Birth of The Warthog

[crazycal]

Strobes are not legal in all states. Better check your state.

[Scooternj]

Originally Posted by Docsgsxr

Never too late to leave a tip! (Although I already got the unnecessary electrical removed!) I just need to make sure that when I rewire the inside, I re-hook up my top strobe. I decided it would be a good idea to keep it just in case I am in need of attention during a break down or a foggy day.

If you haven't removed them, I would flip your rear warning lights, and tie them into the turn & brake lights. I'm doing that on mine so that no one can claim that 1) they didn't see the turn signal, 2) didn't see the brake lights, and 3) improves my visibility on the side of the road.

Originally Posted by crazycal

Strobes are not legal in all states. Better check your state.

And those white strobes generally don't do crap in fog. But, yeah, strobe legality varies from state to state. If you've got a friend who's a cop, ask them if it needs to be permitted with the state.

[PDBreske]

Originally Posted by Scooternj

If you've got a friend who's a cop, ask them if it needs to be permitted with the state.

Sorry for the hijack, but ...

If you ask three cops about the legality of even the simplest matter, you'll get three different answers. A word of advice: Ask a cop (or anyone, really) where you can find the information you want, then look it up yourself.

[Scooternj]

Originally Posted by PDBreske

Sorry for the hijack, but ...

If you ask three cops about the legality of even the simplest matter, you'll get three different answers. A word of advice: Ask a cop (or anyone, really) where you can find the information you want, then look it up yourself.

No worries. I asked one cop if yellow LEDs were kosher without a permit, back when I was doing the volunteer EMS thing, and he said as long as you don't overdo it. I get pulled over in my car last month, which has interior emergency LEDs, and he starts giving me a hassle about them, meanwhile I've stopped on the NJTPKE with them running, to block traffic for a disabled vehicle, and thanked by the trooper. Go figure.

[Docsgsxr]

Originally Posted by Scooternj

If you haven't removed them, I would flip your rear warning lights, and tie them into the turn & brake lights. I'm doing that on mine so that no one can claim that 1) they didn't see the turn signal, 2) didn't see the brake lights, and 3) improves my visibility on the side of the road.

Awesome Idea! Only I think I will add LED's and seal the holes. Water leaks into them.

Update on the demo. I have gotten some time to work on it some more. Finally bought 20 sheets of 1.5" Rigid foam insulation for the rig. Dropped it off yesterday to the mechanic, brakes were pulling to the left and i want him to re hook up my fast idle switch.

My 2 year old loving daddy's bus!


Pre "gutting" seat removal.


Mini Me hanging out where the heater core goes. I'm going to do a complete detail of it and reinstall it. I am going to try and engineer a way to add an electric defrost heater/blower to it as well. I have the room now that I have it gutted.


Completely emptied shell, except for the "driver's center". When it comes back from the shop, I am going to treat and coat the floor. I decided to use a "rhino liner" type coating on it for protection after it is treated. I still haven't decided on what I will do for flooring, but I know I am going to put down 1/2' foam under 1/4' plywood for the decking.




Started to cut out the really bad rusted spots in the floor to access the channels for spraying the rust converter.


Daddy's support group's Union Cookie Break!


I have the electrical supplies from the outlets and switches all the way down to the 2000 w inverter/charger ready to go.

1/2' pex, water heater, valves and dual propane regulator are in the mess as well. I will pick up my plumbing fixtures after I get the tubes run.

More pictures and updates to follow!

-Doc

[Docsgsxr]

Well........ 2 months later and I finally got the mechanic to do some work on the motor. Found out that I have a dead cylinder in the dang thing which gave a lot of blow by. He told me that he thought the previous owner ran that one dry for a long time. The engine serial plate was missing off of the valve cover so I decided to take the ecm down to the local CAT dealer for reading. (Thomas doesn't keep records that far back obviously, and it seems Freightliner has parted ways with Thomas so no one could tell me squat!)

We found out the ecm had gone bad and that was why the motor had a miss in it. But we also found out that it had almost 2million miles on the damn thing! The service tech told me you take the service clock which was 49000 hours on this one, and multiply it by 45 mph, an average they use in the industry to account for movement and idle time. So they weren't kidding when they said the 3126 was a million mile motor if serviced properly!

After the guy at the service desk helped me out, we got an estimate of $9000 to rebuild including the reman. ecm.

