| Author | Message | ||
| Craig Campbell (Craig_4104012)
Registered Member Username: Craig_4104012 Post Number: 2 Registered: 2-2009 Posted From: 72.61.183.53 Rating: N/A |
Hello everyone. I am new to the world of owning a bus and i am excited as all of you were when you got into this arena. I would not be an owner if it were not for this board and a few other locations that this board pointed me to. I bought a 1953 4104 vin PD4104-012, RJ Long has filled me in on the delivery info regarding this coach and i am in the process of tracking back through the previous owners to find out more about its history. I checked the engine for its vin stamp and it is 4104-1458 so if anyone here has that bus i have your block with a hundred grand of highway under it. I have to thank everyone here for all of your thoughts and knowledge that you put out for everyone to benefit from; there is no other forum i have been to where comments or answers have been so kind and in the case of technical questions regarding power calculations backed up with the math. I bought my bus after several months of visiting the guy selling it and reading the board and going back to check on some things you so kindly pointed to inspecting. Now here is my flaw, i went to pay for the bus without getting it inspected first or even driving it. terrible to do i know but on the bright side when i went to go pay the guy selling it to me i saw him driving the opposite direction on the highway so i followed him to the storage yard he set up for me. on top of that the guy keeps working on the bus for me even though he already sold it to me. he knows i dont know what i am doing yet so i guess he feels compelled to keep me from regretting the purchase. i am comfortable these days with being a bus owner and again i owe it too all of you. my plan of full timing has been changed to whenevering and as such i dont feel so overwhellmed by all of the stuff i need to buy to make it self sustaining. it had previously been converted for a UK based male blues gospel group called the londonaires that traveled around our country performing. so it had 8 bunks and a table and a couple of old panasonic tv's a reel to reel player and other musical things installed. no bath room and no water tanks to mention. it had been skinned but not insulated. right now i ripped out the back four bunks and plan to make a master bed room out of that area. as for the rest of the conversion i am hoping to trade one of my other vehicles to someone with an older travel trailer so i can just take all of its cabinets and appliances and the only piece my girlfriend wants, a dinette and fit them in there and go on about my business of camping. I live in Norfolk Virginia and i hope to meet as many of you as i can in the coming months. even if the bus is not ready i want to make it out to an east coast rally or bump into some of yall that head out to Virginia Beach from time to time. if you are ever in the area please drop me a line 757 761 2875 and i will make every effort to meet up with you and sit a spell and talk about the weather with you. if you are broke down i will do what i can to help you out but as it is i don't even have a place to park my bus let alone work on it but i do know where all of the local service shops are and i can also get you around town pretty well or lend you a vehicle to help out if need be ( i have a habit of owning too many vehicles because i am afraid of not being able to get to work) As far as technical offerings i am an 11 year AV systems installer and designer so flat screens, projectors, lighting and control systems i can give you a straight answer on so please ask me anything about this. I am going to go now feeling proud to finally reach out and say hello to everyone. Oh yeah, if any of you folks reading this live in Virginia or north east north Carolina please point that out to me so i can reach out to you and maybe set up a phone call or a visit during one of my travels; i am almost always on the road going camping and i may be near you and it would be great to visit and see your buses. | ||
| H3-40 (Ace)
Registered Member Username: Ace Post Number: 974 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 75.203.162.109  Rating: N/A |
Welcome to the bus world Craig! I live in Florida and if you ever vacation down this way, we have room for you at our place. You can always make plans to attend the bussin rallies held down here every year at Christmas and goes thru New Years. It's one of if not the biggest and longest running bus rally in the US. Lots of buses to be seen and many ideas to soak in, not to mention, people to meet and food to eat! Hey, I like that! People to meet and food to eat! Jack, can you use that anywhere in your ad for bussin? LOL Again, welcome Craig! Ace | ||
| David Lower (Dave_l)
Registered Member Username: Dave_l Post Number: 134 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 67.58.201.132  Rating: N/A |
Welcome Craig! Thats swell of you to offer help to people passing threw if they have difficalties with there coach. You should add that to your profile. again welcome. Dave L | ||
| John and Barb Tesser (Bigrigger)
Registered Member Username: Bigrigger Post Number: 161 Registered: 9-2007 Posted From: 24.179.147.233  Rating: N/A |
