Conversionsbcm

August 2019

ConversionsBCM

1974 GMC P8M4108a-125 By Richard Goldberg BoHo Bus – Roof Raise By Ashley Jenson High Chaparral RV Park By Morgan Crabtree The Pacific Bus Museum From Hobby to Formal Museum Ron Medaglia 2 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 battery will charge even faster. We also replaced the front PUBLISHER’S torsilastic adjustment rods with new ones and jacked the bus up all around about 3” for better NOTE ground clearance. While under Bus R&M there, we also welded up a couple of broken small frame braces As we all know, vintage buses need and straightened two support tender loving care. My 1967 08 ribs that hold the air tanks in Eagle is no exception as you read place as they were rubbing on GARY HATT in last month’s issue. I try to do as much preventive the torsilastics. We replaced maintenance as I can as things come up. As I men- one front bump stop that was completely gone and I tioned last month, I am doing quite a few R&M (Re- had the front end aligned. pairs and Maintenance) on my bus this month. We also fixed the air operated entrance steps as they I changed the Series 60 engine oil and oil filters, fuel were seized up. I didn’t need the steps until I raised filters, and air filter and had my oil analyzed. I also up the bus. They work great now. I also painted the adjusted my brakes, greased the undercarriage and roof with Henrys Tropi-Cool white silicone coating steering etc. Topped off all gear oils and front hub oil. which I like to do every few years to prevent leaks. I Checked the coolant level and checked for codes in also replaced the electrical transfer switch as the old the DDEC. one just wore out after 23 years of use. I love cruise control and finally got that working again. It had not I also went beyond that. My mechanic and I fixed worked since I bought the bus, but now it works great. a small oil leak and coolant leak in the engine and No more tired foot. replaced the ball check valve on the fuel inlet as the fuel was sometimes leaking back making the engine They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound have to crank longer than necessary to start. We of cure. This is especially true for buses. It can be also replaced the fuel line going from the tank to the several times more costly to have to repair a bus on engine because the fuel line was old and too small for the road in the middle of nowhere than it is to check the Series 60 and air bubbles were occurring in the everything out in a safe working environment in an fuel line. We also replaced the air compressor as it attempt to prevent something from breaking later on showed signs of wear. down the road. My bus is now better than ever and should be ready for any trip I desire to take. We rebuilt the coolant reservoir tank as the old one could not hold pressure well. We put a new fitting and SYOTR pressure cap on it so it should run even cooler than Opinions and techniques expressed before as the pressure will be able to build up higher. herein are those of the authors and do not We replaced the alternator pulley with a larger one so necessarily represent those endorsed by now it is running over 5000 RPMs at 70 MPH so my the Publisher. Bus Conversion Magazine and the authors respectively accept no responsibility or liability for any errors, omis- sions, alterations, or for any consequenc- MAGAZINE es ensuing upon the use of, or reliance CONTACTS upon any information contained herein. Tasks performed in maintaining, altering Published By Contributing Authors and using vehicles may require special- Bus Conversion Magazine Richard Goldberg ized skills and involve inherent risks to 661 E Main St # 200-313 Ashley Jenson the person doing the work or to the safe Midlothian, TX 76065 Morgan Crabtree operation of the vehicle. It is the reader’s responsibility to assess their own skills to (657) 221-0432 Ron Medaglia determine if they can perform any such task and to seek professionally trained as- Publisher Online Discussion Forum sistance if needed. Gary Hatt www.BusConversions.com/bbs/ [email protected] Phil Lyons [email protected] Website Editorial www.busconversionmagazine.com Jorge Escobar Moderators Senior Editor and Art Director Phil Lyons Follow us on Instagram [email protected] Nick Badame Instagram.com/Bus_Conver- Jack Conrad sion_Magazine/ Accounting/Subscriptions K.J. “Frank“ Franklin Noemi Johnston Paul Lawry Like us on I [email protected] Facebook.com/BCMagUSA

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Index of Advertisers

Ardemco 29 1974 GMC P8M4108a-125 BoHo Bus – Roof Raise By Richard Goldberg By Ashley Jenson Autex 37 Balance Masters 32 B&B Coachworks 23 Byler Rivet 43 Clearsource 11 Custom Instrument Panels 20 Custom Instrument Panels Lights 34 Double Decker Buses 36 The Pacific Bus Museum High Chaparral RV Park From Hobby to Formal Museum Engine Heat Protection 42 By Morgan Crabtree By Ron Medaglia Engine Power Source 31 Flame Genie 7 In This Issue Hose and Cable Grip 13 Leisure Coachworks 28 Publisher´s Note 2 Lloyd DeGerald Services 35 1974 GMC P8M4108a-125 Midwest Transit Equipment 38 By Richard Goldberg 4 Mobile RV Glass 15 BoHo Bus – Roof Raise By Ashley Jenson 19 National General Insurance 26 Nature’s Head 19 High Chaparral RV Park 27 By Morgan Crabtree O-SO-Pure 5 The Pacific Bus Museum From Hobby to For- mal Museum By Ron Medaglia 37 Pacific RV Parts 46 Passport America 22 Cartoon 25 Pro Auto Works 16 Service Directory 47 Recovery Room 6 Roadmaster 18 Gary’s Tip 47 RV Part Center 58 Classifieds 48 Sewer Sock 41 SmartPlug 45 Subscription Form 53 Straight Line Steering, Inc. 40 Eagle Planning Sheets Sulastic Rubber Springs 4 By Dave Galey 54 Superior Driveline 27 Bus Events 55 Sure Marine Service 39 Tailgater Tire Table 14 Proterra #1 is now on display at the Museum of 60 Bus Transportation Transit Sales 10 Want to Be Famous? 63 Unforgettable Fire 12 Wrico International 17 Bus Chat - Any ideas on why my Series 60 runs so hot? 64 When you contact our Advertisers, tell them you saw their ad in Bus Conversion Magazine.

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1974 GMC P8M4108a-125

BY RICHARD GOLDBERG

few years ago, I sort of announced one day version, a 1964 GM 4106. We both walked away A that we were going to drive out to Elkhart – the other driver did not. The event profoundly to look at some Class A RVs. My announcement affected us. At the time, we thought seriously was not received with excitement, but we needed about letting the dream end then and there and a weekend away so off we went. I’d been reading give up on having a motor home of any type. the various online sites about bus conversions, but just didn’t think that I had the knowledge or The 4106 was in pretty sound shape when we budget to pull one off myself. A Class A was going to fill the need for something to travel in and the bus would have to wait.

After a long weekend touring factories, walking through countless RVs, and quizzing everyone I could about the subject, I realized that there was just no way that an RV was going to be good enough for us. Over and over again the conver- sation ended with me asking, “How will it hold up in a crash?” None of the answers were quite satisfactory.

RVs are meant to be comfortable when parked in a campground – their ride and safety on the road was demoted to secondary status. I wanted to have a vehicle whose primary reason to exist was road travel, even if it wasn’t quite as comfortable when camping. Our plans called for far more time on the road than in campgrounds.

In the fall of 2017 while driving through Iowa my reasoning was proven sound when we were in- volved in a head-on collision in our first bus con-

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 5 got it in June of 2017, but it needed lots of updat- Our new bus was originally purchased by the ing. We worked feverously through the summer owner of the Super Service Bus Company in NJ. and declared the bus ready by early fall. We’d He ordered it from GM along with other buses only spent five nights traveling and sleeping in for the company in 1974, so it arrived wearing the 4106 when it was destroyed in the collision. his standard livery colors. That factory paint still I wasn’t sure that either of us had the energy or shines today. desire to do this all over again, and I wasn’t sure that it would be possible to find another bus that Knowing that this particular coach was going to was worth the effort. be his family’s private motor home, he ordered it according to the specifications he needed – no After just a few weeks of recovering from the seats, no factory bathroom, only two sliding win- shock of what happened, I did what any Bus dows, and a number of options in the mechanical Nut would do... I started browsing the internet to systems. Being a bus enthusiast, he also made search out all the bus conversions for sale. sure that the cockpit and driving experience was all bus and insisted on keeping the factory One that I had seen before we bought the 4106 driver’s seat and 4-speed manual transmission. was still available – a really nice 1974 GM 4108. Those are still in place today. I had dismissed it as too expensive the first time around, but after seeing how much was spent on our first bus beyond the purchase price and doing some quick calculations, we decided that we’d be better off buying a better bus to start with. After a few conversations with the seller, a few calls to Luke to check on the bus and the seller, and a few more hours watching videos and photos of the bus, I bought the bus sight unseen.

Without a doubt, driving the bus from New Jersey back to Wisconsin so soon after the collision in our first bus made for a very long drive. Due to work schedules, I ended up doing the trip on my Driver’s area – Mostly still a stock GM bus. own, and could only drive a few hours a day before getting stressed out. A two-day trip took me Because the bus is still mostly as it stood in 1974 four. This gave me lots of time to get familiar with and looks just like a charter coach from the peri- the new bus and to really come to understand od, it was hired to appear in the pilot episode of how special it was. HBO’s show The Deuce in a scene filmed outside the Port Authority building in NYC. O-SO Pure CleanClean FreshFresh WaterWater Point of Entry Water Systems

Portable water lter Attaches to garden hose Delivers 4 gallons per minute 5 micron sediment lters remove small debris to protect water storage and water heater Half micron carbon lter removes chemicals and small parasites High intensity UV lamp destroys bacteria and viruses Clear lter housing aids monitoring of the lter Ensures your water is safe to drink in places such as Mexico Our new bus, still wearing its original livery colors and paint as it came from GM. FOR MORE INFO CONTACT AQUAFIED AT: (800) 676-7873

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CLICK HERE! WATCH VIDEO Rear bedroom with newly reconfigured twin beds. The coach was shipped directly from GM to Cus- tom Coach in Ohio for the conversion into a Land Mechanically the bus came to us in excellent Cruiser. The layout today is nearly identical to the condition. It has been stored indoors for decades, original layout from Custom Coach, other than and the original owner had the advantage of own- new carpet and a few changes to the rear parlor ing a bus garage to keep it in pristine condition. (bedroom). With only 41,000 miles on the odometer and only 930 hours on the generator, it was clear that the bus did not receive much use.

