Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-16-2018, 09:11 AM   #201
Bus Geek
 
Brewerbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
I already love that thing. I'm keeping it under my pillow. One of the toughest jobs (which is why so many don't bother) made easy.
Even with rivets, removing the interior paneling was cake. Who wouldn't bather doing it?

In my case, kinda gotta have to in order to raise the roof. That is a whole lotta work and I can understand few wanting to bother going that far.

Brewerbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 09:18 AM   #202
Bus Geek
 
Brewerbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
There is zero sign of water ingress,
I had no signs of water but my ceilings still weren't that nice. Mine were half assed sprayed with some kind of black tar. Because of the coverage, I'm guessing it was only used to keep the batting up while riveting the ceiling panels. It just sticks enough to leave wisps of batting. YOu can rub it with a finger and the remaining batting comes right off. I'll need to sweep the ceiling eventually.
Brewerbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 09:23 AM   #203
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brewerbob View Post
I had no signs of water but my ceilings still weren't that nice. Mine were half assed sprayed with some kind of black tar. Because of the coverage, I'm guessing it was only used to keep the batting up while riveting the ceiling panels. It just sticks enough to leave wisps of batting. YOu can rub it with a finger and the remaining batting comes right off. I'll need to sweep the ceiling eventually.
I followed ECCB's build and was expecting the same. Nothing, just fresh, clean paint.

I thought long and hard about a roof-raise. In the end I decided that starting with a 78" ceiling I could just about get away without the time and expense.

If I were raising the roof I wouldn't have bought a Thomas because of the inward slope of the walls. As it is I seem to have found a decent bus.

92 high-res photos on purplewave helped. Love that auction site.
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 09:57 AM   #204
Bus Geek
 
Brewerbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
I followed ECCB's build and was expecting the same. Nothing, just fresh, clean paint.
Yeah his was a Thomas and had the same as mine (Blue Bird). Interesting that yours didn't.

Quote:
I thought long and hard about a roof-raise. In the end I decided that starting with a 78" ceiling I could just about get away without the time and expense.
At 78" I would have been tempted to leave it but it would have been a little claustrophobic I think.

Quote:
If I were raising the roof I wouldn't have bought a Thomas because of the inward slope of the walls. As it is I seem to have found a decent bus.
Yep, as soon as I learned that, they were off my list. I'm following a guy (Dzlfreak) on YouTube that has done a raise using a Thomas. He's in the framing stage now. Bottom board at the floor is 1 1/2" and the top is 7/8" to make vertical walls. He's losing 3" of width on his bus. At less than 8' to start with, EVERY inch matters.

Quote:
92 high-res photos on purplewave helped. Love that auction site.
Just Purplewave.com? Never heard of it. I'll have to google it.
Brewerbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 09:59 AM   #205
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Actually, his was an International AmTran.

Dzlfreak is a talented guy.

You can see the listing for my bus here:

https://www.purplewave.com/auction/171129/item/DA3235

The width thing isn't much of an issue ... up to the windows, where you really benefit most from the width, the Thomas is the same as the others
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 10:11 AM   #206
Bus Geek
 
Brewerbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
purplewave helped. Love that auction site.
Looks like a decent site. Do they charge anything to register? They want a CC #.
Brewerbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 10:30 AM   #207
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brewerbob View Post
Looks like a decent site. Do they charge anything to register? They want a CC #.
They don't charge. I can't remember if they validate the card or not. Either way, it would only be a $1 charge that drops right off.

The one minor issue I had was that they only allow 48 hours to make full payment. It's okay if you are prepared for that. They will also supply transit tags, although I didn't need them to.
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 10:35 AM   #208
Bus Geek
 
Brewerbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
They don't charge. I can't remember if they validate the card or not. Either way, it would only be a $1 charge that drops right off.

The one minor issue I had was that they only allow 48 hours to make full payment. It's okay if you are prepared for that. They will also supply transit tags, although I didn't need them to.
I'll keep an eye on the listing and location but I think I'll sign up and look for tools and pieces parts.
Brewerbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 11:00 AM   #209
Bus Geek
 
Brewerbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Doesn't look like they ship anything. Found an auction that is boxes of bolts. No shipping on that. Not that I need them but I ain't driving to MO for anything I do need either.
Brewerbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 11:08 AM   #210
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brewerbob View Post
Doesn't look like they ship anything. Found an auction that is boxes of bolts. No shipping on that. Not that I need them but I ain't driving to MO for anything I do need either.
They don't ship. Mainly, I suspect, because they don't have items on site. The items are generally at the seller's property.

