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Old 06-06-2017, 10:59 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 56
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: Supercoach - Single Axle
Engine: Cummins NH-250, Fuller T-905M
1974 Crown - Cloudhorse

Hello All,

We recently picked up this 1974 Crown outside of Sacramento. 5 Speed. Cummins. Pretty good shape. Not all the oil stays in the motor. Front end makes some noises it shouldn't. My son named it Cloudhorse. Going to fix it up to bring some fun into family trips to the Eastern Sierra.

Took our first trip from San Francisco up to Guernville (75 miles) the day after purchase. Figured likely we'd get stranded somewhere. We did - though fortunately it was at our destination. Made a test light from an extra bulb rolling around, and some leads dangling from the batteries. Debugged the ignition circuit at the solenoid lead - nothing happening there. Jumper cable from the battery to the solenoid lead and it fired right. Family loves that we have to get out and walk around the bus, open the battery compartment, and touch leads together to start. Fun for all.

First big job is a wheel bearing in the front end. Thoughts on where to get parts for that?

I've already had a dream about dealing with the rusted lug nuts. Figure some 'liquid wrench' and an impact wrench. Probably a nut splitter and a tap to chase the threads on hand.

Anyhow - hello all. Appreciate the site.

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Old 06-06-2017, 11:16 PM   #2
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,573
Year: 2003
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: '00
Cool bus. Welcome !

I like PB Blaster for rusted nuts- spray each day once/twice for few days. I tap them a bit, not sure if it helps. Wire-brush exposed threads. bit of direct heat, if careful not to overdo it. Replace bad nuts.

That's a lot of big, hard nuts to be splittin.
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Old 06-06-2017, 11:18 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 24
Year: 1972
Engine: Cummins NH220
Me too!

Hi there!
I just bought the exact same bus in Riverside, CA, a 1972 Crown bus with Cummins 220. It's still there at the moment but it so happens I plan to leave the bus in the Sierra foothills too! Mariposa side though.

Have you been running it a lot since this post? Would love to join forces on fixing them up. Let me know!
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Old 06-06-2017, 11:18 PM   #4
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Welcome

That's an interesting story. Can't wait to see your build take off Darn nice bus to start with too.
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Old 06-06-2017, 11:24 PM   #5
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Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 1,412
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Crown, integral. (With 2kW of tiltable solar)
Chassis: Crown Supercoach II (rear engine)
Engine: Detroit 6V92TAC, DDEC 2, Jake brake, Allison HT740
Rated Cap: 37,400 lbs GVWR
Congrats on the bus!

You need to find out what make of axles it has. Older Crowns used Timken, less old Crowns used Rockwell, but Crown sometimes installed whatever they had lying around if the customer didn't specify, so who knows what you have? Once you know what you have, then a trip to your local friendly heavy truck parts supplier should get you what you need. Sometimes even NAPA has stuff like that. Definitely get the wheel bearings fixed ASAP - the consequences of a seized bearing are not fun, plus you'll probably ruin the spindle as well.

A torque multiplier should get the lug nuts off, along with some careful heat. And a membership of Good Sam ERS could be worthwhile insurance!

John
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Old 06-06-2017, 11:44 PM   #6
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 56
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: Supercoach - Single Axle
Engine: Cummins NH-250, Fuller T-905M
Great. Thanks for the tips.
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Old 06-06-2017, 11:48 PM   #7
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 56
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: Supercoach - Single Axle
Engine: Cummins NH-250, Fuller T-905M
Well how about that! What an awesome machine.

But of course would be great to share notes on fixing it up. Only place I went after that trip was back down to the city - much easier the second time when it wasn't rush hour traffic. Then took it out to Livermore, where I rented an RV spot to keep it for the short term.

What condition is yours in?
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Old 06-06-2017, 11:55 PM   #8
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 56
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: Supercoach - Single Axle
Engine: Cummins NH-250, Fuller T-905M
Appreciate the tips.

I read somewhere that there's someone who can tell you details of a crown based on serial number. Happen to know where that is?

[IMG][/IMG]
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Old 06-07-2017, 12:01 AM   #9
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 56
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: Supercoach - Single Axle
Engine: Cummins NH-250, Fuller T-905M
Thanks for the tips.

I read somewhere that there's someone who can find detailed information on a Crown build from the build plate information. Happen to know who that is?



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Old 06-07-2017, 02:27 AM   #10
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 56
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: Supercoach - Single Axle
Engine: Cummins NH-250, Fuller T-905M
Cummins Quick Serve - Skoolie Quicker Serve

Turns out Cummins Quick Serve:

https://quickserve.cummins.com/info/index.html

Had the following on my motor:



And even better, skoolie.net member hanaipa e-mailed me the .pdf service manual. Skoolie.net delivers.
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Old 06-07-2017, 10:07 AM   #11
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Vacaville, Ca
Posts: 1,634
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Crown / Pusher
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Welcome nice find,Where in the bay Area are you?
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Old 06-07-2017, 10:26 AM   #12
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
Welcome! --- Great find. The old Crowns are among the best looking buses ever made to my mind. And, after soaking the lug nuts for a few days...heat them with a torch and bang them a few times with a hammer (careful with the threads). It will usually help loosen any rust welding.

Best of luck on the build and keep the pix coming.
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Old 06-07-2017, 10:28 AM   #13
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 56
Year: 1974
Coachwork: Crown
Chassis: Supercoach - Single Axle
Engine: Cummins NH-250, Fuller T-905M
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stu & Filo. T View Post
Welcome nice find,Where in the bay Area are you?


Live in SF. Bus is out in Livermore for the time being. You in the area?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Old 06-07-2017, 10:39 AM   #14
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Vacaville, Ca
Posts: 1,634
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Crown / Pusher
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Quote:
Originally Posted by upbeat View Post
Live in SF. Bus is out in Livermore for the time being. You in the area?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Vacaville,
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Old 06-08-2017, 02:48 PM   #15
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Join Date: May 2017
Location: Idaho
Posts: 9
Year: 1974
Chassis: Tandem
Woohoo got another couple people with crowns as well! I'm going to start converting my 1974 crown tour bus at the begining of July! We will have to chat more and communicate ideas and concepts throughout our builds! That is a great looking bus you have there!!
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Old 06-08-2017, 05:32 PM   #16
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 1,412
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Crown, integral. (With 2kW of tiltable solar)
Chassis: Crown Supercoach II (rear engine)
Engine: Detroit 6V92TAC, DDEC 2, Jake brake, Allison HT740
Rated Cap: 37,400 lbs GVWR
74Crown, is yours the Teton? Where are you located?

John
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Old 06-11-2017, 08:56 PM   #17
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Modoc County, CA
Posts: 10
Year: 1987
Coachwork: Crown Coach
Chassis: 2A-426TAC tandem/integral
Engine: BigCam 855 CumminsTurbo/RT910 RoadRanger/w/Jake
Rated Cap: 90 pax/GVWR 44,000 lbs.
Smile Hi Upbeat...

'74 was a great year, and you have a 250, which has a bit more poop than the 220 Cummins did. I made a recent acquisition as well, an '87 tandem with a BigCam 855 Turbo Cummins, with an RT910 10 speed and a Jake. I live up in the NE corner of the state in Modoc County, but I started in this stuff over 45 years ago and am very familiar with those models, as they were NEW in my early years driving Crowns. Many I drove were much older and quite a bit of a challenge. Good luck and keep in touch. We have wonderful but slow plans for our Anna--the name of our bus. Guerneville is right down the road from where we lived (in Forestville) many years ago, so know those areas really well. Have fun.
Deanna
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