Front parlor with couch, dinette, and storage.

Originally equipped with side couches that converted into bunk beds, we’ve reconfigured the couches to serve as permanent twin beds with a center isle in the bedroom. Since there are just two of us using the coach, the twin beds serve us better.

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 7 There was not much wear and tear at all, and the problems I’ve uncovered to date have largely centered on seals that have dried out and electrical connections that have become corroded by exposure to the moisture in the air. All systems were functional when we got the bus, at least to some degree.

As nice as the conversion is, the original design of the various systems by Custom Coach left us scratching our heads more than a few times. The incoming shore power is fed to a marine-style power panel with 120V breakers, but there is no Kohler/Perkins 12.5KW generator. Squirrel fan provides cooling for gennie, and the LP tanks main disconnect breaker. The manual transfer are behind the aluminum panel. switch serves as the only disconnect. A major portion of the work we did was in the electrical bay. The two ‘boat anchor’ chargers The wiring was #8 AWG, not #6 AWG, which were removed – a 12V and 24V charger, each means that we couldn’t run true 50A service the size of a microwave oven, were sent to the without changing the wiring. The neutral and scrapper. They were replaced with a pair of Prog- ground were bonded throughout the coach, which ress Dynamics chargers – 70A for the 12V and is not the current standard and can lead to safety 25A for the 24V. We chose to run a 12V house issues. system based around four Trojan L16g 6V batteries, producing a total of 780Ah capacity. The generator output is through two 30A breakers. It appears that the 120V system was designed around two 30A legs and not two 50A legs like a modern 50A coach would be.

This spring we upgraded the electric for safety reasons. The shore power receptacle was replaced with a proper 50-amp receptacle, and the wiring was change to #6 AWG through the transfer switch. Neutral and ground were separated, and things should be good to go now. Electrical bay showing new equipment. L-to-R: Sam- As designed by Custom Coach, there really lex 2000W inverter, Sterling battery-to-battery charger, 24V charger, 12V charger, vented battery box, wasn’t a house battery system, and the majority Copeland A/C compressor & condensing unit. of the interior lighting was run by the 24V chassis batteries. The only interior items running from 12V were the furnace and the Norcold 12V/120V refrigerator. There was also a circuit that provided power to the two Motorola 8-track stereos (front and rear). Everything else was either 24V or 120V.

House batteries? Not so much. The Kohler generator (powered by a Perkins Diesel engine) has an 8D start battery, and this 8D battery served as a ‘house’ battery.

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1974 GMC P8M4108a-125 10 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 To keep the house batteries charged while on the with a small pressure tank, and the water heater road, we installed a Sterling 24V-to-12V bat- is a Seaward 120V 6-gallon unit. If there were an tery-to-battery multi-stage charger. As long as the easy way to add a LP water heater without cut- bus alternator is producing power, this Sterling ting holes in the bay doors we’d jump on it, but so charger will send up to 70A to the house batter- far we haven’t found one. ies. It keeps the two systems isolated and will monitor the charge to maximize the health of the house batteries.

To ensure that we don’t inadvertently leave the 120V chargers turned on while underway and running the Sterling 24V-to-12V charger, I used DPDT toggles in the control panel over the driver for the 120V chargers. They are split so that the upper ON position in each controls the 120V charger, and the other ON position sends the signal to the Sterling with the 24V signal that turns Wet bay & storage area. Seaward hot water heater and Shurflo pump to the left, with side-by-side it on. By running the signal wire through both 90-gal fresh/waste tanks in the back. toggles, we have insured that the Sterling cannot run together with the 120V chargers. The problem with electric-only hot water is having to run the generator to get hot water when dry The generator start battery can be bridged to camping. Fortunately, the 6-gallon electric water the house batteries through a Blue Sea remote heater can maintain hot water for a few days and battery switch. This allows us to charge it through gives enough for a couple of (very) quick show- the house battery charger. Since there is no ers so there’s no need to run the generator all the alternator on the generator, we keep it bridged time just for hot water. once we start the generator so its battery stays charged. It was obvious during our first real ‘shake-down’ cruise that the Norcold Refrigerator wasn’t up to The electrical bay also houses a Samlex PSW the task, and temps inside ranged from about 2000-12 inverter which is connected to three 45F to 50F. Finding a replacement wasn’t going outlets right now – one in the wet bay, one in the to be easy however, as the size was not common rear parlor for the TV, and one in the front parlor in the current offerings from either Norcold or to run our computers. Eventually I will add more Dometic. We wanted to keep the fridge electric outlets to the inverter, but this was enough for the only, and since the A/C evaporator is mounted in immediate needs. the cabinet above the fridge it would not be easy to change to a larger size. We also have a Xantrex Echo Charger to help keep the generator start battery charged, as well as the Victron 150/85 MPPT solar charge con- troller. We’re using three 160W portable panels at the moment with plans to eventually add a few permanent panels on the roof. The three portable panels are tethered by a 50-foot cable, so we can park in the shade and still pull 30+ amps with the panels in the sun.

The plumbing system is still largely as it was designed by Custom Coach. The water pump setup is now a Shurflo 3.5 GPM, 45 PSI, 12V pump

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 11 Eventually I found a Vitrifrigo DP150IBD4-S Overall, we’ve really enjoyed owning this 4108 12V/120V that would slide into the existing and think that the style fits us well. Even with the opening. The only modification would be get- shag carpeting gone and replaced with a modern ting a steel mounting adapter made as the new plush carpeting, walking into the coach is still like fridge had a slightly narrower mount than the old walking into a time machine and going back to Norcold. A friend at a local fab shop was able to 1974. Most of the time, I feel more like a care- cut one from a single sheet of steel, and once I taker of a relic of the past than just an owner of a had it painted it’s hard to tell that it didn’t come bus. with the fridge. We had Jake Brakes installed this spring, and The rest of the galley consists of a two-burner they make a huge difference in driving when we electric range, a stainless sink, and a vintage hit the hills. They should make the trips through Thermador by Thermotronic microwave oven. It’s mountain areas a tad less stressful. Other future a small galley, but for now will meet our needs. plans include eventually changing the transmission to a V730. We’ll probably also find a way to enlarge the galley a bit and install some solar on the roof. Besides that, our plans are to just enjoy traveling around the country and seeing the sites.

Run a Service Directory ad in BCM for as little as

Original galley still in place $17/month

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Rear view of bus

Vitrifrigo refrigerator in original fridge location. A/C control and evaporator unit above fridge

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Custom coach control panel for house systems

Bathroom vanity with new LED lights replacing 120V

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Rear bedroom showing newly reupholstered couch and rear window

Shower with stainless pan

View forward through front parlor

Stock Detroit Diesel 8V71 and engine bay

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Co-Pilots Seat

Entry door & steps

Bathroom

Hallway

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1915 Floor Plan

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TO SEE THE 1974 GMC P8M4108A-125 BUS SPECIFICATIONS

BY RICHARD GOLDBERG

Richard Goldberg is a retired woodworker and furniture maker. Only a bus owner for a couple of years, Richard has restored a number of classic cars over the years and enjoys rebuilding antique machinery of all types. Richard and spouse have enjoyed exploring the small towns and back-country areas of the US in their 4108 over the past year with plans to visit New Mexico this coming year. Richard can be contacted by PM through the forum on www.busconversionmagazine.com – Username is richard5933 or at [email protected]

Wrico International If you have a finished, or almost finished bus, tractor trailer, or truck and you want us to feature it on the cover of BCM and make you famous, then send us an email about your rig and W a photo of the outside and one of the inside and we will contact you about including your story in our magazine. Everyone who submits a feature article will receive a free 5-year extension to their subscription. I The Generator man We also are in need of non-feature articles as well. If you have a non-feature story you would like to submit about something specific about We carry a full line of Coach Conversion your bus or a trip you took in your bus, send it Parts & Accessories, to list a few: along too. • Wrico Generators • Magnum Inverters If you have interesting photos about any bus • Webasto Hot Water Heating Systems or bus parts, send them along. All non-feature • Cooktops & Water Heaters articles and photos will receive a free 1-3 year • Automatic Transfer Switches subscription to the magazine depending on how • Generator Autostart System extensive it is. Call the people with the Coach Conversion Experience and Know-how. This magazine is written by Bus Nuts for Bus Made Speci cally For Bus Conversions Nuts and without your articles, there would be Kubota Powered • Water Cooled • 1800 RPM no Bus Conversion Magazine. Direct Drive • Easy To Service Rugged and Trouble Free Email your information to: Buy direct and save. Call the Generator Man [email protected] (541) 744-4333 WRICO INTERNATIONAL PO Box 41555 • Eugene, Oregon 97404

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August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 19 BoHo Bus – Roof Raise

BY ASHLEY JENSON

hew... It’s done. But yet, I still wonder... Should I have brought the W whole ceiling down after we had got it all jacked It only took 7 months, but our two foot school bus up? I wonder this now after realizing too late (Skoolie) roof raise is officially complete! Can I in the moment that I needed to put another ten just tell you how overwhelmed and in a state of inches of wood (at least) EXTRA underneath our shock I still am in? Is the roof/ceiling as high as I wanted it to be? I am still wondering! Yes and  No I believe is our answer! Our original goal here was at least 28 inches and we achieved 24 NATURE’S HEAD so that right there is where a no (it is not high Self-Contained Composting Toilet enough) might come into play? Saving Our Water for Tomorrow

However... does that mean we are failures? Cer- tainly not!! We are definitely no such thing, and should be proud of the all the hard work it took leading up to this point. FREE YOURSELF From Black Tanks and Pumpouts. All Stainless Hardware Full Size Seat Fits in small places 5 Year Warranty No Chemicals Urine Diverting Exceptional Service Made in USA

