| Author | Message | ||
| Dave Hartshorne (Yeeolde48)
Registered Member Username: Yeeolde48 Post Number: 44 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 192.88.212.44 Rating: N/A |
Hi Guys, I have not posted for a while, been traveling a lot for work and racing, so the Scenicruiser got a good workout this summer. The old girl is running great, and never did get around to re-powering so still have the 8V71 and spicer installed. I have an HT750, but looking for an 8V92TA before I swap the trans in, to do the whole job in one go (let me know if anyone knows of one). However, my post today is not related to re-powering, but to the on board generator. I have an old Onan 6500 that started spitting hot metal on the last trip. I pulled it out of the bus a couple of weekends ago, and plan to tear it apart over the winter to see if it is recoverable. Based on the amount of hot metal it spit out, I am not too hopeful. I have a couple of race motors and transmissions that need rebuilt over the winter also, so I am looking for a cost effective (cheep) replacement if the Onan is toast. I have a friend who told me about a Harbor Freight belt driven 10kw generator he is using on his farm mated to an old VW diesel. I checked out the Harbor Freight web site and they sell for under $300 http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=45416. I have not seen it, but it did get me thinking, have any of the bus nuts out there gone the route of building your own generator to save some money. I have room for a larger unit, and a 4 stroke or diesel would be a lot quieter than the old Onan. Appreciate any ideas. Cheers, Dave PD4501-304 | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Registered Member Username: Drivingmisslazy Post Number: 1734 Registered: 1-2001 Posted From: 75.108.82.163 Rating: N/A |
Looks like a Leroy Somer unit built in France, but I can not be sure. It is 3600 rpm so you will have to adjust the pulleys to accommodate this. The high rpm units are generally much noisier, but if you are going to build a sound enclosure, this would not make much difference. These are self regulated units (no external voltage regulator) so the output voltage will vary somewhat, but probably not a real problem. Regulation is probably in the +/- 5%range. Richard | ||
| sylverstone (Sylverstone_pd4501864)
Registered Member Username: Sylverstone_pd4501864 Post Number: 221 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 216.173.223.253 Rating: N/A |
hey dave, *nice* cruiser.  -dd | ||
| Bob Wies (Ncbob)
Registered Member Username: Ncbob Post Number: 192 Registered: 2-2006 Posted From: 68.238.114.68 Rating: N/A |
Dave, let me give you a tip. That Onan NH genset you have is a sweetheart. You don't want a 3600 RPM generator. If, as I suspect, your armature went south (easy enough to check) I have a guy in south FL who rewinds them at a fair price. If the engine is good rebuild the generator end and you're in good shape. I know of what I speak..I was an Onan dealer for over 20 years. Contact me if I can help. Bob | ||
| Dave Hartshorne (Yeeolde48)
Registered Member Username: Yeeolde48 Post Number: 45 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 24.209.222.82 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the info Bob, I will see if I can get the generator off this weekend and see how bad the damage is. It has been a good unit prior to the failure. I will ping you with results. Sylverstone, thanks for the comment, not perfect, but very reliable, and the best bus ever made, but I am biased, and looks like you are too. Worth the effort to keep her running. Cheers, Dave PD4501-304 | ||
| sylverstone (Sylverstone_pd4501864)
Registered Member Username: Sylverstone_pd4501864 Post Number: 222 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 216.173.223.253 Rating: N/A |
i have a couple friends with street rods of various types. i also have some other friends that do greyhound coursing. (their dog chases the rabbit around the course) ... so i'd been on their mailing list for a couple months when someone started posting pics of their dogs... *snicker* yeah. needless to say, when i posted a pic of my hound, the conversation kinda got hijacked in a hurrry the street rod guys, same deal... *shrug* not my fault they never asked "'56 what?" ... of course, i'd just said '56 gmc... heh. i have a bad habit of spending a lot of time and money tricking out any vehicle i touch with a wrench. ... which is why i bought a cruiser. because when i'm done it'll have been be worth doing. so is your hitch remotely trick or is it just hanging from the cradle? -dd | ||
| Dave Hartshorne (Yeeolde48)
Registered Member Username: Yeeolde48 Post Number: 46 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 24.209.222.82 Rating: N/A |
High dd, our cars and the bus are featured on our website, with a few more pictures of the bus. I entered a major streetrod event last year, and registered both cars and the bus. Just listed it as a 1955 GMC with trailer. Neadless to say they would not let me in, but we all had a good laugh. I was signed up to park in the local camp site so they let me park right on the edge of the show grounds so that was pretty cool. If you look at the web site, the red car is our racer (Street legal also) the black car is my wifes daily driver. I think the web site is in our profile, but if not: www.chachingracing.com The hitch is tied back forward of the cradle under the main body. It also ties into the cradle at front and back with extra bars running from the top of the axle cradle. The hitch is actually a 5th wheel, mounted where the hitch ball would normally go, this qualifies the rig as a "stinger steered" auto transport and legally allows me to go to 75 feet total length under ohio DMV rules. I can send you some pictures if your interested, but might not be until next year as I put her up for the winter. Cheers Dave PD4501-304 | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
