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04-18-2015, 05:22 AM
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#121
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Almost There
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 93
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Express 40'
Engine: Cummins ISX 650HP
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I'll Have some new pics in the next week or so, I decided to have it repainted with some changes........ pic's soon!!
This coach has an Allison MH4000/B500
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04-18-2015, 05:24 AM
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#122
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MNT CITY TN
Posts: 5,158
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Thank you for keeping us all drooling.....great job
__________________
Our build La Tortuga
Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.
George S. Patton
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04-18-2015, 06:51 AM
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#123
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: southwest lowsyana
Posts: 542
Year: 1988
Coachwork: ward
Chassis: international
Engine: dt360a
Rated Cap: 65
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lookin forward. hey, what class does your son race?
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05-17-2015, 08:05 AM
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#124
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Almost There
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 93
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Express 40'
Engine: Cummins ISX 650HP
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Here it is......Fresh new look for 2015.
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05-20-2015, 01:15 AM
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#125
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,937
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: 190hp 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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Thanks for sharing.
You need a way bigger stacker trailer with the same green stripe.
Nat
__________________
"Don't argue with stupid people. They will just drag you down to their level, and beat you up with experience."
Patently waiting for the apocalypses to level the playing field in this physiological game of life commonly known as Civilization
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02-14-2016, 02:21 PM
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#126
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Almost There
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 93
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Express 40'
Engine: Cummins ISX 650HP
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https://youtu.be/o4KOILI_JiU
LOUD TURBO at Idle with straight pipe!!
(how do you embed the video so it comes up on these threads?)
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02-14-2016, 05:29 PM
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#127
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Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 162
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02-14-2016, 09:15 PM
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#128
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
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Morefire, awesome job on the build! I love the floor plan, it is what I envision when I can finally move forward with buying a rig. How much did the unfinished shell cost? Just trying to get an idea of what bare coach shells with engine and without engines are selling for (approx). Thanks.
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02-15-2016, 07:17 AM
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#129
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 100
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Most parent wake up at 4h am to go to hockey games and practices or will go once every 2 years to an out of town tournament.
You built a second home on wheels to accomodate your son's racing.
That is a far bigger accomplishment than anything I could say about your awesome bus.
Good job sir!
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02-15-2016, 06:50 PM
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#130
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Almost There
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 93
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Express 40'
Engine: Cummins ISX 650HP
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dgorila1
Morefire, awesome job on the build! I love the floor plan, it is what I envision when I can finally move forward with buying a rig. How much did the unfinished shell cost? Just trying to get an idea of what bare coach shells with engine and without engines are selling for (approx). Thanks.
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Hard to say about the price, because when I bought the shell, I also bought the brand new Cummins engine, PLUS I had them do the metal work and side skins...... everything else in the build I did myself at home.
I spend over $100,000. on this one. I could have done it for a fraction of the price, BUT I wanted the BRANDNEW coach instead of used, and I wanted all the high end features of those million dollar coaches..... Cummins-650 engine/MH4000 trans, PowerTech/Kubota 15K gen, the BIG Aquahot etc......
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02-15-2016, 06:55 PM
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#131
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Almost There
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 93
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Express 40'
Engine: Cummins ISX 650HP
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrblah
Most parent wake up at 4h am to go to hockey games and practices or will go once every 2 years to an out of town tournament.
You built a second home on wheels to accomodate your son's racing.
That is a far bigger accomplishment than anything I could say about your awesome bus.
Good job sir!
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Thank you.
This is exactly what you said..... it's used 100% for my sons racing, and was designed for this purpose, from the layout, the HUGE engine to effortlessly pull around a heavy trailer, and even the paint
We absolutely love it, and it's an amazing way for the family to spend the weekends in it.
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02-16-2016, 07:15 AM
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#132
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
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Quote:
Originally Posted by morefire
Hard to say about the price, because when I bought the shell, I also bought the brand new Cummins engine, PLUS I had them do the metal work and side skins...... everything else in the build I did myself at home.
I spend over $100,000. on this one. I could have done it for a fraction of the price, BUT I wanted the BRANDNEW coach instead of used, and I wanted all the high end features of those million dollar coaches..... Cummins-650 engine/MH4000 trans, PowerTech/Kubota 15K gen, the BIG Aquahot etc......
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$100k is a bargain considering the upgraded engine and all the high end amenities you built into it. Well done!
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02-16-2016, 02:26 PM
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#133
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New Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 5
Year: TBD
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Quote:
Originally Posted by morefire
I spend over $100,000. on this one. I could have done it for a fraction of the price, BUT I wanted the BRANDNEW coach instead of used, and I wanted all the high end features of those million dollar coaches..... Cummins-650 engine/MH4000 trans, PowerTech/Kubota 15K gen, the BIG Aquahot etc......
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Hey Morefire, great thread. Thank you for sharing with the community. If you had an empty canvas again, what would you do differently? What worked for you exceptionally well?
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02-18-2016, 01:48 PM
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#134
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Almost There
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 93
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Express 40'
Engine: Cummins ISX 650HP
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pacificnw
Hey Morefire, great thread. Thank you for sharing with the community. If you had an empty canvas again, what would you do differently? What worked for you exceptionally well?
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Great question, Honestly, I did A LOT of research and studied everyone's builds before doing my own, so I was able to rule out other peoples mistakes and make improvement's before even starting.