$35 O online toilet purchase. Use code BC1911 at checkout. 9” of extra wood underneath each of our four farm O er expires 12/31/2019 jacks (we recommend you do at least 20 inches of wood instead for a 2’ roof raise www.Natures Head.net 251-295-3043

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 20 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 jacks in order to achieve anything higher than two ter who is four and lives with us full time. We feet. are both creative and collective “old-souls” who love art. We named our daughter after the song Our ceiling was literally swaying in the wind when “Imagine” by John Lennon, and her middle name we had to make one of the biggest decisions in after the Nordic Goddess Freya. We have both the history of our bus conversion! Realizing in the have had our struggles with life and it’s through end, it was much more important to have a ceiling the nomadic lifestyle and the freedoms it provides than lose it entirely to the wind, we happily settled we have found comfort in our choice to live this on the two feet of extra space we produced after lifestyle. our roof-raise experience. When our bus was just a gleam in the apple of Now, let’s back up a little bit. I do not want to my eye, it was always thought that we would frighten you out of raising your roof. Looking back raise the roof no matter what. It was nonnegotia- at it now, it is still one of the best decisions we ble, a must for us since we wanted to be the first have ever made and I would not trade it for any- to craft four lofted bedrooms in a 37.5 foot long thing. So let us start off by introducing ourselves Skoolie. and our bus! We have big plans to utilize all the space under- My name is Ashley and my husband Logan and neath for our pets, clothing and shoe storage, I bought a bus October 21st, 2018 from a sweet changing/play areas all underneath our beds es- gal in Billings, MT. We call her the BoHo Bus; she sentially. Which as far as I know in my countless is a Bohemian Wanderer, a vessel that will take hours of research this has yet to be done. us any where we want to go who proudly displays a pirate ship flag! How was this accomplished you might ask? Why with the Redneck Roof Raise method of After years and years of my life unraveling apart at the seams, it was not till Aug 2018 the dream for the bus was born. My husband and I are by no means any type of professionals in the construction industry, but the desire was strong and so we began.

After the dream was realized, I searched for months and months prior to our purchase, when finally fate and a Craigslist ad brought us and this bus together one day. The previous owner had bought this beautiful 37.5 foot 1993 International AmTram Genesis church bus, with the hopes to turn it into her traveling tiny home but plans for college got in the way.

When she heard our story, that we were wanting to convert this bus for a family of five to live in and travel, her heart strings were tugged. A couple of short months later we were driving from the SE Idaho area 5-6 hours away to Montana to pick her up.

My husband and I have three kids total between us, two boys whom we co-parent and one daugh-

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 21 course! Also known as the Hillbilly Roof Raise as time spent waiting in between rivets to remove coined by a couple of YouTubers! A roof raise of more. your very own can be accomplished by having some wood and four farm jacks, and that’s about all it takes!

But let’s not get too excited yet, it’s not quite that simple. First and foremost, in order to accomplish this lift at least three weeks of preparation has to take place prior to the raise.

When it comes to the day of the actual roof raise, you will need a minimum of 3-4 people. The preparation we took prior to the raise the roof Removal of all the outside rivets above and underneath all window sills of the bus! consisted of de-riveting the entire bus for weeks (In preparation for roof-raise) on end, purchasing two 8 ft. long 2x8 pieces of wood and two 10 ft. long 2x8 pieces of wood. The final step of preparation we took prior to raising the roof is drilling out as many pre-drilled We also had to gather a lot of extra wood to holes as we could in our metal hat channels. With place underneath each of the four farm jacks. We a 3/16” drill bit you can strategically place your placed approximately 9” of wood total underneath holes where you want them in the channel, we each jack. This is where my one regret comes placed ours with a total of six on the front, with into play with the raise, and if I had to do it all accompanying holes drilled out on each side of over again, I would have doubled that amount the channel to boot. These holes are good indica- of wood (at least) to a total of 20 inches instead. tors for where your bolts and self-tapping screws This would have allowed us the ability to raise the roof up even higher than 24’ and also help us maintain a stronger more stable lift during the raise.

The next step is the removal of windows and outside panels so that you can move on to one of the Advertise here most important steps, removing thousands of rivets from the outside of your bus. This includes the removal of the rib(s) under each row of your windows for as low as so you can place sheet metal comfortably after your raise. My husband and I both work two full time jobs and we have a life. $88 per month

It took both of us about three weeks or longer to get all of the rivets out. That’s with us spending for a every spare moment we had working at the bus even if it was just for an hour or two each day. We used a 27 gallon Dewalt air compressor that 1/4 page! worked like a champ to help us remove all those rivets, and an air chisel and punch from Harbor Freight! It gave us more than enough air supply click here to learn more and power to get all of those rivets off. I highly recommend having a large air compressor due to these facts alone, it will save you loads of extra

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 22 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 will go to hold the new metal hat channels into Just in case we lost the ceiling! place. Once I had my moment, I took blue painters tape Once all these steps of prep work were complete and laid out a nice line going across the 7.5 ft. and we had ordered our metal hat channels and hull of our vessel from side to side so that we sheet metal (which is not cheap!) we were ready knew where to cut in the front and in the back. to raise the roof!! After we finished those lines my husband took a rented Sawzall from Home Depot and began cut- On the day of the roof raise, make sure all your ting away for 20-30 minutes through the roof and supplies are in place (nuts, bolts, washers, then through all the window sills below. self-tappers, etc.) This will also consist of those two 10 ft. planks running across the width of I made sure to put painters tape on all our win- your bus both in the front and the back. You will dow sills in a staggered design so that the cuts then set up two farm jacks in opposite windows aren’t all concentrated straight down the middle. across from each other on each side in the front This weakens the metal hat channels and their and back. Then take your 8 ft. plank and place it hold all together. That was by far the scariest running across the top of your two jacks. most exciting moment of the lift, cutting the window sills and finishing up the cuts knowing that Once someone is holding that wood in place everything was all detached now. inside the bus, have someone else on the outside up on a ladder begin jacking up the jack on each The next step in the roof raise process was the so that it catches the wood for support and lifts fun part, the actual raising of the roof with the that 8 ft. plank up along with the raise itself. You jacks! I moved myself on over to the first jack on are ready to cut your window sills once you have the right side front end of my bus. Everything was secured both 8 ft. planks in the front and back of now cut free and loose, so I pulled down on the the bus then everything is now all connected and ready.

After the roof was raised 2’

The next step is getting on top of the bus! This was our first time on top of our bus and I got to say it was a very nerve racking and exciting time all rolled up into one. I had to stop and take a minute to be in the moment once we got up there. Not only was I about to embark on a new journey with our bus (increasing in size and abilities), but it was important for me to make sure to thank my bus for all the good times we had had thus far.

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 23 lever for the first time... scared to death I pulled screws to secure most of the metal hat chan- and sure enough up the roof went! I did three nels initially. This was much quicker and easier pulls of the lever total then rotated between each than trying to pilot out bigger holes in ALL of our jack doing three clicks each time until we reached channels that were already cut. Once we got the the very top capacity of our jacks. majority of the channels screwed in and secured with the tappers we felt confident enough to re- At this point the raise still didn’t look as if we had move all four jacks and let the raise stand on its made it to 30 inches we originally wanted, but we own. had maxed out the jacks. The wind began blow- ing really hard. That’s when I realized we needed After removing the jacks we proceeded to use more wood under our jacks to get the additional the original Stainless Steel 3/16 bolts, flat wash- height (about double the amount we had). That’s ers, lock washers and nylon locking nuts I had also when I had to make the difficult choice of originally purchased securing all of the metal hat either bringing her all the way back down to put channels. I accomplished this buy purchasing the more wood support underneath each of the four next size up drill bit (1/4”) to make my existing jacks so we could achieve a raise more than 24 3/16 holes a bigger size to fit the 3/16 bolts and inches or just go ahead and quit while we were hardware. ahead and accept our beautiful accomplishment. Which is what we did. And Whala! You have a bus roof that has now been RAISED! Our bus ceiling is entire two feet In the end, we decided it would have not been higher and we are just over the moon with happi- worth all the stress to bring her back down and ness. We strongly believe that being only 5’4 and try to figure out how to level her all back out after adding on the extra two feet will help us finish out securing more wood under the jacks. the Skoolie of our dreams.

The final step of our roof-raise was securing the metal hat channels with bolts, nuts, washers, and self-tappers. We were scared to death to get off the ladder and climb inside since the wind was howling and the roof was swaying. So I did just that and to my horror, realized that my bolts were not fitting in the bolt holes I had pre-piloted!

Thankfully, my father in law was there who has years of experience in construction and quickly got the idea to use self-tapping metal framing

Left side after a 2’ roof raise

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 24 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 I look forward to finishing the rest of our build and accomplishing our goal(s) of being a one of the first sustainable off grid Skoolies with four lofted bedrooms! Please stay tuned and feel free to subscribe to our channel on YouTube for more bus conversion content and future travel Vlogs in our bus!

If you would like to learn more about us and why we are deciding to live the nomadic lifestyle please feel free to like our videos and subscribe Right side after a 2’ roof raise to our YouTube channel, the BoHo Bus!

