| Author | Message | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 2 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.94.87  Rating: N/A |
hi, I'm Peter, and I bought a bus from a transit system in south carolina 1.5 years ago. I drove it coast to coast to bring it home (2500 miles). It's 35' long, 11' high, and (I think) it weighs 17 tons. so far, I took most of the seats out, put in a full sized queen pillowtop mattress, and various electronics to make it liveable. I have made couple of 1000 mile trips under my belt. I still have to put permanent water tank and plumbing, electric connections, and solar system. Hoping to learn a lot from those who went before me. Thought I would make the proper introduction before diving in. | ||
| Laryn Christley (Barn_owl)
Registered Member Username: Barn_owl Post Number: 611 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 70.110.7.127  Rating: N/A |
Hello Peter, I couldn't own a bus without boards like this one. Welcome abord! Laryn | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 439 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.197.237  Rating: N/A |
Welcome aboard Whitebus [wonder how you came up with that one?] As you will find all will welcome you; Help with problems; fuss at you, but all in all WELCOME ABOARD!! Gomer | ||
| Ian Giffin (Admin)
Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1217 Registered: 7-1997 Posted From: 24.239.13.27  Rating: N/A |
Hi Peter, I'll repeat the messages before mine... Welcome Aboard!... a two word greeting first used on this bulletin board system about 11 years ago by Bruce Lantz, who went by the name BrucEW (because his beverage of choice was Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey)(yuck, but who am I to say!). So, historically, you are one of about 2,000 people who have ever registered to use this bbs and one of about 3,500 people who visit this web site every day. It looks like your white bus is well on its way and as most here will agree, even in its unfinished state, it's still very usable, as you have described. Your example gives tangible hope to others that you can still have a great travel experience at any step in the conversion process. Congratulations and, again, Welcome aboard! We all look forward to your input. Enjoy :~) Ian www.busnut.com | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 355 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 74.193.225.134  Rating: N/A |
^.^ Welcome!  -Mac | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 643 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 70.212.253.115 Rating: N/A |
Hi, Peter...a great place to learn lots....and congrats for your cross country "virgin ride". I drove mine a mere 600+- miles, first trip, and thought I was doing good. Ask lotsa' questions...post lotsa' experiences (pro and con) and enjoy the trip(s). RCB | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 872 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.70  Rating: N/A |
Welcome Peter, it is a beauty but please tell us what it is?? | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 6 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.14.99 Rating: N/A |
Sure, it's a 1998 Eurotrans XLT, made by metrotrans of Georgia, which went belly up in the same year. it has a 5.9 ISB cummins diesel engine, 230HP, with 600ft-lb of torque at 1600rpm, with a B300 Allison world transmission, a pushbutton 5 speed. It has Air Brakes with ABS (first year they made it mandatory) and air-ride bags. it gets 14mpg on flat road at 50mph, 9 mpg in the rockies. I know it's tiny compared to most of the buses I see here, I am getting size envy looking at the photos, but I figure it's a good size for a starter bus. by the way, it's pretty much impossible to get any documentation or support for this maker, if anybody has any information about it, I would be really happy to hear from you. (Message edited by WhiteBus on April 26, 2009) (Message edited by WhiteBus on April 26, 2009) | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 7 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.14.99 Rating: N/A |
thanks for all the howdys... my ride cross country was not without problems. in birmingham alabama, I had people waving me down yelling "tire, tire".. When I pulled over to the side of the bus, I found out that they weren't yelling "tire, tire". It turned out a injector line was broken, and it was spraying diesel fuel all over the rear. They were actually mouthing "FIRE FIRE"! Fortunately, I caught it before it caught on fire, and rolled into a truck stop, and got somebody to fix it for me. That along with a broken air line, made the trip quite an adventure.. | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 359 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 74.193.225.134 Rating: N/A |
Yikes... Yeah, scary stuff... But ya made it through. Fortunately, diesel fuel is MUCH more difficult to catch fire than gasoline... But it still burns nicely when it finally lights... yeesh. I had a similar problem with my genny... one of the injectors has a casting flaw that allowed fuel to pass through to the outside, spraying everything in sight... A good grinding wheel and some JB took care of it. I keep a close eye on it.... Cheers! -Mac | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 360 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 74.193.225.134 Rating: N/A |
Oh, and 35 ft isn't really "tiny"... It's a respectable size for your first bus. Getting behind that wheel for the first time and pulling out is quite a rush! Turning your first right-hand corner is a real squeezer on the buttcheaks too... ;) -Mac | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 302 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.165.176.62  Rating: N/A |
I agree 35 is not tiny. Mine is 35 and it has many advantages especially when it comes to swinging it in a tight camping space. As long as the interior is laid out well I honestly don't think I would want more. | ||
| Len Silva (Lsilva)
Registered Member Username: Lsilva Post Number: 224 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 24.164.20.23  Rating: N/A |
I don't think 35' is too small but I do think 5.9 is. It won't be long before you are looking at swapping an 8.3 in there! | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 8 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 204.62.111.51 Rating: N/A |
Len, I would consider it, but the thing only has 60k miles in it, and it runs better than my car, so I don't want to fiddle with it... cummins ISB has 400k miles rating between overhauls, and it's gonna take my lifetime to squeeze 400k miles out of this thing... | ||
| Patrick levenson (Zubzub)
