The BigBlue..CastleFamilyTourBus!

hmcastle55 · 07-28-2009, 11:19 AM

Hi all!
My husband Mark and I have purchase our first Skoolie! '63 flatnose Bluebird. It's partially re-done, but we've got BIG plans for her. Mark has already nicknamed her: "BooBoo" We don't have her yet, picking her up in two weeks. We CANNOT wait! I've read the thread of you guys talking bout driving your buses for the first time. I think Mark's already havin' nightmares. He's an ex-firefighter, so I know he'll be okay! I'll post pics when we get it home. I've already got plans to rip out the black tank and do the whole composting toilet thing. Little by little..we're going to rebuild it for full time living. Living in it, while fixing it...that's going to be a story! I think i've finally bested my parents on the whole HIPPY thing! We quit our jobs, moved to the Keys and are livin' in a 5th wheel right now. Selling the 5th wheel (it's on craigslist)..pitching a tent in two weeks so we can go get our 'BooBoo'. We thought we were CRAZY to be doing this: that is until until i found this site!

I am so psyched: check out the pics! And hey, thanks so much for all the advice already!

hmcastle55 · 07-28-2009, 11:57 AM

Bigblue..is a diesel actually. The original owner (he's owned it 30yrs give or take) put in new engine/tranny 10yrs ago. Don't know if it was rebuilt (i'm asuming) or new. It's a Detroit allison 640..does that make sense? We're buying from this man's daughter and she's not too mechanically inclined to give us real solid specs on the engine/etc. Apparently her husband's been driving it around the property for the last few weeks getting it ready for us to come get it. She's saying that it overheats a bit, and it uses tranny fluid. I'm hoping we don't have 'issues' getting it home. Once we're here, we're planning on having a big diesel mechanic out to over look the whole thing and educate us on our engine/tranny. Let me know if you have any insights/tips that we might NEED to know. thanks!
Heidi

Griff · 07-28-2009, 12:07 PM

Welcome to the asylum!

That's a nice looking rig!

How far must you drive it to get the bus home?

You may want to have the fluids sent off for analysis before you go get it. Better to know the engine / tranny condition before that maiden voyage than to be stranded with major problems on the way home. Just my $.02.

Again, Welcome!

hmcastle55 · 07-28-2009, 12:26 PM

thanks for advice about the fluids..but expand on that a little? Tell me more, so I can get the owner's to do that for me before we show up. We're driving it approximately 300miles. West Palm beach to Key West. It'll take us roughly 4hrs to get up there and I'm guessing IF all goes well..quite a few hours more on the way back home. She's telling me that it takes approximately 300-350 to fill it?! It's definitely going to be a day trip that's for sure. We're really lucky..Even though it's a restoration alot of the roughing in work has been done. We'll have a bed, there's three bunks right before the back bedroom a toilet and a stall shower. We're going to do all the important things first before getting fancy..electricals, engine, plumbing, insulation (though not so important for Key West right now). We're using two window A/C's for the heat, so at least we'll be cool while we're contemplating what to do next.
thanks for the tips!
Heidi

hmcastle55 · 07-28-2009, 12:45 PM

I do have pics of the inside..i'll post them in a little bit! It's a partially done conversion, so you'll see the work that's been done on it.. That 'tire rack' looking thing on the front is actually a fireplace! believe that one! Apparently it works, but we'll see.

hmcastle55 · 07-28-2009, 12:50 PM

Another shot of the outside...and some of the inside. It's looking pretty good...we'll see what happens when we really get it in our possession.

Going to be lots of fun i think!

hmcastle55 · 07-28-2009, 01:24 PM

That's some crazy paisely interior right?! I might keep it just for the retro-flash back. As for the other..probably the best advice on the pre-delivery stage i could get. My Dad did not raise a fool for a daughter..the tools are packed and ready to go! He always, always..i quote 'always' had tools to do what he could out on the road. Being 10yrs old on the side of the highway plenty of times with him..'bleeding brake lines' in the snow, up hill.. yeah.. I got stuck with him once under the Brooklyn Bridge in an old english Marina.. He was (still is) such a nut! As for the cash money stuck in the shoe..Mark's the boss of the money..so his shoes will be deep LOL.. We'll see what the owner says about testing the fluids for us. Hopefully, like you said: it's just gaskets and such... thanks SO much you guys for the great vibes and good advice..

