crown articulated

[mumeo]

Hi all, 

I'm thinking about taking on this crown articulated project.    I see that it's been referred to in particular on here before.   

I live in california, and am going to do a really interesting interior renovation on it.  I want to use it in a traveling road show.   several bands, several speakers, in conjunction with a touring tea house (which can be dismantled very easily) 

basically a back drop for a traveling stage.   

i'm a competent builder, with access to some exceptional shop space including CNC plasma cutters, machining equipment, and CNC routers, along with a whole bunch of other stuff.   

basically an incredibly equipped sign makers shop. 

everything i would need to do this project...    i have time, and ....   some money.    a little.   enough?   maybe.

what do you think ladies and gentlemen?     

this bus has so much character.    so gorgeous.   i'm smitten.

what kind of potential issues do i have to face?    can i find tires for this thing?       

i hear the engine has been rebuilt 5000 miles ago...    which could be good or bad...   what does it look like if that was a good job?   a poor job?   

what kind of gas mileage do you think it'll get?   cummins 260 with a 10 speed road ranger transmission...   

put together fairly light.   i have some really novel ideas for the build out. 

any input would be greatly appreciated.    i'm thinking about going out to look at it, and potentially drive it back inside of a week. 

am i crazy enough to join the club?      

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Well the first thing that pops to mind is that you are going to have to get a CDL to be able to drive it.

[TomC]

You need to check with the CHP to see if it is legal.  There was a Prevost bendy bus made a few years back and because the 8V-92TA was in the front (like the Crown is), it was considered a bus pulling a trailer.  In California, 65ft overall is the length limit-so theoretically, the Crown should be legal at 60ft. 

The 262hp Cummins was used in the 60's and 70's pulling 73,280lbs in big rig trucks.  So your bus weighing in at around 30,000lbs (a guess) and having the 10spd should be alright.  I would guess mileage in the 7-9 range.  Good Luck, TomC

[Boomer]

I have been intrigued by this rig also.  Lots of talk about it on Crown Coach Junkies. It was two wrecked buses mated together I believe.  It sounds like the fellow who owned the charter company that built it was a perfectionist and did a pretty good job.  My advise would be to carefully check the fifth wheel over for construction and cracking.  That was a problem with the Prevost H5-60's, one that was fixed by field repairs on Holland America's fleet. The trailers on artics (Prevosts and Eagles) usually go down the road bobbing and weaving too, Eagles were called "wiggle worms". The good news is that Crown's were built like a tank, full length steel frame that would have lended itself well to this type of modification.  If the boot between front and rear gets broken I wonder where a replacement would come from but Transit Sales Int. might have one.  This bus may have been repowered from an original Hall-Scott but nothing wrong with the 743 Cummins and the 10 speed really enhances it.  If it still has the Crown fan drive it should be looked at or rebuilt also.  One thing's for sure, you will have a cool one of a kind rig.  I love Crowns.

[happycamperbrat]

Very cool indeed! I wish you well and cant wait to see the build. Post lots of pictures! But really think ahead of time what you want to do with it. I understand the traveling road show, but know that it will be next to impossible to find a camping ground and extremely difficult in many places to even find parking for that. Good Luck!

[Jeremy]

It's a different animal entirely to the Crown you're considering, but this story of the rebuild of an articulated Neoplan may be of interest:

http://www.jumbocruiser.com/jumbocoach.htm


If you search on YouTube there's some videos of the same bus being restored as well.


Jeremy