Registered Member Username: Zubzub Post Number: 84 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 76.66.197.90  Rating: N/A |
Usually I am not envious of the newer buses but 14 mpg on the flats has me. I'm from the less power more mileage school and as long as your engine can get you up the hills I say "less power to you". p.s. 35' is just right. Remember it's not what you have but what you do with it. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself. | ||
| Grant Thiessen (Busshawg)
Registered Member Username: Busshawg Post Number: 135 Registered: 10-2007 Posted From: 206.45.93.160  Rating: N/A |
Welcome aboard!! From the miles you have put on I would consider you a newbie. Oh and size doesn't matter. These guys here are absolutly the best! Have fun | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 364 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 74.193.225.134 Rating: N/A |
Grant, did you mean to say "wouldn't consider you a newbie"? Personally...... I'd consider anyone that hasn't had at least one panic attack to still be a newbie.... After all, YOU aren't broken in until she makes you break a sweat in a panic attack at least once! ^.^ But then, that's just my own personal view. ;) Cheers! -Mac | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 312 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 173.77.212.104  Rating: N/A |
Hey Peter, try emailing National bus Trader and asking about your coach.They are a monthly trade mag but are on top of buses coming and going. Looks like a nice ride. 230hp in a 35' bus aint bad at all. How much does it weigh? we are hoping to have 230hp out of a 6V71 but sure would like to have your setup especially that tranny. Good luck. | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 9 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.14.78 Rating: N/A |
the paperwork from the South carolina DMV states the weight as 170. I am guessing that means 17tons (metric?) but that's really fudgy number I imagine, since I took out all the fancy seats, then added couple of tons of my own stuff into it. I have no complaints about the transmission, it seem to be just at the right points. at the highest gear, at the top of the torque peak (1600rpm) the bus goes around 52-55 mph. in my opinion, having the ideal cruising speed (for you) match up with your engine's peak torque really helps your mileage. I guess I really lucked out. (I would have considered changing wheel size to optimize the rpm range) | ||
| niles steckbauer (Niles500)
Registered Member Username: Niles500 Post Number: 918 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 173.78.29.189 Rating: N/A |
More like 170 100's or 17,000 lbs. - or it could be a weight class - me thinks - FWIW | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 874 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.18 Rating: N/A |
Don't know anything about them but that is a nice looking bus and just the right size. It is such a clean design, too many newer buses look likd glassed in space craft. Unless you are full timing I don't see any need for anything larger. Why anyone would want a monster 40'+ bus is beyond me, 35' is more than enough for us. If I could have found a nice 30' I would have gotten one. The Cummins 5.9 is one of the best engines made and you would do well to keep it. Half the Dodge pickups in the world have a variation of that engine. My monster 671 develops less HP and Torque than your 5.9 and it weighs easily twice as much. Your bus is probably about the same weight as my 35' GMC 4104 so that is plenty of power!! | ||
| Grant Thiessen (Busshawg)
Registered Member Username: Busshawg Post Number: 136 Registered: 10-2007 Posted From: 206.45.93.160 Rating: N/A |
Sorry , I absolutly ment I would NOT consider you a newbie, sorry. | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 12 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 204.62.111.51 Rating: N/A |
heh, I always feel like a newbie when I sit down and turn the key. that feeling goes away after about a mile, which is probably a good thing | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 365 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 74.193.225.134 Rating: N/A |
Only a mile? ;) Try driving a 60 footer around sometime, then go back to your bus... It'll feel like you're driving a sports car afterwards. ^.^ (I'm speaking from experience on that one!) XD Cheers! -Mac | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 652 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.211.121.125 Rating: N/A |
Peter..."feel like" a newbie as long as you like....safer that way. Nothing wrong with being a newbie.....experience remains the "best teacher"...did I say that recently??? Must be maturity seting in. BTDT RCB | ||
| L James Jones Jr (Jamo)
Registered Member Username: Jamo Post Number: 58 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 24.59.114.248  Rating: N/A |
Welcome Peter... I've been a newbie for a year and a half & I still get the grins every time I fire the ol' girl up. You caught me with that "key" thing though. You need a key to start yours? Bummer. When I first got my 4104, I was worried about someone stealing it. Once I thought about it, a thief could get her fired, but I'd be up and pointing my 44-40 way before the air was built up. If it was already aired, chances are I'd catch 'em on foot anyway before they got too far. This 4104 is well within the top ten things I've done in my 54 years... Smoke 'em if you drive 'em... Jamo | ||
| Peter River (Whitebus)
Registered Member Username: Whitebus Post Number: 26 Registered: 4-2009 Posted From: 208.54.14.74 Rating: N/A |
True. I always thought these huge vehicles cost hundreds of thousand of dollars. Well they may have been at one point, but what we can get it for is something that I never realized. Everytime I drive it, I come out of the bus smiling. It's worth its weight in therapy bills alone... And yes, it has a key, for starting, for battery cutoff, various hatches etc. Mine doesn't seem to air itself out after I turn it off. I can get it going almost immediately after I turn the key. I think it may have a blocked air line or something. (Message edited by WhiteBus on April 30, 2009) | ||
| David Lower (Dave_l)
Registered Member Username: Dave_l Post Number: 138 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 67.58.201.132  Rating: N/A |
You have a key? wow to start it, that sounds like to much work! AAA-Ha-Ha-Ha!!! :-) Dave L | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 659 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.211.231.3 Rating: N/A |
When I purchased ours, I received two rings full of keys, many duplicates...; see Peters' post just above... . Lots'a keys... and about 6 inches of service materials,manuals, etc. RCB |