Need Help in Santa Rosa NM

[tyndrgn]

I have been wanting to buy a bus for a while now, ever since my fiance passed away, and his family took everything I could not prove was mine, including the bank account, I just felt it would allow me to have peace of mind having a home that could not be taken from me. I knew that it would be a lot of work, and I knew if I found an older bus I was taking a chance.

I knew all that yet I let my heart over rule my head when I saw the pix of this bus on CL, she was only $1000 and according to the owner mechanically sound, so I bought her sight unseen but for two sideview pictures. My first red flag was when he said he could not send any pictures of her. I am 49 and on my own with limited income, so I had to save up enough money to make the trip via greyhound and for gas back home, he picked me up at the greyhound and rushed to get to the DMV so I could get a temp tag for her, said he wanted to get me on the road as soon as possible.

We did not make to the DMV before they closed so I had to rent a room for a night, and he seemed reluctant to take me to see her, but he did take me once I insisted I did not want to wait till the next day. I love the way she looks, but unlike the picture there where three broke windows, the roof vent covers were also broken, the A/C had no cover although he claims it to is mechanically sound. I worried about dry rot on the tires and he blew it off saying they were not that old and held air fine, I have 1 working headlight, no turn signals. I had already paid for her 2 months before and even though I love what she could become, I knew there was a chance this was going to end bad. I had hopes I could nurse her the 710 miles home and then start working on her issues.


But that was not meant to be, yesterday after 150 miles, I lost all gears, I can shift and put her in gear but she won't move, I had to tow her to a shop, they have not had the chance too look at her yet, and Vern (man I bought her from) would not answer my calls yesterday, when I called him today he seemed to act like this was my fault, and actually told me that clutches never go out, they just don't work that way he says.

so with almost no money left I am reaching my breaking point soon, is there anyone in the NM area that would be able to help me? To look at her and see if we can her back on the road? And me back to TX, where my two pups are waiting for me to come home?

[EastCoastCB]

If it were me I'd see if the shop or local wrecking yard would buy it off ya for something close to what you paid. Sometimes you have to cut your losses. Sorry you're having such a rotten time. Hope it all works out for you one way or another.
If you were in Fl I'd give you a hand.

[bansil]

First off sorry to hear your dilemma

I will say this first:

If you can't help don't post in this thread

[proconsul100]

Im sorry this happened to you. I hope someone in the area you are in can help you.

[bansil]

It must be hard, do you have an information about the bus?

the year, the model or a picture of the engine area? what engine it has?

Is the engine in the front of the back?

P.S.

I will add that the seller seems shady by what you have said and karma will guide him

[bansil]

And to add to what eastcoast said, you have $1000 in her (the gas money and bus ticket are an adventure...smile and enjoy it somehow)

Scrap price for that bus (if fullsize) should be atleast $1500 minimum, so cutting loses and moving forward may be an option

if tires are bad they will set you back $1500 plus easily, so selling and waiting may be an option if it will be $$$to fix

Aks shop how the tires look date and shape and keep this in mind

[charles_m]

This is a manual transmission bus? If it's an auto, check the transmission fluid level. hopefully it's just real low and needs to be filled up...

If it's a manual, maybe you lost your clutch, but it's definitely too early to tell!

Stay positive. You're in deep, but at least you paid about what that bus is worth running or not. If the tires are in good shape, thats at least a few hundred bucks, plus the scrap value of it.

Can you give us any more information about the bus? What year, make, model, engine, transmission, etc? We might be able to help you get out of this

What's your final destination?

Best of luck. Oh, and stay positive ;)

[tyndrgn]

Heya East coast, thanks for the ideal that is an option I had not thought of, will look around and see if there is a place around here that will purchase her, just hate to see an old girl go down cause of neglect.

[tyndrgn]

Thanks Proconsul100, I just wanna get home and cuddle my pups.

[tyndrgn]

Oi I am sorry bansil and Charles_m, I ment to put that info in there.

She is a 1964 bluebird
manual puller with a ford 330 engine, which does run pretty strong
also something I wanted to ask about, has anyone heard of a manual that took power steering fluid instead of brake fluid?

took some pix how do I post them?

[Dragonpop]

Vern didn't mention that he used to be a car salesman or a lawyer did he? You might see if you can get with Lorna Schinske in Roswell, NM she has lots of good advice, maybe she take you under her wing if and when she has the time. You could possibly
PM her. Just saying.

[tyndrgn]

I got some pix of her how do I post them?

Her motor is up front, near driver.

When I started all this it was days after my fiance's kids left me without a home, my son came and picked me and what little I had left, and took us back to Texas where he.was living, we talked about the bus ideal, he really liked it and planned on helping me with her as he is a mechanic, but sadly within 2 weeks of me paying for her, his p.o. revoked his probation and he was sent to prison for 20 years. Right now I am living on his land, in an old army tent, with no running water.

[EastCoastCB]

you can attach them or you can link to them and host them somewhere else.

[tyndrgn]

Thanks Dragonpop will try to do that, and no he did not but iI am beginning to wonder, sorta knew I was in trouble when he told me you never work on old vehicle like this cause once you do they stop working

[tyndrgn]

Eastcoast I am not getting them options on my phone, sitting inside the shop my bus is at, sleeping in her at night as long as she isn't inside being worked on, once she goes in I am out of a place to sleep. Can I email you the pix and get you to post for me?

[nat_ster]

A bus that old, it could be something simple as a link in the clutch broke.

Do you still get resistance when you press the clutch peddle?

Did you crawl under the bus and make sure the drive shaft is still in one piece?

Start with the simple stuff. The engine still runs, so that's a good thing.

I know nothing about that drive train, but it could just be a slave cylinder or the equivalent.

Good luck

Nat

[bansil]

[tyndrgn]

The drive shaft was fine, the clutch peddle felt good not to soft or hard, goes into gear just won't go anywhere, and it is odd to me that he insisted that the slave cylinder takes power steering

[nat_ster]

Did you check for leaks? The slave cylinder may have it's own reservoir that has become empty. This would explain why you got that far before failure.

Even with no clutch, a manual push pull style clutch can still be pulled into first gear, the bus started, then power shifted using no clutch in every gear there after. I had to do this with the tree spade truck on our farm last fall to bring it home.

Nat

[EastCoastCB]

Seems there was someone else here recently with a VERY similar problem. I'll see if I can dig up that thread.