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10-19-2019, 03:05 PM
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#41
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,758
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
That's cool. maybe I'll call my buddies at the fab shop and offer hat and c channel kits as well.
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that kit you assembled for your roof raise sure made it go together slick!.. but doesnt the channel vary from bus to bus? and the transition will be such no 2 will be the same...
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10-19-2019, 03:38 PM
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#42
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid
that kit you assembled for your roof raise sure made it go together slick!.. but doesnt the channel vary from bus to bus? and the transition will be such no 2 will be the same...
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I'm curious how much difference there is in the width of the different hat channels between manufacturers. The only real important number is the width of the channel. If the "C" channel made fits snuggly, the section of hat channel put in the gap is only for the "wings" to attach to. Slight dimension difference shouldn't be critical. But I'm still waiting on some one to post BB and Thomas dimensions for my next order.
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10-19-2019, 08:45 PM
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#43
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid
that kit you assembled for your roof raise sure made it go together slick!.. but doesnt the channel vary from bus to bus? and the transition will be such no 2 will be the same...
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Yeah, I could order up some of the channel I had made for free or cheap. It sure did work well! Thanks for lending a hand with that!
The channel does vary bus to bus. With BB's you can use square tubing. There's a size that fits darn near perfectly.
Not sure on a Thomas. If raising a roof I'd avoid Thomas.
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10-19-2019, 09:32 PM
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#44
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
Yeah, I could order up some of the channel I had made for free or cheap. It sure did work well! Thanks for lending a hand with that!
The channel does vary bus to bus. With BB's you can use square tubing. There's a size that fits darn near perfectly.
Not sure on a Thomas. If raising a roof I'd avoid Thomas.
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Thomas FE has flat sides and should be easy to raise.
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10-20-2019, 05:30 AM
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#45
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc
Thomas FE has flat sides and should be easy to raise.
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No they don't.
I've got one in the yard, man.
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10-20-2019, 11:34 AM
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#46
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
No they don't.
I've got one in the yard, man.
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Doesn't look as obvious as CE Thomas, if it is.
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10-20-2019, 02:27 PM
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#47
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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10-20-2019, 03:18 PM
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#48
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Swansboro,NC
Posts: 2,973
Year: 86
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Ford B700
Engine: 8.2
Rated Cap: 60 bodies
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no need to debate it.
every manufacturer and year model can be different and a specific design is not going to shared across manufacturers because each one has there own metal brakes or forming machines and they want to be better than the other so why not try forming a better rib than the other?
buy a 4ft metal brake a shear and some 14-16 guage sheetmetal and match whatever perfectly once you learn how to mark and measure the metal to brake hat channel ,c-channel and i have actually and successfuly broke 10 guage metal into an i beam shape with a pittsburg seam. took time and alot of figuring and some experienced sheetmetal shop men that taught me alot over many years to make it happen.
but it was doable and it worked for what the structural engineer was asking. the correct equipment even the small stuff from harbor freight a stick rule and maybe some calipers and you can make your own rib bones regardless of shape?
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10-20-2019, 04:19 PM
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#49
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolly Roger bus 223
no need to debate it.
every manufacturer and year model can be different and a specific design is not going to shared across manufacturers because each one has there own metal brakes or forming machines and they want to be better than the other so why not try forming a better rib than the other?
buy a 4ft metal brake a shear and some 14-16 guage sheetmetal and match whatever perfectly once you learn how to mark and measure the metal to brake hat channel ,c-channel and i have actually and successfuly broke 10 guage metal into an i beam shape with a pittsburg seam. took time and alot of figuring and some experienced sheetmetal shop men that taught me alot over many years to make it happen.
but it was doable and it worked for what the structural engineer was asking. the correct equipment even the small stuff from harbor freight a stick rule and maybe some calipers and you can make your own rib bones regardless of shape?
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there's no actual debate- Thomas buses bend inward 6 degrees at the top rub rail. That's not my opinion that's just what Thomas built.
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10-20-2019, 05:19 PM
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#50
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Grayson County, VA
Posts: 1,428
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
there's no actual debate- Thomas buses bend inward 6 degrees at the top rub rail. That's not my opinion that's just what Thomas built.
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Yeah it's pretty obvious from the back view, when you look above the rub rail, that it's canted inward.
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10-22-2019, 02:12 AM
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#51
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,856
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas Built Bus
Chassis: Freightliner FS65
Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
there's no actual debate- Thomas buses bend inward 6 degrees at the top rub rail. That's not my opinion that's just what Thomas built.
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Yuppers ... mine is that way as well.
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10-22-2019, 11:21 AM
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#52
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,401
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
The channel does vary bus to bus. With BB's you can use square tubing. There's a size that fits darn near perfectly.
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Unless you are in Eastern Washington
After reading a build thread here where the gent found 1 3/8" square tube at a scrap yard to use for his Bluebird roof raise I contacted every metal suppliers within 100 miles and couldn't find any. One guy told me "I have been in this business for 35 years and can tell you that 1-3/8" square tube does not exist "
Apparently I was hallucinating when I read that thread......
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05-19-2020, 07:26 AM
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#53
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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I see folks struggling with rivets. I can remove your entire ceiling in a day or less. Hit me up.
$500 I'll have it done in no time.
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05-19-2020, 11:00 AM
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#54
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Wild Wild West
Posts: 691
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC RE
Engine: 8.3 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 84
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Man, I wish you were on the west coast. I'm not looking forward to painting my bus! I'm actually thinking of taking it to a big truck paint shop in St. George to see what they would charge. I need to get it down there anyway to get it aligned. It's running about 6" doghinded. I measured the wheel base and it looks like it's about 1 1/2" off on one side, but I can't tell which side.
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05-19-2020, 11:23 AM
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#55
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JackE
Man, I wish you were on the west coast. I'm not looking forward to painting my bus! I'm actually thinking of taking it to a big truck paint shop in St. George to see what they would charge. I need to get it down there anyway to get it aligned. It's running about 6" doghinded. I measured the wheel base and it looks like it's about 1 1/2" off on one side, but I can't tell which side.
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Air ride or springs?
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05-19-2020, 12:12 PM
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#56
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Wild Wild West
Posts: 691
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC RE
Engine: 8.3 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 84
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Springs. I'm considering air ride in the future. Depends on how harsh the ride is after I'm done building.
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05-19-2020, 10:50 PM
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#57
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New Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 5
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SE Arizona, Cochise county, has no building regs. Lots of land contract types selling there too. Cheap.
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05-20-2020, 06:36 AM
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#58
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aegis4244
SE Arizona, Cochise county, has no building regs. Lots of land contract types selling there too. Cheap.
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Sounds like the San Luis valley in CO.
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05-20-2020, 07:35 AM
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#59
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Athens, TN
Posts: 1,574
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: International RE
Engine: International T444e
Rated Cap: 76
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JackE
Springs. I'm considering air ride in the future. Depends on how harsh the ride is after I'm done building.
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How would one add air ride to their rig?
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05-20-2020, 07:41 AM
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#60
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kazetsukai
How would one add air ride to their rig?
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It would be quite an undertaking. A new Hendrickson rear unit is around 5 or 6 grand. Then there's installing it.
Or one could get a donor bus.
If one wants air ride that bad though its best to stop now, sell, and get another bus with air ride from the get go.
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