HELLLLPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[claydbal]

Originally Posted by Tango

My only two-cents would be regarding rust. --- I am just West of that area (in Houston) and familiar with what coastal salt air can do to metal. Then there are a host of similar issues brought on if they lived in refinery environments. There is stuff in the air around chemical plants that can be much worse than salt.

All I'm saying is take a really long, hard look all over before you jump on anything from this area. Some are fine but I've seen others that looked OK on top but the frame rails were practically rusted in two. The prices sound great, just make sure you know what you are buying in to.

Best of luck with the hunt.

thanks tango. i spent about 30 minutes crawling under the bus. framework and bottom of drivetrain look great. the rust is in the body on the rear lower corners and parts of the rub rails. you can imagine the bus parked on incline and water standing in those rear corners, but i cant imagine why the rub rails would be rusting thin from the inside so it may very well be some kind of chemical dust that would settle in there and other nooks and crannies. i figure im worth about 10-12 years of the schoolie/gypsy/vegabond lifestyle in a bus type thing. so im not really concerned as long as the thing doesnt fall in on me. lol i will be dead before the bus is.........

holler if ya are in this area and ill buy ya a beer!

[claydbal]

im a schoolie! sorta kinda in a newby way. picked up the bus and drove it 40 miles home. ran good and had no trouble, but did find a few things as i drove. the front end would shake hard at approx 45 mph. this figure came from my chick that was following in the truck (bus speedo doesnt work) and she said i maintained a constant 45 mph. btw, 2500 rpm on the tach so i dont think it ever got to shift to fourth gear. ??? maintaained a 190-200 degree temp with the fan clutch not engaging. when i got her parked, i went to all wheels and felt for heat, the pass side front was really warm and the rotor was rusty red, looks like i will be fixing a sticking caliper. this is probably the cause for the shaking also. next i flipped the hood and saw the reson for the rusty water stains i was concerned about, the radiator was peeing directly on the water pump from a top seam leak. the leak is about the size of a pencil eraser and can be brazed. i also noticed i cant hear the turbo, but dont know if i should?

overall, i think it will be easy, cheap fixes and will know more when i get a couple days off. i wound up paying $1100 cash and he gave me a almost new battery!

oh, after we got the bus home, had to drive the pickup to the city about 50 miles away, as we returned and were about two miles from home, we reached an intersection, and when i touched the brake, the truck died instantly. had to get a ride home, went back yesterday and towed the truck and this morning i finished diagnostics. the fuel pump had died a very sudden death!

no good deed goes unpunished.lolololol

[claydbal]

late update........................found the cause for concern on the turbo. the aftercooler tube that feeds the intake has a hole in it! a cable had been zip-tied there and rubbed a 1/2 " hole there. easy fix. the thermostat is MIA and that would cause a higher than normal opperating temp, new t-stat for 25$. and a freind is gonna let me borrow his trailered welding machine (acetylene as well) to braze the radiator. then i will pressure test for any more leaks. the only mechanical reapair left is the brake caliper, which the fellow has an extra he is gonna trade me!

removed all seats (what a pain) and rear heater and all that metal that covered the heater hoses. got a blank canvas to work with now!

bought a stack of 50 sheets of celotex insulating board for $40 which i will line the walls (and most windows) and floors, then cover in paneling and plywood.

got the roof pAinted with reflective elastomeric stuff. 4 coats. man, i about went snowblind! that stuff is so bright i saw pink for half an hour. lol