Does anyone want to help the Wolf Bus?

[Paladin]

An organization which carries wolves on a bus from place to place to educate has broken down in SLC.


http://www.missionwolf.com/page/BrokenBus/
http://www.missionwolf.com/


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Broken Bus
Thank You Everyone for your support and concern for the broken wolf bus- Kent and Tracy have very limited internet access and will post up dates as soon as possible. The bus, Kent, Tracy, Magpie, Abraham and Zeab, will be sitting in the diesel shop in Salt Lake City Utah thru next week. Please see the CBS interview for more information.


We need to raise $30,000-$35,000 thousand dollars for the fix. Please if anyone can help us with this substantial expense you can donate online here or contact the sancuary at info@missionwolf.com or 719-859-2157.

Both the bus engine and the transmission are completely trashed and are being rebuilt. For over a decade we have been blessed to make this old marine corp bus, that we converted into the wolf bus, run from coast to coast teaching hundreds of thousands of people the true nature of wolves.

We look forward to continuing the ambassador wolf program in a reliable running vehicle for a few more years. Sponsors for the wolf program such as the Bend Oregon High Desert Museum and Defenders of Wildlife have graciously rescheduled our events. Thank You Very Much! Tracy Ane Brooks Co-Founder Mission:Wolf

Update 4/29/11=
The bus is getting worked on, the wolves just finished a sunset howl in SLC, and we have over 50% of our goal achieved. Cheers from the wolf bus.
All content copyright ©1986-2011 Mission: Wolf. All rights reserved

[white-eagle]

i don't know much about smith power, but they don't seem to have chosen to act in M:W best interests in offering to do a $40k rebuild of their engine.  Seems to me a good rebuilt engine would have been a better option.  obviously, i don't know the time frames, what they asked them to do, but i sure would not have planned on, and don't plan on, a $40k repair on my bus.  not ever.

hopefully, they'll join the board so they don't get hosed in the future.

[chev49]

im with white eagle on the costs. It can be done cheaper than 35k.

[jackhartjr]

Probably an inappropriate comment...however when you are spending other folks money...
Jack

[demodriver]

Call me crazy but wouldnt they of been better off with a new (used) bus? Especially with as cheap as they are selling right now.  I know I would of sold mine for less then that and I would of helped switch everything over lol.

[mikewarmblood]

Yeah I had a bad experience in SLC with my bus.  The shops there seemed really high.  I lost that bus in salina KS when the engine finally took a dump on me, and they wanted 8,000 for a rebuild. That was Central Detroit.  35,000 seems a bit over the top.  Greed that is all it is GREED. 

[chev49]

Really inappropriate comment here... do the mechanics have to fight off the wolves when they are working? If so, that might explain the high costs.

[luvrbus]

Smith Power is a good shop I read where it was a rebuild on the engine and transmission you can stand 5 ft from a Allison , Voilt or ZF transmission and fill it with 100 dollar bills in a hurry add the 2 together big bucks,you guys are a little ruff on the DD shops not knowing what was bad in the engine  lol 


Good luck

[TomC]

That's for the engine AND transmission overhaul.  I think a lot of you are not knowing shop costs these days.  I know at my shop we charge $105.00/hr.  When you figure labor at about 120 hours for an engine overhaul and about 30 hours for the transmission, that's $15,750.00 in labor alone.  Then the left over $20,000.00 for the parts.  And none of us know exactly what went wrong with the engine and transmission.  The engine/transmission may be so trashed they had to do a complete rebuild on them.  Good Luck, TomC

[TomC]

P.S: I get the 120 hours for an engine overhaul from my own experience.  My own big rig with Caterpillar 3406B had to be in frame overhauled.  Starting on Monday, they tore it down, then had three shifts working around the clock to have it ready by Friday at 3pm.  I added a few more hours to that to get 120 hours since the engine is completely out of the bus, whereas mine was done inside the truck.  Good Luck, TomC

[chev49]

We only charge 65 here, and often do extra stuff at no charge. But we are out in the country... expenses are minimal compared to the cities

[Busted Knuckle]

I agree with Clifford & Tom on this one. Not knowing what happened to the old engine & transmission, but reading that BOTH had to be replaced/REBUILT I'd say the prices are not that bad.
Also I spent a week in the Smith Power Services Shop back in '09 when our mechanic (at that time) & I took a SETRA training course that was co-sponsored by SPS. Having been in the Smith shop and experiencing the level of training, expertise, and equipment there I really feel those are fair prices to rebuild both.
Now as far as to the question of spending that kind of $ on a bus of that age I probable wouldn't agree it is wise to do.
We don't know what the mechanical failure that led to the bus being hauled into SPS on a Landoll. But in my experience if it has to be towed it is going to be expensive! (shoot in my experience if it has to be repaired at all it can be expensive!)

If I were the Wolf crew I would have looked at other alternatives.

I know for one I have a bus I **MIGHT** have donated to them and maybe could have even gotten other members from the board that would have donated time/materials to convert it for them. (**depending on circumstances, and if a tax deductible certificate were available. Or maybe should it to them CHEAP if not!)
  BK 

[jackhartjr]

For the record...my comment had nothing to do with the shop...or the cause for that matter.
Jack

[mikewarmblood]

When I was a kid I had a puppy that was scared of the newpaper, because when she wa a little puppy the people that raised her used the newspaper all the time as the way to train and punish the puppies  Humans are the same way.  I had a real bad experience with the shops in SLC the lack of compassion the lack of concern and being held hostage at one place (Little America) I just don't like them and don't ever want to deal with them and I am sharing my feelings as for how i was treated. Because of one shop not replacing an aircompressor cause they said that that was not the problem the aircompressor exploded inside and sent the air from the coach (had air start as well) into the engine through the explosion and blew the orings off two liners.  So unless a have a much better experience from them I will never change my feelings.  I know what time is worth and I know that they have overhead and all that.  But untill i get rich and have means I HAVE to do things differently.  I learned how to fix a lot of things from not having the funds to have a shop fix my bus.  I am sure that there are benevilant shops out there that are not greedy and will help a fellow when in need. Unfortunatly I haven't been blessed to find them yet. Once I do I may have a different attitude for them. Also not ever being able to be hired by one because of whatever reason don't help my attitude towards them either. We learn from experience and my experience from them has been mostly negative. So if anyone knows a diesel shop around the Springfield (Mo) Area that wants to give me a chance to work on buses without all the B.S and will give  OJT  let me know.  Attitudes can change.  Mike.

[demodriver]

My response was more towards the fact that I cant see sinking that much money into a bus of its age. Theres plenty of road ready rigs out there for WAY less. I didnt give a fraction of that for my whole bus! perhaps I got the deal of a life time I dont know!