| Author |
Message |
Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 24, 2005 - 10:44 pm: | |
I have no idea if this guy is good, bad or other. I would be interested if anyone has had any dealings.
Kevin
http://www.hbindustries.us/ |
Jim Stewart (H3jim)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 24, 2005 - 10:59 pm: | |
I have been by his shop. He did a slide out on an MCI 9 for the Marchands in Lemon Grove. I believe they have been very happy with all aspects of it.
My background is in aerospace, where the mantra was clean and orderly shops. Bob Rowsel's shop was anything but clean and orderly. While I was there, I saw a person working on a coach, I do not know if was working for Bob, or just happened to be working on a coach there, but he was putting drywall on the ceiling and walls. I wondered just how long it would take for the screws to vibrate a hole in the drywall and fall out. I was unimpressed.
He may very well do quality work, and does seem knowledgeable. |
Jojo Colina (Du1jec)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 12:43 am: | |
Bob is very good for structural fabrication and metal work. I would not really think they are set up for working on the interior of your bus and Bob readily admits this. Often people work on stuff inside their bus while Bob works on putting in things he is good at.
I have found that Bob is very honest about his work and will not embark on something that he is not equpped to handle.
I agree with Jim that his shop is not the clean and orderly one but seemingly in spite of that he does do quality work. He does suggest that because of all the dust blowing around that you cover your furniture with sheets and expect to need to wash your coach after he is done with it.
He will be doing a fair share of the metal work I will need with my Setra that I am converting. |
Sojourner (Jjimage)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 8:21 pm: | |
I believe he is a great old welder of fabricator in steel because of his passion building custom cars & so on.
If school buses w/chassis rail channel frame, then no problem. From looking thorough his photos of his slide-out frame design, I see no diagonals to carry bus’s integral frame structure. He did put diagonals over opening but I think not beyond to extend extra 2.5 ft at both ends to transfer load to main frame. Unless (it not shown) put in bridge truss under belt-line frame, then all above is not needed. So if you want to put in slide-out, be sure to constructed w/diagonals at all stress points. He can do it.
Might add because I weld for many years in pass, but now have mild tremor is more difficult to do good bead weld but it may be not so with Bob. And he has younger welders with steadier hands.
Some day the Lord willing I like to meet Bob. He interesting.
FWIW
Sojourn for Christ, Jerry |
gusc
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 10:52 pm: | |
I spent 2-3 days with him in the Spring of '04 trying to buy a nice 3751 that he had on consignment. He is very honest and gave me some very good estimates on the work I wanted done on the bus. Unfortunately, while I was trying to bargain with the owner a guy from TX bought the bus sight-unseen! Such is life.
His first love is Flxibles and has a very nice one of his own that is being converted to a different engine/trans. He restored all the Flxibles for the Catalina Island Resort and did a beautiful job.
I agree that body work seems to be his specialty since I didn't see any engine work being done, he probably sends it out but I don't know that for sure.
His shop is definitely a mess and much of the work is outdoors in the sunny El Cajone, CA weather. He is VERY knowledgeable about buses in general.
I would not hesitate to have him do any kind of work on my bus, a 4104, and will probably get him to do a couple of things when we are out there again in Spring '06. |
Kevin Black (Kblackav8or)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 11:33 pm: | |
Now if I could just get him to answer my e-mails. I e-mailed and faxed him. |
Jojo Colina (Du1jec)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 1:26 am: | |
Call his phone, he is always there. (619)561-9048 |
gusc
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 6:53 pm: | |
Kevin,
He is very poor about answering email, phone is your only hope. This doesn't mean he isn't a great guy, he is.
His webpage is also about two years out of date, most of the buses for sale the last time I checked are long gone. |