| Author | Message | ||
| niceleyc (148.64.163.3)
Rating: N/A |
has anyone extended the front of a bus a foot or so between the wheel & door to allow more comfortable side entry stairs over the wheelwell and/or a wider entry door? Id love to see details or ideas. | ||
| John that newguy (206.15.138.66) Rating: N/A |
(It just takes my breath away) | ||
| Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.139.136.55)
Rating: N/A |
I saw something that had its nose extended at the Busin' 2004 rally in Arcadia. Certainly a unique vehicle and it seemed to allow for a wider door if needed. Unique, unique, unique (P.C. comment). Not my cup of tea. There are some things on a bus that aren't worth doing because of time, money or safety. I think this is one of them. The front of a bus hangs on roof support and has very little triangular bracing due to the big hole caused by the door. It is already a weak area and any extension further weakens it. But, as FF says, "Do it your way". Jim | ||
| Sojourner (68.60.169.142)
Rating: N/A |
I don’t have photos handy to show but later when time permits. When I get back to Florida, will take more detail photos. Sorry. My MCI-8 “Sojourner”, has replaced both lower mild steel structural (rusted) and pre-form SS channels, replaces all drivers’ floor mild steel channels to extended forward 8 inch. Now have over 36 inch opening to accommodate wheel chair with lift mech. I am not rebuilding original door design because it be too long to swing and heavier. Yet to install, door open mech. will be of Setra type. Internal double arm that lift 1 inch (to unlock) swing out and rear ward. It powered but can over ride manually. Also driver’s floor is raise to same level of main. Better over view vision for driver’s safety. After driven some 16000 miles from Mich. to California, Bangor Maine and Arcadia Florida, I am rebuilding to satisfy me for safety and practical motorhome. Like Fast Fred said, “Do it your way”. Sojourn for Christ, Jerry | ||
| FishbowlBrian (Fishbowlbrian) (67.165.212.171)
Rating: N/A |
I'm with Jim on this one. These coaches were built, in some ways, like aircraft, with the skins largely accounting for the structural integrity of the whole unit. I think it foolhardy to monkey with the integrity, short of having a struct. engineer design something, and is asking for a weak spot, esp. in the front (impact) area. My $0.02, FBB | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong) (67.181.236.27)
Rating: N/A |
Here's a small pic of the Eagle at Bussin' 2004 mentioned above.  I spent some time looking over the extension, and talking with the owner. The extension is built out of the same square tubing that Eagle used for the rest of the coach (altho the owner covered everything in POR-15 to reduce rusting), with additional bracing using standard engineering triangulation. It is also all tied into the Eagle's frame, since the silversiding is not structural, like on GMCs The steering column is in it's OEM position, it has not been moved forward, nor have any of the foot controls. The windshields are stock Eagle, simply at a different angle. IIRC, the owner built this with two purposes in mind - additional crash protection with the extra "crush zone", and increased fuel economy from the more aerodynamic profile. A good example of someone doing it his way!! HTH, RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.79.46)
Rating: N/A |
No Pic RJ, and I wanna see that one! Gary | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong) (67.181.236.27)
Rating: N/A |
Well, now, that didn't work. . . Let's try again:  | ||
| FishbowlBrian (Fishbowlbrian) (67.165.212.171)
Rating: N/A |
Pretty cool rig, RJ. Looks like "The Mothership" OR "bus meets minivan." Very interesting! Gotta get to one of those bussin' rallies... | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.79.46)
Rating: N/A |
Oh My God. It looks like something from Space 1999. It reminds me--I've always wanted to model a conversion to be a 3/4 scale locomotive. Can you imagine what kind of reaction you'd get from a motorists with an EMD "F" Series going down the roat. You'd scare the daylights out of them (Get it?). Oh, damn. I think we hijacked this thread. OK I'll try and redeem myself. I often wonder why nobody puts in a mid-door. I know it's Monocoque, but I think you could build a door structure. Gary | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong) (67.181.236.27)
Rating: N/A |
"Can you imagine what kind of reaction you'd get from a motorists with an EMD "F" Series going down the road. You'd scare the daylights out of them (Get it?)." You mean one of these?  RJ | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.79.46)
Rating: N/A |
Close, but not close enough to win the prize. | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior) (64.229.211.18)
Rating: N/A |
