A Question of Unobtanium

[Dallas]

Hello ladies and gents.
Today while watching my Saturday PBS shows, (This Old House, New Yankee Workshop, Wood Wrights Shop, America's Test Kitchen), I watched a couple of programs that came on after those favorites. One had to do with restoring covered bridges and the other had to do with Steam Locomotives and Scenic Trains.

With both of those endeavors, the big draw back is that parts are no longer made for the turnstile bridges or for steam locomotives, so if a part is needed, it must be fabricated by hand as a one off.

This brings me to my question,
What parts on your bus are no longer available from a manufacturers source or from a second level source such as Nimco, IBP, Mohawk, wrecking yards etc?

I know that on my PD4103, many parts, such as the windshields are no longer made and that the only ones around are a lot more money than I can afford. I'll probably be forced to rework the frames and put in flat glass at some point.
Other differences include the axle shaft ends, (not like those on a 4104 or an MCI), window frames, seals, some regulators, etc.

[Len Silva]

I no longer have my 4104 (DAMN!) but the rear window is not available.  I understand that there are no NOS parts for the transmission.  I think that's about it for the 4104, most everything else is available or relatively easy to fabricate or substitute.

[Sean]

Almost everything, other than the Detroit and Allison parts.  I can still get glass from Germany, but all the rubber trim, extrusions, suspension items, etc. are now out of production.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[Dreamscape]

The only part that is not being made anymore, at least yet, is the Eagleastic suspension tube for the rear axle on our Silver Eagle 01. Everything else I've been able to attain that I've needed so far, with a little help from my friends!

Paul

[Dave Siegel]

Listen to you guys wine. Any more wine and I'll go get some cheese. You ought to own a 3751 like we do, I can't even find front turn signal lenses and frames for our bus. All of the siding had to be hand made. (Or stripped from a donor in a junk yard.) It took several years to round up the lenses for the marker lights. (Dallas even helped us with that one.) Try to find the slider parts for the windows. (Everyone is a horizontal slider)((Used to be.....not any more))

But with all that we love these old buses, and everyone that's affiliated with this hobby. (er, rather addiction. )

We hope everyone had a safe Fourth and look forward to seeing you all out there some time.

Dave Siegel

P.S. Keep in mind we could be paying $1200 or $1500 a month for the rest of our lives for a "Sticks and Staples". But then again, you could just go to Camping World or the Dollar Store and buy your parts.

[johns4104s]

The 4104 has a special radiator fan hub to limit vibration to the 671 crankshaft. The parts of the hub are rubber vulcanised to each other. Anyway mine as many do came apart and let the fan loose which tore though the radiator, what a mess, fan blade and radiator destroyed. This vulcanised hub was nearly impossible to find.

John

[cody]

Is unobtainium the same as unaffordabillium?

[buswarrior]

pretty much, since for a price, you can get it all made again as a one off...

always about the ca$h, these darned homes on wheels

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[bubbaqgal]

Listen to you guys wine. Any more wine and I'll go get some cheese.
Dave Siegel

Yes but you will probably bring out that one of a kind, age for 100 years cheese that no one else can find or afford either.  At least our whine is affordable 

[TomC]

Now you're seeing why I choose my '85 Kenworth 90" Aerodyne cabover to make my next conversion.  While the cab is not made here in the US anymore (still made down under), the doors are the same as the conventional cabs, gauges are universal, body parts are still being made, engine/transmission easily obtained, windows are flat panel (any glass shop can make them).  While the ride won't be as smooth as a bus, I will be able to carry my car (like a Honda Fit or Mini), AND pull a big trailer behind.  Since the cab tilts to expose the engine and transmission, servicing is a snap.  Something to consider to those starting on a conversion project.  Good Luck, TomC

[lostagain]

TomC,

I agree that a truck conversion would be very practical. Especially the ability to tow a heavy trailer. That is why truck chassis based RVs are becoming popular.

However, I, along with several of this board's members, love buses because of the sentimental and nostalgic factors associated with them. I have been a bus driver since I was 20 years old, and I am still involved with them. Although without pay lately, since I maintain and drive the hockey team's bus as a volunteer, and run our converted Courier 96 as a hobby. This is also why I am a MCI fan for no practical or logical reasons other than that is what we drove at Brewster's out of Banff. A lot of things we do in life happen because of those reasons.

Had I been a trucker when I was young, I would more likely be into a truck MH conversion now.

JC

[johns4104s]

JC,

Brewster,s out of Banff sure keep there bus fleet looking supreme..those MCI 5,s sure looked good

I much prefer the ride of a bus as apposed to a truck. You know those air beams make a difference.

John

[kyle4501]

And people wonder why I collect derelict relics. All of the exterior light lenses are molded glass. The front top corner amber markers are unique, the rear are shared with the 4104. The curved glass is a bitch to get - if you aren't picky about the tint. . . . The rear glass is about impossible to find in a bus, let alone, for sale.

But, the quest to find these parts often yields riches beyond measure & treasures beyond your wildest dreams.

I have met some of the BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD while gathering the parts I need & gained some unbelievable friendships along the way.


However, when my ship comes in, I know what parts I be getting made first . . . . 

[lostagain]

Back in the '70s when I was driving for Brewster's, about half the fleet was hand-me-downs from Greyhound, because we were a subsidiary of Greyhound. The other half were new. They were all MCIs because MCI belonged to Greyhound.

The fleet then was older because Brewster Transport had a monopoly in Banff and Jasper Parks, and the only other buses allowed in the parks had to have picked up their passengers outside the parks. Brewster's lost that long held advantage in a court challenge brought on by Pacific Western Transportation of Calgary in the late Seventies. With increased competition, Brewster's had to improve their fleet. They now run some of the best, most luxurious coaches anywhere, including MCIs, Prevosts, Setras and others. I wish I drove for them now...

JC

[jackhartjr]

EXACTLY what Kyle said!
Jack