BoHo Bus Floor Plan 1st Floor BoHo Bus Floor Plan with underneath all the beds Lofted bedrooms 2nd-Floor

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 25

Watch our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ckUsK- 5Dtw9sS2XozDXx2w

View our Roof Raise Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6S_x8LZKHoA

BY ASHLEY JENSON

Ashley and her husband Logan live in Idaho Falls, Idaho. We have three kids between us, two boys and one girl. Neither has any prior construction experience and are learn- ing everything as they go! Logan works for Verizon and Ashley work for a health and wellness company. Ashley has always had a strong love for nature and travel and the nomadic lifestyle, so it only made sense to buy a bus after years of struggling with life. It took a few months of convincing to get her husband on board, but once he saw how passionate she was about this project and the lifestyle, and how happy it makes her, he had no choice but to hop onboard. Their goal is to one day buy some land in Oregon, be able to travel and go off grid for long periods of time and still have the ability to come back home to Idaho where they are from and comfortably park. You can contact Ashley at [email protected]

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©2019 National General Insurance. All Rights Reserved. Eligibility, coverages and discounts may vary by state. Underwritten by member companies of National General Insurance. August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 27 High Chaparral RV Park National General is a Leader in the Bus Conversion Insurance Industry

BY MORGAN CRABTREE

Beautiful western art displayed at the High Chaparral RV Park

estled outside of the city of Casa Grande, AZ, The park has been there for 60 years and also Nwith views of mountains in each direction, lies has TWO golf courses within two miles, Arizona a unique RV Park to rest your wheels overnight City Golf Course & Restaurant and San Miguel or longer. Built into a little western “town” with all Golf Club and Caffe Americano, and located of the luxuries of a RV Resort, but with the friend- close to other golf courses in the area. They also liness and generosity of a small southern commu- own another RV Park in Springerville, AZ for nity, High Chaparral RV Park is definitely a place those wanting to escape the heat in the summer! worth staying any time of the year, depending on your plans.

Specialized coverage for RVs, DRIVE SHAFT DISCONNECT Located about 45 minutes south of Phoenix and motorhomes & bus conversions. an hour from Tucson, you can be close enough to the city to enjoy the fun, but be able to escape to Tow your rear-wheel and 4WD automatic transmission vehicles with ease. a quiet place with stars aplenty at night. Quickly disconnect your vehicle transmission while sitting in the driver’s seat. Don’t Leave Your Rig Unprotected. Tow all four wheels on the ground. We know schoolies & the RV / motorhome lifestyle. Find an Authorized Dealer online today!

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Main Office when driving into High Chaparral SuperiorDriveline.com 1.855.447.3626

©2019 National General Insurance. All Rights Reserved. Eligibility, coverages and discounts may vary by state. Underwritten by member companies of National General Insurance. www.BusConversionMagazine.com 28 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 for a week. I know when we are kid free, that will be a spot we continue to stop at, and probably stay longer!

Southwest landscaping all over the park

Kay and her husband Dave maintain the park Chitty Bang Skoolie Parked at wonderfully and has been one of the best we High Chaparral early October 2018 have stayed at in the last two years of traveling. And we have KIDS! When you pull into the park, the first building is the office and mailbox area, as well as res- When we would travel through that part of AZ, in ident use showers (very clean and new!) and the desert, it was always right before their busy bathrooms, and a recreation room for the busy season, which is October and lasts until April. season activities. Some of those include Bingo, After emailing pictures of Chitty Bang, our Skoo- Darts, Dancing while listening to the House Band, lie, and all four of us with dog and cat in tow, Kay pot lucks, breakfast sewing and multiple senior was more than happy to have us stay with them activities (chair exercise, coloring, tea, etc.).

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 29 out while you do laundry, and plenty of machines to do all of your loads at one time. They have a few different types of drying and washing machines, but all taken care of and our clothes always came out great!

Main Office and Rec Room

When we were looking for a place to stay, we wanted a place with a pool. It was priority for us. High Chaparral had recently renovated their pool area, which includes a nice sized swimming pool Laundry Room shallow to about 5.5’, a deep hot tub, and lounge chairs in and out of the shaded area to enjoy Besides doing some upgrades, they also added either space. It is situated between the Office a Pickle Ball Court, New Horseshoe Pits, a big Building and Laundry Building. spacious Pavilion for BBQs, a Nice sized Dog Park, and some new electrical and site pads. We walked our dog all around the RV park and there is even a space behind the park with a gate to access it, and it is nothing but vast desert. Since

Pool and Hot Tub area

The Laundry Building looks like something out of an old John Wayne movie with the unique western vibe

The Laundry Room is freshly decorated with plenty of washers and dryers, a sink area, TV with cable, table and chairs if you want to hang

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 30 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 we were the only ones out there, we let our dog The park also has a small community of model off leash and she loved running through the little homes that have some yearly residents that live streams and bushes. The views were amazing in a separate area. The park features plenty of too! spaces for short and long rigs, with Full Hook Ups, with daily, weekly, monthly, annual rates, as well as rentable park model homes for weekly and monthly rates. They take Passport America, Good Sam, and Coast to Coast memberships too! They also have specials sometimes, so be sure to check out their website www.highchapar- ralrvpark.com

Mila enjoying the open space to run

Mila enjoying the water in the desert

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www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 31 High Chaparral also offers RV and other storage for a small monthly fee, if you end up having other plans, as road life tends to offer! We were able to store our 20’ trailer with them for a few months while we explored without it. I felt like it was safe behind all of their fences, and knowing that there are people who live there year-round. Sure enough, when we returned and picked it up, it was just as we left it.

Kay and Dave store their really unique ’73 Hol- iday Rambler there and have taken it to many We arrived just in time to High Chaparral Vintage Rallies. They have a soft spot for unique to beat part of a storm that blew through rigs. “Not only are they unique RV/MH, but the at the end of monsoon season people are just as special as the rig is. There is call by mid-summer. In late August and Septem- always some type of story behind the unit.” Kay ber it is hard to find a site for the entire Winter said. season. During May to September, their RV Park in Springerville, AZ is the place to be since it is She does ask that if you have a vintage or unique located on the Northeast side of Arizona. rig and want to stay with them, ensure that the “sewer, grey water, plumbing, and AC works and You can still enjoy the pool and cool off at High that it looks presentable”. Chaparral if you decide to travel through or even stop a while in the slower summer season. There This RV Park is a happening place during the will definitely be plenty of space! Just no coordi- busy season, so if you want a spot, be sure to nated activities.

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 32 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 Outside of the park, there is a lot to see and do. while we visited that! Not to mention all of the Casa Grande has a lot of surrounding trails, geo- activities that Phoenix and Tucson have to offer. caches, county fairs, and historic places to visit. Comedy shows, museums, zoos, aquariums, The Casa Grande Ruins are a neat historical planetariums, city night life, art, history….it is jaunt for a few hours in a day. Saguaro National near it all. Park has some amazing views and a visit to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum is a must. We have been to High Chaparral for two years in a row each time we drive through to Phoenix or If you are a science buff, a drive to the Universi- Tuscon, and we have always been greeted and ty of Arizona Biosphere 2 is an educational trip. felt welcome when staying there. When I asked Definitely had thoughts of the movie Bio-Dome Kay how she became so good at her customer service and making people feel welcome she ex- plained, “We try to treat people in the manner we want to be treated. Our guests are most important to us. My people all work together as a team, we are dedicated to be the best we can be. Peo- ple will forget what you say but they will always remember how they are treated. The one thing that I would add is that we are an incredible park because we have extraordinary folks that stay with us. High Chaparral is FAMILY above all.”

Make sure you check out Kay and Dave’s Park in Desert and Mountain Views Casa Grande, AZ next time you drive through!

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 33

ChittyBang during a beautiful desert sunset at Chaparral RV Park

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 34 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019

Morgan Crabtree lives in a self-converted 1999 International Gene- sis School Bus, Chitty Bang, with her husband, Ryon, of 15 years; two daughters, Rion and Laila; their English Mastiff, Mila; and their orange cat Micio. They have been living tiny since November 2016 and enjoying their many adventures while traveling together. She holds a bachelor’s degree of Science in Management, works online via her website and social media, is also a contributing writer to Bus Conversion Magazine, and a Young Living Distributor. She BY MORGAN CRABTREE is also the wife of a U.S. Army combat veteran (also her high school sweetheart!), mother and educator of two incredibly brave and intelligent young women, an avid barefoot and yoga enthusiast, a student of healthy living and financial intelligence, and a world collider. She enjoys sharing their story and encouraging others to think outside of the box and follow their dreams with any helpful advice she can give along the way. Her and her husband host the Talking Chitty podcast where they give people the opportuni- ty to really get to know them, and also listen to other RV’ers, business owners and combat veter- ans be interviewed as well! Check out their social media below to get more information:

www.thecrabshomestead.com YouTube @crabtree97 Instagram @thecrabshomestead Facebook @ChittyBangSkoolie Twitter @crabshomestead TALKING CHITTY PODCAST: Instagram/facebook @talkingchitty Listen on iTunes, Spotify, podbean, stitcher, pocketcast, castbox, tunein, our YouTube channel, and our website!

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o you can on your on ouble ecer bus These unique buses can be converted to make a perfect dream home on wheels, mobile o ce, or simply a one-of-a-kind means of transportation.

Some Double Decker buses have a unique open top for evening star gazing, sightseeing, or a pleasant outdoor evening with family and friends. They even make a wonderful permanent resi- dence when parked on a privately owned lot and are great for a Guest House or an Airbnb.

As a mobile o ce, these spacious vehicles provide ample room for community outreach services, on-the-road meetings, church gather- ings, sports teams, fund raising events, etc.

Double Decker buses can even be used for large capacity media viewing areas. Perfect for political candidates, mobile medical providers, veterinari- ans, or any industry that provides goods or services to remote areas.

This unconventional mode of transportation makes for a unique environment with endless possibilities! Get yours now. For more info contact [email protected]. or call (714) 614-0373 August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 37 The Pacific Bus Museum From Hobby to Formal Museum

NOTE BY RON MEDAGLIA Reprinted by Permission from Photos courtesy of Pacific Bus Museum National Bus Trader

In recent years the Pacific Bus Museum has been making a transition from a bus hobbyist group to a more formal museum operation. This photo was taken at their Annual Open House in Fremont, California in 2012. They recently acquired the building in Fremont as their permanent home. The first bus in line here is a 1945 GM PD3302, the oldest operating bus in the museum’s fleet.

