Hello, I am just introducing myself since I am, as my profile states, a newbie on this forum.
A few years ago I was searching for a bus.. I didn't know why except I just had to have one! I had been looking for about a year when my son (Christian) and I were driving in Central Texas and I saw this amazing bus on the side of the road with a for sale sign!
The conversation in the car when I slammed on my brakes went like this "No Mom!", "Oh yes Christian!".. We pulled over and met the iconic couple Dallas and Cat Farnsworth.. I put money down on it that day and after a few weeks of making payments I brought her home.
I just found out that Dallas was a moderator on this forum. I also just found out he passed away a little while back 😢.. We are just now in the position to get her back on the road and I will post pictures and I'm sure need help along the way.
Everyday I feel so much appreciation for the care Dallas put into what he did.. He was an absolute master Mechanic and carpenter and daily we say "Thank you Dallas!" or "Dang it Dallas!" that only happens when trying to replace something that needs replacing and he installed it so well it won't come loose.. But we always say it with laughter and respect.
I look forward to being a part of this forum and this bus world!
Welcome to the insanity! Its a blast... Have fun. :)
I like the name Numbskulls!
Welcome to the madness!
Is the bus still in TX or are you elsewhere.
Most of us here miss Dallas' intriguing posts.
Steve Toomey
Hi.. Thanks for the welcome.. I couldn't believe when I saw Dallas' posts. How fortunate to have that from him! Yes, in Central Texas.. I am currently updating the Bus at a friend's little ranchette outside of Dripping Springs. I am working on making her into a vintage tour bus.. Hence the Numbskulls moniker. I will post pictures.. I assume you have a project on here.. I will look soon!
Welcome to busdum!.
Yes we do all miss Dallas. If you are on BNO BBS also Dal has a bunch of posts in the archives. Just have to find them there. He's looking down. He would be sayin , "What is this guy an idiot he bought my bus", LOL
Good luck on your new project. The old bus still looks pretty good. :)
Yep Dallas is missed,one of a kind he spent hours deleting every post he made on this board when Mike (high-tech) owned it and that was a shame IMO some of us asked him not to but Dallas did it his way.
That is unfortunate! Ha! Ha! That is crazy..Dallas.. Texas guys are pretty stubborn.. I don't know if he was actually from here but he spent long enough here to become a Texan.
Thanks for the welcome!
Yes Dallas was a very special guy. I wonder what happened to Kat.
She had to very special also to put up with Dallas.
Is that not right BK.
traveled with the couple several times. Left Palmetto cove with Him and he only had 1 rear brake.
After several trying times with him not stopping for a stop light he pulled over.
I put Huggys front bumper to his rear and to keep him from rolling backwards.
We placed wheel chocks to his coach and he would not let me help him.
he sent me on to Catch Jack Conrad and Bob Weise.
Met them at a parking lot waiting on us. After about a hour here came Dallas.
Spent the weekend with the crew in Franklin NC
Great weekend with friends.
Uncle ned
The circles keep spinning.
Good to know his coach is still in good hands!
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Thanks! It is the best! The bus and the people..
Quote from: uncle ned on August 15, 2018, 09:40:38 AM
Yes Dallas was a very special guy. I wonder what happened to Kat.
She had to very special also to put up with Dallas.
Is that not right BK.
traveled with the couple several times. Left Palmetto cove with Him and he only had 1 rear brake.
After several trying times with him not stopping for a stop light he pulled over.
I put Huggys front bumper to his rear and to keep him from rolling backwards.
We placed wheel chocks to his coach and he would not let me help him.
he sent me on to Catch Jack Conrad and Bob Weise.
Met them at a parking lot waiting on us. After about a hour here came Dallas.
Spent the weekend with the crew in Franklin NC
Great weekend with friends.
Uncle ned
I saw on Face Book where Kat got married again last year Ned
Welcome! You've probably noticed by now that more people know your new-to-you bus than not here. Enjoy. Lots of great knowledge and experience to be found on this forum.
Will and Wife
That 4103 logged a lot of miles while Dallas owned it,he was the first mobile bus mechanic working out of his bus,he got beat a couple of times for money so he drove to the Bryan, Collage Station area found a campground to manage and stayed there till his death.I often wonder what happen to his library of manuals.I wonder if they ended up in a dumpster since I never saw any for sale by him
4301 thats a new one eh? LOL
Blame it on auto correct that's what I always do 🤣
Blame it on auto correct that's what I always do 🤣
LOL Dave that is what you get you with 1 bad eye with a patch on it,I am black and blue from running into stuff 8) lol auto correct doesn't speak Texan,neither does Google talk and type.I do laugh sometimes at the Google translations
Not again Sonia said shut-up and you thought she said Stand-up? LOL ::)
Just kiddin, what did you do now?
You guys! Hahaha! Here's some pictures.. The first one is the maintenance manual.. All the rest I don't have with me right now. The second one is the new floor and wall.. And yes.. I'm a girl so the wheel well is painted yellow! Sorry😂 And the last one her in her glory. I have been trying to find the correct red paint but haven't had any luck.. Does anyone know how to do that?
Quote from: Dave5Cs on August 15, 2018, 04:15:42 PM
Not again Sonia said shut-up and you thought she said Stand-up? LOL ::)
Just kiddin, what did you do now?
I was working on a pto in Scottsdale and sent the boys to get me a brass punch and they got one from H/F.
I hit it 1 time with 4 lb hammer and it exploded the fragments went under my glasses and embedded in the upper part of my eye.Took 2 surgeries to remove t all the fragments, if it was steel they could have used a magnet lol a friggn eye can cause a lot of pain I found out
Clifford, Sorry about the eye. I've had the "magnet" treatment a couple of times --its not a whole lot of fun either. Jack
Clifford we just can't leave you alone anymore, lol BTDT like Jack said I friggin hurts.... 8)
All ways enjoyed his post.
