 85 or the engine max or am i already at it? I would be able to press it maybe another 1 1/2" down.