| Author | Message | ||
| Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A |
I know there are some Crown fanatics on here. Is there a site where someone has documented a RV conversion including roof raising, systems etc? Also I am looking for more pictures of conversions that are comparable to some of the other coaches out there. I am not looking for the hippy mobile skoolie but rather something that is fully functional, good full timing type setup. I like the Bruck approach of the way Crowns are put together. I like manual transmissions. My second choice would be an 80's Prevost with a 6 speed or more. If not a bus then a truck conversion. Showhauler or Wildside are on my list if I could afford something like that. Interested in any input. Kevin | ||
| Tim Hoskinson (Tdh37514151)
Rating: N/A |
Hi Kevin I have no experience with a crown but have liked them since I first got interested in buses. I come at the bus thing from a different angle than the typical bus nut as I am an antique nut. When I first started looking into buses I really liked the crowns because even up into the 70s they still had the old rounded look. To me a much more desirable look than the square design. Add to that they had a 220 cummins engine in the belly and used a more standard drive line. Very easy to modify. Adding a auto trans and uping horse power is relatively easy. The only problem I was faced with was it seems like all the Crowns were in California and I am in Ohio. I ended up being introduced to a 1948 GM 3751 and after seeing that it was all over for me. I had the silverside bug. So now I am undertaking the task of mid mounting a mack engine and allison six speed auto to a custom frame unit along with a Rockwell Meritor rear mountied on a air ride suspension from a Volvo truck. I wanted something I could pull a substantial trailer behind as my other hobby is restoring antique crawler tractors and taking them to shows. I think your choice of buses is a good one but thats just one nuts opinion. Best of luck to you. Tim | ||
| Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A |
Sound like another certified motorhead. I drive my wife crazy. I have a Mustang that I have been building to road race, a 2000 F-250 that is no longer stock, used to own a Ford 302 powered Volvo Station Wagon among half a dozen other things. I am partial to Oliver tractors, old airplanes and just about anything with an engine outside of boats. | ||
| R.C.Bishop Rating: N/A |
I'm not a "fanatic"....but we love our '64 Crown Highway Coach.....not a typical skoolie, though we got it from Northern Arizona University, original owner of the coach. 10 speed Roadranger, Cummins 220 Turbo (265)amidships, 10 wheels, lock in Differential, dry road wet/road, Jakes, airride, Built like a tank wth full frame front to rear- and just about anything else anyone could ask for in a 41 year old coach. From what I can find out,....one of a kind, custom built for an over the road activity coach! So far....so very good!  RCB | ||
| Mike (Busone)
Rating: N/A |
You might check this guys website, he did a roof raise. It is a BlueBird though it has some good details on how he did it. My great uncle has an old Oliver tractor that looks like hell but still runs great. It is a nice machine. http://busweb.freeservers.com/raising.htm | ||
| Tim Hoskinson (Tdh37514151)
Rating: N/A |
The crawler tractors that I collect were built by the cleveland tractor copany. Cletrac name brand. The copany was perchased by Oliver late in 1944 so later cletrac crawlers had the olver name. I own about 16 oliver crawlers an 10 cletracs starting from 1918 up to 1960. I believe together with my 3 GM buses that I am fixing up along with 3 parts buses I now have a complete life time of projects. I am still however always on the look out for more parts buses. I am very lucky in the fact that my wife supports me 100% when it comes to my toys. She likes the buses as much as I. She likes the fact that when one is done we get to go on trips and camp in them so its a toy the entire family can enjoy. We have had many trips so far in owr 1957 4104 this hobby is very enhoyable. Tim | ||
| Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A |
I grew up next to my grandparents farm. A couple MF's, an IH TD-6 diesel, a TD-18 that would either run on 5 cylinders or break gears in the rear end, a Massey Harris 92 hillside combine which I loved riding on, a 68 or so Dodge cabover truck, a 52 GMC 900 or something big with a 426 inline 6 gasser and 2 transmissions. Enough to keep a kid happy. My grandpa didn't like JD's but the neighbors had them so I was exposed to them too. An Oliver 1650 gasser 68 I think which I spent quite a few hours on. I would love to find one of those rare front wheel assist diesel Olivers from around 70-72ish or one of the Cat 3208 powered ones. If not that then an older IH of some sort. My career doesn't allow me the stability to do any of that now. But the bus RV could be done. Kevin | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
Rating: N/A |
Gary Sadler has an older Crown he converted and has done just about anything/everything that can possibly be done to the coach. TWICE! Or maybe three times!!! I am sure he will read your post and answer directly. Heck of a nice guy. Rocket scientist. I bought some Crown windows from him a while back. Also try www.crownbus.com and ask Frank of Idaho anything you want to know about Crowns. He is the guy! Particularily mill and tranny changes! CROWNS FOREVER!!! (VIN 37317) Henry of CJ | ||
| Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A |
I tried to join that forum. My account has been pending for months now. I don't even know who to bug to get established there. | ||
| Mike (Busone)
Rating: N/A |
You should talk to Frank Rowe in Twin Falls ID. He is a Crown guru and IIRC he knows the webmaster of www.crownbus.com. I cannot find his email address. Email me if you want his phone number. | ||
| busboy
Rating: N/A |
Crowns were often fitted with Hall-Scott (gasoline), Cummins (diesel) and later Detroit Diesel engines, all pancakes (most models). As I understand it, the frame rail distance is one for Hall-Scott and Cummins, another for Detroits. And Cummins motors are getting harder to find. Friend has a '58 (?) with a 1970's Cummins repower. He smoked the engine driving it to Las Vegas, it now sits outside Las Vegas with no power. If somebody knows of a suitable engine ... or wants a body to put around that Cummins pancake you've been saving all these years ... give me a yell and I'll get you in touch. | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
I actually own a complete cummins 220 pancake spare that was pulled out of a well maintained school system bus that got shredded for the California bus bribe deal that went down 3 years ago (shred your nice old Crown and we'll buy you a new bus)... has a 10 speed roadranger hanging on the end of it. Late 70's vintage If your friend is interested in it let me know.... | ||
| Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A |
The crownbus forum seems to be unattended at the moment. I can't seem to get hold of anyone there to use the forum. I think a number of those folks have moved over to the yahoo forum. |