hmcastle55 · 07-28-2009, 03:43 PM

I did notice that duct prior. But the owner (the daughter actually) doesn't know a whole lot about what her father did or didn't do to the bus. Apparently she camped with the bus in the past. Ok, so i've got a few more 'bits' of info: '63 GMC blue bird. detroit allison 640..transmission/engine, not sure.
As far as the plans for the inside: I of course (being a woman) keep changing my mind. Eventually Mark's going to just shut that down and make a decision. We've got to get it home first to see exactly where we're at. Back bedroom, and the bunks are in place so we'll probably start with making that area comfortable. Already planning to get rid of the black tank. I'm looking at the marine composting toilet Nature's Head. I like the Envirolet composting toilet, but it costs like 2500$ (way out of control). I am so anti the black tank because of the 5th wheel..stinks, stinks, stinks. The mess, the fumes..believe me, i've flushed, cleaned, bleached, cleaned again, flushed. etc..then i read the thread about fumes and RV's, etc. So i don't feel so bad. We're planning on the solar powered, vent system with the waterless toilet.
I'll worry about the cutsey girl part of the decorating later

Sleeping, bathroom/shower, and electricals are all really important right off the bat. We have to check out the flooring, insulation etc. I just keep adding to the list. I have seen ALOT of cool ideas for near the end results. I think we'll clean and paint the inside before we actually decide on doing anything at all. Got a new shower picked out already..and a fridge!

see..the insanity just keeps getting worse.

hmcastle55 · 07-28-2009, 05:17 PM

....see this is where the 'Men' come in! they are just so friggin' handy! Leave the black tank, connect it to the grey tank..kaboom, shower water taken care of. I got distracted for a second by girlie decorating... pheww, that was close. Oh, he'll get his Man space..the deck on top..LMAO!! just buying the bus was me getting what i wanted, we can decorate it a nice neutral manly/girlie..husband wife truce colors.

ezbme · 07-28-2009, 07:59 PM

Funny thread & what a nice looking bus! I love seeing older busses being brought back to life! You have a great start to a one of a kind beast!

Make sure to take photos of everything so we all call drool over your progress (including the drive home to KW!)

Maybe you should consider stripping the 5th wheel for parts & components for the bus....

hmcastle55 · 07-29-2009, 06:52 AM

~giggle~ You don't sound bitter! LOL. Well, I'm no Martha Stewart so I think the Manly/girlie thing won't be an issue. I'm more interested the comfy cozy right now. If we're converting to full-timing it, I think mechanics will be most important. Besides, I want to learn how to WELD!!

Though we won't really be traveling too much until after Mark gets outta school we at least have to be able to get it back to Tampa when the time comes. Key West is awesome and fun...but it's hella expensive. We're getting kayaks, scooters and learning to dive while we're here. Hmm..the roof deck's probably really not a joke we should consider it so we can mount the kayaks up there and a deck for the scooters on the back maybe? Not sure yet..but I want to be able to take all the toys with us when we travel. Ohh..and then there's the kids! Raising them here in Key West is probably not such a good idea..6months for an experience with nature, that's about it. T minus 13 days and counting... now it's down to days..
Okay..so i've spoken to my seller: she's saying that it'll burn tranny fluid on the way down and oil.. Actually told me to bring a case of each with us when we go. So, we're back to the 'leaking' issue... i'm wondering if i should pay a mechanic to go out there, do some diagnosing and top off fluids and clean her up for us.. what do you guys think about that idea?? Mark and I are definitely NOT diesel mechanics.

ezbme · 07-29-2009, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hmcastle55

Okay..so i've spoken to my seller: she's saying that it'll burn tranny fluid on the way down and oil.. Actually told me to bring a case of each with us when we go. So, we're back to the 'leaking' issue... i'm wondering if i should pay a mechanic to go out there, do some diagnosing and top off fluids and clean her up for us.. what do you guys think about that idea?? Mark and I are definitely NOT diesel mechanics.

I would say ABSOLUTELY! You really don't want to ruin your first exerience with BigBlue by sitting on the side of the road because you decided to just drive it without any preventative maintanance! Take it from me, when we bought Buster in Tampa we were coming home to Sebring & made it to Bartow, about 35ish miles & he died at the red light on RT60, in the left lane, during rush hour! We sat for over 6 hours with a trooper behind us with his lights on in the hot sun with my pregnant wife who was at that point 2 days past her due date & our epileptic Border Collie Lucy without her pills... We had a huge triple axle tow truck pick us up & tow us about 8 miles to a diesel mechanic that then told us the air cleaner was completely clogged! That was all that stopped it from running, so if possible get the baby checked out!

