Noob introduction with a noob question

[Uglydog56]

Hello everyone!  Just wanted to introduce myself, and there doesn't seem to be a separate forum for this, so here it is.  If I missed it, my apologies and please move my post.

I live up in the PNW in the Seattle area, am in the military, and have 2 years until retirement.  I full-timed in a smaller travel trailer for a year and a half while I was buying a house up here, just in time for it to plummet in value.  My fiancee and I have vowed never to get in this situation again.  Our plan is to buy land, put a pad with hookups on it next to a steel building, put a small apartment in the corner of the "shop" and basically use that as a home base while we travel.

I've always preferred the older rigs with character.  I daily drove a 56 chevy belair from when I was 14 until 2000 when body rot retired it.  It is waiting for a future restoration.  I also did an old mustang because I'm an idiot, a couple of old trucks, and a few more 55 and 56 chevy's.  I'm currently building a 56 chevy 4 door with an inline 6 on propane with turbo and nitrous - yes I'm weird.  But I think it's a good kind of weird, and I think it fits in with the bus conversion weird kind of well.  I would rather fabricate and build than buy and pay for.

There is an old crown for sale here locally that the seller wants too much for that sparked the bug.  I love that old rounded look!  But all the old ones have 671 detroits in them.  I have decided that I am willing to take on the emotional and financial commitment of the old diesel, but I need to pull a race car or horse trailer behind whatever I convert.  What would be the max total weight you would consider the old 671 to be capable of pulling adequately?  I am not afraid to call Don the hot rod diesel guy and warm one up a little to tow the race car, but I really only want one fussy bad-tempered attention whore, and that is the 56.  Will a 6-71 powered conversion with a trailer pull a long grade in line with the trucks?

Thanks in advance, and I'm looking forward to learning all I can until I get into a rv conversion of my own!

[mikewarmblood]

I have a Western Flyer that has a 6v71 and it weighs in about 30,000 with all the stuff in it. I know the bus curb was about 25,000LBS it goes at 60 all day and runs up hills slow but runs with no trouble at all.  Not sure what a Crown weighs but with the horse trailer or car trailer looking at an extra 10,000 LBS to be safe.  I would say you would be alright. It is an inline 671 on it's side??   My RTS is real heavy I remember curb 27,000 LBS has a 6v71 in it and is a DOG!!! up hills. I know my RTS is in the 70s speedwise I think low 70s not sure the ratio.  So I don't know it is the gearing that will dictate the ability of what you can haul. If you have a lot of hills and climbing rockys and mountains like that and it is a standard prepare to enjoy the scenery awhile.  I would look into the Crown they are magnificent buses and I would love to have a 671 inline.   My opinion.  I am seeing MC9s below 5 figures (FINALY!!!!!!!!!!!!) and maybe you could look into a shell.  Another thought and how I got my buses was dealing with a dealer. They want to move stuff. I tend to stay clear of churches or old people as they are the ones that want the biggest bucks of all the private bus sales. Most retirees and or their widows don't need the money so they will sit on them till their kids have to dispose of the units.  Churches are as bad.  I like dealers they take time payments they want to move stuff. when it comes to retailing it is about moving merchandise not trying to hold out for the last penny.  Transis buses are another great platform as you can get them at a reasonable cost but you have to deal with auctions and lots (many buses in one lot) and all that mess.  I got all my buses from two dealers and they were hungry for my business and I drove the off the lots with a signature and a down payment.  My advice.  Mike.

[demodriver]

I am also new to the bus world so I cant offer much advice.  Have you thought about doing a cummins swap into a bus?  I am a avvid cummins fan and would love to have one in my bus...

Just something to think about...


O and I also love the odd ball stuff.   I am putting a Hudson hornet flat head straight six with twin turbos in my rat rod. I cant stand to be the same as everyone else lol

[Lin]

Do a lot of research before you buy.  Especially with the drive train, making changes later is ridiculously expensive compared to the cost of getting exactly what you want/need upfront.  Personally, I would not go with a 671.  My 8v71 is really barely adequate in hill country.  If you like Crowns, I'm sure that they came with other engine options.  Many other old buses had that rounded look and they are selling fully converted ones really cheap now.  As I am sure you will be told many times, have a real bus mechanic thoroughly go over whatever you are considering.  Overlooked problems could turn out to be very costly.