We have come to a standby on our bus project.

[happycamperbrat]

This is absolutely normal and what everyone always advises. You are doing the smart thing. Take care of the chassis and mechanics first, then do the house stuff. You are doing fine!

[buswarrior]

I have been to a number of bus rallies riding on 4 tires.

If they don't want to see you on 4 tires, then you won't want to hang around with them while riding on more.

get your busless a$$ out to see the busnuts.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[robertglines1]

You might realize you made a mistake if you meet us, or Joined a family.  Bob

[Runcutter]

Steve, I'll propose an alternate route between Dallas and St. Louis.  It's the way I go when I drive to clients in Illinois and Indiana.

Come up I-35 to Hillsboro, stay to the right and take I-35 E toward Dallas.  You were going to do that anyway. 

Now, the change - when you get to downtown Dallas (the infamous Mixmaster, unless you want to take I-20 East to I-635, the loop), keep left and head for Highway 75 North, toward McKinney, Sherman and Dennison.  The signs say "To 75 McKinney".  This road is every bit the quality of I-35.  Do a Google Earth Street View, so you know what to expect, and do not do it during rush hour. 

When you cross into Oklahoma, it becomes Highway 69.  Some Interstate quality, some divided State Highway, and a few slowdowns going through towns.

Set the GPS on "Big Cabin, OK" 

If you're using a GPS, when you get north of Muskogee, it may tell you to take the Muskogee Turnpike toward Tulsa, don't do it.  The GPS is trying to save you time, but it'll save two-three minutes, but cost you miles and tolls. 

Stay on the (free) 69, go through Waggoner, and head toward Big Cabin, OK.  There's a decent truck stop there, good for food/fuel. 

Then, get on I-44 East, at Big Cabin, and head toward St. Louis.

This will save you about 50 miles (fuel), and some tolls.  The only toll is between Big Cabin and the Missouri border.  If I remember right, in a car, it'll add about 1/2 hour to your trip, because of some lower speed limits in Oklahoma -- which I consider a fair tradeoff for saving fuel and tolls. 

If you come back that way, when you get on the Oklahoma Turnpike (I-44), tell them you're getting off in Big Cabin, they'll rebate part of the toll.  You might ask at the truckstop about that, I don't remember exactly how it worked.

Arthur   

[Busted Knuckle]

I have no real knowledge or great input on the S TX part although my routing program suggests US 77 to US 181 (either by taking I-37 21 miles N to SR 359 or staying straight on 77 to 181) to SR 123, to I-35. Once on I-35 I'd follow Arthur's route up to Big Cabin, OK and then up I-44 to St. Louis and up I-55 to Normal, IL and up I-39 all the way to Madison!

On the way you might be interested in meeting up with Sonnie Gray near Sherman/Dennis, TX area. (Pottsboro) He is well versed in bus repair and fabrication and has a wonderful Eagle he swapped in a CAT engine and did some awesome re-fab of the rear end and tag axle configuration of it!

You'll be passing by a host of other busnuts  along the way but I don't know who/where they all are located myself! I know LarryN 4106 is in Springfield, MO I don't know who else is on your direct path.

I do know if heading down to the BCM Rally from Madison it would be a very valuable side trip for you to go thru Evansville, IN and see Bob's projects! He has/is doing some awesome home-built conversions!
  BK 

[plyonsMC9]

Hi Dr Steve,

That sounds really frustrating.  We also went through something similar w/our MC9.  Transmission, A/C, etc., etc.,  and intermittent fuel delivery problem.  Replaced trans and finally had mechanic rip out & replace all components of fuel system.  Yike$ ! 

However, as an encouragment, the bus has been like a rock since then.  And I don't mean that it just sits there not moving.      After doing things right, she has treated us very well over the past few years.  That is certainly not to say there may not be problems again at some point, just that once fixed correctly, with the bus, they tend to stay fixed.  As a former motorhome owner, I can say that in our experience, you don't get the same kind of dependability with the motorhome that you do with the bus.  We fixed the motorhome only to have the same things break time and time again.  That hasn't happened to us with the bus.  Once fixed, it tends to stay fixed.  And that is a good feeling.

So, you are taking care of things that will put you in position to enjoy your conversion for many years to come.  Even as it is very painful at the moment.  Also, when you take your time in fixing things, you will tend to find better pricing, and meet more folks who can help you at more reasonable costs.

And  - hope I do get to meet you at the upcoming BCM bus rally!  Bus or no bus. 

Kind Regards, Phil

[artvonne]

I want to say how impressed I am that you are doing the critically important things first, done right, and doing the comfort things second.  Plus - you take the hard decision to NOT drive the bus before it's ready to fly.  Kudo's to you, doing it right the first time!

Brian

  I want to concur with this and others comments, your making the right decision. Far too many have rushed things, or put the conversion ahead of the Bus. Making the Bus 100% first will pay off later in a more reliable ride and greater piece of mind. Its easy to talk ourselves into cutting corners to get on the road, and there are many around us egging us into it. But the best decision is to take your time and make it right.

[Runcutter]

Perhaps a clarification on the routing is in order. I-35 is, indeed, a North-South route.  However, in Hillsboro (South of Dallas), and Denton (North of Dallas), it splits into two branches.  I-35E is the Eastern Branch, going through Dallas.  I-35W is the Western Branch, going through Fort Worth.  So, when you get to Hillsboro, keep to the right, and take I-35E toward Dallas.  If you have a real aversion to driving through downtown freeways (the Mixmaster), when you get to I-20, you could take that to the East.  It becomes I-635, and serves as the ring road around Dallas.  When you get to US75/Central Expressway, take that north -- toward Plano/McKinney, and you're back on my suggested route.

By the way, the Interstates south of Dallas are notorious speed traps, so be quite aware of the speedometer.  I-45 is the worst, but I wouldn't speed on I-35, either.

I can imagine the politics and battles over the Interstate routing during the planning stage.  The rivalry between the two cities used to be so strong, that there's a story about a former Mayor of Fort Worth.  If he had to come to a meeting in Dallas, he'd bring a sandwich --- so he wouldn't have to spend any money in Dallas.

Arthur

[Busted Knuckle]

By the way, the Interstates south of Dallas are notorious speed traps, so be quite aware of the speedometer.  I-45 is the worst, but I wouldn't speed on I-35, either.

I can imagine the politics and battles over the Interstate routing during the planning stage.  The rivalry between the two cities used to be so strong, that there's a story about a former Mayor of Fort Worth.  If he had to come to a meeting in Dallas, he'd bring a sandwich --- so he wouldn't have to spend any money in Dallas.

Arthur

Arthur again I have to concur with you 100% again on the routing and speed traps!

The part bout the mayor is too funny! I'd thought being TX it'd be the other way around and he'd be splurging and showing off how much $ he had to blow! (you know the TX $ reputation)
  BK 

[ktmossman]

Actually, the interstate routing in TX was pretty simple:  LBJ bought up land, then had his cronies in Congress "decide" that the interstate had to run on the land he owned.  Thus, the LBJ that became President with a net worth of just over $100K left office as a multi-millionaire.

The parts of the DFW interstate that are a pain are where it weaves in and out of various city limits.  It goes from 55 to 65 to 75 at the drop of a hat and often for just a few miles at a time.  And every city along the way uses it to their advantage.  I got my first traffic ticket ever playing that game...