| Author |
Message |
R TERRY (207.230.142.240)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 4:31 am: | |
For the first few moments upon our arrival in Tennessee, I was in conflict at actually seeing the bus I had bought a year ago. What the hell was I thinking? I wanted to put my hands over my eyes, as if that would somehow make the picture better. Yet, it was sort of like Christmas: here was a big box that needed to be opened for whatever surprises it held. At the same time, I wished I’d never left Phoenix, but I couldn’t wait to get started. Terrified and thrilled, excited and mortified.
Weeds were only about three months from lifting the bus skyward like Jack in the Beanstalk. To be generous, it was an eyesore worthy of a big fat citation from the City for violation of several ordnances. Containing my apprehension for the benefit of my son, I had no reason to believe that pathetic old heap was ever going anywhere. But, we were there to try.
The exterior had been hand-painted with a brush: white, trimmed in a turquoise green. The rubber fenders on the right side had been painted terracotta red. One headlight was hanging by its wires; some of the original turn signal lamps were missing, replaced with bolt-on-your-own lights from Pep Boys. The split rim wheels were junkyard rusty and all the tires had severe sidewall cracking, with worn out snow tires on the rear. The left front and left outside rear were flat. An apartment-style air conditioner stuck out a window along the passenger side. Most of the original bus windows were brushed over with the green paint, or blanked out then painted a lighter color green. Some were painted over, some weren’t.
The interior was… well, you can imagine. Once converted and, presumably, livable (by whose standards?), it was now stripped of everything except the handyman-style woodwork, and a stovetop. Cardboard, installed with packaging tape, covered missing access panels. The built-in front “couch” consisted of a mattress folded in half and wrapped around into an “L” shape (the pinnacle of luxury). Scrap wood was strewn all over the place. It was nasty.
I was obliged to remind myself why we were there: It wasn’t necessarily for the bus itself; it was for the engine in the bus. Of the two thousand tools I brought along, none was designed to open the square latch on the engine compartment and accessory doors. My 1950 GM coach came with two of those tools, but I didn’t think to take one. It was sort of like going camping and forgetting the can opener. (Oh, you never do that? Really?) Eventually you get the beans open. In this case, the handle of a channel lock pliers got the job done.
Finally, the moment I’d been waiting for. Hiding like a turtle in its shell was this beautiful, handsomely painted, grease-free, sweet little motor in startling contrast to the whole rest of the bus; a veritable genie in a bottle, one that I hoped would grant me three wishes: Wish number one: Start; Wish number two: Stay running and have all the systems work; Wish number three: Propel this unsightly prehistoric rig to Arizona without breaking down every ten feet or getting stopped by the State Troopers every ten minutes.
Trust me on this: No genie has that kind of power.
R TERRY |
David & Lorna Schinske (Davidschinske) (64.24.236.54)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 8:18 am: | |
Pull the motor and dump the shell at a junk yard(after stripping everything you might ever need off of it)!
Lorna |
Charles Seaton (170.28.128.106)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 9:07 am: | |
You are certainly right about that tool. I had a 1958 GM TDH 5106 and when the tool wasn't being used to open various compartments, it was the control handle for the front and rear doors. As far as you bus goes (pun intended) think about this; a little while back, an Alabama family sold the same model GM transit for nearly $500,000. Rosa Parks rode that one. |
Ross Carlisle (Ross) (216.107.195.184)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 9:54 am: | |
You should send these stories to MAK to publish in the magazine. I think your "Missing Bus" story and this story (so far) are as good or better than most of the articles published. Very entertaining and eye opening for someone thinking about buying/converting a bus.
Sorry for mentioning the competitors board Ian, but I think these stories are great.
Ross |
Peter E (Sdibaja) (200.76.240.28)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 10:34 am: | |
Great Idea Ross...
Ian:
how about this type of saga in the "articles of interest" section? Or a new section such as "Arnie's Articles"?
Peter |
R TERRY (207.230.142.240)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - 3:42 pm: | |
Thanks, everybody! There's more to come.
I always wonder why I am doing this. Essentially, it's confessing to all the mistakes I make. Whoppers, actually.
When I see a 6-figure custom coach, I am really not impressed. It's what money can buy. I don't have any money, but that didn't stop me from jumping in as best I could. My sad old bus collection has never stopped me from enjoying them for all they're worth. Well, for more than they are worth!
R TERRY |
Jim Wilke (12.46.52.74)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 2:00 pm: | |
Well Terry, I agree with the "just jump in" theory. After seeing a bunch of relatives die young, my wife & I decided to "do it now" rather than wait for retirement. As time goes by & we hear about more folks leaving early, we are never sorry for the decision.
We figure if we hit the Lotto, we can upgrade then.
Jim-Bob & Sue
'59 4104, '76 4905 & 88 Eagle 15
PS: the 4104 is my favorite! |
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