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Old 12-30-2018, 10:03 PM   #141
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Different guy, this one is in Vegas.

Depending on your windows you could raise the roof under and angle so thate at least at the top it would be even, Of course nothing would be square any more. Is the width of the cockpit section wider then the bus?


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Old 12-31-2018, 08:40 PM   #142
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OK. I don't know any Dirk in Las Vegas.

The airplane is narrower than the bus, and taller. So the bus roof will be raised -- no difficulty in that. But the bus roof needs to become narrower, and I think I can make the plane wider.

The real difficulty is that the bus roof is horizontal, while the plane roof is angled, and I want to avoid a sharp kink between the two.

At floor level, the plane is only an inch or two narrower than the bus, and I can surely flex the plane that much.
From there, the bus walls need to taper inward as we go higher. That's just some strong come-alongs or hefty turnbuckles up to around window height.

Then... comes the metal-shaping, since the profiles are rather different the rest of the way.
The idea is to remove several of the hat-section bows in the bus, so the bus skin can be reshaped with reasonable brute force -- turnbuckles and jacks.

And once the windshield is removed from the plane, I should be able to cut that roof along the middle, and spread it, and add a long wedge-shaped piece. I may have to split the plane all the way forward to the hatch on the "hood".
She will get a new windshield frame anyway.

Enough for now. Happy New Year!
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Old 01-02-2019, 11:10 AM   #143
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I don't recall, do you already have the bus? If not, a Thomas might be the better bet since the roof starts to narrow at the windows anyway. It'll save you 3"~4" IIRC.
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Old 01-02-2019, 10:22 PM   #144
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Ah... but I am a Blue Bird Guy.
And the bus for this project was acquired on page 7 of this chronicle, in March 2017.

This photo from September 2017 shows her parked next to Millicent.

She is very much like Millicent -- only two years newer, 28 inches shorter, and she has the AT545 Allison.
The one seat row shorter is perfect, as it allows room for the longer snout on the airframe without exceeding 40 feet.

The AT545 behaves downright strangely by comparison -- almost like a Continuously Variable Transmission. In other words, lots of slippage. However, she made the mountainous trip to Black Rock City without complaint.

This reminds me... I ought to take her for a spin, to keep her from atrophying too badly.


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Old 01-02-2019, 10:43 PM   #145
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Here she is -- the 1994 bus -- upon arrival Clearlake in March 2017 (bottom photo).
I have done just enough converting on her so far to get her registered as a motor home.
Besides non-SBY paint... juggling of belly-boxes for water and holding tanks, and rudimentary bunks and WC and shower-pan.

Clever that I am... I kept the belly boxes from my first bus (a 1980's model) when I scrapped her. (Millicent is my second bus.)
And on the 1994, I relocated the right-side double box to the left rear. One of these photos shows trial-fitting of tank before relocating the double box. The tank fits after deleting the center post.













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Old 01-02-2019, 10:59 PM   #146
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Annnnd.... Here is a photo that illustrates the roof issue I mentioned earlier.... I would like to make the two red lines match, somehow.


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Old 01-02-2019, 11:44 PM   #147
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Not fine art. But look closely and notice the pale blue on the roof of the bus. That's the "hump" on top of a 747 jumbo jet. I may need to fashion something like that -- and it could look quite cool, I think.

How? Frequent visits to airframe repair junk piles. At the local airfield, there are usually some old wings and such waiting for the scrap truck, since there are two or three repair- and restoration- shops there.

Only time will tell. Time, and head-scratching.


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Old 01-03-2019, 07:11 AM   #148
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That's the "hump" on top of a 747 jumbo jet. I may need to fashion something like that -- and it could look quite cool, I think.
I think you are correct.

Quote:
Frequent visits to airframe repair junk piles. At the local airfield, there are usually some old wings and such waiting for the scrap truck, since there are two or three repair- and restoration- shops there.
Must be nice having that kind of stuff around. I've got car junk yards. A couple that do trucks. One that does buses. And that's it. Ever watch Junkyard Wars? Where are the scrap yards with industrial stuff like that, damn it!!

As for the "new" bus, I remember now that you point it out. I did go back and look this time but only on page 1. I remembered it being white but thought that might have been a young Millicent.
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Old 01-03-2019, 09:05 AM   #149
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Know anyone with a large English Wheel?


