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Old 03-05-2015, 03:32 PM   #21
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Roswell, NM
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Year: 1986
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: 40 ft All American FE
Engine: 8.2LTA Fuel Pincher DD V8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mokibrabrant View Post
Hey Lornashinske. How's that 8.2 Liter four stroke detroit fuel pincher working out for you? Guess you aren't breaking any land speed records but has it been reliable.???
Doing just fine. On the interstates, it keeps up with the loaded semi's both up hill and down hill. David & I found out several years back that running the US and more developed State highways was easier on us (particularly me) than running the Interstates. I even shave over an hour off bypassing Atlanta via I-75 to Macon/US441 (By Pass Athens)/US23/SR28 on into NC) On the US highways, the traffic tends to be lighter and you have fewer people trying to run you over for various reasons and there are lots of semi's on them who have figured out the same thing we did. The bus is not a lightweight vehicle nor is it an easily maneuverable vehicle. So no, I do not think it wise to run it over the 60-65mph it can do on the flats (much slower uphill). But running flat out also hurts the fuel mileage. I currently have more time than money. Nothing has been done to the engine since it was bought. Also except for the 1700+ mile trip thru Hell where we were on Interstates from Dalton, GA until we got off I-20 in Odessa/Midland, TX (I-20 TX in the summer, never again) and the trip to Roswell, it's not been on the road much. Before we left NC, a local diesel mechanic we knew looked at it (the same one who worked on our DD8V71N65). Said it looked good. Said it was a good engine for the bus. I do need to replace the radiator hoses if it ever warms up and dries out at the same time (got more white stuff last night). It cranks up on a single starter batter no matter the weather. Other than the 300 mile round trip to pick up Das Mel, the next trip I make will be to head back east (currently it stands at 2822 miles mostly on the "blue" highways, some interstates where it can't be avoided and will take over a month before we stop).

Since the bus tends to stay parked most of the time, I'm not terribly worried at how fast it can go. I have gotten the 22 ft Class C up to 80+mph and realized that if some fool got in front of me, I would have run the little speck over before I could stop. The Class C is much lighter than the bus. I would rather not think about what something would look like under the bus. I will stick with low MPH and high MPG.

To be honest, I find interstate driving incredibly boring and tiring. It's hard to just pull off anywhere you feel like it. The roads are not in that good of shape anymore. I avoid them as much as possible because I also do not make that good of time anymore. It's a bit harder to do that in the west but once I leave this place, I really don't think I will be back out here again. At least not for a long time. The Primary/Secondary road system in the east is much nicer and I still find "The Next Exit" book to be handy even though I am not on the interstate because I am crossing over them every so often. I can look at see what is at the exit that I will be crossing over at. Sometimes, I find that a side trip on the interstate yields a restaurant or truck stop. But usually the exit I cross over at has everything I need.

I still remember my parents traveling US441 from FL to NC because I-75 was not completed enough to run it the whole way. I still like running 441 as it's a good road thru some great little towns. Over the years, I've been on the entire length of 441 down to Belle Glade and over to Boca. Haven't been past Boca on 441 that I know of.

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Old 03-05-2015, 04:43 PM   #22
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Interesting............and happy to hear that engine is holding up well for you. That's what matters. That you are happy with it..............Me? I like the availability of speed. Money be damned for those lengthy and Tedious expansive areas of nothingness.............and hell. I'm in a bus. I park where I need to park.................move if I need to move. 80 mph in a class C bread truck with a house on it is not my idea of prudence or fun.

On the other hand 80 mph in my Mid engined Crown is quiet, controlled sure and I feel very very safe.............Oh. And it does go faster.
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Old 03-05-2015, 04:47 PM   #23
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Well, shall we start a Lorna's Bus' 8.2 thread elsewhere?
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Old 03-05-2015, 04:50 PM   #24
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I don't think there's a real need. I think this thread died when the "seller" became all to silent in the face of shall we say a rather lackluster reception to his purpose.............I feel no guilt. Might as well have fun...........No one is watching
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Old 03-05-2015, 05:50 PM   #25
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rather lackluster is the understatement of the year MOKI!
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Old 03-10-2015, 05:27 PM   #26
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You all don't need to buy it...

If 20K is too much... Let silence speak...
If somebody buys it... well more power to him.

Don't chase the dude off... No making you guys happy...
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Old 03-10-2015, 05:32 PM   #27
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Ain't nobody chasing anyone: It's America. He has the right to ask anything he wants for his Rig. And on the same hand each of us has the right to express ourselves. As has been done here. With virtually every comment prefaced with the intent of the writer to not do exactly what you suggest we have done.

If he has a quibble with it. He has yet to express it. That you have a quibble with it is really irrelevant. And yes there is a way to "make you guys happy".
And that way is clearly not to tell me that I can't be made happy.
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Old 03-10-2015, 06:17 PM   #28
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I was out of line with the "make you happy" comment.
Cruising 80 in a mid-engine Crown will obviously do the trick!!


