Well what started out as a good week moving dirt and hauling gravel for your new shop, I decided to go ahead and ordered a front kit and fenders for my 9 from R&M to
find out the no longer make any of it. I was going to order it a year ago but decided to what until the shop was started, if I only knew then what I know now.
Yep Richard and Karen went on to bigger and better things they are making the front and rear caps for a RV manufacture in that area now and it keeps them real busy nowadays,he even scraped all the molds he had for buses
I just talked to them they still have the mold in storage and they need repaired. I guess they are for sale but they want to sell them all as a set not individually.
Any body want to partner on a fiberglass company? LOL!!!!!
That's good he didn't cut all the molds up when he stopped by he was in the process of cutting up some molds lol only one I wanted he cut it up
Did they mention how much they are selling the molds for?
No, I never ask. IBP industries were talking to them about the the molds, but I'm afraid IF IBP got them they would be way to costly for the fiberglass parts.
I put R&M all over my bus. I wouldn't do it again. Quality was not what I expected for the price I paid. The only piece I would maybe do again is the rear cap, and only if I
could custom ordered it and have them leave extra on so it can be trimmed properly.
If I were doing it again, I'd keep the original front cap and just fill in below it in the roof raise.
Eventually I'll remove all the crap I put on the rear. The louvered radiator covers and the rear door panels are junk. Chipped and cracked!
I may leave the lower corners simply because they have the lights set in them. The rest will go in the trash and I'll fabricate new stuff.
That is a shame, they were the main provider of fiberglass parts, despite quality concerns. It might be a sign that bus conversions are in decline. International Bus Parts used to have a lot of Eagle stuff, but not so much now. This might make any existing supplies of caps, dashes, visors, etc. more dear now, and if there is accident damage, repairs will be more difficult. Fabrications can be done, but it takes time and skill.
Is it a matter of the calendar, and fashion?
The buses that got caps are done. The pioneers that installed 'em, or their estates, are selling them, where there was no "used bus conversions" like them available before.
Nobody is fooled by that fad of putting lipstick on a pig, er, "updating" an older coach with newer looking falsies.
The unnatural "rush" to dump the 96 wide coaches, by the double hit of wide body, shortly followed by long body, made them available younger and in higher numbers than the natural order of things.
The market is filling in, the newer stuff isn't being capped, the demand for the cap product is gone.
New busnuts might not be exposing themselves to the Boards by typing? We are rather harsh at times, and everything has been answered in the archives, if you run some searches...
Busnuts converting things seems to continue?
happy coaching!
buswarrior
kind of sad that I lot of the stuff that is needed to convert a bus to a coach have disappeared .
I used storm tite rv windows out of canada on our coach and my 2000 featherlite has the same but I see they are still in business but no longer sell them , but did find a company in the us that sells rv windows of the same name ?
dave
There still must be some interest in converting, but it is troublesome to note that quite often there are ten "users" signed in but ninety "guests", or some similar percentage. BusWarrior has it right, the newer buses do not need the same changes that the older ones went through. Everyone involved with maintaining older buses still needs help figuring out the many problems that pop up.
Richard,(R&M) has been a friend for years he never made any big money at selling his stuff he only survived.He sold only 1 cap the year he decided to go in different direction.
I never bought a Eagle cap from him I hated his rear caps for a Eagle he made those to fit several different buses and they were a bitch to make one fit.
The Eagle just doesn't look right with a straight cap on the rear IMO so I bought my caps from Eagle lol @ twice the cost over Richards
I remember ordering a windshield visor for my 05 Eagle, and when I held it up to see how it fit, I could not make sense of it. I called Richard and described what I had, and it turned out that they had sent the part that goes below the windshield instead of the visor. He sent out the correct part at his cost, and I still have the other part. He probably did not make any money on that deal, and I had offered to send the wrong part back.
Then R&M needs to update their web site that they are not doing buses anymore
? is Hansen still around in N or SC they sold more Eagles caps than Richard ever made,there was a guy in Boulder NV Fiberglass Specialties that made fiberglass parts for buses like the fender flares,bumpers and air scoops he could still be there.Then there was the guy in OH that built my dash Richard copied Bill Johns he did nice some dashes wonder if he is still around.Richard was just one of many back in the days that made fiber glass parts for buses.Richard had to move on there was just not enough sold for him to survive
Quote from: luvrbus on April 24, 2016, 09:29:26 AM
? is Hansen still around in N or SC they sold more Eagles caps than Richard ever made,there was a guy in Boulder NV Fiberglass Specialties that made fiberglass parts for buses like the fender flares,bumpers and air scoops he could still be there.Then there was the guy in OH that built my dash Richard copied Bill Johns he did nice some dashes wonder if he is still around.Richard was just one of many back in the days that made fiber glass parts for buses.Richard had to move on there was just not enough sold for him to survive
Fiberglass Specialties in Boulder City, NV just makes parts for Mustangs now. Looks like most everybody has moved on to other things.
