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Old 04-02-2008, 01:53 PM   #381
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate


You seem determined to earn the tires I promised you. I'll snail mail you the original.

Meanwhile, the paper printout looks OK.

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Old 04-09-2008, 06:07 PM   #382
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

Hey, where is our resident sage? On the road, perhaps? With all the paint talk circulating....is there paint in the near future for you, oh mighty one?
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Old 04-09-2008, 07:47 PM   #383
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate


Sage?????!

Oh dear. Oh my.

Well, I’m already a “Seer” in Kinetic Sculpture Racing, so... Maybe I can turn this into a cult, collect a bunch of desperate people’s life savings, and marry all their underage daughters. (Buawhawhawhawhaw.... )

Yes, my Children, there is progress in the Glorious Realm of Millicent Land.



Grille has been shortened. I left it an inch or two "too" tall, for the Toon Town look. And it’s pretty much mounted, except for some details of bolting the latches in place. The windshield wiper mechanisms had to be moved inboard one inch each, and there was just enough room to do it.

The turn signals (oval L.E.D.s like the tail lights) will go in line with the head lights, as indicated with black mounting brackets and masking tape.



Still to be done: some quality time with cutting tools, to fit deck plates in the gaps below the headlights.


Then comes the crowning touch:



Daisy the Duck will not only look pretty (I’d have Mallards for pets if I could), but will serve as the handle that releases the grille latches. Very easy to do, but I’ve been working on the Counterfeit Bluesmobile.
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Old 04-09-2008, 09:26 PM   #384
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

All is well in skoolie land
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Old 04-10-2008, 01:26 AM   #385
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

yes it is because a thing of beauty is a joy forever im thinking summers a coming......
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Old 04-10-2008, 01:27 AM   #386
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

I saw these and thought they might represent Millicent better....
They're on fleabay under "hood ornaments"
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Old 04-10-2008, 11:07 AM   #387
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

Are you going to "black out" the area behind the big grill to hide it into shadow, or do something with mesh cloth (bug catcher as well as eye blocker). Just thinking of the airflow - you don't want to cut it down if you can avoid it.

I learned a new term. "Frit" (noun) or "Fritting" (verb). Frit is ground glass, that can be fused onto a piece with heat about 1100 degrees. Done with a hand torch or kiln. This was what my art school friend suggested to get the best luster for the red backing on the new nameplate. It is GOOD to start branching out my skills and learning new stuff!
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Old 04-10-2008, 12:29 PM   #388
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate


All is indeed well -- always was, always will be.

And a thing of beauty is indeed a joy forever -- because Keats said so. I don't understand much poetry, but I like to think I understand beauty. And a clapped out rolling barn of a school bus ain't it.

Hood ornaments were indeed big business back in the day. At the automobile museum where I used to hang out, we kept some of them in the safe! Not fair to the visitors, but they were too valuable to leave on their cars without supervision. A wide variety can be picked up cheap at any automotive swap meet also.
Daisy the Duck was not originally a hood ornament, but came from a trophy that was awarded to one of my Kinetic Kontraptions -- the Stuck Duck Award. The rest of the trophy was just a block of wood, so I put Daisy to better use. Mallards are so pretty! Maybe not graceful on land, but neither am I. Now get this: Two or three days ago, a pair of Mallards came waddling down the street and into my yard while I was tinkering there. First time in six years that I have seen any up here on the hill -- they usually stay down at the lake. A good omen, methinks. They feasted on the kitty-snacks that I normally use to bribe my neighbor's cat. (Since they were obviously a happily married couple, Daisy is NOT pregnant.)

Yes, the inside of the grille will indeed be blacked out. Of course, once that is done, it would be an idea to install some sort of emblem or logo that would show thru the grille, ever so discretely

(Kevin, the original Peterbilt badge is in the mail for you to play with.)
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Old 04-10-2008, 01:27 PM   #389
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

Quote:
Yes, the inside of the grille will indeed be blacked out. Of course, once that is done, it would be an idea to install some sort of emblem or logo that would show thru the grille, ever so discretely
Something like a kinetic chicken - maybe done in rope lights or something that can be "flashed" at folks?

