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Old 01-13-2015, 09:16 AM   #41
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Florida
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Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
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It looks great! A lot of work into it so far. nice job.
One question, since I see no windows, is it a mobile grow house or will the windows be cut and placed later or am I missing something?
One more thing - I checked out your business site, great idea and looks like it is doing well with so many trips (350/yr.). I'd love to get out there someday. With family in Nebraska, I hope to when our bus is ready.

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Old 01-23-2015, 05:31 PM   #42
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Join Date: Apr 2009
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Year: 1986
Coachwork: Crown Super Coach
Chassis: Built on a Crown Chassis
Engine: 300HP BIG CAM TURBO 855
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Don't Roll over the Rustoleum..........Go ahead and give the gun........30% lacquer thinner, 5% acetone........accelerates drying..............and hit it up:...........You can even run it from your main air tank with the bus at idle. Just be sure to put an inline water filter in the pneumatic hose. Does a far better job that rolling is eight times quicker and if you know how to use a gun it could surprise you to how nice it looks.............Also for prep use "liquid sandpaper" Go over all your surfaces with a towel soaked in it: It cleans and etches the surface for good results in terms of ahesion of new paint. I've used this process at least 7 different times.................IT WORKS.......
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Old 01-23-2015, 06:32 PM   #43
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Denver
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Year: 1982
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: International S1800
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Rated Cap: 65
Mokibrabrant--I like your style--it's been rattle-canned for the time being while the winter passes over. When things warm up a bit, I'll be gunning it for sure of my shop's air supply. Already got the water separators and filters! Never heard of liquid sandpaper, but that sounds like a dream come true.
I love supercoaches--where can i see pics of yours??!
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Old 01-23-2015, 07:49 PM   #44
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Year: 1986
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Check out the link I provided that's to my site...........most the buses featured are those I have owned at one time or another..........I currently own four Crowns and my Armageddon Rig..............I was hoping you weren't going to challenge me on which of us loves Coaches more..............incidentally, I admire the work you put into our projects. Very competent. Reflects your passion. I'm more of an instant gratification guy, probably explains my lengthy criminal career: Nah only joking...........I put the link to my site on my last post. Here it is again................lot's of photo's and lot's of info on my most recent whirlwind winter trip: Culminating with Resurrecting the 66 Hewlett Packard Intercity Crown. 375 HP Big Cam Cummins amidship, with a five speed Allison Auto.............check it out.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/CROWN...?ref=bookmarks
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Old 01-26-2015, 05:02 PM   #45
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Convertible weather

I know some of you may be digging out (or preparing to) from a heavy storm, but here in CO, it's convertible weather

I've been meaning to change the oil, repair a visor, and change the plugs on the MGB I'm in a relationship with, so I drove her to the yard today--a SUNNY 67 degrees!!

Her windshield almost comes up to the headlights on the Queen !

I think they're in love and I support the relationship.
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Old 01-26-2015, 05:06 PM   #46
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MOKI-
MAN! what a beautiful fleet and life you've had brother!
Is it bad that I'm already fantasizing about what I'll do to a Crown once I get my hands on one before I'm done with my International??
I think it's healthy... I'd love to feel how your HP Crown drives with that motor/trans combo. Ive never driven a Crown, but I've driven a bunch of coaches. Air Ride is always comfortable, but I've never had the mid-ship engine experience. It's kind of like a Lamborghini...
I've also been curious to see how a torsion bar sprung bus handles. Apparently they had a very strong following.
If you ever come through CO, please do swing by with your fantastic machine!
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Old 01-26-2015, 07:37 PM   #47
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Join Date: Apr 2009
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Year: 1986
Coachwork: Crown Super Coach
Chassis: Built on a Crown Chassis
Engine: 300HP BIG CAM TURBO 855
Rated Cap: 78
Every word you say is true...........Life is Life and there will be stuff that rocks you but when I look back there have been interruptions to the peace. Overall extremely blessed. Don't anticipate any CO. trips I try to use the time I have and stay coastal. We do have a gathering in Phelan Called Buses Gone Wild it's typically a gathering of Crowns and this year should be the best one Ever. I love your enthusiasm and I love the energy of your mammoth build. Though I'm not the host of this I feel confident that I could extend a welcome to you and you and your machine and you would be most welcome: There are currently five permanent residents on the property.......A couple tandems, an Atomic and one Intercity. This event takes place over the memorial day weekend: If interested give me a shout:

Now as to the Ride. In my experience my preference for ride has been the SuperCoach without air ride: They still ride quiet and nice and for me just have a better "feel".......But I've never met a Crown I didn't like. I bought another one this weekend. When it's in the hamper for sure I'll post it..........37 footer 671TA and an Auto..........perfect body DOT certified and seats already out. In other word it is all there and every think works as it should.......Looking at knocking the governor up to 2300 hit it with some bigger injectors and kick the HP to about 325.........