4103-1219 a 1952 coach originally purchased by New England Greyhound Lines as fleet number E-8185. Part of a 10 coach order.
Thanks for your serial number and welcome to the fun of bus ownership.
Siberyd
Thank you! I realized that I had the incorrect number.. I got that number off of some maintenance paperwork but the number is actually PD4103-1085.. Do you happen to know that history? Thanks again!
I had already posted history for s/n 1085 in your other thread: (again below)
S/N 1071-1091 03/52 Transcontinental Bus System [Continental Bus System] 316-332 (Dallas TX)
Found the following at: https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/erb01
The Texas intercity busing industry suffered some economic reversal during the Great Depression but rebounded vigorously during World War II, when tire and gasoline rationing encouraged motorists to take the bus. Military installations around the state played a large part in the economic prosperity of the bus lines despite the inability of the owners to acquire sufficient parts, drivers, equipment, and mechanics to keep all of the routes functioning properly. After the end of the war, M. E. Moore founded the Continental Bus System, with corporate headquarters in Dallas, on December 12, 1945. In 1946 all of the franchises of pioneer operator R. C. Bowen were consolidated into Lone Star Coaches and then merged into the new Continental Bus system. On December 9, 1947, all of the Moore and Bowen interests formed the nucleus of the new Transcontinental Bus System (Continental Trailways), with national operations headquartered in Dallas. A symbolic historical transition occurred in the industry on January 1, 1949, when coaches of the Texas Electric Bus Line replaced the interurban rail cars of the Texas Electric Railway between Waco and Dallas.
The postwar optimism of the bus owners did not materialize, and both ridership and revenues entered a period of sustained decline after the war. Most of the small lines ceased operation altogether in the 1950s or sold out to the larger networks of Trailways and Greyhound, which merged in 1987. The Greyhound Corporation sold its bus operations in toto to a group of investors headed by Fred Currey of Dallas in 1986. The entire operation of the Kerrville Bus Company, including Painter Bus Lines, was sold to Fred Kaiser of Kerrville on July 15, 1988. As of 1989 the Texas intercity bus industry was heavily dominated by Greyhound. Other companies still in operation were Arrow Trailways of Texas, Central Texas Trailways, Kerrville Bus Company, Sun Set Stages, and Texas Bus Lines; Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma Coaches; and a few smaller operations.
Thanks Tom,
I will update the list.
Siberyd
Thank you Tom! Well, I looked through all my paperwork and I have a Bill of Sale from a Thomas E. O'Connor to Dallas Farnworth as well as an out of date registration card under Mr. O'Connor name and the bill of sale from Cat to me.. So how do I get a title with all that does anyone know? Is Mr. O'Connor on this forum?
Have you asked at your state's DMV office? You're not the first person in this situation, and they have procedures for this. Around here I believe that they issue a provisional title until they can research the title to be sure no one else is making a claim to it.
Like Richard stated, start with your DMV. Each state has their own title requirements. If you hit a dead-end with DMV, you could call these folks. They may be able to help you. https://broadwaytitle.com/ (https://broadwaytitle.com/)
If you were lucky enough to have bought the vehicle form a state that does not require titles for certain aged vehicles (like Georgia), all you need is the bill-of-sale from that state. Your state would then issue a title based on that bill-of-sale.
Cliff, I finally went into Google settings and turned off the spell correct. Got tired of having to retype constantly.
So, the bus is done! I need insurance and can't seem to find anyone to insure a 1952 bus.. Either they done insure such old vehicles or they don't insure buses. Any input would be appreciated!
It isn't a bus, it is an RV, house car, or whatever your jurisdiction uses for wording.
It is not unusual for them to ask for a "safety certificate" from a licensed shop, depending on your jurisdiction.
Where are you insuring your cars, house, property?
Use the same broker to add your RV to the policy.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
I said rv and when I gave them the Vin it came up as a bus and they didn't care it was converted.. I tried to add it to my current policy and they wouldn't do it because it's too old.. It seems it's too old or too heavy
Broker or direct to the insurer?
Find a new broker that will work for you, not against you.
Tell existing you are taking all your insurance elsewhere if they can't fix this.
No more nice guy.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
A good agent/broker will be able to contact the underwriting department and have them over ride the computer. When we did our first bus the computer also showed the VIN as a 'bus' even though it was converted decades ago by a professional company. We had to submit photos, a few details, and other information as requested. The broker sent it all to underwriting, and they agreed to issue a policy with liability and full coverage on a stated-value policy.
If your current insurance broker can't get the policy written, then I agree you need to find a broker/agent that has the ability to get it done. There are some agents/brokers that only write for one or a few companies, and then there are full-service agents/brokers. You definitely need to find a full-service agent/broker, preferably one that has access to commercial lines as well as companies that write the more oddball stuff.
One good thing that has come from insurance requirements in most states is that there were rules put in place which make it possible to insure almost anything that is legal to drive. Might cost more, but I've yet to see a vehicle that could not get at least a liability policy.
Keep pushing, ever so gently, and you'll succeed.
Thank you so much! I will do just those things and let you know!
Thanks guys! Got insured today! On the road tomorrow woohoo!
Quote from: Numbskulls on November 21, 2018, 05:37:56 PM
Thanks guys! Got insured today! On the road tomorrow woohoo!
So, who did and who wouldn't ? :)
State Farm! Hagerty and Gundy advertise that they insure antique and classic cars.. But they didnt help at all.. State Farm fast and efficient.. Here's a picture.. Fun making our maiden voyage yesterday!
I have some of my buses with Hagerty. They only do seated coaches, not conversions.