Registered Member Username: Captain_ron Post Number: 635 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 66.174.79.228 Rating: N/A |
Dave if you need any body parts or want a whole bus less motor and tranny I know where there is a nice scenic cruiser in a junk yard for $1000 in goebles michigan. and it apeared to be very nice | ||
| sylverstone (Sylverstone_pd4501864)
Registered Member Username: Sylverstone_pd4501864 Post Number: 223 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 216.173.223.253 Rating: N/A |
hey captain ron, i'm interested -dd | ||
| Dave Hartshorne (Yeeolde48)
Registered Member Username: Yeeolde48 Post Number: 47 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 192.88.212.44 Rating: N/A |
Hi Captain Ron, I would love to get another bus for spares, but have no place to store it. I have been able to find most of the body parts I neded from Pat McNeil in Baltemore. He has 5 scenics he is parting out. I even got my HT750 trans from him. Thanks for the heads up, and good luck to anyone else in taking advantage of the opportunity. Cheers, Dave PF4501-304 | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Registered Member Username: Rjlong Post Number: 1097 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 67.181.163.170 Rating: N/A |
Dave - Wanna explain the "Scenic on a hook" photo? | ||
| Kyle Brandt (Kyle4501)
Registered Member Username: Kyle4501 Post Number: 225 Registered: 9-2004 Posted From: 65.23.106.193 Rating: N/A |
RJ, That's an easy one. The big truck in front needed a push. Dave, I too would be very interested in your hitch construction. Sounds like what I want to do on mine. Nice website, Dave. Kyle4501 | ||
| Dave Hartshorne (Yeeolde48)
Registered Member Username: Yeeolde48 Post Number: 48 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 192.88.212.43 Rating: N/A |
Hi Guys, Well.... the tow was 2 years ago on the way to the GoodGuys Hot Rod Nationals in Indy. Had to stop on a grade, stalled the old girl trying to pull away, and she would not restart. It had been losing power just before we stopped. We had the main road into the event blocked for 3 hours. Zore’s towing (1-800-523-7304) came to the rescue. I did not have an auxiliary air system at the time, so they had to go under the bus and release the brakes, and then towed the bus and the trailer to their site. They then got back under the bus and reset the brakes, then allowed me full use of their shop, even calling in some friends to help diagnose the problem, which turned out to be a blocked fuel line, that had swelled internally and was a real pain to trace. We were at their place for over a day. They made up a new line in their shop and then only charged me $200 for a standard tow. Great family owned company and highly recommended in the Indy area if you’re ever stuck. With regards to the hitch, as soon as I get chance I will take some pictures and post them, it has worked great for me to this point. The trailer weighs 14,000 lbs with both cars and tools, and hitch weight is around 1,000lbs static. I looked at using a dolly like the “tough tow” but they will not easily work with my trailer as it has a center bar running through the ‘A’ frame. I regularly check the cradle mount points and have not seen any signs of distress. The main difference to most hitches I looked at, is the 2 bars I added from the rear of the engine cradle forward to the top of the axle frame. I pretensioned these to try and offset some of the static load back to the axle frame. I then extended the hitch box back under the frame and tied it into the axle frame. If you would like pictures sooner than later let me know and I can pull the cover off and try to snap some shots if we I get a free weekend before the New Year. Cheers, Dave PD4501-304 | ||
| Gene Lewis (Genelewis)
Registered Member Username: Genelewis Post Number: 54 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 24.181.246.226 Rating: N/A |
Kyle, e-mail me off the board - I have some info for you concerning a hitch or two Enjoying the journey in NC, Gene Lewis glewis at charter dot net | ||
| JW Smythe (Jwsmythe)
Registered Member Username: Jwsmythe Post Number: 269 Registered: 2-2006 Posted From: 72.91.85.196 Rating: N/A |
Whatever you do, don't buy a cheap gas generator. I had the bright idea of putting a Coleman generator up in my A/C air handler space. Good fit, too loud. I also have a generic generator from WalMart (plain blue, made in china, no name parts). That one at least has a muffler, so it's a bit quieter. Neither one is quiet enough to run in a campground, or even while you're running down the road if you expect someone to keep their hearing in the back of the bus. Both will do fine for hurricane season though. "Noise, who cares, my refrigerator still runs." |