Hello Gary, Fellow up here near me has moved the door on an MC8 to come in up through where the battery compartment belongs. He chose to add a stock driver's window properly opposite in the hole where the door was for a pretty neat symetry side to side. And skin the door with stock siding and it looks like factory from outside from 20 paces. Just blocked the coach and framed it up with steel tube. Does give one some different options on floor plan, and puts the door nicely under the awning. I will be strongly considering a mid door on "the next one" (yes, my wife is not looking over my shoulder as I send this off!) happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.79.46)
Rating: N/A |
Yeah, I wonder why more aren't done that way. It is true that it takes some engineering, but it's not THAT hard to do... Mine is mid-door, but Bluebirds have frames under them so it's pretty easy to have your way with them structurally speaking. Gary | ||
| Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.133.150.139)
Rating: N/A |
It isn't done that way because you lose valuable space in the middle of the living area. I prefer that 2' be lost (some of the time) up front and that the rest be a continuous living area. That 2' however is used with a step cover when travelling so there is essentially no lost space. Just another $.02 contribution. Jim | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior) (64.229.211.18)
Rating: N/A |
and I forgot the friend with the 4104 with the side door right up through the centre of the first full side window. He bought it finished that way, so I don't know how it was braced. The window was neatly cut and reinstalled as two "D" windows on either side of the door in what was left of the stock window framing. happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| sCool busnut (69.34.219.26) Rating: N/A |
If you can find somebody with pictures from BUSIN USA 2004, there was an Eagle that was stretched, widened, and raised to what looked like the maximum allowable dimensions! The bus was lengthened about 5 feet BEHIND the rear wheels, and six (6) inches in FRONT of the steer tires. The owner wanted to keep the original wheelbase. It took him 7 years to build that bus - one of the nicest you'll see. The 6" stretch in front of the front tires was to accomplish exactly what you are trying to do. Gain more space for ease of entry/exit with a wider entry. Don't know the fellows name, but it shouldn't be to hard to find out. He conducted a seminar there at the rally on the topic of structurally changing a bus length, height, & width. mark 75 gillig 636D s'Cool busnut | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong) (67.181.236.27)
Rating: N/A |
Mark - If you can recall the paint scheme on the coach, I'll look thru all the ones I took and see if I can find this Eagle you mention. Gary - Can't find a pic of an EMD FP-9 in "Daylight" livery, but will this do:  Have a nice weekend, everyone!! RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (68.79.116.133)
Rating: N/A |
Give the man a Cigar! I could only find a pic of a lionel. FYI: I was a member of the NRHS (National Railway Historical Society) that put the 4449 back on the road. We chased her from North of Eugene all the way to the Siskiyou summit on her maiden trip to Sacramento. Gary | ||
| FishbowlBrian (Fishbowlbrian) (67.165.212.171)
Rating: N/A |
"FYI: I was a member of the NRHS (National Railway Historical Society) that put the 4449 back on the road." Geeze, Gary, I'd like to see the tires on her! Must be a heck of a road, too. ;-) | ||
| FishbowlBrian (Fishbowlbrian) (67.165.212.171)
Rating: N/A |
Gary: On a more serious note, was the 4449 the one of the Freedom Trains from '76? I saw the Freedom Train at Fair Park in Dallas for the Bicentennial when I was 8. Stood in line for three hours, but it was very cool. FBB | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (68.79.116.133)
Rating: N/A |
"Geeze, Gary, I'd like to see the tires on her! Must be a heck of a road, too. ;-)" Tires: 80" and Steel. Yes, it's is a rail-ROAD. Geez FBB you're younger than me! I just now looked up a couple of things on this loco, and they have since painted her BACK to '76 colors, then WWII colors (Black), But I think she's Daylight again. Ok now this thread is TOTALLY hijacked. Gary | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (68.79.116.133)
Rating: N/A |
"It isn't done that way because you lose valuable space in the middle of the living area." I disagree. Having the door in the front eliminates an open front, prevents usability of the front area, in a mid-door, you can locate it between two "Areas" in the coach to help break up the floorplan. To each his own, but we went through a lot of work to install a mid-door. Gary | ||
| sCoolbus nut (69.34.219.26) Rating: N/A |
RJ, The Eagle that I am talking about was a 'mauve- copper- tanish' color with some ribbon type stripes, If I recall correctly. It was parked in the front row, near the end towards the highway. Very cool looking bus - for an EAGLE, that is! ...(waiting for two dogs response)...! mark 75 gillig s'Coolbus nut |