That does sound Fantastic...
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Old 03-10-2015, 07:06 PM   #29
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You weren't out of line with the "make you happy" remark. Not as far as i'm concerned. i'll tell you what though. Had the shoe been on the other foot. And it was my bus. i would take the observations of others on their face. Or attempt to justify or defend my ask. Or i would thank the board and maybe make some adjustments to my expectations. i think, though it hurts, that in the purist light that was the end game of the seemingly pointed critique offered by myself and others. That it is all met with silence may say more than anything any of us could say...............

And yes cruising at 80 is a good thing. Doing so quietly with just the faint hum of that Cummins. Priceless.............
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Old 03-10-2015, 08:10 PM   #30
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Honestly, I tried to contact him early on about this bus and it was total silence.
While not at the price point he is asking I am interested in a set up like this and would have liked to see if he was willing to play ball.
Ahh well.
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Old 03-10-2015, 09:37 PM   #31
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Those kind of dollar a whole new world open up..............especially this year. With the weather east of the Rockies being what it has been and the freeze out in the East since day one: There is a glut of Coaches of every description on the Market right now................all in various states of build................There are some good vehicles out there right now: In the Schoolie department a couple of Thomas West Coasters with 8.3 Liter Cummins and basement space went for a bit more than 3K I came close to snagging one of those. They would have been a great platform: My understanding is that the Thomas West Coaster was specifically designed to compete with Crown and had a better build quality than the Saf-T-Liner or the MVP..............surely the departure from the 3208 had to be an improvement...........Would have been a very solid platform to do the Schoolie thing. And be hard pressed to do much better than that getting in there at 3K
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Old 03-10-2015, 09:52 PM   #32
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Being in Denver I must be missing the source for all these good deals.
I am not 100% set on a skoolie, though I do like the clearance. I looked very seriously for a bus about 4 years ago an ended up not buying. I was so close to buying an MCI I could taste it but ended up passing. Lucky break too as it was sold buy the unlucky new owner for scrap about 2 months later when it broke down 20 miles out of town.
Life then moved on so I have just kept a toe in the water.
Back in the somewhat serious mode now. I don't mind the idea of building a bus out, but frankly I don't need another project. I would rather buy something close to done and modify as needed.
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Old 03-10-2015, 10:25 PM   #33
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There are a lot of nice buses out there right now...............I avoid the MCI of any derivation unless they are retrofitted with new or very recently rebuilt engines and do not drop fluids.............those where air bags have been replaced and look at the minimum of the 6V92TA fresh or rebuilt................and a 10 speed and they must be perfectly straight and they must have Alcoa's. If I see stainless simulators flags go up............There are some really sweet buses out there right now: I have a fetish for only two axles and 35 feet is my max..............but I look a them all.........I've always wanted a 5(c) with the 6V92........I like the 5 (c) because it has the 9 cap.......I have tried for nearly two years to buy the Sky view that they have at Northwest Bus Sales. It's very cool. But the engine will need to be replaced as it drops oil and has a bad rear engine seal and they will not budge on their price.................Though two years ago it was at 18K............and it's now at 15.............it's so funny cause two years ago i offered them 14 for it..........and now as my education has progressed I won't go above 12..........But there are some very very nice MCI's out there that are seated or are shells without all the walls and ceilings torn out............a couple in the 7500 dollar range with the 8V92T...........
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Old 03-13-2015, 02:56 PM   #34
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Still available?

Hi, this bus is still available?
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Old 03-13-2015, 03:20 PM   #35
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Is what bus still available Lanzaroto...........?????
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Old 03-13-2015, 03:25 PM   #36
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valhalla

The valhalla bus. Sorry;) new in the forum and lost in buses.
I´m looking for a converted skoolie to buy
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Old 03-13-2015, 03:33 PM   #37
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Haven't heard from the "seller" of that bus for a couple weeks. As you can see we've totally co-opted that thread. Not in disdain or disrespect. Simply because there has never been any follow up.............You'd probably have to get back to the first page of the thread to make contact with him...........check out his bus and negotiate him down to about 5K............LOL
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Old 03-13-2015, 03:49 PM   #38
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hahaha Yeah I´ve read the general opinions, very valuable for me, a complete ignorant.
Thanks for replying. And very interesting your price suggestion.
I will keep looking for new bus arrivals to buy. I arrive to the states in a week still no bus on the horizon and a little stressed, to be honest. But this is part of the skoolie adventure "Am I blessed for the Skoolie God, or maybe I´m not pure enough to get it";)
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Old 03-13-2015, 03:56 PM   #39
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Do you want a completed conversion or are you looking for a shell? What's your intention to full time or just have a mobile living quarters and shelter from the storm?
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Old 03-13-2015, 04:30 PM   #40
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A shell is not an option for me. I only have three months to visit the states and there is no time for make a conversion for myself, so I´m looking for something already converted, water tanks-shower, electric basic stuff, a bed and a not junk engine would be paradise for me. A place to sleep in national parks, in BLMs and get 4 days of autonomy or so. Then I can cross mexico or canada and follow making improvements in the bus with no hurry.
Everybody recommends me an old RV with all the installation done and maybe I have no other option, but...I don´t want an RV. I really want a skoolie skoolie has personality and fun, so I keep trying
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