The Early Years companies no longer in existence. This was accomplished with the assistance of public transit agencies n the early 1980s, a group of bus enthusiasts in that succeeded these private companies. In 1992 the Isouthern California formed the West Coast Mo- museum hosted the California State Bus Bash in San torcoach Museum, a loosely knit organization in which Jose, California. It was one of the largest Bus Bashes many of the members owned their own buses. As in the number of seated coaches on display. During time went on, the group began acquiring buses for the museum and new members joined from other areas in the state. By the late 1980s a group of members in the San Francisco bay area sought to have the museum move to northern California where it was thought it could become a more cohesive organization. They were aided by Museum Secretary Stephen Schwartz- wald who was instrumental in moving the Motorcaoch Museum to the bay area and starting the Pacific Bus Museum.

The Pacific Bus Museum was founded in 1989 as a successor to the West Coast Motorcoach Museum. By 1991 Articles of Incorporation were filed with the State of California as a non-profit corporation and the museum was granted tax-exempt status by the IRS as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation. Its first president was Richard Twinning, an avid bus collector and owner of Scenic Hyway Tours, a San Francisco tour and charter bus operator.

The 1990s

The early 1990s were formative years for the PBM and later became a time of steady growth of the museum. The museum hosted a number of historical bus excursions each year tracing the routes of bus

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 38 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 this time the museum increased the size of its bus fleet through a series of acquisitions. This resulted in increased storage and maintenance expenses for the museum. Fortunately the museum was able to benefit from the assistance of the museum’s president and the resources of his bus company.

Starting in 1995 the Pacific Bus Museum began dis- playing buses at various transportation-related events

Buses are driven to and displayed at numerous events. Here the Museum’s 1955 Flxible Visicoach was put on display at a local car show.

in the San Francisco bay area. These events proved to be excellent opportunities for the museum to make contact with the public and increase its interest in the museum. Museum brochures with membership applications were created and handed out as peo- Several museum members are active in restoring ple viewed the buses and made inquiries about the old buses.This photo shows the museum’s PD4501 Scenicruiser during its restoration work. museum. The Pacific Bus Museum also began to offer bus-related items for sale at these events.

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www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 39

In between the other museum activities, members try to plan trips to see or ride on other historical buses. This event took place in 2006 when museum members travelled to San Bernardino for an excursion on a GM Old Look transit bus owned by Omnitrans. 1996 was a watershed year for the museum. Early that year the museum received the donation of six historic buses that became the cornerstone of the museum’s collection. In the fall, the museum acquired its current site at 37974 Shinn St. in Fremont, Cali- fornia. The acquisition of this bus storage facility in the San Francisco Bay Area enabled the museum to consolidate its operational coaches at one location. Its centralized location made it practical for the museum to attend events in the San Francisco Bay Area and display its buses. On a sad note the museum’s first president, Richard Twinning, passed away during that year due to failing health.

In August of 1997 the Pacific Bus Museum along with regional tour bus company Royal Coach Tours co-hosted the Pac West Bus Rally event in San Jose, California. The bus company provided underwriting for the three-day event held at a local hotel. Both the bus company and museum benefited from the publicity and exposure generated from the event. The rally was a success for both parties with the tour bus company recouping their expenses for the event and the museum generating income from bus-related items sold at the event’s “flea market.”

The museum also initiated three new classes of

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 40 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 memberships at higher participation levels in 1997. focused on donations for specific work to be com- Membership increased by 30 percent that year due pleted on the restoration. This approach enabled the in part to the success of the Bus Rally. An “Adopt-A- museum to proceed with the restoration with tangible Bus” program, where members contribute funds for results. As of 2017, the exterior restoration is com- the repair, restoration, maintenance and or storage of plete while work continues on completing the resto- the museum’s buses, was instituted in 1998. A muse- ration of the interior. um “Building Fund” was initiated to raise money for a permanent home for the museum’s bus and memorabilia collection. The donation of a large collection of bus memorabilia was made to the PBM in 1998. Items from the collection were auctioned to raise money for the PBM and the museum ended the fiscal year on a solid financial footing.

In 1999 the museum’s newsletter “The Paddle” intro- duced a new “magazine” format. A new publisher was found and a number of cost saving measures were implemented resulting in a substantial reduction in printing and mailing costs. Packets listing the PBM’s buses available for movie work were sent to a number The oldest bus in the fleet is a 1932 Twin Coach of film/video production companies in the hopes of formerly operated by Key System. This photo was attracting use of the museum’s buses for their work. A taken in 2015 prior to the start of restoration. new museum Internet Web site was created. A number of bus acquisitions were made in the late 1990s. Among the acquisitions were a Canadian GM 40-foot “new look” transit, a GM 35-foot RTS and a Flxible 30 foot “new look” transit.

The Year 2000 and Beyond

The years from 2000 to 2009 were a time of growth and expansion for the PBM. Among the high points of this decade was the acquisition of an iconic symbol of bus transportation and the PBM becoming an operating museum. Historic bus excursions continued to be held each year and the size of the bus collection increased but as time went on the focus of the organization began to change and finding a permanent The 1932 Model 15 Twin Coach, former Key System home for the museum became an important goal. 308, is shown in a more recent photo with a major restoration program already underway. Greyhound Scenicruiser Acquired Restoration Begins

There was substantial interest during this time in the museum acquiring a GM PD 4501 Greyhound Sce- nicruiser. In 2003, the museum acquired one to add to its collection. Work started first with putting the bus in good running order and then moved on to restore it back to its 1960s Greyhound Golden Anniversary livery. Funding for the acquisition and restoration of the Scenicruiser was raised through donations from the membership and other interested individuals. The restoration donations were raised through successive annual appeals to the membership. Each appeal was

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 41

One of the more interesting activities of the Pacific Bus Museum was the operation of a shuttle service in Fremont to bring passengers to the Niles Canyon Railway train. A 1958 TDH 4512 originally built for Sacramento Transit Authority was used for this service.

The Vintage Bus Operation

In 2004, the PBM was asked to become part of a group being formed to promote the historic Niles district of Fremont. The Pacific Locomotive Associa- tion, Inc., operators of the Niles Canyon Railway, was completing the extension of their tracks into the Niles area as part of an expansion of their operations in Niles Canyon. People in Niles were eagerly awaiting the railway’s arrival. In 2005 the group adopted the name “Golden Spike.”

The Union Pacific railroad tracks created a barrier for passengers between the adjacent Niles Canyon Railway train stop and downtown Niles. Working together the Golden Spike group presented a plan to the City of Fremont in 2005 to have the PBM restore and operate a vintage bus to shuttle passengers from the train stop directly to the historic shopping district along Niles Boulevard, approximately one-third of a mile away. Without the shuttle passengers would have to traverse a crude walkway under the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. Crossing the busy UP tracks at grade was not allowed.

The city of Fremont approved the Golden Spike plan in 2005, which provided funding for the restoration

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 42 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 and operation of the vintage bus and for volunteers Niles community. Within a short time the vintage bus to assist with people visiting Niles and boarding the became an attraction in itself along with the trains and trains and the bus. Chosen for the shuttle was the visiting the historic Niles area. PBM’s 1958, General Motors TDH 4512. Originally delivered new in 1958 to the then Sacramento (Cali- One of the highpoints of the vintage bus operation fornia) Transit Authority as fleet number 128, this GM was the numerous remarks received from older pas- TDH 4512 was sold in the early 1980s to the Asso- sengers commenting on when they rode buses like ciated Students of University of California in Davis, these when they were much younger. Many younger California where the bus was used for a number of people had never ridden a bus like this before and years to shuttle students around the university cam- were offered a chance to experience what bus travel pus. When the PBM acquired the bus in 1997, it was was like from a by-gone era. 2006 was also Fremont’s physically and mechanically sound. 50th anniversary as a city and 128 was chartered for monthly historic tours of the area on days the train During this time PBM business member American shuttle was not in operation. Stage Tours of Concord, California became interested in partnering with the PBM as plans to operate Based on the success during the first year, funding the vintage bus began to take shape. With funding was provided for a second year of operation for the for the bus approved, an agreement was worked out vintage bus train shuttle with more dates of operation between the museum and the tour bus company for scheduled in 2007. AST’s regular maintenance of the the operation of the vintage bus. The bus was leased TDH 4512 enabled the bus to be operated without to American Stage Tours and would be operated as problems throughout 2007. Also in 2007, the vintage part of their fleet. Operation of the train shuttle and bus operation was expanded to operate during the any charters would be handled through AST. The bus Christmas holiday season for the railway’s Holiday would be driven by properly licensed museum mem- Train of Lights. Overall in 2007 there was an increase bers who would become employees of AST. of 25 percent in ridership over 2006. Opportunities for chartering the vintage bus increased in 2007 highlight- Restoration of the vintage bus was completed in Jan- ed by another tourist railroad chartering 128 on sev- uary 2006 and included new tires, batteries, flooring and re-chromed bumpers. The bus was painted by long-time PBM member Coach Specialties Company in Alameda, California in a distinctive “art deco” look inspired by designs seen on city buses in the 1930s and 40s including San Francisco’s Market Street Rail- way buses of that era. To complete the look the name Niles Coach Lines was applied to the bus. Engine Heat Protection

The Vintage Bus Operation Begins Reduce that unwanted heat with EHP Wet Blanket exhaust insulation The operation was set up to carry passengers from a parking area in the heart of the Niles district to the nearby train boarding area and scheduled to arrive in time to meet inbound trains arriving from the east end of Niles Canyon. When the trains arrived in Niles, passengers disembarked from the trains and boarded the vintage bus for a ride to the main part of Niles. This scenario was duplicated as many as four times a day depending on the number of trains trips operated EHP Wet Blanket is a 1/4-inch thick ceramic-based material on Sundays. used for insulating underhood components from heat. Usable in temperatures up to 3200 degrees Fahrenheit, the blanket is wrapped around the heat source, such as exhaust pipe Train shuttle operations began in February 2006. and reduces its radiating temperature by half. It contains no Initially operations were scheduled on the first and asbestos. Easy to install - complete instructions. third Sundays of each month during the spring and fall and weekly during the summer. The bus became an 39250 Green Meadow Road, Temecula, CA 92592 (951) 302-2212 instant hit with the train passengers and people in the EngineHeatProtection.com

