| Author |
Message |
john david lebrun (Davidlebrun)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 9:16 am: | |
I placed a bid on a 1964 GMC PD4106-2774 on ebay this weekend. The owner claims the drive train has been rebuilt and the bus only has 291,000 miles on it. Looked good and being a 35 ft has benfits, with getting into some of the smaller campgrounds. If the bus is as good as he claims it to be, we should be in good shape.
The bus is located in MT Airy, NC, would anybody,know of a good mech or shop that could do a inspection on the unit? I interested in the drive train, and overall mechinical condition of the bus.
Thanks
David |
ned sanders (Uncle_ned)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 10:47 am: | |
welcome to the wonderful world of gm buses. try davids coach repair on hy 18 between morganton and shelby. tel. no. 828-874-6105. he fixed my 04 when i overheated it and cracked some heads. does excelent work and is very reasonable.
ned sanders
lenoir nc
"huggy bear den'
4104 WITH 6V92 AND 730 |
john david lebrun (Davidlebrun)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 12:44 pm: | |
Thanks I give them a call, today.
David |
mclough
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 2:36 pm: | |
deans coach in durham nc |
Brian Brown (Fishbowlbrian)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 3:15 pm: | |
Welcome aboard this crazy hobby. Please post a link to the pictures so we can see your bus.
I also have a converted '06 that I'm prepping to take a long trip in at the end of the week.
This is a wonderful Board full of great guys/gals.
Brian Brown
PD4106-1175
Longmont, CO
Bus Site |
john david lebrun (Davidlebrun)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 7:27 pm: | |
I don't have any pic's yet, the only ones were on e-bay.
I've check with Davids Coach works and he said that a one hour inspection was reasonable.
Would I be better off, paying for a DOT inspection?
I look Dean's up tomorrow, and check in with them.
Thanks |
DMDave
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 8:37 pm: | |
Hey John, Garry Deans # is 919-383-4780. Garry has over 30 years experience and has Gm parts also. They are in Durham NC. (He is a very nice person) |
john david lebrun (Davidlebrun)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2005 - 8:00 am: | |
Dave:
Thanks I going to call today.
What do people do for insurance, so far either
the company doesn't deal in this type of vehicle or doesn't want to deal with a vehicle of this age.
So what insurance company is being used for these
slightly older bus conversions.
Thanks
David |
Brian Brown (Fishbowlbrian)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2005 - 11:21 am: | |
I get great service from Miller RV Insurance: http://www.millerrvinsurance.com/
My premium (with Progressive underwriting) for full coverage of '06, presently valued at $15k is about $340/year. A lot of the costs with insurance depends on where you live and how much you'll drive it.
For roadside assistance, look at Coach-Net and buy the FMCA membership to save even more off that premium. Lots of busnuts have good things to say about these organizations.
HTH,
BB |
John that newguy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2005 - 5:33 pm: | |
My thoughts (as a new guy?)
I'd have it inspected by a reputable bus company garage, not
(ever) by some DOT officer. A truck garage won't know all
the nuances of a bus, but it'd be better than nothing. I'd try
to hire an experienced bus mechanic (pay for travel, etc) to
inspect it...
Register it as a bus conversion -shell-, and title it the same.
Progressive insurance Company is by far, the most fair in pricing.
Call them direct, you don't need an agent. Liability is easy....
After it's converted, you can use the "finish date" as the date
of it's production (as an RV) (Yeah, it can be different than
the chassis manufacture date).
A 40' coach isn't any harder than a 35' coach to park, once
you're used to it. And you can tell a campground that your 40'
coach is really 35' bumper to bumper. I initially set out to buy
a 35' also, but the benefits of a 40' coach outweigh the limits
of most 35' models (the wheel wells are a pain to work your
plans around).
Most of all...... Have an experienced bus mechanic inspect it
fully for you. Rust, stress cracks, mechanics, air system, brakes,
structural soundness, transmission....etc etc etc... And that should
be done before purchase.
Oh yeah..... and forget about ever having a full bank account again.
Forever.
(HAR de HAR HAR) |
john david lebrun (Davidlebrun)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 9:12 pm: | |
Thanks Guy's:
State Farm pick up the ins. for 404/year.
Gary from Dean's is going to inspect the bus this week for me.
You guys are right, no more full bank account.
One more thought, I was thinking of getting the owner to deliver the unit for expense's (sp), that would at least prove the unit could go 500 miles with out any major problems.
Thanks again, I'm sure, I'll have more questions as time goes on, the write up by RJ on shifting was good.
My wife has a Class B lic, with air endosment, but no time with a manual, so the write was helpful.
David |
FAST FRED
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 5:46 am: | |
"A 40' coach isn't any harder than a 35' coach to park, once you're used to it"
TRUE, but the problem in older pretty campgrounds is GETTING to the parking spot.
Many have twisty winding roads that have a hard time with a 35ft coach , (after all they were built for a car and 30ft MAX trailer) .
For those that love the woods , my advice is to WALK to the offered site and be SURE you won't get stuck , going in or out on the rest of the trail system.
A 275 inch + wheelbase just isnt as easy to bend in the middle as a car & trailer .
Many places have "pull thrus" that have the ambiance of flying J , no trees , no view , but lots of electric.
The more "primitive" sites are usually the best place to camp , as they were the reason to build the park to begin with.
FAST FRED |
Don/TX
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2005 - 9:21 pm: | |
John I had a 40 ft 4905, but occasionally drove a couple of 35 ft buses, 4104 and 4106. The difference in THESE TWO seems like far more than "only" 5 ft. After a thousand mile run in a 4106, I actually got out the tape measure, convinced that somehow the wheelbase just had to be more than five foot shorter. The 35 footers seem more like pickups in that they can turn and maneuver far more than one would imagine. On the other hand, RTS and MCI Rennaisance 40 footers turn far shorter than a 4905 ever would. |
john david lebrun (Davidlebrun)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 4:36 pm: | |
Thanks, Guys;
Gary Dean is going to set up an inspection sometime this week, and then I'll know a little better what I'm looking at.
david |
John that newguy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 3:09 pm: | |
Don-
4106 SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 35 feet
Width: 96 inches
Height: 121 inches
Wheelbase: 261 inches
Turn radius: 42 feet
http://www.coachinfo.com/AllAboutBuses/GMC_Info.html
MC-8 SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 40 feet
Width: 96 inches
Height: 130 inches
Wheelbase: 285 inches
Turn radius: 46 feet (Beginning in 1977, 44 feet)
MC-9 SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 40 feet
Width: 96 inches
Height: 130 inches
Wheelbase: 285 inches
Turn radius: 51 feet
MCI 96, 102A2 SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 40 feet
Width: 96, 102 inches
Height: 133 inches
Wheelbase: 310 inches
Turn radius: 48 feet
http://www.coachinfo.com/AllAboutBuses/MCI_Info.html
Eagle 10 SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 40 feet
Width: 96 inches
Height: 136 inches
Turn Radius: 45 feet
http://www.coachinfo.com/AllAboutBuses/Eagle_Info.html
LeMirage SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 40 feet
Width: 96 inches, 102 inches
Height: 131 inches
Wheelbase: 280 inches
Turn radius: 43 feet
http://www.coachinfo.com/AllAboutBuses/Prevost_Info.html
There really isn't all that much difference between the '06/04 35',
and a 40', Don... |