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Old 04-06-2017, 08:27 PM   #1
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Coming home

I picked up Buttercup yesterday at Wiley School District in Plano at 3 p.m. I've never driven anything bigger than an SUV, and the bus is 40' long, so I was terrified! My husband could see this on my face, and rather than give me the option to chicken out and have him drive it home, he left to go bring the car around. He was to lead me home. We decided this first time out of the gate NOT to drive through Dallas rush-hour traffic and instead took the long way home to Waco. Through Kaufman. This added 2 more hours to what would have been a 2-hour trip. She was a lurcher and a hurtler, or maybe that was just me. Bouncing on the seat, my foot went up and down on the accelerator pedal. By the first hour, my right leg was cramping and my hands hurt from gripping the steering wheel so tight (Terrified, remember?)! But I was careful on the turns and had no problems at all, so started to relax a bit. At least stop shaking. An hour and a half into the ride, i noticed this little gadget on the dashboard - She has a cruise control! So once I got up to max speed of 55 (occasionally made it to 58 on down slopes) I turned that sucker on, and voila! no more leg cramp. I had wondered about naming her something a little more elegant, but I'm a Princess Bride fan, and also, frankly, she's about as graceful as a cow, so Buttercup sticks. Partway home, I re-read the gross vehicle weight - I had misread it when I first looked at the bus a week earlier. I thought it was 23,000 lbs. Turns out, it is 29k and I don't have a class a license, so was totally feeling guilty about that all the way home. I passed what looked like an on-going conversion somewhere around Italy, and we missed our turn twice, which meant I had the opportunity for a little country road driving and really tiny suburban road driving, as well as lots of 2-lane highway driving. I was so exhausted when I finally got home, I took a shower and went right to bed. Best night's sleep I've had since we bought it. My thigh, butt and calf, all right side, feels like I spent time on a weight machine (sort of did, didn't I?) and I won't be able to work on her until after the tax deadline. (I am a tax accountant, and already feel guilty for taking off 3 1/2 hours early to go collect her). BUT I HAVE A BUS! And she is an awesome bus. The only rust we've found is a quarter-sized spot on the backside under where the license plate would have been for the last 15 years, and I can fix that. She isn't going anywhere for the next 2 weeks, and I and my husband still have to get a class A non-commercial license before we venture out in her again.

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Old 04-06-2017, 08:41 PM   #2
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Congratulations.

Buttercup should serve you well for many years.
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Old 04-06-2017, 10:23 PM   #3
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Princess Buttercup?

"There’s a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours."
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Old 04-07-2017, 07:37 AM   #4
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There are quite a few of us Texas Brats running around on here. Welcome Buttercup !!!
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Old 04-07-2017, 08:19 AM   #5
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Congrats and good job getting her home Mother of Buttercup!
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Old 04-07-2017, 09:10 AM   #6
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rockin!!! and yep sounds like driving a school bus!!!! the 444E accelerator pedal is definitely sensitive... cruise is awesome.. I use mine alot! ..

many people adjust their air seat down all the way because of the bouncing...

after you drive it around more you'll soon find you dont grip the steering wheel like death anymore.. and you'll get comfortable in traffic... (a turn signal and just start moving closer to the white dotted line usually makes most all traffic get the heck out of your way)... (a turn signal with no movement and people cut you off..)...

-Christopher
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Old 04-07-2017, 02:32 PM   #7
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Hi and congratulations getting your new baby home. I hope one day soon, I'll be driving my new baby to Houston.


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Old 04-10-2017, 06:58 AM   #8
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Oh how exciting! Congratulations and good luck!
p.s. You don't think hubby might have been a little nervous to drive it himself? ROFL

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Old 04-10-2017, 08:12 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by Tango View Post
Princess Buttercup?

