Sticks-n-staples--wow!

thejumpsuitman · October 31, 2010, 02:36:29 PM

I came across this unbelievable wreck on I-20 east of Birmingham this weekend. Couldn't believe my eyes. This was a camper, but as you know, sticks and staples motorhomes are built pretty much the same way. Glad to be in a bus!

http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/thejumpsuitman/100_8789.JPG

http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/thejumpsuitman/100_8787.JPG

http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/thejumpsuitman/100_8787.JPG

http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/thejumpsuitman/100_8786.JPG

boogiethecat · October 31, 2010, 03:28:53 PM

Amazing isn't it!! The things seem to be held in their shape only enough to withstand 65 miles per hour winds but much after that they revert into just what they are made of- a pile of sticks!
I see a pile like this almost every year on the side of the road as I'm leaving Burning Man. What a disappointment it must be to be the former owner of said stickpile!!!
Gimme a real bus ANY day!!!!

robertglines1 · October 31, 2010, 04:38:01 PM

before you posted pictures I was going to ask how many wreckers did it take to remove debris..seen allot of similar cases.12 people killed in one 3 yrs ago in Fla.

Gary '79 5C · October 31, 2010, 04:47:45 PM

Quite amazing & sobering,
I was speaking to a friend who has just purchased his second S&S, Really emphasised the strength of the Freightliner frame & suspension. Kinda remembered that looking at the first pic, that frame looks to have made it thru the accident, sans anything else.

Hopefully the occupants survived.

thejumpsuitman · October 31, 2010, 06:01:59 PM

It took at least 2 flatbed wreckers to pick up the pieces. That's how many were there when I took the pics. They were throwing the couch on top of the pile when I first drove by. Fortunately, it appeared to be a pull-behind, so nobody was in it, and the truck didn't look too bad. Yeah, the frame is still intact... small consolation.

John Z · October 31, 2010, 06:31:30 PM

You don't send out a wrecker to a S&S wreck - what you need is a giant shop vac!

belfert · October 31, 2010, 07:21:53 PM

That looks like a wood framed travel trailer. Are any motorhomes still made with wood walls and roof?

The way they make a metal framed S&S isn't much better, but it would survive somewhat better. I still would rather be in a bus in an accident.

robertglines1 · October 31, 2010, 07:33:05 PM

don't think any better..I've salvaged one with a tube frame..very thin wall material.

thejumpsuitman · October 31, 2010, 07:42:53 PM

Yes, it was a travel trailer.

I actually just last week was helping my friend fix a roof leak in his. We had to replace the front panel by peeling back the rubber roof coating. We bought a 1/4" piece of plywood only to find that the original roof was done with 1/8"!!!! Can you even imagine? Where I come from, we call that veneer.

RoyJ · October 31, 2010, 08:13:01 PM

Wow.

If I owned an RV, I'd seriously consider building a racing roll cage arund the driver's seat. But then I'd have to build a cage for every person onboard...

Mex-Busnut · October 31, 2010, 09:25:02 PM

So being the very kind person you are, did you offer to help clean up the huge mess and get some plumbing and electrical parts for your bus?

Brassman · October 31, 2010, 09:29:17 PM

The holding tanks were probably in good conditition, also.

cody · November 01, 2010, 02:07:56 AM

I had one guy bring in a very nice coach years ago, not a bus, on a landoll and ask me if there was anything i could do for it, it had keyed forward on the frame and was trapazoidal in shape, all he had done was to pull onto the median when a tire went down and hit a small hole on his way in. It was a 2002 Travel Supreme, very nice looking coach but it was trashed too far beyond recovery, I didn't take any pics but I should have cause everytime I mention it i get disbelief cause of the price tags on a travel supreme. I wish more people could see what they are investing their lives and money into and the risk they are taking in doing so. Freightliner and spartan frames are very strong frames but when they make a sudden stop, very often the rest of the coach keeps going. I sure like the truss style construction of my iggle, it just makes me feel a little bit more confident on the road, somebody had posted a clip of them taking their iggle home and it was running down the highway without walls or much of anything but the truss framing, was impressive and I don't know of too many coaches, buses included that could do that. If it's still available would make a good posting again just for those that are still looking for their dream coaches. I dearly love the looks of many of the other coaches but as far as I know very few coaches are built the way an iggle is as far as the truss style construction with the gusseted welding, maybe it just appears stronger than it is but i still like it and it was a key factor in my buying one.

crown · November 01, 2010, 07:32:30 AM

monaco says all steel const. when i tore mine down to the frame there was about 2 ft of steel framing then one every 8 ft or so with
the windshild frame & rear cap frame where steel tube & angle held in with screws the roof had two steel tubes for a/c all the rest
was wood but they sell it as all steel but its still stick-n-staples

Busted Knuckle · November 01, 2010, 09:13:41 AM

Quote from: cody\
somebody had posted a clip of them taking their iggle home and it was running down the highway without walls or much of anything but the truss framing, was impressive and I don't know of too many coaches, buses included that could do that. If it's still available would make a good posting again just for those that are still looking for their dream coaches.

Cody that would have been Dale aka Songman 's iggle with Mr. Fairchild behind the wheel!

BK