Joe Piper's Scenicruiser - Clutch Failure. Looking for shop in KY

yeeolde48 · July 22, 2014, 05:54:44 PM

Hi Guys, Jeff Wiley just called me and told me Joe has failed a clutch South of Cincinnati, about half way to Louisville, KY on I-71. I just spoke to him and he is safely off the road in an abandoned truck stop and in good spirits. He is looking for a recommendation for a shop in the Louisville area, or close that could do a clutch replacement. I know of a couple of places in Cincinnati that I will contact in the morning, but if anyone knows of a good shop in the Louisville area, please let Jeff or I know and we will get word to Joe.
Many thanks,
Dave

B_K · July 23, 2014, 01:13:02 AM

Dave who was the fellow that posted pics of an old seated Scenic on one of the boards recently?
Wasn't that Scenic from the Louisville area? I'd bet the owner would have a suggestion or 2!

All I can say is stay away from the shop next to the LOVES @ exit 55!
Just look at all the "pretty toys" they have sitting around and you figure out why!

They charged a buddy of mine over $10,000 to tow, diagnose and replace his engine in his 2006 Freightliner with one he delivered to them! (he learned real quick to bring her home & do it yerself!)

BK

yeeolde48 · July 23, 2014, 04:00:46 AM

Hi BK thanks for the heads up on the shop close to the Love's, he is broken down just south of that exit. This Scenic was in a museum in Washington, Joe just bought it a week ago, picjed it up and drove it to the Flxible rally in Northern Ohio, where I met him, and he is trying to get it back home to Texas.
I will search for the Scenic in Louisville.
Cheers
Dave

luvrbus · July 23, 2014, 06:03:26 AM

Here www.nttsbreakdown.com some of these are good shops you weed out the ones you don't like but it is a reference for shops

yeeolde48 · July 23, 2014, 07:02:55 AM

Thanks Clifford, will pass the link on to Joe.

pd4501-771 · July 23, 2014, 07:34:53 AM

Howard Nash lives in Louisville. He has PD4501-777. He had/has Ventourus charter outfit. I do not have contact info, but he may know some leads as B_K stated.

yeeolde48 · July 23, 2014, 07:49:49 AM

Thanks Tom, I found Howards number by going to your registry, finding the Ventourus name and looking up the number in the Louisville yellow pages :-). I spoke to howard and he is going to follow up with Joe directly. Will stay in touch with Joe to make sure all is well.

pd4501-771 · July 23, 2014, 11:23:18 AM

Thanks Dave. I owe Joe a call. He and I had talked right before he bought his Scenic. Then he left me a message en route to Loudenville. Take care

Tom

yeeolde48 · July 23, 2014, 04:38:05 PM

Hi guys, just spoke to Joe and he asked me to post a quick update. He is at Howard Nash's bus garage in Louisville, and the bus is inside sitting next to Howards seated Cruiser. Howard has offered to help him replace the clutch and fix the throttle linkage, which was not correctly adjusted. Joe asked me to express his sincerest thanks to everyone in the bus community that have reached out to help him, he has been overwhelmed with the response, and extremely grateful for all the support. This is a great community.
Dave

TomC · July 24, 2014, 08:23:40 AM

Sounds like the right time to put in that Allison transmission! Good Luck, TomC

pd4501-771 · July 24, 2014, 09:44:27 AM

Hi Dave

Glad it worked out for Joe. Talk about luck!

Auto trans?? Huh? and take away all that added "character" of double clutching!!

yeeolde48 · July 24, 2014, 10:33:02 AM

Hi Tom, "Talk about luck" Joe blew the engine in his tow vehicle on the way up here, so he has had the worst luck this trip for sure. When I spoke to him last week at the Flxible rally he was planning on puting an Allison in the bus, but when I spoke to him 2 nights ago, he was having no trouble shifting, and enjoying driving with the spicer. We talked about trying to adjust the clutch to maybe get him home, but he gave me the impression he had changed his mind and was going to put a new clutch in and keep the manual. I know I have gone back and forth a lot over manual vs auto and expect he will too :-)

pd4501-771 · July 24, 2014, 12:28:00 PM

Cool. Got a shed full of Spicers that have been given to me by guys swaping to autos. I figure if I keep them, I'll never need one!

yeeolde48 · July 24, 2014, 01:56:09 PM

Good plan

B_K · July 24, 2014, 06:18:57 PM

I met a guy about 2 weeks ago who owns an old Eagle looking for a 4 spd for it.
When I told him Dave had just bought the old Setra from me he gave me his card in case Dave wanted to sell his old one. Hadn't heard back about that, but I'm sure the guy is still looking if someone has one to sell that will work in his Eagle!

BK