Nice to meet you Craig. If you have been following this board you will find that these people go "above and beyond" the call of internet relationships. Not only do they make themselves available with technical expertise that is more valuable than you can imagine, but I have seen them provide "hands on" support when it is practical. I have had more fun watching this board than I have working on my bus!(Maybe that explains why I make such slow progress) Good luck with your new purchase. | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 1030 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.3.157.139  Rating: N/A |
Craig, There is a converted coach club in your area. Here is a link to FMCA chapters in the Eastern Area. Scroll down to the Converted Coaches of the Eastern Area and send an email to Alan Baker (email is listed). Alan lives near Norfolk and they hold several rallies in that area. Jack PS: Tell Alan I said Hi. Jack http://www.easternarea.net/Central.html | ||
| K.J. Franklin (Slow_rider)
Registered Member Username: Slow_rider Post Number: 32 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 76.114.242.225 Rating: N/A |
Hi Craig, I am in Woodbridge, the southern edge of the DC Metro area. We are planning a day trip to Va Beach with the grandkids this summer so maybe we can get together. We have an MCI MC8 still mostly in the seated coach stage. If you make up this way give me a yell and we can kick the tires and swap tales. Frank | ||
| Craig Campbell (Craig_4104012)
Registered Member Username: Craig_4104012 Post Number: 4 Registered: 2-2009 Posted From: 68.246.129.116 Rating: N/A |
Thank you everybody... Jack i called Alan this Afternoon and spoke briefly with him. He was heading out as we spoke. i will call him on Tuesday when he returns. Also I let him know you said hello. | ||
| L James Jones Jr (Jamo)
Registered Member Username: Jamo Post Number: 59 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 24.59.114.248  Rating: N/A |
Welcome from upstate NY, Craig... Good to see another 4104 owner here. This sure is a great spot to be, eh?? Jamo | ||
| Craig Campbell (Craig_4104012)
Registered Member Username: Craig_4104012 Post Number: 7 Registered: 2-2009 Posted From: 68.246.129.116 Rating: N/A |
Frank i determinately know where Woodbridge is. I lived there for a short time back in 2000. My company has an office in McLean and i am out that way quite often. Jamo, I may see you in new york someday also, trying to check out new Hampshire camping next spring and also my upstairs neighbor is moving out that way and we want to get by and see them someday also. | ||
| Darrell Passer (Orfunautodarrell)
Registered Member Username: Orfunautodarrell Post Number: 3 Registered: 2-2008 Posted From: 75.108.109.77 Rating: N/A |
Welcome to the sickness Craig. I live about two and a half hours south of you in eastern N.C. If you don't have any plans for the last weekend in May, come on down to Wade, NC off exit 61 on I95 south, for Gene Lewis' BusNuts Gathering 2009. It's about a three hour ride from Norfolk. Gene's first gathering held there last year was a good time, and with myself being a new Coach owner, I really picked up a lot of valuable information from some of the more experienced owners. Be prepared to eat, and take lots of notes! Darrell | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 313 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 173.77.212.104  Rating: N/A |
Hey Craig, if you head North check out the GMBONE a FMCA club. GM Bus Owners New England. Have several rallies during the summer/fall. Some good folks just over the bridge from you in Delaware that have get togethrs. Enjoy your bus, the 04's are sharp coaches. If you ever get near New York let us know. | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 471 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 64.40.216.58  Rating: N/A |
Welcome Craig, Once bitten, twice as good! Enjoy your journey with your 4104 and have fun! You have lots of friends here. ~Paul~ | ||
| L James Jones Jr (Jamo)
Registered Member Username: Jamo Post Number: 60 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 24.59.114.248 Rating: N/A |
Craig, Or any of you Busnuts... Be sure to get in touch if you're in central NY. I'm about 20 miles from the NYS Thruway, have bus parking, power, water, beer, and a Polish wife who's cooking can make you fat in no time. Probably gonna regret posting that. Yup, "Sorry about all the buses parked in our field, Dear..." | ||
| Patrick levenson (Zubzub)
Registered Member Username: Zubzub Post Number: 86 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 76.66.196.98  Rating: N/A |
Craig welcome. As far as I'm concerned you have the best model of bus you can have (especially for the money). As to L James I'm pretty sure I tried to buy your bus a couple of years back. Seller got cold feet then a year later you had it. If I'm ever in the area I'll drop by and see what I missed. (Message edited by zubzub on May 01, 2009) | ||
| L James Jones Jr (Jamo)
Registered Member Username: Jamo Post Number: 61 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 24.59.114.248 Rating: N/A |
Patrick, I bought the bus from Dounan Morton in Oct of '07 (he was and probably still is a member here). He delivered it to me from Rhode Island, we did a quick roadtrip & I sent him away with a pocket full of cash. Been a good bus, no surprises from Dounan's original list of good, bad, and/or ugly. We're having fun with the ol' girl. Get in touch anytime you're down this way. I was just up in your country for the day yesterday...in Bath, west of Kingston. Another great day... Jamo |