Update - GM PD4106 #1616 Rescue

[OneLapper]

Aaah, not this bus!

[bkelly1011]

Good grief!  Talk about missing an important piece of information!  Trying to get the image of that out of my head...

[Busted Knuckle]

The above add does not tell the rest of the story They the Museum is going to get the local fire department to burn the donated coach for a display about the freedom rider Greyhound PD4104 that was burnt in Annison Alabama 5-11-1961.
Why they want a 4106 I will never know. Folks there is a difference between a 4104 and a 4106!
jlv

Once it's on fire the differences will hardly be noticeable!
  BK 

[ABart]

  In this month's edition of the "National Bus Trader" on page 37, there is an ad that states "Greyhound Bus Museum is looking for the donation of a PD4104 or PD4106 bus to build a Freedom Rider Display" Coach can be converted or seated, operational or non-operational.

The above add does not tell the rest of the story They the Museum is going to get the local fire department to burn the donated coach for a display about the freedom rider Greyhound PD4104 that was burnt in Annison Alabama 5-11-1961.

I am registered now, and would like to point out that I was unaware that they were planning on making bus flambé.

Al

[bkelly1011]

Welcome, Al!

Update on the original topic - working on the negotiations.  Key issue - we have an owner asking a somewhat high price, yet at the same time fully realizing it's worth less as scrap - which he says he'll do if he doesn't sell the bus.  Hence the adjective "confused" per Mark.  More as it comes.

[OneLapper]

Today Brad Kelly and the guys from the Connecticut Trolley Museum put a full force effort to get this all original 4106 into good hands!  And hands that are going to restore her and put her on display.  

The starter was missing and the bus hadn't run in about 4 years.  I installed a starter from one of my spare engines.  The engine fired off surprising quickly, smoked for a little while but eventually cleared up completely.

Here's a quick video of the bus moving for the first time in 4 years.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtwJVZJe0rg&feature=youtu.be

More pictures to follow...... 

Tools to install the new starter, batteries, fix a few other things.....



More tools of the trade..... BEER!  Thanks Brad, but 32 ouncers??? Are you trying to hurt me?



Checking air pressures



The missing starter!  (obviously after it was found)  It's inop.



Lots of Jetta TDIs loaded down with parts and tools...... the Ford brought the least, and it was the closest!  Ah, that's right, it's not a diesel.....



We have smoke!  And that it did for a few minutes



And here's the mud..... we were lucky to get it on pavement.



And there is PD4106-1616 safe on the pavement awaiting registration paperwork!




Brad will hopefully add some of his pictures and a description of the work that was needed to get it running

The museum is going to repaint the bus, clean up the interior, get the air leaks fixed, fix a few other inop items and invite us to the mini celebration of rolling it into the museum for display!

[wildbob24]

Cool. Always good to see one come to life after sitting for so long.

Looks like the front end didn't air up. That'll make for an interesting ride home

Bob

[fraser8]

Nice to see it saved and going to a good home

[OneLapper]

Cool. Always good to see one come to life after sitting for so long.

Looks like the front end didn't air up. That'll make for an interesting ride home

Bob

The front has a significant air leak.  On high idle it'll come up but the front will gradually go down when on low idle.  When she rolling it should be fine.  It needs to be driven about 60 miles to the museum, not too far.

[bkelly1011]

Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement.  Just for the record, that's Mark tearing up the guy's yard with the bus.  I'm the fat fluorescent guy running out of the way.   

Seriously, things went well today, the bus runs very well.  As Mark notes, there is a decent air leak up front; also have some electrical issues preventing anything but the headlights from working, and a wobbly balancer/pulley on the engine.  The bus will remain at the seller's house for a few more weeks while the museum folks make a couple more visits to change oil/filters, adjust up brakes, etc. before driving it up to East Windsor.  Their lead mechanic was not with us today, so Mark had the helm, and we were thus in good hands.

I have more pictures as well, as well as video of Mark driving on more solid ground.

[RJ]

Great job!

Love that profile shot taken from above the garage. 

I still maintain that the 4106 was one of the best-looking examples of good industrial design ever produced for the bus industry, and was terribly under-appreciated during it's production and revenue service years.  (Obviously, the Scenicruiser reigns here!)

I know some 4104 owners will disagree with me, understandably, but, IMHO, the '06 has "just that little bit extra" - the "X-Factor," if you will.  Even tho this example is sort of rough, look again at that profile pic to get a feeling for what I mean.

Glad the coach is going to a museum instead of the scrap pile!