Anyway, a bit off track: The HP Intercity has the raised roof from the factory, and it also has all that Crap on the roof: There is a perceptible difference in handling. Highway is all good. Off highway and negotiating on ramps and off ramps at speed it's not as stable, there's perceptible lean. Nothing I've experienced in a Crown before and I attribute that to the additional height and the need to address the shocks: There are two shocks per wheel. one Straight up like a typical shock and another that actually that shoots off at about 60 degrees relative to the "straight" being at 90. First order of business is to replace all those shocks with heavy duty fully adjustable shocks. Maybe just the front first: and see if i can get rid of any sense of roll. Don't get me wrong Most would not find its current state to be a problem. I don't like roll. Rock and Roll? That's different. All the Crowns I own and have owned would take Curves and Corners and do not pitch.........but again i've never had one 'loaded' like the HP






A couple youtube video's I uploaded yesterday...............
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Old 01-28-2015, 03:13 PM   #48
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mokibrabrant View Post
Don't Roll over the Rustoleum..........Go ahead and give the gun........30% lacquer thinner, 5% acetone........accelerates drying..............and hit it up:...........You can even run it from your main air tank with the bus at idle. Just be sure to put an inline water filter in the pneumatic hose. Does a far better job that rolling is eight times quicker and if you know how to use a gun it could surprise you to how nice it looks.............Also for prep use "liquid sandpaper" Go over all your surfaces with a towel soaked in it: It cleans and etches the surface for good results in terms of ahesion of new paint. I've used this process at least 7 different times.................IT WORKS.......
I second this. Although it might seem intimidating, spraying is the only way I'd do it again. I bought a cheap Campbell hausfeld hvlp gun kit from Walmart. For my 35 ft conventional nose bus it took about a gallon of rustoleum primer and about a gallon and a half of paint. For prep work we were going to hand sand it and then wash it but the acetone we used left a pretty good surface to paint so we just went at it. I've never heard of the liquid sand paper stuff but I'd be willing to try it over hand sanding an entire bus. Me and a buddy started at around 11 and had it finished by 8 that night(clean, prep, primer, 2 coats of paint). I by no means am a professional painter but doing it this way gave fantastic results. And if you get the right mixture it'll be dry by the time you paint your way around to where you started. As for paint/thinner ratios it's all going to depend on the environment. Too much paint and it will glob, too much thinner and it will run, too much acetone and it will dry too fast. You'll just have to experiment with what works best.

The only thing I just wish we would have done was a clear coat because it's lost some it's no longer has the shine that it did, but it still looks good after 2 years.
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Old 01-28-2015, 03:50 PM   #49
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gave fantastic results. And if you get the right mixture it'll be dry by the time you paint your way around to where you started. As for paint/thinner ratios it's all going to depend on the environment. Too much paint and it will glob, too much thinner and it will run, too much acetone and it will dry too fast. You'll just have to experiment with what works best.

Agree with everything you have said................I did several of these "paint jobs"...........some very clandestinely.............Like 3:AM in a Home Depot parking lot..............Or by the side of Railroad tracks, painting the side away from the street, and then turning the bus around to do the other side.........It's fun and the results have always been better than if I had tried to roll it or brush it............I would add though that even if the mixture is too "thin" this sometimes leaves the best results: As long as you don't mind going around the bus a few more times..............these light coats will come out silky.........less chance for the gun to clog. Sometimes you just get lucky..............I will do this again and this time i will get a better gun and use a better tank and look forward to better results...............The Liquid Sand Paper does work. It's probably close to a formula you would find in some furniture strippers but far less caustic.................good post. Enjoyed it
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Old 02-02-2015, 06:41 AM   #50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jazty View Post
content/uploads/2014/06/12xc2.pdf]battery data sheet[/url] I can see that each battery is rated to discharge 25amps for 292 minutes. 25amps * 3 batteries = 75 amps for 292 minutes. Only want to discharge 40% of the bank, so: 292 minutes * 40% = 116.8 minutes, or 1.94 hours. I could easily run that big, nasty, 12lb grinder for over 2 hours. Add in a charging source and that time could be extended (ie solar panels)
!
So I spent the last 5 years doing designs for islands that try to cut the cost of diesel and supplement with solar and batteries... we found out one thing.

There are liars, damn liars and battery suppliers.

Turns out the energy capacity of a battery per the data sheet should be discounted by 40-70%... if you read the fine print the capacity is only immediately after formation (capacity or more importantly charge acceptance gets worse very quickly thereafter, i mean like 40 cycles after). The DOD (depth of discharge) will destroy your PbA batteries. figure 2X reduction of life for every additional 20% DOD. In a typical PbA battery you are looking at 400 cycles draining to 60% state of charge.

Also, a HUGE factor in the capacity is temperature... cold batteries can be easily cut by 80% in their capacity... hot batteries? well the capacity goes up but the batteries get less cycles.

Not on batteries, but on solar... here in VT, my tested capacity factor is 17%. In CO its likely over 20%... you will archive peak DC rating at mid day... discount that by 20% to get AC rating in small panels (rule of thumb).

The capacity factor accounts for the cut-off when the sun is low and not enough to cover the standby losses of the converter.

Hey dude, I'm a believer with all the calcs in order.