Just think - you COULD build a road-worthy "Lite-Brite"!
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Old 04-10-2008, 11:28 PM   #390
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate


Kevin, I wish you wouldn't do that sort of thing to me. I have too many things to get done already! Propane flames out of the grill, movable eye lids on the head lights... stop me, somebody stop me!
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Old 04-11-2008, 01:06 AM   #391
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

dont forget the large blinking eyeball on the gas station canopy thats still on top of yer bus elliot 400 posts for elliot!
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Old 04-11-2008, 02:13 AM   #392
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

OK Elliot, STOP! ==at least until Sunday when we can come up to make trouble with you and Millie.
But no more blowing up car rims onto the porch and the neighbor's compost piles!

Ah, go ahead, but leave some fun for us, too!
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Old 04-11-2008, 10:01 AM   #393
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate


Alas, Sunday I go on the road.

I could hang up one of those signs like businesses have:

.....CLEARLAKE MECHANIACAL LABORATORIUM
.....We have worked
.....6 days
.....since last thunderous explosion.


Grill latches almost done.
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Old 05-24-2008, 08:22 AM   #394
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

Well I spent a few hours reading through this entire thread. Quite entertaining I must say. My first bus project most likely won't be for a while now but I was thinking of raising the roof (being that I'm 6'3") but it just seems like its way too much work for me. Great job with what you're doing though. I look forward to following your progress. Got any updates?
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Old 05-29-2008, 09:09 PM   #395
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate


Hey... Yes, welcome and thanks and... Why does this site look all different today -- did I sleep thru The Revolution or something?

As for deciding to raise your roof, the definition of "too much work" must fall to each individual. I would say that the skinning was more work than the lifting. My main point remains that lifting is not difficult, so long as you plan ahead and use stout guide tools so the un-attached roof does not get away from you.

The only update is that Millicent just fulfilled her principal mission over the Memorial Weekend -- she hauled three Kinetic Kontraptions to the 40th Grand Championship Kinetic Sculpture Race. We all slept in her at least one night (on the Sunday beach camp-out), and Baby Sam received Six Thousand Four Hundred Ninety Three diaper changes in her.

Wait... Here's a legitimate update: I find that I can not sleep properly in the upper bunk. Most likely, I instinctively fear falling out, and I know I fear loosing the pillow off the end, as there is no headboard, and the darn bunk is just too narrow. I suspect there is a lesson for many in this. No extra charge.

One of our Kinetic Racing team is a real school bus driver, and she drove Millicent for a stretch -- reporting that Millicent drives normally, comparing to the buses at her school district.
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Old 05-30-2008, 09:12 PM   #396
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate

Well...all I can say is that it is possible to go the other way with the bunks too. An albino Shrek such as myself is always thinking about bed size. My beds a more than long enough. They are more than wide enough. They have plenty of room in general and are pretty darn tough. So where did I screw up? There is only 19 inches between the upper bunks for passing through. If you look at a tape measure 19 inches might seem plenty wide...and it is...until you need to carry something...or pass someone...or are not quite as steady on your feet as you were when the night began.

No charge for that one either...
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Old 05-30-2008, 10:54 PM   #397
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate


That would be the other extreme, yes. My isle is (runs out and measures) 28". Since my bunks fold up, I think I'll make one of them wider, and rely on the fold-up feature to keep the isle open during the day. I still have a truck bunk that I have not installed -- I'll use that and leave it full width. I may also put a railing on it. We old coots need our sleep.
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Old 05-30-2008, 11:05 PM   #398
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate


Oh, yes... Pictures from the Kinetic Sculpture Race:
http://khumksr.blogspot.com/

The Counterfeit Bluesmobile was a big hit. On the last day, it lost a wheel, but I strapped a bicycle to it and they rode it the last six miles to the finish line.
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Old 05-31-2008, 08:11 AM   #399
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate


Thanks for the links - it looks like glorious fun. Looking at the KHUM blog started giving me an idea. No, wait, the Professors of Rhasta Imposta have already done that.

I'm confused about glorious founder Hobart Brown - the kinetic kingdom site in your profile has an obit that he died in November of pneumonia, but the KHUM blog appear to show him alive and not well after a stroke.

Oh, by the way, Glory to you, Elliot, for being recognized as a Kinetic Seer!

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Old 05-31-2008, 10:32 AM   #400
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Re: The Millicent Chronicles; two foot roof raise, big tailgate


Oh dear. Well, you have heard the old saying that the devil is in the details. Seems... a lot of folks are not detail oriented.

The KineticKingdom site ought to have been updated a couple of weeks ago, and then again this week. Hasn't happened yet.

The KHUM blog covers two years, with no clear identification of each year. Hobart Brown ailing after a stroke, and me being proclaimed Seer... was in 2007.

Does that help?

Yes, it's fantastic fun!
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