Many thanks from this 4106 fan for rescuing 1616!   

FWIW & HTH. . .

[bkelly1011]

OK, here's a few more highlights.  Tasks we accomplished:
Mark - install starter, exhaust manifold, answer questions
Brad - top off fluids, hold flashlight, hand Mark tools, answer questions
Karen - videographer, hand Mark tools
Museum guys - inflate tires, install new batteries

Work started in earnest ~ 9:30 AM.  Fluid top-off uneventful.  Tire inflation more interesting - the guys added oil to their compressor and didn't tighten the cap, created a neat arc of oil all over the driveway (see below).  The museum guys also checked torque on the wheel nuts.  I even had an opportunity to explain the difference between a stud- and hub-piloted wheel to the younger guys.

Battery install - they brought Group 31s (not ideal but OK) - unfortunately the bus' cables would not reach.  So they got one hooked up, good enough to start, planned a trip to Advance Auto to get cable extensions at lunch.

While that was going on Mark worked on the starter.  We wrestled it into place, he wrenched it in.  One bolt was difficult to get a socket on due to interference from a nut on the starter, but he managed.  Once it was wired and the battery was online, Mark went to "bump" the starter to ensure it was hooked up.  That little bump started the engine running.  We were surprised no only by the immediate start but also by the fact that exhaust was coming out of the intake.  Evidently, it bumped itself backwards.  We'd never heard of that ever happening, so Mark removed the starter to check it was turning the correct way, and it was - so back in it went.  A longer push of the go button got things going the right way.  Lost about an hour there.

On to the exhaust manifold - Mark was pretty much on his own there, as it was now pouring out, creating a river which flowed down the driveway right to where the bus sat.  Rain quit, job completed - only issue we were missing one fastener, but good enough.  We then re-attached the transmission bell cranks, clutch rod, alternator oil line, and then gave it a good run to get the air up.  As previously noted, we realized we had a leak up front, but it wasn't a deal-breaker.

As the bus was being fast-idled by foot to build air, Bert of the museum team noted steam coming from the battery bay.  An overzealous voltage regulator was pumping out ~18V.  We drew wire wraps and it fell to me to disconnect the battery, so I did.  We then had enough air to back the bus up, although when I put it into first it died.  So we hooked the battery back up again; the restart was painful, so (eventually) in went the second battery with the new cables.  Before both batteries got fried, Mark jumped in the seat and did his magic and got the bus backed onto the pavement.  We then decided to leave the batteries connected, and disconnect the generator (I lost the draw again).  

A few more parking maneuvers, and we were basically done.  Lots of good dangerous fun; I learned a lot and got more soot up my nose than a WV coal miner, but a good sense of accomplishment.  Just had to face the 3.25 hour drive home.

OK, my videos - I'll leave off my duplicate of it coming out of the yard, here's a couple of others Karen took; basically this demonstrates its smoking habit got much better after we got it warmed up.  I can't figure out how to embed videos like Mark does, you'll have to deal with the URLs:

Bus Movement #2 - wish we'd done this in 3-D, the cameraperson almost got smooshed:  http://youtu.be/k3lg1p6rxcQ
Bus Movement #3 - almost got it in the right place; you get to see the right side and hear the throw-out bearing:  http://youtu.be/gHe06ROBcIo

[bkelly1011]

OK, I'm also inept at embedding pictures.  So here are some as attachments.  First - this is - left to right - me, Mark, then from the museum team - Bert Johansen, Alan Walker, Xian Ciere, John (can't remember his last name), and (I think) Tim Lesniak.  Second - the younger guys getting cleanup duty for the Craftsman Valdez air compressor.  Third - Mark demoed using brake fluid as a cleaner for aluminum silversides for us - the results can be seen in the driver's side breastplate.  Not bad for a quick fix.

[fortyniner]

Brake fluid as a cleaner. Never tried that. Looks pretty good. Does is last very long to turn dull after evaporation?
-TomP.

[OneLapper]

Brake fluid as a cleaner. Never tried that. Looks pretty good. Does is last very long to turn dull after evaporation?
-TomP.

Hi Tom,

The brake fluid does evaporate pretty quickly.  It can last a couple of days when using the cheapest brake fluid I could find.  I did try some über expensive brake fluid (left over stuff I use in my race car) and the shine lasted a couple weeks.  If I'm going camping for the weekend I'll give a 30 minute wipe down.  The bus really looks great for a few days!  I'm sure there are longer lasting solutions out there but I've been more concerned with the mechanicals than with the cosmetics.  This winter I'll repaint my painted stripe.