Jonathan

ezbme · 07-29-2009, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanguy67

"Burn" transmission fluid?? They don't burn transmission fluid... It has to leak out somewhere. Have you already paid for this bus??

I am asking the same question... is it paid for yet? I would say beware, this sounds like it could be a nightmare waiting to happen... just my 2 cents...

hmcastle55 · 07-29-2009, 09:13 AM

Burn oil...and leak tranny fluid! that's what i meant. I know I mis-typed.. Still, it's a concern guys this I definitely get.. We're hoping to have someone out to look it over for us before we get her. Bigblue can apply to any bus we eventually take possession of. I know that all older types of engines do have some leaky issues and do possibly burn oil at some phases of their lives.. all she said was that we'd be smart to bring a case of each with us for the ride home.. what that means in REAL life, i'm not sure. I'm thinkin' a 'tune-up' of some sort by a real mechanic would be well worth the investment before we dive in. I really didn't mean to give you guys a heart attack

and appreciate you already looking out for Mark and I's best interests! I'll update if we can get a real mechanic out there to give me a real diagnosis in the next week or so.. She also says that it over heats occasionally as well. I know this engine/transmission was put into her 10yrs ago. They camped their as*ess off in it for a few years probably without much regard to eng/tranny maintenance. I'm hoping it's just gaskets and tune up we're worrying about here and nothing super huge and costly. Absolutely....I do NOT want to be sitting on the US1 hwy to Key West crying because i have to tow the damn thing home.
Air cleaner...this too an area of concern. I will make sure to mention that is something to be checked out. Like I said, the owner's daughter is the one actually selling it. Her dad was a mechanic for large engine machinery (like back hoes and such) so i'm hoping he knew what he was doing. The 10yrs that she's had it..let's hope they didn't do anything to it to ruin it. I'm glad i'm being naiive, and posting now: You might just have saved Mark and I from disaster!

hmcastle55 · 07-29-2009, 10:09 AM

Steady leaking..if she's telling me to bring a case of tranny fluid, then that's probably the case. I think you're right. The bus is cheap tho: $1000 cash and she's already said she'd take less. IF it leaks like sieve, we could possibly get it for even less. In it's partially completed inside state, it still might be worth it...what do you guys think?? I know it's all about the mechanics..ya gotta be able to rely on the engine!
It is a given we'll be going over it with a fine tooth comb before handing over the moolah.. I know diesels are gooey messes usually.. We'll start it up, drive it.. watch to see if it overheats and leaks badly. hell, i'll park my as@ underneath it just to see what happens.. Of course you can't make a determination just on conversation alone. We'll make the trip either way.. just keeping my fingers crossed.

ezbme · 07-29-2009, 10:16 AM

Call around & see if you can take it to a mechanic where the bus is & pay them to check it out... Can't go wrong doing that & it is worth the $ you might put out if you have decided you want it either way!

Papabear · 07-29-2009, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ezbme

Call around & see if you can take it to a mechanic where the bus is & pay them to check it out... Can't go wrong doing that & it is worth the $ you might put out if you have decided you want it either way!

Welcome, I too think a mechanic would be a good idea. If one checks it out while you and the seller are there, it will save you heartache and give you some barganing power with the seller. It looks like a lot of the work is already done. Some big labor and time saved already, but you need to be confedent in the mechanics before you leave. Enjoy

ezbme · 07-29-2009, 10:25 AM

Ditto what papabear said... It is a great start to a conversion if it can be mechanically sound! I love the look of the bus!

hmcastle55 · 07-29-2009, 10:29 AM

Each and everyone of you has given us the same advice! I think we'll be makin' a trip up there special just have seen by a mechanic. Besides, you are all right about the bargaining power. I think her Dad kept it in relatively good shape, we'll just see how the engine story pans out..

thank you all for the 'sane' advice.. we'll keep you posted. And yes, it's an awesome bus..lines, inside and all. I love the '60's curves to it.. fingers crossed!

paul iossi · 07-29-2009, 07:13 PM

a properly maintained diesel or anyother engine should be relativly clean on the outside so that you can see if/what's leaking and any other problems that might be starting to rear their ugly heads, diesels are black oil engines due to the amount of carbon particles that get into the oil from the combustion process, but the oil should stay inside and the outside should be clean. a clean engine compartment, fresh looking filters and oil up to the full mark are all good indicators of a well maintained machine.

take a qualified diesel mechanic to look it over before you part with any money

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