Greetings and self-introduction

[dukegrad98]

Howdy, folks -- I've been lurking around and making one or two posts here and there, and thought it was probably about time I took a moment and said hello.  My name is John, I live in East Texas, and I'm afraid I have caught your bus bug.  I'm a mid-30s, white-collar paper-pusher by day, and amateur grease monkey by night and weekend. 

I had been researching for a couple of months, watching prices, and vaguely intending to eventually buy a coach, gut it, and convert it.  (Well, let's be honest -- I was going to hire a lot of the conversion out, because otherwise it would turn into a ten year project...)  Then along came an '89 Prevost built by Bob and Judy Glines, at a price that I just couldn't pass up.  We've come to an agreement, and with any luck I will be sending my mechanic and his son to Indiana to pick up the coach sometime next week.  Bob and I are hammering out the details right now, like transfering the money, getting the coach insured on my end, and so on.  I hate that I won't get to make the maiden voyage myself, but I'm thankful to be busy at work -- that's what pays for this escapade.

The good news is that the Glines have built an amazing coach, and they've kept the bus in great running shape, at least from the fifty or so pictures I've seen.  All the work is really already done!  Instead of converting from scratch, this all leaves me (and my budget) free to do minor remodeling and small changes to make her a little bit more my own.  A young lady on this end will have some considerable input into that process as well. 

I've daily-driven a diesel of one flavor or another since about 2005, I own a John Deere tractor and some other farm implements and generators, and am good enough with all the basic maintenance and troubleshooting there.  I am hoping some of that knowledge will cross over, but I also expect a steep learning curve on running this two-stroke DD engines.  That's all totally new to me.  I definitely don't want to open the alternative fuel can of worms here, but biodiesel is something I know a bit about -- I brewed my own as a hobby for several years, and have a combined 125k miles or so in a '98 Mercedes and an '04 VW Touareg (both since sold).  I've been too busy lately to experiment on my '11 Dodge Cummins, but I do love tinkering with that stuff.  I think it's irrelevant to this bus project, as I could never produce enough supply to keep up with the thirst of an 8V92TA. 

Oh...I've got a slightly ragged-out '01 Volkswagen Jetta with something like 210k miles sitting in storage.  I bought it about two years ago for a now-abandoned project, but it turns out that it might make the perfect toad.  I'll do a new timing belt, water pump, t-stat, clutch, and some other routine long-term maintanance, then put a tow bar on it and go.  Hopefully she's good for some more miles, but I don't have much in her at this point anyway.

The plan for now is to travel in the bus some this summer.  I usually vacation in Colorado, and I think it would be a great way to get back and forth with a lot of my stuff and my large dog on the trip.  Back home, I've got some great rural land about fifteen minutes from my house here, with a 30x50 steel shop and tool storage building, so the bus will live there when it's not in use and serve as a "parked cabin" where I can play on weekends.  I may eventually pour a new pad and extend a shed roof off of the shop to cover the bus.  I've got septic back there at the barn site, so now I just need to run in electric and water.  Ah, expensive tasks for another day...

Anyway...thanks for putting up with a noob around here; I'm sure I will have plenty of questions for you guys as I plunge into this project.  I look forward to hanging around here and getting to know some of you, and you'll be able to watch the next evolution in the life of Bob and Judy's '89 Prevost.  They'll be living high in the '98 that Bob has put together!

Cheers, John

[Busted Knuckle]

Well John welcome to the group!

I'm the one ya gotta watch out for around here. The others put up with me because once in a while I do know what I'm talking about!

If you want the absolute best knowledge then Clifford is the man you'll want to remember & he has property somewhere down around Houston that he goes to some from his home in AZ on the AZ, CA, NV state lines.

Now for stuff specific to the coach your buying you already know Bob & Judy and how helpful they are.