My bus was taken in trade from a Nebraska School District who wanted a newer bus. It was auctioned on purplewave by the receiving dealer and I picked it up from their site.

The whole thing went pretty smoothly. The dealership picked me up from the Hertz location in the nearest town and they had the bus, complete with tags, ready to go. I probably wasn't there more than 15 minutes.
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 11:35 AM   #211
Bus Geek
 
Brewerbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Well, ok then. I'll have to find that bucket of bolts again and double check the location.
Brewerbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2018, 11:52 AM   #212
Bus Geek
 
Brewerbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Essex, MD
Posts: 3,738
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird TC RE 3904, Flat Nose, 40', 277" wh base
Engine: 8.3L Cummins ISC 260hp, MT643, 4.44 rear
Rated Cap: 84 pax or 1 RV; 33,000lbs
Dec 2017 had a shitload of buckets for construction equipment.
July 2016 dump trucks and tires.
June 2016 two pieces of farming equipment.
Then it goes back to Dec 2015 for more tires.


^That's everything in a 250 mile distance.
Brewerbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2018, 08:33 PM   #213
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
There was no "Bus #" when I picked up the bus. I was thinking that there should have been, so I went looking for an impression where a number had been peeled off.

Sure enough, right by the door is the impression of a large "2".

I want to retain this, and some indication of the buses heritage so I am planning on having a modest-sized vinyl cut showing:

Gordon-Rushville School District
Bus #2

By complete coincidence, my wife rode the school bus right through her childhood. Not that district, but every day of school she rode Bus #2
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2018, 08:53 PM   #214
Bus Nut
 
Carytowncat's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Richmond Virginia
Posts: 932
Year: 1984
Engine: 366 Big block Chevy! :) w/ Stick shift
Reminds me of the drive home in this bus lol at one point i wsnt down a windy narrow road and came close to the edge of the road and nearly stopped my heart. LoL

Congrats!
Glad you arrived home safely.
Carytowncat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2018, 10:42 PM   #215
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brewerbob View Post
Yeah his was a Thomas and had the same as mine (Blue Bird). Interesting that yours didn't.

At 78" I would have been tempted to leave it but it would have been a little claustrophobic I think.

Yep, as soon as I learned that, they were off my list. I'm following a guy (Dzlfreak) on YouTube that has done a raise using a Thomas. He's in the framing stage now. Bottom board at the floor is 1 1/2" and the top is 7/8" to make vertical walls. He's losing 3" of width on his bus. At less than 8' to start with, EVERY inch matters.

Just Purplewave.com? Never heard of it. I'll have to google it.
No mine was a WARD. AKA AmTran Genesis.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2018, 12:09 AM   #216
Bus Nut
 
Thomas1985's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Fayetteville Arkansas
Posts: 419
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: GMC G3500 Vandura
Engine: V-8 5.7L Gas
I didn't follow you home we were just headed the same direction.I didn't follow you home we were just headed the same direction.
Thomas1985 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2018, 12:27 AM   #217
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas1985 View Post
I didn't follow you home we were just headed the same direction.I didn't follow you home we were just headed the same direction.
If you are not 40 foot long, and bright yellow, then I guess it was a different Thomas
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2018, 04:46 PM   #218
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Blech! Air-Compressor went bad.

No, not the one on the engine, the one in my shop.

I have been using a Craftsman Air Compressor for about 12 years. 30 Gallon, 2 hp.

It's been fine and now it is dead. An unobtanium part has broken so I'm not going to mess with it further, I need a new one.

What are people using?
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2018, 01:19 PM   #219
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Interior sidewalls coming out.

Oh yeah. Don't stand there

__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-28-2018, 12:59 PM   #220
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
All walls and ceiling out.

Now the tedious job of pulling the insulation out from behind the chair rail. I've pulled up maybe half of the vinyl flooring. That stuff is HEAVY, and the glue is stronger than the surface of the plywood.

All the plywood looks great.

Next job ... finish the vinyl, then clean everything ready for floor insulation and new sub-floor.

Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCN0926.jpg
Views:	20
Size:	259.6 KB
ID:	18705

Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCN0928.jpg
Views:	20
Size:	265.1 KB
ID:	18706
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:51 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.