I'm likin' the "bump" as well.
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Old 01-07-2019, 09:19 PM   #150
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I have wanted an English wheel (a.k.a. wheeling and raising machine) for decades. The good news is... the art of metal shaping was rescued from oblivion a few decades ago, and tools like the English wheel are again available brand new. Ron Covell in Northern California sell one for a bit over three grand, and he teaches it too (and other traditional metal forming skills).
Without looking, I would almost bet that Eastwood Co. sells one also.
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Old 01-08-2019, 07:04 AM   #151
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Without looking, I would almost bet that Eastwood Co. sells one also.
You would be mistaken; they have 2. One on a stand and a little bench top one.


Just to save you 30 seconds, ... https://www.eastwood.com/metal-fabri...ish-wheel.html
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Old 03-06-2020, 09:25 PM   #152
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After a "slight pause", work on Albatross has resumed -- at an unhurried pace, of course, since this is supposed to be enjoyable. And it is!




Currently, I am researching options for the windshield.
There are three sections, and I would like to replace them with one. Or even two sections. But the two divider-pillars of the aircraft would be too much in the line of sight for highway use -- especially since the driver will sit further inboard than the pilot.

Of course, finding a windshield that will sort'a fit is a long-shot indeed, but let's see how close we can get.
The important part is that this glass needs to be so very curved.

I have a catalog of windshields for all cars from 1949 to 1989. This shows the two primary measurements -- width and height, both measured along the surface of the glass. But from there I must eyeball.




This is a SAAB 900 from the 1980s. Note how curved the windshield is!





So.... Any of you have a SAAB 900 from 1978 thru 1994? No, I am not asking you to donate the car! But take some measurements for me? I could also send paper templates to compare with the car.
.
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Old 03-07-2020, 06:54 AM   #153
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Do not have a Saab but I do have 1973 citroen Ds..both front and rear windows are very curvy. If think useful let me know what measurement you need.

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Old 03-07-2020, 07:37 AM   #154
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Do not have a Saab but I do have 1973 citroen Ds..both front and rear windows are very curvy. If think useful let me know what measurement you need.

Johan
YOu truly have some cool stuff Johan. I've never seen one of those on the road but when I was a kid there was a blue 70's Citroen sitting on flat tires in a field full of weeds. Sat there my whole life till I was in my 20's and it was sold.
Very interesting cars for sure.
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Old 03-07-2020, 08:53 AM   #155
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After a "slight pause", work on Albatross has resumed -- at an unhurried pace, of course, since this is supposed to be enjoyable. And it is!


So.... Any of you have a SAAB 900 from 1978 thru 1994? No, I am not asking you to donate the car! But take some measurements for me? I could also send paper templates to compare with the car.
.
Did you actually buy the windshield & cowl assembly? Gotta ask how much?! Very cool if you did!

Oh what the hell... I'm on a Saab forum -- a 9000 is my dd still, no longer have the C900 but it's a good choice of glass as still a popular car so the glass is affordable and available -- it 'pops' into place with a special gasket -- no sealant required -- unlike newer glass that is all glued into place...
*I would find a junkyard and cut the entire windshield frame out with metal to spare. You don't want wind-whistles or leaks...

I'll post on the 900 page and... I'll get back to you with some dimensions though.
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Old 03-07-2020, 01:36 PM   #156
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Johan;
Good idea! I grew up in Europe, and I remember those Citroens. Very cool cars, indeed. But they are so rare here in the US, that they are not even listed in the Auto Glass Specifications catalog. Still, we ought to do some measuring.

Banman;
No, I have not bought anything yet. I am still at the brainstorming and measuring stage. But you are thinking exactly as I am thinking. In fact, here is an example of what I might one day drag home (though, this is a convertible, and those have a much taller windshield which I cannot use):



Now... I just learned that my brother is coming to visit tomorrow, and will stay into April, and I need to tidy up the house and otherwise prepare. So, it will be a few days before I can continue with the windshield search.
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Old 03-08-2020, 12:23 PM   #157
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Old 03-08-2020, 12:26 PM   #158
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And then there is this one, currently offered for sale for $12,000.


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Old 03-08-2020, 01:43 PM   #159
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Of course... General Motors built a dozen of the Futurliners.


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Old 03-08-2020, 05:14 PM   #160
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While I am waiting for my brother to arrive.
This photo shows the curvature of the Albatross windshield. I took it standing on the "hood" and holding the camera above my head.

The measurements are Very Approximate, but points us in the general direction of what we need. The SAAB 900 windshield is listed as 59.5 inches along the bottom curve. And I measured the 58 on the inside, so it might measure 60 on the outside. Again, this is to see if we are at all in the ballpark with the SAAB.

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