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 43 eral occasions to shuttle passengers to their “Thomas the trains from the Fremont Bay Area Rapid Transit the Tank Engine” event. The vintage bus proved to be Station. Anticipated ridership on the new route did not popular with riders and was chartered for the event develop and it was discontinued in 2011. again in 2008. From 2011 thru 2013 the vintage buses were operat- The third year of the vintage bus operation for the ed on a rotating basis for the Niles Train shuttle and in Niles train shuttle began in March 2008. The railway charter service as needed. Sadly after seven and one expanded its train schedule during the year and with half years of operation the Niles train shuttle ceased it the vintage bus schedule was expanded. Because running when the funding ran out in 2013. The lease of the success of the vintage bus operation the PBM agreement with the bus company ended in December received funding to restore a second GM “old look” of that year. bus for the Niles train shuttle that was initially used as a back up for 128 and also for planned future expan- The Open House Event sion of the train shuttle to the nearby Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station. 2009 was the first year for the museum’s Open House in Fremont where 12 of the museum’s buses The Vintage Bus Operation Expands were all on display along with five visiting buses. The event also included a BBQ and bus memorabilia flea In 2009 a second PBM bus was added to operate on market. Since then the Open House has become an the Niles Train Shuttle. A 1957 GM model TDH 4801 annual event and has grown to include as many as 34 nearly identical to the original bus was restored and buses, approximately half of them were visiting buses, completed just in time for the Holiday Train of Lights a larger flea market and a raffle. It is now the muse- operation that had increased to two trains a night. um’s biggest event of the year. With two vintage buses in operation the additional passengers were handled with ease. In 2010 the Changes to the Museum’s Bus Fleet second bus was used to begin an additional route to Changes to the museum’s bus collection occurred

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 44 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019

A second historic bus was placed in operation in 2009 on the Niles train shuttle operation. This second bus was a 1957 TDH 4801, a model unique to California. This photo shows both buses used on the Niles Canyon Railway shuttle operation until 2013.

Pacific Bus Museum members bring and display their buses at local events to show historic buses to the public and attract attention to the museum. This photo shows two museum GM Old Look transit buses on display at the Dream Machine event in Half Moon Bay in 2014.

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 45 model 15. The restoration shop is run by volunteers. They have restored a number of antique automobiles dating back to the early 1900s, many of which are on display at the history park. Funding for the Twin Coach restoration came from the special fund for this bus that the museum started in 1998.

After 20 years at the museum’s present location in Fremont, California the PBM was able to obtain a lease on the building being occupied in 2016. It is now the permanent home. Another milestone for the museum was reached in 2017 when the museum A recent museum acquisition form Santa Cruz Metro membership reached 200 members. Transit District was this GM TGH 3101 shown being loaded on a flatbed for transport to the museum. Going forward the Pacific Bus Museum continues to grow and evolve expanding its outreach efforts in the northern California region with bus displays at various transportation-related events and participation in parades. Efforts continue to enhance the museum’s bus collection by focusing on acquiring buses from a broader period of bus travel and also expanding its bus memorabilia collection.

This years Pacific Bus Museum Annual Open House will be held on August 18th from 11 - 3. See page 57 for additional information.

Another recent historical acquisition from the Santa Click HERE to Cruz Metropolitan Transit District was this GM New watch video Look T6H 4523N that was in excellent condition. from time to time in the 10-year period from 2000 to 2009. During this time six buses were acquired. In addition, each of the museum’s buses was assessed periodically by the Acquisitions Committee based on their condition and their historical value to the museum. As a result, eight buses were sold or traded and all went to good homes.

Year 2010 to the Present Day

Between the years 2010-2017 the size of the museum’s bus collection increased by almost a third. Thirteen buses were acquired, all of them donated to the PBM. Five buses were deemed non-essential to the collection. Good homes for four of them were found and were sold off. The fifth bus was scrapped and its engine, transmission and wheel rims were sold for parts. Also during this time the film and media work utilizing the museum’s buses began to increase. In 2015 the museum was approached by Restoration shop at the San Jose History Park with a proposal to restore the museum’s oldest bus, a 1932 Twin Coach

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 46 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019

Every bus museum should have a Scenicruiser. This photo shows the excellent work done by the museum staff on their Scenicruiser to bring it back to attractive and operating condition. The effort took several years and required donations for parts, but the quality of the restored coach is obvious.

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BUS CONVERSION SERVICE DIRECTORY When you contact our advertisers, please let them know you saw their ad in Bus Conversion Magazine.

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Gary’sTip: You can click on any title on the cover to go directly to each article. Go ahead, try it now.

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 48 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019

1984 Eagle 10 – 8″ Roof Raise Price: $58,995 Contact Number: (937) 548-0686 Bus Year: 1984 Motor: 6V92 Detroit Diesel Bus Location: Greenville,OH Sellers Name: Becky Collins

Click HERE for more info.

To see more bus conversions for sale, click HERE to visit the Classified Ads on our Website.

1995 Dina 1981 MCI/MC9 Price: $49,000 Contact Number: (773) 858-3473 Price: $20,000 Bus Year: 1995 Contact Number: (281) 796-7787 Bus Year: 1992 Motor: Allison B500 Motor: 6V92T Bus Location: Chicago, IL Bus Location: Winterhaven, FL Sellers Name: Wulf Ward Sellers Name: William Friar

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www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 49

Bristol VR BRITISH LEYLAND

Price: $25,000 US Price: $23,000 US Contact Number: (714) 614-0373 Contact Number: (714) 614-0373 Bus Year: 1980 Bus Year: 1992 Motor: Gardner 6lxb Motor: Cuminns L10, Diesel, 6 cylinder. Sellers Name: Gary Hatt Sellers Name: Gary Hatt

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To see more bus conversions for sale, click HERE to visit the Classified Ads on our Website.

1984 MCI Bus Conversion 1981 MCI MC-9 Conversion Price: $7,500 Contact Number: (618) 841-2195 8V71 with 5-Speed Allison Bus Year: 1984 PRICE REDUCED: $37,700 Bus Location: Southern Illinois Location: Florence, WI Sellers Name: Angie Crowder Call Bill at (715) 528-5225

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www.BusConversionMagazine.com 50 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019

Click Here to See Video

1968 Eagle Model 05 1989 Eagle Conversion Reduced Price: $20,000 Price: $60,000 Contact Number: (910) 893-8892 Contact Number: (865) 399-1993 Bus Year: 1968 Bus Year: 1989 Motor: 8V71, 4 Speed Spicer Motor: Allison Automatic Transmission Bus Location: Buies Creek, NC Bus Location: Kingston, Tennessee Sellers Name: Gene Lewis Sellers Name: Gail

Click HERE for more info. Click HERE for more info.

To see more bus conversions for sale, click HERE to visit the Classified Ads on our Website.

Nobody is going to know it’s For 1975 MODEL 05 EAGLE Sale unless you advertise it here. Price: $55,000 Contact Number: (360) 636-2895 Bus Year: 1975 Call NOW and place your ad. Motor: 3406 B Model Cat 400 HP Bus Location: Longview, WA (714) 614-0373 Sellers Name: Vic Crane Click HERE for more info.

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 51

MCI – MC-9 with 1987 MCI-9 Price: $29,999 Detroit 6V92 Engine Contact Number: (406) 521-0651 Bus Year: 1987 Price: $65,000 Motor: Detroit 6V92 Turbo DDEC and Located in Kerrville, TX HD 740 Allison Trans Call Frank at (830) 928-2303 Bus Location: Montana Sellers Name: Gary Ferguson Click HERE for more info. Click HERE for more info.

To see more bus conversions for sale, click HERE to visit the Classified Ads on our Website.

1965 MCI Conversion Bus Price: $69,000 Contact Number: (954) 298-7507 YOUR AD HERE Not only will people see it in the magazine, Bus Year: 1965 they will see it online too! Motor: 4500K Allison Transmission Bus Location: South Florida Only $99 until SOLD! Sellers Name: Linda Rucerito

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www.BusConversionMagazine.com 52 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019

GM PD41XX SERIES BUSES

1990 Prevost LeMirage XL SUBSCRIPTION FORM Price: $52,000 Looking for GM Intercity coaches left in the world. Contact Number: (224) 856 5364 Coaches are being tracked by serial number and Bus Year: 1990 location, city and state. Any status: conversion, seated or Current Miles: 96,000 scrapped. Even buses sitting in fields, I would like to add their numbers to the list. All GM coaches built between Motor: Angola. Detroit Diesel 8V92 1947 and 1980, with the exception of Scenicruisers. Bus Location: Campton Hills, IL 60124 Sellers Name: Rosemary Sayre Call Jon at (760) 272-4081 Click HERE for more info. or email: [email protected]

To see more bus conversions for sale, click HERE to visit the Classified Ads on our Website.

1984 MCI 9 1974 MCI8 – 871 Detroit Price: $35,000 Price: $7,500 Contact Number: (605) 759-1385 Contact Number: (218) 329 6246 Bus Year: 1984 Bus Year: 1974 Current Miles: 852,000: Motor: 871 Detroit with Allison Transmission Bus Location: Sioux Falls, SD Bus Location: Hawley,MN Sellers Name: Brian Wheeler Sellers Name: Rick Peterson

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www.BusConversionMagazine.com If you own a bus conversion or an RV or are considering building your own or purchasing one, you should subscribe to Bus Conversion Magazine. This is the only periodical dedicated and authored by Bus Nuts like you. The majority of our articles come from our readers, both amateurs and professional bus converters, who share their experiences of building, maintaining, living in and traveling by bus. SUBSCRIPTION FORM Online Digital Subscription - Circle One: RECIPIENT INFORMATION 1 Year ($19) 2 Years ($34) 3 Years ($44) ○ Same as Billing Monthly Digital Magazine Name Recurring Subscription $1.75 Email: BILLING INFORMATION

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/ Month Year 54 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 Dave Galey Eagle Planning Sheets This is Dave Galey’s 11 page book - Eagle Planning Sheets.