"There’s a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours."
Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who tells you different is selling something

And that's usually how I taught as an ANG vehicle trainer- "Ok, get and drive. Oh yeah, we're going out the gate and into the real world."
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Old 04-17-2017, 06:47 PM   #10
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I took time out of tax season and removed my seats yesterday. They are all stacked at the back of the bus (we worked from back to front and just pushed the aft as we moved along). I left one row at the front for temporary passenger seating. I'll see about getting my class-A non-commercial drivers license this week. Then try to find out how to do the practical part of the test. I mean, I don't have a license to drive it, but I have to have the vehicle I want available to be tested on. Catch-22 anyone? I think in Texas, if a show a picture of the bus with no seats, and fill out the "I have a plan" form showing what changes I will be making, I should be able to license as a motorhome right off the bat. I think that depends on the clerk on duty doing the licensing. Anyone have any insights? Should I do a make-believe mock up and take pictures and submit that?
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Old 04-19-2017, 02:21 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CCurran88 View Post
I took time out of tax season and removed my seats yesterday. They are all stacked at the back of the bus (we worked from back to front and just pushed the aft as we moved along). I left one row at the front for temporary passenger seating. I'll see about getting my class-A non-commercial drivers license this week. Then try to find out how to do the practical part of the test. I mean, I don't have a license to drive it, but I have to have the vehicle I want available to be tested on. Catch-22 anyone? I think in Texas, if a show a picture of the bus with no seats, and fill out the "I have a plan" form showing what changes I will be making, I should be able to license as a motorhome right off the bat. I think that depends on the clerk on duty doing the licensing. Anyone have any insights? Should I do a make-believe mock up and take pictures and submit that?
CCurann88. Are you under the impression that you have to have a commercial license to drive your bus? It is a private vehicle. You do not need a special license to drive it unless you are using it for commercial use. Then everything changes. A few of us are meeting this Sunday at The RE:Hab Bar & Grill at 1:00 or so. Ya'll need to come on out and meet a few like minded folks.
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Old 04-19-2017, 08:08 PM   #12
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I don't have to have a commercial license, but my little baby girl has a GVW of 29,000 loving pounds so I do need a non-commercial Class B (or possibly an A, I'm still a little unclear on that, but will find out for sure at the DMV) endorsement. On the application form for such, I am checking the box that says it is for private use. I still have to get her titled in McLennan County, but have a few days to set up the 4 things I need to take pictures of to get her titled as a RV/Motorhome, so that is what I'm focusing on this weekend. I got her seats taken apart today - tomorrow the metal goes to the recycling center, and the foam pads/benches went to the dump this afternoon. I found 50 cents in loose change, and more chewing gum than I care to think about.
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Old 04-19-2017, 08:12 PM   #13
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Some of that gum is still good.
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Old 04-20-2017, 10:52 AM   #14
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Some of that gum is still good.
Ewwwwwwww!
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Old 04-20-2017, 11:46 AM   #15
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My bus must have had one of those strict bus drivers. You couldn't chew gum or eat, you couldn't touch the windows to open or close them and you got yelled at everyday. Back then the bus drivers could stop anywhere along their route and kick a kid off if they felt a student was being disruptive.

I found about five pieces of gum in this bus, total. No change and no pencils whatsoever. Not even in the heaters. When I strip a bus out I expect to find something of value.

Just soak the dust bunnies off of that gum and it's good as new.
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Old 04-20-2017, 02:44 PM   #16
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How much do you think the bus will weigh when you're finished? You took all of the seats out...Are you taking down the ceiling and walls? I think when you're finished you might want to get it weighed so you'll know what kind of license you need just a thought...

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Old 04-20-2017, 03:22 PM   #17
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Here you can drive through the highway weigh scales when they're closed. The scale still works. It's actually some surprising information if you've never done it before.
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Old 04-20-2017, 05:10 PM   #18
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weighing the beast

I still have to take it over and get it weighed. Hopefully this weekend. I took the 23 seats to the recycling station - 800 lbs of metal according to their scales. $50.60 back. It took $5 to dump the foam back and the seat pads yesterday. I was ahead until, while taking one of the seats off of the pile, I put the leg through my husband's trailer tail-light. So, depending on how much that costs to replace, I'm probably a little behind. I gave him the 50 cents I pulled out of the seats as I was taking them apart and told him I love him. He also got to keep the $50.60.
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Old 04-21-2017, 07:49 PM   #19
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mocking up for licensing office

Are there any pictures out there of how someone might have mocked up their bus for photos to get the bus licensed as a motor home?
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Old 04-21-2017, 11:15 PM   #20
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That's where I go to weigh mine. The local landfill/recycling center. If you tell them you have recycling to take in, you get to drive over the scale for dropping off a few empty pop cans!
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