We are thankful we got our 102 with the Renaissance caps already installed. Any good fiberglass guy can repair cracks, chips, etc in fiberglass already installed, so I'm not worried about future repairs, but yes, it's a bummer that the support network for coach conversions is drying up pretty fast. We drove from San Antonio to Dallas today and I was chewing the fat with two truckers at flying J in jarrel. When I told them I had a two stroke Detroit they just stared at me like I was on a different planet... "Two stroke like a weedeater motor?" They asked....lol.
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Quote from: Scott Bennett on April 24, 2016, 08:21:44 PM
We are thankful we got our 102 with the Renaissance caps already installed. Any good fiberglass guy can repair cracks, chips, etc in fiberglass already installed, so I'm not worried about future repairs, but yes, it's a bummer that the support network for coach conversions is drying up pretty fast. We drove from San Antonio to Dallas today and I was chewing the fat with two truckers at flying J in jarrel. When I told them I had a two stroke Detroit they just stared at me like I was on a different planet... "Two stroke like a weedeater motor?" They asked....lol.
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It just means that they are not old enough to have experienced a Screaming Jimmy, how sad. You might be one of the very few of the current generation to carry on the memory - spread the word! Next time, tell them that no, you do have to add oil to the fuel, its more advanced than that, and it is both supercharged and turbocharged. Also, that they should not follow too close behind with a disrespectful attitude, or else the bus will spit oil on them.
The later model buses are taller with more head room. There is less need to modify them for a conversion. They look better unmolested anyway.
JC
Hansen moved to Arkansas next Ricky Hanlon from ABC bus he offered me the molds but have no room to keep that any one out thre with advice for caps need a couple of sets for MC-9 & 102 ?
alex ojeda
ojedainspections@yahoo.com
Quote from: Scott & Heather on April 24, 2016, 08:21:44 PM
We are thankful we got our 102 with the Renaissance caps already installed. Any good fiberglass guy can repair cracks, chips, etc in fiberglass already installed, so I'm not worried about future repairs, but yes, it's a bummer that the support network for coach conversions is drying up pretty fast. We drove from San Antonio to Dallas today and I was chewing the fat with two truckers at flying J in jarrel. When I told them I had a two stroke Detroit they just stared at me like I was on a different planet... "Two stroke like a weedeater motor?" They asked....lol.
Should have told them yup just like a weedeater!
;D BK ;D
There are two sets of caps for MCI that the person has been trying to sell in Florida. I have a set of rear finders for MCI that could be bought cheep. They will be in Arcadia at the rally.
Jack
well it looks like i will get my fiberglass parts after all. Just bought the e front , front and rear caps, rear bump, and both fenders molds.
All I need to learn now is how to lay fiberglass.
And learn to apply mold release and spray gelcoat before the glass goes into the mold.>>>Dan
You need to find a Community College that teaches how to layup fiberglass. Most likely this will be somewhere warm, sand and water. What a better place to have to stay for 6 weeks. If you plan on selling one or two pieces, then it could be tax deductible.
Well I found a place a hour away who does semi fenders and custom parts and the said the would do them.
I have a machine to deliver next mount only 4 miles away so I'm taking a couple of the mold with me to get a price.
Art,
Was that an offer to stay at your place for 6 months? Cartaret Community College you say? You say they have a Composite Boat Manufacturing – Certificate program --and the college is only a mile from your place?? I recall it being warm near your place, with sand and sun! ;D ;)
I need to stop in again --hopefully I can bring the bus on one of my trips to Cherry Point.
Steve
Steve,
I'm not sure what programs they have. Check their online catalog. I do have a place for you for six months. You have to leave to dump your tanks and get good fresh water. Looking forward to a return trip to Cherry Point.
Art
I have an '82 MCI9 with R&M caps front and back, and want to replace the curved stop/taillight lenses at the top and bottom of the rear cap. R&M was no help on the phone, and was wondering if anyone here knows where I could get them? Thanks in advance!
Jim Shafer
Charlotte, NC
jimshafer@bandofgoldonline.com
Quote from: jshafernc on August 31, 2017, 12:22:52 PMI have an '82 MCI9 with R&M caps front and back, and want to replace the curved stop/taillight lenses at the top and bottom of the rear cap. R&M was no help on the phone, and was wondering if anyone here knows where I could get them? Thanks in advance!
Jim Shafer
Charlotte, NC jimshafer@bandofgoldonline.com
Hey, y'all. If you have info, please go out of your way to help Jim. He's a friend of mine and one of the world's Genuine Good Guys.
Jim I have these caps on my 102. I'm pretty sure the tail light housings are from an older 1994 Ford econoline van
http://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/E-150_Econoline/Replacement/Tail_Light/1994/11-5007-91.html?TID=gglpla&origin=pla&gclid=Cj0KCQjw557NBRC9ARIsAHJvVVPZqfK3IM2-_LR5BB4vCz37pgFiPisUei1ABtCjMCgST6zKQP8wgdEaAoLTEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170901/8f007efc49b4b99d8b6a79638ae40c13.jpg)
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