Other general bus stuff well everyone here has something to contribute in some way or another.
(Some make us happy just being here & others by leaving!)
  BK 

[crown]

  john welcome you got a good bus bobs a great guy now you need to go to some bus rallys
dont known when but there is a texes bus rally  john

[Oonrahnjay]

(snip)  Oh...I've got a slightly ragged-out '01 Volkswagen Jetta with something like 210k miles sitting in storage.  I bought it about two years ago for a now-abandoned project, but it turns out that it might make the perfect toad.  I'll do a new timing belt, water pump, t-stat, clutch, and some other routine long-term maintanance, then put a tow bar on it and go.  Hopefully she's good for some more miles, but I don't have much in her at this point anyway. (snip)

    A lot of people like Jettas as toads but there are some things to be careful about.  VW has some towing restrictions (not over 55 MPH and for no longer than 50 miles, maybe ) because the transmissions are oiled by an oil pump on the input shaft.  If the engine isn't turning, there isn't any lubrication to the gears and bearings but if it's being towed, it's still seeing the rotating loads.  Some people get around this by starting the engine every hour or so and letting it idle for 5-10 minutes (you can let it idle as it's being towed); others say "haven't those boneheads in Wolfsburg ever heard of splash lubrication?" and just tow them for thousands of miles with no issues evident.  Also, they're a little touchy about being set up, you have to get the ignition/steering lock set just right.  I got the local VW stealer to order me a "valet key" but I didn't get it initialized to the alarm ignition interlock.  I put it in the ignition, switch it to "unlock", and then lock the door with the regular ignition key (you can't use the push button if a key is in the ignition, you have to put the key in the door and lock it manually).  Even if someone were to break into your car and disconnect the tow bar, they can't start the engine because the alarm/interlock won't allow it.

    So, they will work, they're reasonably light (although I'd love to get my hands on a good '81 Rabbit diesel pickup), and they give you good utility when "you get where you're going".  But ragged out at 210K?   I'm still trying to get my '03 TDI wagon broken in at 252!

     Oh, and welcome!   There are many knowledgeable and helpful people here (and the range of specialist knowledge is vast).  You'll find lots of help (and encouragement - which is often even more welcome) here.  And we don't even discriminate against people who spent a little too much time in Duurm.

[dukegrad98]

    A lot of people like Jettas as toads but there are some things to be careful about.  VW has some towing restrictions (not over 55 MPH and for no longer than 50 miles, maybe ) because the transmissions are oiled by an oil pump on the input shaft.  If the engine isn't turning, there isn't any lubrication to the gears and bearings but if it's being towed, it's still seeing the rotating loads.  

Really...even on the manuals?  Interesting, and good to know.  Mine is an old five-speed TDI.  It needs a new front-driver fender to be pretty, and the center console hinge is all busted up.  I bought the car for about nothing with the intention of parting it out for another project, long story, but may just put it back together as-is for this. 

Thanks for the heads-up.  I guess if the Jetta really doesn't like four-down towing, I could always just buy a dolly and tow front-wheels-up.  Just seems like more trouble than it's worth.  I've also given thought to picking up something a little bigger, like a Jeep.  Those Benz-powered CDI models were pretty neat, and haven't held value too well on the used market.  My Dodge is just too big and heavy to be worth towing around behind the bus.

Cheers, John

[buswarrior]

ALWAYS check with the car manufacturer for the exact model, as equipped, you are considering towing.

Don't make these decisions based on an internet board, the RV association compilation, or what you see going down the highway.

It's your ca$h, spend it on your carefully researched terms, using reputable sources that may be taken to task if the info is wrong.

And welcome to the madness!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Oonrahnjay]

Really...even on the manuals?  (snip) 

   Yeah, the manuals.  Not sure about the VW autos (they're *way* off my radar).  But what do I know, I'm just a backyard tinkerer!

[Gerry4104]

Welcome...i am a NEWB too....

I have wanted a bus for a long time, and i finally got around to getting this one about a yr/ a half after first spotting it....

gonna be an interesting ride, and a challenge...but thats half the fun.....

[FloridaCliff]

Duke,

Welcome to the FUN!

I have actually had the pleasure of standing in your future bus and getting the "A" tour of it

I know you will enjoy it...Welcome aboard!

Cliff