This book is designed to provide information only on the subject matter covered.

It is provided with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, engineering, or other professional services. If legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

To read the entire book, go to our website www.BusConversionMagazine.com and select the Members tab and choose Books on PDF. Members can log in to read this book in Flipbook format and you will find it an enjoyable read.

You will find several Books on PDF to enjoy in this section and as long as you have a membership (subscriber) you will be able to enjoy this collection of Dave Galey’s books.

www.BusConversionMagazine.com BUS EVENTS For the most up-to-date Event Information Click Here: https://www.busconversionmagazine.com/events/

August Peoples Tiny House Festival Aug 02-04, 2019 Contact: Pikes Peak International Raceway Marcus Alverado Fountain, CO (719) 494-7869

Pacific Bus Museum Annual Open House For more information, click Here Aug 18, 2019 www.pacbus.org View 11 AM – 3 PM Page 58 Freemont, CA

Northwestern Bus Nuts Rally Contact: Greg and Renee Peyran Aug 22-25, 2019 (971) 302-1674 Polk County Fairgrounds www.nwbusnuts.com Rickreall, OR

September For further info, contact Al Roeske: Northwestern Bus Nuts Rally [email protected] Sep 19-22, 2019 www.nwbusnuts.com Guaranty RV Travel Center and RV Park Junction City, OR Click Here

Southeast Bus Nuts Autumn Rally Rally Master: Ed Fisher Sep 26-29, 2019 American Heritage RV Park For more information go to: Williamsburg, VA www.sebusnuts.org

2019 Blytheville, AR Antique More information will be coming soon Bus Homecoming Contact: Tom’s Garage Sep 27-29, 2019 (309) 253-2169 109 N 5th St, Blytheville, AR 72315-3319, United States Watch Video

Contact: Eagle Bus Rally Mel & Trish Legg (308) 850-1251 First week in September, 2019 Wayne & Lin Schell Kingsley Dam RV State Park (303) 591-0372 or (970) 224-9020 Ogallala, NE October

Tiny Living Festival California Contact: October 5-6, 2019 John & Fin Kernohan: (706) 623-4332 Richmond Art Center [email protected] Richmond, CA www.UnitedTinyHouse.com

67th Annual California RV Show October 4-13, 2019 Contact: Tom Gaither Auto Club Speedway [email protected] (775) 772-3023 Fontana, CA www.californiarvshow.org $2 off with this ad! Dam Rally Pre-Rally - Oct 30 - 31, 2019 Rally - November 01 - 03, 2019 at Lake Shore RV Park at Willow Beach RV Park 268 Lakeshore Rd. Call (928) 767-4747 for reservations Boulder City, NV 89005 Contact: Tom Vanozzi Call (702) 293-2540 for reservations [email protected] Ask for parking in rows 8&9

January 2020 Sportsman’s Club Flxible Owners International 6225 Sunburst St. Contact Winter Rally 2020 Joshua Tree, CA Matt Merz (562) 715-8526 January 09-12 ALL BUSES WELCOME!

BCI Quartzsite Arizona Rally Contact: January 21-25, 2020 Tony Saraceni: (307) 250-6966 Quartzsite, AZ [email protected]

Skooliepalloza 2020 For More Info January 20-27, 2020 Click Here Ehrenberg, AZ March 2020

5th Annual SoCal Mini-Rally Contact: Buck Trout March 27-29, 2020 [email protected] Bonelli Bluffs RV Resort & Campground Call the park to make reservations: (Formally East Shore RV Park) (800) 809-3778 Request to park in Section B www.bonellibluffsrv.com

Having a rally? Let us know! We will help you spread the word. If you or someone you know is hosting a bus rally, we invite you to send us the information so that we can announce it here in the magazine for Bus Nuts. You can send it to us up to 11 months before the rally date so that we have time to get news of your rally out there. Then after the rally, send us photos and a story about the rally. We will make your rally famous.

Email your info to [email protected]

58 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 Bus Parts Liquidation Sale! These are just a few of the parts available. Call John Zahn now to find out more!

RandM Front Cap, Windshield Frame, and Breast Plate Eagle 01 Rear Torsilastic for 102-015 Eagle $1000 Suspension $1,000 Each

Air Cleaner for Eagle 8V92 $350

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discount. Phone: (714) 703-8200 Gary Hatt”

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www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 59 Bus Windshield Rubber

RV Parts Center [email protected] (714) 703-8200

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 60 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019 Proterra #1 is now on display at the Museum of Bus Transportation

Proterra #1 is now on display at the Museum of Bus Transportation in Hershey, PA.

Recently, the Museum of Bus Transportation held thanks to a grant from the National Fuel Cell Bus its annual Spring Fling event in Hershey, Penn- Program at the Federal Transit Administration sylvania to recognize the impact the motorbus (FTA) to create “the bus of tomorrow.” At the industry has on the everyday life of the American time, battery-electric vehicle technology was in public and celebrate the advancement of the its infancy, and the focus was still on hydrogen industry. More than 70 transit, coach, school and fuel cell technology. Proterra’s visionary founder trolley buses were on display to showcase the Dale Hill saw the great potential of battery-pow- evolution of transit technology over the years. ered buses, so he decided to build a hybrid battery-electric/ hydrogen fuel cell system. His At this year’s event, Proterra, on behalf of the efforts resulted in the first full size battery-electric Federal Transit Administration, donated its transit bus in the U.S., with mobile hydrogen fuel first-ever zero-emission bus to the Museum, add- cells included as a range extender. ing another chapter to the innovative history of transit. This bus accomplished many firsts for the “As fossil fuel engines continued to be energy industry and marked the beginning of Proterra’s inefficient and subjected to volatile fuel prices, journey to provide clean, quiet transportation to the industry was exploring new technologies to all. power transit buses,” said Proterra founder Dale Hill. “I believed we were at a crossroads between Proterra #1 was the first municipal transit hybrid fuel cell and battery-electric powered buses, and fuel cell bus that combined battery electric power that battery-electric technology would be the most and mobile hydrogen fuel cells. It was primarily cost effective path forward for city transit buses. powered by a large lithium battery pack, which With help from the grant, Proterra designed the powered the electric drive train and custom trans- first full sized purpose-built electric bus that could mission. It also had two small 30 kW hydrogen be tested on public roads.” fuel cells, which generated electricity to keep the battery pack charged as the bus drove. The bus was debuted at the APTA Tri Annual show in San Diego in October 2008. During the Proterra was able to explore this technology show, the FTA had unveiled a white paper and

www.BusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 61 hosted a session titled, “The Bus of 2030 – the cell vehicles, Proterra learned that battery-elec- Electric Bus,” which concluded that the future of tric technology was the most promising vehicle electric buses was exciting but not yet a reality. technology to focus on going forward. With the Hill was in the audience and was ready to prove rapid advancement in battery technology, to- them wrong. He approached the FTA’s director of day’s buses are now able to operate for a full day research and development, and said ‘how would of service on a single battery charge. Proterra you like to have your 2030 bus about 21 years continues to optimize the vehicle for best perfor- earlier?’ Hill then unveiled Proterra #1 at the con- mance and safety, from the tires to the bus body ference to a captivated audience. to the battery systems, electric drivetrain and charging solutions, to meet the most demanding The bus was then placed into its first transit transit routes across the country. service in Columbia, SC, in collaboration with the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority The momentum of electric bus adoption has con- and the University of South Carolina. The vehi- tinued to grow around the world. Transit agencies cle then went on tour across the United States and cities across North America have made com- and even participated in the Winter Olympics in mitments to pursue 100 percent zero-emission Canada in 2010. There were also several trips vehicle fleets. Today, with 8 million services miles made to Washington, D.C. where then Secretary on the road, Proterra has sold more than 700 of Transportation Ray LaHood visited the bus and vehicles to more than 90 communities in 41 U.S. became a champion of battery-electric bus tech- states and Canadian provinces. nology. The pioneering bus completed its tour of duty at Capital Metro in Austin before retirement. “None of this would have been possible without support from the FTA to explore new technology “Of the 100 or so demos our first bus did across and our collaboration with the Center for Trans- the country, we only had one technical issue – an portation and the Environment in managing the unheard-of accomplishment for new bus technol- grant,” said Hill. “The development of battery ogy,” said Hill. electric vehicle technology has paved a new path for city transit buses that brings significant envi- Following the successful deployment of Proterra ronmental and economic benefits to the commu- #1 and the initial exploration with hydrogen fuel nity.”