Energy arbitrage really difficult to make work economically... if you do the financial math you will find NET about $1 per KWhr generated and arbitraged to make it though the night with minimum loads.

All that said. I'm doing it on my bus as well. Just not for a/c.

Cheers, -K
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Old 02-02-2015, 06:44 AM   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles_m View Post
I know some of you may be digging out (or preparing to) from a heavy storm, but here in CO, it's convertible weather

I've been meaning to change the oil, repair a visor, and change the plugs on the MGB I'm in a relationship with, so I drove her to the yard today--a SUNNY 67 degrees!!

Her windshield almost comes up to the headlights on the Queen !

I think they're in love and I support the relationship.
you lucky bastard! I was working outside in -5degF yesterday... and need to wait until the summer to do the roof raise...

Once I get this thing done, I might just move to CO.

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/showth...9053#post99053
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Old 02-02-2015, 12:03 PM   #52
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Yesterday Houston, TX was 70*F.......
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Old 02-02-2015, 12:27 PM   #53
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Spent the morning digging out AGAIN 19 degrees, CO and TX sound good about now
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Old 02-02-2015, 01:02 PM   #54
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Ya...I was at an outdoor Superbowl party here in Houston yesterday...wearing a Hawaiian shirt.

I'll take the tropics over the snow-belt any day!

(Someone please remind me I said that come August and 112 degree, 100 percent humidity)
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Old 03-04-2015, 07:25 PM   #55
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Got some work done the past couple weeks:
Finished screwing the wooden ribs to the metal frame of the bus and build the 'sashes' for the rv windows ill be putting in. as soon as I have a window of nice weather, ill cut holes and drop the windows in.



I decided I should make a general assessment of her mechanical condition since I hadn't started or driven her in about 3 months. I took the bus out for a bit on the hiway for a run... the girl started up great and runs just so smooth.
I have noticed that the rotary-style injection pump takes more cranking before it starts to deliver fuel and the engine fires up--mostly after sitting more than a couple of days. My inline bosch pump-equipped dt466's would barely give the starter a chance before the engine would kick on, even in sub-zero temps! Gotta love that.

The lucas oil I added in the last change made a difference in the quietness of the valvetrain and I think its helping the rings and valves seat nicer...maybe im just imagining it. I should check the valve clearances, but I don't really think I need to. The new fuel and air filters definitely helped with the feel of power and strength off the line. I also replaced the low-profile steer tires with some good used 11r22.5's off a bus we scrapped. Looks a lot better with more rubber under her, esp after the roof raise. The new chassis batteries are doing great and the 150W solar panel that is hooked to them means I'm always topped up no matter how long it sits for. The belts look dandy. Feeling good on the mechanical status, generally, but there is still more to do.

Before it's time for regular driving, ill be flushing the coolant changing that filter and refilling using the good CAT stuff. I'll also be draining the ATF, replacing it's filter(s), installing a trans temp gauge, and putting in new tranny fluid. I'll also drain and replace the rear diff oil, install new (used) 11r22.5 rear tires to replace the old low-profiles, and put in a pyrometer and maybe boost gauge for fun--though I can usually hear when I'm not making boost. The mechanical solenoid for the electric retarder sometimes sticks, so I'll need to clean and get that set up for mountain driving, and then lastly, install new shocks all around.

Someday, I'd like to get her hiway gears, but it's worth it to be patient for a good used set. Those gears are crazy expensive.

hopefully ill get the walls framed, wired, and prepped for insulation this month.

My band is going to Austin for SXSW so that will take up some time, and of course, I've got to work my paying job...geeez... doesn't anyone know I've got a BUS to build??!? The nerve.... ;)
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Old 03-04-2015, 09:13 PM   #56
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Very nice. I like this build.
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Old 03-04-2015, 09:15 PM   #57
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Looks great so far! I wish I had the time to get as much done as you have.
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Old 03-05-2015, 10:18 AM   #58
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I second that! Looks great and professional.
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Old 03-08-2015, 10:56 PM   #59
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Put in some windows today! Felt amazing and SCARY to cut open the sides of the bus. The holes cut easily with my jigsaw and a Bosch metal cutting blade on it with a bit of oil.

The flange of the window is backed by butyl rubber for a seal. I will also be caulking over this with some real good looking RV sealant that is highly recommended--I just cant remember the name and its at the bus. haha

The windows clamp the skin of the bus between their outside flange and the wooden frame I've built around them. I screwed them into the wooden frame through the sides of the windows while clamped or pressed in place. Once the screws go in, the clamping force is set and those windows ain't going nowhere!

Of course, I've changed my mind on a couple of windows and will be buying 2 new ones to replace 2 I decided won't work. I'll put em up on the local CL and see if anyone wants em. Pretty typical.

Feels good to make such rewarding progress! I've got to leave town in a week for a while, but hopefully I'll get the rest in in the next 2 weeks.
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Old 03-09-2015, 12:03 AM   #60
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Nice progress!

I sure know about plans changing. I've only changed my floorplan about 10 times (so far) and now I'm thinking about slides...
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