Sure there are little things that I would do differently like cable routing, but other than that there is only ONE BIG THING I should have done (I think). I think I should have installed a Slide while the coach was still a shell.
The guys who did the Welding for we would have bought it (used), and installed it for $5000, but I figured It was such a big coach, why bother....... I think If were to do it again, I would add the Slide..
Otherwise, I am 100% HAPPY with all my choices and components.
I'd go out and buy all the exact same components all over again, and go with the exact floor plan.
I believe them to all be the very best of the best, Period.
The power of this coach going down the road, or up hills is UNREAL. Thing doesn't even change gears on hills
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02-18-2016, 07:03 PM
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#135
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New Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 5
Year: TBD
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Quote:
Originally Posted by morefire
The power of this coach going down the road, or up hills is UNREAL. Thing doesn't even change gears on hills
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Most of the Coaches I'm looking at have Detroit Series 60s in them which disappoints me. What do you think (HP wise) the floor is for acceptability? 450-500hp? Or is 600+hp the only way to go in your opinion?
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02-19-2016, 04:21 PM
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#136
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Almost There
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 93
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Express 40'
Engine: Cummins ISX 650HP
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pacificnw
Most of the Coaches I'm looking at have Detroit Series 60s in them which disappoints me. What do you think (HP wise) the floor is for acceptability? 450-500hp? Or is 600+hp the only way to go in your opinion?
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The Series 60 is a good engine, but for me personally, 500HP is the absolute limit for minimum power. My coach came with a CAT 450HP/1450LBS torque, and I literally got in the coach, drove it home and hated it!! It felt like a big heavy sluggish vehicle where you had to Plan your passes around slower moving vehicles, and if there was a Hill ahead, they'd all pass you back and that frustrated the crap outa me.
I drove it back and had them Rip it out and install the ISX-650HP/2300LBS Torque and WHAT A DIFFERENCE.
The coach feels like it lost 20,000LBS, I can pass vehicles like I would driving my pick up truck, and the speedometer doesn't change at all on any Hill I've even encountered.
As a passenger bus it would probably be just fine, but once you build a motorhome out of it with all the weight of a generator, batteries, heating system, AC's, onboard water tank, and the weight of the interior cabinetry fridge etc.... It's a different story. Never mind adding a 10,000LBS Trailer.
You'd want either a CUMMINS ISX 15 Liter, or a CATERPILLAR C15 engine to give you this monster Torgue, but they don't usually put them in passenger buses, so you'll either have to have one installed, OR get the Series 60 Turned up a bit which would be the least expensive way.
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02-19-2016, 05:56 PM
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#137
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Virginia
Posts: 548
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Engine swap cost?
Quote:
Originally Posted by morefire
The Series 60 is a good engine, but for me personally, 500HP is the absolute limit for minimum power. My coach came with a CAT 450HP/1450LBS torque, and I literally got in the coach, drove it home and hated it!! It felt like a big heavy sluggish vehicle where you had to Plan your passes around slower moving vehicles, and if there was a Hill ahead, they'd all pass you back and that frustrated the crap outa me.
I drove it back and had them Rip it out and install the ISX-650HP/2300LBS Torque and WHAT A DIFFERENCE.
The coach feels like it lost 20,000LBS, I can pass vehicles like I would driving my pick up truck, and the speedometer doesn't change at all on any Hill I've even encountered.
As a passenger bus it would probably be just fine, but once you build a motorhome out of it with all the weight of a generator, batteries, heating system, AC's, onboard water tank, and the weight of the interior cabinetry fridge etc.... It's a different story. Never mind adding a 10,000LBS Trailer.
You'd want either a CUMMINS ISX 15 Liter, or a CATERPILLAR C15 engine to give you this monster Torgue, but they don't usually put them in passenger buses, so you'll either have to have one installed, OR get the Series 60 Turned up a bit which would be the least expensive way.
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Morefire, what was the approx cost for the bigger engine and labor to install? Did you have to change trannys or do any mods? Thanks.
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02-19-2016, 10:07 PM
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#138
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Almost There
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 93
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Express 40'
Engine: Cummins ISX 650HP
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dgorila1
Morefire, what was the approx cost for the bigger engine and labor to install? Did you have to change trannys or do any mods? Thanks.
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Not sure exactly... probably over $30K for the swap.
But that's a Brand New Engine with all new parts etc...
I've seen Good Used engines for for $7500-$10,000, and you could probably have it all installed turn key for another $7000-$8000.
My Transmission was a B500, but I had I upgraded to the MH4000. (only a software conversion does this), otherwise, I didn't need to make any changes to run the bigger engine
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02-20-2016, 04:33 AM
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#139
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Erie, PA
Posts: 62
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Im surprised you didnt sell the house and just live in the coach. i know i would. very well done.
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02-20-2016, 08:36 AM
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#140
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Almost There
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 93
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Express 40'
Engine: Cummins ISX 650HP
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Quote:
Originally Posted by keiffith
Im surprised you didnt sell the house and just live in the coach. i know i would. very well done.
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Nope..... just a weekend warrior set up. Friday night after work, Load up with the family, bikes and supplies, and head to the Motocross track for the weekend, back home Sunday night, then repeat weekly for the summer.
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