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Just imagine this. You and your bus conversion in owner? Is there an interesting history or background BCM for everyone to see. Recognition for your unique to the bus? What made you decide on a bus conver- conversion and your highly technical skills. People will sion? point, people will stare, and people will say, “WOW! We saw your bus in BCM”. Technical Description: Engine; transmission/speeds. Generator; type/make/ How would you like that to happen to you? Well, now size. Inverter; type/size. Water Tanks; type/size of it can. Just write an article about your conversion and tanks: fresh, gray, black. Water Heater: Type/size. send it to us. Add some highlights and some back- Fuel tank capacity. MPG. Propane; size of tank(s), ground information along with a sketch of the floor fixed or removable. Type of plumbing and electrical plan, and a list of specifications, and send it to us. systems. Exterior Description: Paint color/design, mu- Your coach could be selected as the conversion of ral-who did it, wheels and tires, raised roof, front and/ the month and displayed on the cover and featured as or rear caps. the centerfold in an upcoming issue. Yes YOUR bus. It does not have to be a new bus, any bus will do. Our Interior Description: readers are interested in all ages and types of buses. Wall covering, ceiling, countertops, window covering, If you have a truck conversion, we would even be floor, colors, lighting. Kitchen; Type of refrigerator- interested in this as well. 1/2/3-way, stove and/or oven, sink type, ice maker, special features. Bedroom: Location/size of bed(s), We’ve made a list of information you may want to lighting, special features. Bathroom: Side or center include. The more information you provide, the more aisle, hardware, special features. Living room: enter- our readers will enjoy your story. Send it to us with tainment center, seats and tables, special features. any photos (preferably high resolution) you may have Other: Washer & dryer, security system, back-up of the interior of the bus as well as the exterior. If camera, driver’s seat, passenger seats, insulation, air selected, your bus will be featured in an upcoming conditioning, heating, skylights/roof vents. issue of BCM, the magazine converters everywhere rave about. Not only will you gain worldwide recogni- What do you love best about your conversion? What tion, we’ll extend your subscription for five full years if would you do differently the next time? Do you have we include your bus in a feature article in one of our a road fix story? Do you have any interesting stories, issues. travel or otherwise? Do you belong to any Bus Con- version Clubs (name and address)? Have you been So, if you think your bus has what it takes, go ahead. to any interesting rallies? Other interesting information Just Do It! Take a couple of minutes and send us an about you or your bus or your bus adventures? email with your photos included. You can also upload them to Dropbox or mail them on a CD, DVD, or a Email your article to: Thumb Drive. Now hold your breath, because this is [email protected] it, your big chance for fame! If we use it, you and your bus will be known the world over. Mail your article to: Bus Conversion Magazine Things people want to know: 661 E Main St # 200-313 Your Name, Address, Email Address and Phone Num- Midlothian, TX 76065 ber. None of this will be printed without your permission, but we will need it to extend your subscription. Or call us at (714) 614-0373 How often do you use your bus? What do you primar- We look forward to seeing your bus on the front cover ily use it for? What year, make, and model is it? Why of an upcoming issue! did you choose this make and model? What year was it converted? Who did the conversion; Location and Everyone will thank you for your contribution. name of shop? How long did it take? Are you the first

www.BusConversionMagazine.com 64 BCM BUS CONVERSION August 2019

Post by: blue_goose

Is 14 to 15 the max boost or is that what you are getting running down the road.

Post by: belfert

I don’t recall for sure. I think that is max PSI.

When I first got the bus there was a bird nest inside the air intake partially plugging it. As a temporary fix I removed the rubber elbow going into the air filter. I later cleaned out the bird nest and put 1/2” hardware cloth over the intake to stop birds and animals. I checked the Any ideas on why my intake for any obstructions on my last trip and nothing Series 60 runs so hot? found. Bryce Gaston had warned me about the intake possibly being plugged. He had seen a Dina where the Post by: belfert intake piping collapsed as the intake was completely plugged. In that case I believe he said the engine had to I replaced the water pump, thermostat, and radiator core be rebuilt. on my bus with Series 60 in the first year or two I had the bus due to very serious overheating issues. I took Post by: thomasinnv the radiator to a radiator shop and they said it had a lot of pinholes and someone had put leak stop in it. They 14 to 15 running on flat to very mild grade is fine, but offered to close off the bad tubes, but I chose a new core you should see mid to high twenties under load full throt- instead. tle. With the cooling system in good shape you should not be able to overheat the 11.1 no matter how hard you Since I replaced all that stuff normal temperature runs push it, unless someone did some reprogramming and 195 to 200. I use high quality Zerex HD antifreeze and really pushed the power up. When I was still running the I always make sure it is full of coolant. This past fall the 11.1 the highest it ever ran on a long hard pull on a hot high temperature alert in the DDEC tripped several times day was 205 to 207, which is right where the thermostat at over 215 degrees. It never got hot enough to trip the reaches full open. After I had the radiator cleaned out it high temp shutdown. We stopped for about two hours would run steady between about 195 and 202 no matter and checked a bunch of stuff like making sure the air what I threw at it. filter was not plugged and also verified the air intake was clear. Now that I have the 12.7 running at 1550/470 things are a little different but that’s to be expected. It seems like I should be running at least ten degrees cooler and am looking for ideas on what to check. Post by: thomasinnv

Post by: Bill Gerrie Brian, we don’t have the same cooling system as I originally thought, but even so the 11.1 should be a difficult If you ever recore the rad again use a dimpled tube core. one to get hot unless the cooling system is not up to They are up to 30% more efficient. I had overheat issues snuff. You definitely need to find out why your boost a long time ago after changing the exhaust system. is low, that will cause the overheating. Disconnect the Turned out there was too much back pressure. You wastegate and see if it goes up to normal. You may have may want to have your back pressure checked. I don’t a turbo in your future. How is the power? Does it seem a know what the figure is for a series 60 but it should be little light? in the book under specs. You may also want to check your thermostat. Even if new they can be defective. A Post by: belfert friend of mine has a ‘95 Dina with a series 60 and an 8 speed. No issues at all with temp or anything else. Also I have no idea if power is light or not. I expect a 40,000 check your fan to see if it is coming to full speed when lb. brick going down the road isn’t going to be the fastest required. The thermostatic coupling may be defective. thing on the road. Temperature has been an issue basically since I got the bus, but it was slightly worse this Post by: luvrbus past trip. Cooling a four stroke is not supposed to be much of an issue compared to a two stroke. Low turbo boost will heat a series 60. Check the boost pressure. I’m not opposed to doing something with the turbo if that is really the issue. They aren’t terribly expensive as far Post by: belfert as I know.

The turbo boost PSI seems low to me at 14 to 15, but Post by: thomasinnv someone here said that is normal on an 11.1 Series 60. Brian, how are you reading boost pressure?

www.www.BusConversions.comBusConversionMagazine.com August 2019 BUS CONVERSION BCM 65

Post by: belfert Post by: luvrbus Reading turbo PSI off Silverleaf VMSpc. Check your boost sensor the hose could be broken or Post by: thomasinnv the sensor is bad.

I would think it would be pretty accurate then. You need Post by: Scott & Heather to take it for a run and verify what kind of boost you are getting under full load full throttle. Then we can see what Brian, on my 8v92TA, I had it flashed from a 400 HP pro- way you need to go from there. gram to a 500 HP program. I never noticed the change at all. My bus still felt slow. More smoke, more heat and Post by: chessie4905 no joy. I finally this past summer realized my turbo was bad and after having it rebuilt gained huge amounts of Make sure you aren’t getting bubbles in coolant overflow power, eliminated my overheating issue, and stopped tank, warmed up. the smoke. I’m wondering if you have some sort of mild boost issue...if you had a reflash, you should be able to Post by: belfert tell/feel it in the seat of your pants.

Dina doesn’t have a sight glass into the expansion tank. Post by: belfert The lack of sight glass can cause problems determining the correct level of coolant in the tank. I can’t fill the tank There is a lot of talk about a possible turbo issue, but 100% due to the design (which I don’t want anyhow), but could there be something else with my cooling system if I fill it up as much as I can excess coolant will spray causing issues? One of the few things on cooling that out from under the fill cap. has not been replaced is the fan clutch. It is a two speed electric clutch. The strange thing is it locks up as Post by: luvrbus soon as the ignition is turned on. I thought it is supposed to freewheel until around 160 degrees, and then a Test the intercooler. Sounds like it is leaking 25+ lbs. second stage at a higher temperature. Should be normal under a load or it will heat. Didn’t you bump it up to 370 HP? How can my turbo be tested before I spend money either getting it repaired or replaced? Post by: belfert Post by: chessie4905 The intercooler was tested and some repairs done when I first got the bus. I could certainly have it tested again You could pull the inlet hose off at the turbo and look at as the intercooler is fairly easy to remove. The HP was the impeller. It should look perfect and no slop if you bumped up slightly more than five years ago, but the try to wiggle it side to side or up and down. And easily heating hasn’t changed from what it was before that. spin like a small fan blade. Check with your finger, not a screwdriver, so you don’t damage the fins. They are I found my thread about turbo boost from years ago. In somewhat delicate. It is just two impellers connected that thread I noted that under 100% engine load I was to each other by a shaft. The exhaust flow spins one maxing out at 18 PSI. You mentioned that 19.2 PSI is end causing the other end to spin and pressurize the air max for the 11.1 with 55 injectors and standard turbo. coming from the air cleaner or intercooler. To thorough- ly check, remove exhaust pipe from outlet and do the Post by: thomasinnv same visual inspection. I would do this with the engine turned off. My 11.1 would hit 25 to 26 psi under full load. Obviously different turbo and injectors could change that, as well Post by: thomasinnv as bad DDEC programming. When you turned the power up did he flash an OEM program? Or did someone do Scott, depending on what he went from/to for power he their own adjustments to the fueling tables? You can may not notice anything in the seat of the pants on an flash all kinds of programs on that ECM but if it doesn’t 11.1. For example going from say 330 or 350 @ 1250# match the components you actually have in the engine to 365 @ 1250# you won’t notice it at-all. The 330/350 you won’t get the expected result, and in many cases was usually @2100 rpm and some of the 365 were @ can actually end up going backwards instead of forward. 1800 rpm. If you extrapolate that out on a graph you will find them very close to the same torque value up at Post by: belfert 2100 rpm. On a series 60 the torque curve is basically flat from 1200 to 1500, and above 1500 it’s a fairly To be clear, my heating problems and turbo boost issues straight line to whatever the HP RPM is. Torque curves started long before I had the DDEC flashed. I really look quite different compared to a 2-stroke. never noticed any change in power after the DDEC was flashed.

The DDEC work was done by a Detroit Diesel dealer locally and it is an authorized upgrade.

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