Got on the web, and found one 3 years newer same serial prefix with only 118K miles on it for $4600 including shipping and a 3 month warranty on it. So...... Tuesday I will have it start it's journey to my mechanic. If i didn't absolutely love this specific bus and have so much work into it already, I would have scrapped it and started over.

To be continued.........

-Doc

[bansil]

good luck...sounds like a good reason to have a BBQ and cold beer this weekend

[Docsgsxr]

Motor is bought and is shipped. Now we wait until Friday so it can be installed!

[Gwenweiss22]

I have a similar Thomas built deisel pusher...what year is this? Mine is built the same with the sort of shelf seat in the back. I am in process of building mine out and am thinking about leaving the shelf above the engine as a little sitting area behind where the bed will go. What have you thought of for your design in the back so far? Curious to know.

Gwen

[Docsgsxr]

I am actually going to make the seat part of the bed frame. That way when I fill in the two windows on either side with sheet metal, I can build cabinets on either side. As far as the top part goes, I want to leave that open so I can still use the emergency window if needed. I decided that if I use the seat for part of the bed frame then I can gain about another foot for the bathroom. (which I will love since I am going to try to put in a corner shower with a sliding door in it.) But I figure it will give me enough room for the fresh water tank to be underneath as well.

That is my vision of it anyway. In the true skoolie nature it is subject to change at a moment's notice of course!

-Doc


Almost forgot, it's a '99 40 footer.

[crazycal]

Originally Posted by PDBreske

Sorry for the hijack, but ...

If you ask three cops about the legality of even the simplest matter, you'll get three different answers. A word of advice: Ask a cop (or anyone, really) where you can find the information you want, then look it up yourself.

If you have a burning desire to ask to police anything, ask which shops have the best donuts in town.

[Gwenweiss22]

So sweet! Thanks Doc.

I'm excited to see your project progress.

[Docsgsxr]

Haven't posted in a while because i haven't had anything to post about. But i should be picking up my bus this coming weekend. Then the real fun can start! Feels like forever since I've driven it, guess it will be a new feeling all over again!!!!


Why aren't any of my pics showing up on here? Did the format change??

-Doc

[fablabcustoms]

Hi Doc, have you managed to post any of your gutted interior of your wayne bus? I have a 95 Wayne coming in for a roof raise and am just starting my homework on the inner structure design. Thanks again and hope your back up and burning fuel in yours! : )

[Docsgsxr]

Sorry bud. Didn't see this until now. I have been away so long I totally forgot to check the forums.

My bus is a Thomas not a Wayne. But most of the interior structure on the buses are the same. It's just some of the wiring is different. as far as a roof raise goes, I haven't decided if I will or won't do mine if I ever get it back........

There are a ton of other projects on here of others doing raises on theirs, and they come out looking great. I'd say troll some of the topics of roof raising and you will see they aren't too hard if you have the right knowledge and tools.

Sorry I can't help more.

-Doc

[claydbal]

good to see ya back doc!

[Docsgsxr]

Thanks bud! I just spoke with my "mechanic" and he told me and let me see a video of my bus starting and running, but now he has a problem with it not wanting to idle up. Thinks he may have smashed something sliding the new motor in.....so here we go with a whole new sit and wait process. I am thinking next month if he isn't finished, I will call a lawyer and get my repair done for free. 14 months I have had to wait to be able to get back to my bus....... bah!!!

But I did manage to create an album so my photos are back on the site!!

[Emidd27]

Hi Doc,

I am in Mesa and have been researching a build on a Thomas as well. If you wouldn't mind I would love to check out your bus and even give you a hand if you need it. For whatever reason I am unable to see the pictures you uploaded. Anyway, hope you get that bus back soon!

Eric

[Docsgsxr]

Originally Posted by Emidd27

Hi Doc,

I am in Mesa and have been researching a build on a Thomas as well. If you wouldn't mind I would love to check out your bus and even give you a hand if you need it. For whatever reason I am unable to see the pictures you uploaded. Anyway, hope you get that bus back soon!

Eric

Sorry I didn't see this bud. I will take you up on that offer when I get it home!

I was going to go get my bus today, but the storms over Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama decided I should have a weekend of rest. Today is my first day off in 3 weeks of 12 hour shifts.

So hopefully, next weekend will be nice enough to get her! Gonna take the go pro with me to record the quick trip home from the shop to my parent's place.......

[Emidd27]

No Worries, I have not been on here a lot lately either. I sent you a PM.