| Author | Message | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 585 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 173.217.11.76  Rating: N/A |
Hey everyone... My other thread looks close to dropping off to archive, so, thought I'd start up another to freshen things up. Right now, I have two possibilities for this coach... Either one works, as both will get me what I both need, and want.... First up... I found a guy that has a CRAPLOAD of skoolies sitting out at his shop that he's selling whole, or parts from... I've cut a deal with him to allow me to strip whatever I want off of a working bus (already was out and started/drove it around)... It's got a 7.3 NA engine, but I'm not sure what the transmission is. It seems to work and shift just fine... He THINKS it's an Allison, but... the price is right either way. He only wants $700 for whatever I want off it... Engine, transmission, drivetrain, brakes, accessories, lights, anything... He'll part out whatever's left and scrap the rest for whatever the metal is worth. This is a great solution to bring my old Flx back on the road with newer style equipment... However, on the flip side... He came out today and looked at my old girl again. I offered to go ahead and just pay him what he wants for the parts, but he declined and asked for a couple more days to think about the previous offer I made to him... While I was originally out looking for a donor bus, I told him what I was up to and why I needed to get the bus and what I was going to do... He asked why in the world I would strip a perfectly good working bus for parts... After I told him what I had, he became very interested in seeing the old girl... He came out a couple days later and asked me what I would take if I were willing to sell... I told him no less than $8000. This is right about what I have in her total at the moment, so... I'd break even and have the cash left over to get another 4905 or a nice MCI coach... Of course, I'm more partial to the 4905's... However... I'm in a little bit of a quandary now... Since the old Flx is *EXACTLY* what I wanted from the very beginning, and I now have her... I'm finding the idea of letting her go much more difficult than I thought I would... Even though I can get a much bigger highway coach for the price... Simply put, this is my dream coach... The problem is, I don't have all the money and equipment I once had... and the old girl needs a LOT of TLC. I don't even have a wire welder anymore... it burned in the fire... Along with all my metal working tools. The fire was literally hot enough to melt stainless steel... Some of the wrought iron cages that we had for the birds were in little puddles of molten muck, and others towards the fringe of the main fire were just... Well, in sad unusable shape... I'm just glad that the old 4905 I did have found a good home with Jorge and he's refitting her... I do miss the old girl... (Hi Jorge! Cricket's doing great!) I'm pretty sure I can get the parts I need from the donor bus and have enough left over to have the fabrication done that I need to get done to put the new equipment in, but I don't have anywhere NEAR enough to get the equipment and materials I still need to start FIXING her... So, there's my dilemma... What should I do? If I keep her, I run the risk of running out of the little funding I have left just getting her back on the road... But, on the other hand... if this guy decides to take her, I'll have plenty of $ to get a bus that I won't have to fix just to "get out of dodge"... I can always get another Flx later on down the road somewhere... Granted, the Visi's are much harder to find... What should I do? -Mac | ||
| Tom Christman (Tchristman)
Registered Member Username: Tchristman Post Number: 216 Registered: 1-2006 Posted From: 66.218.33.156 Rating: N/A |
Depends on what you want to do. I personally like to have the biggest interior I can get-like a MCI 102C3. But if you want the classic Flx, then that's your baby. There are alot of already converted coaches out there that can be tailored to your use with a bit of TLC. Good Luck, TomC | ||
| thomas flocks (Taflocks)
Registered Member Username: Taflocks Post Number: 274 Registered: 9-2009 Posted From: 74.76.246.165 Rating: |
sell........... | ||
| Jack Fids (Jack_fids)
Registered Member Username: Jack_fids Post Number: 62 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 69.171.160.224  Rating: N/A |
2 things to keep in mind: Progress always requires sacrifice to accomplish & Say good-bye to old nightmares & you say hello to new ones. I say, run what you brung ! | ||
| George Martinez (Foohorse)
Registered Member Username: Foohorse Post Number: 134 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 174.48.6.180  Rating: N/A |
Not to contradict my good friend Jack the penguin whisperer but there is a MAJOR part of your story which I am privy to that you have omitted from this thread, maybe unconsciously. Kevin SELL IT!!! and (GET OUT OF DODGE} as you put it. you must restore yourself first. then you will create the situation where a better flex will come into your circle. It will happen, so focus on changing what needs to be changed first everything else is distraction which we unconsciously do because change is scary. On another note Cricket's Mom is going to pop any day now, I do hope she does not have triplets. round the clock feeding's are a bear. And a third note. Phoenix is at Marvin's to commence her rebirth. I will have to pop in on him from time to time in order to make sure that he is taking his meds though. OK no more notes. find a quite space and see the big picture Kevin. Gran Abrazo JM | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 1179 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 76.248.150.30  Rating: N/A |
"I can get a much bigger highway coach for the price." Bigger is not better , unless you never move much. Some coaches are Great FUN! to drive , some are just big boxes . Your choice, FF | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 28 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 67.174.144.159  Rating: N/A |
Kevin; Make space in your life by getting rid of the old and new will come in to it. Make your subconscious Find what you need to move forward for you. If you want it or need it act like you have it and it will arrive! Dave | ||
| Jack Fids (Jack_fids)
Registered Member Username: Jack_fids Post Number: 65 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 69.171.160.166 Rating: N/A |
George is right... change from the comfortable & known to the unknown causes anxiety & stress. Just like the time I won the lottery.... all that free money coming my way caused me no end of stress all the things I could buy all the places I could travel to.... it kept me awake nights for a week once the cash was in my hands the choices were overwhelming. Lucky for me it was only a $50 ticket! | ||
| joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Registered Member Username: Joemc7ab Post Number: 413 Registered: 6-2004 Posted From: 66.38.159.33 Rating: |
Take the cash and find a useable coach that will do what you need it to do (not necessaryly what you might want ultimately)untill such time that you have reestablished yourself. Joe. | ||
| Jim Wilke (Jim Bob) (Pd41044039)
Registered Member Username: Pd41044039 Post Number: 473 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 68.208.127.66 Rating: N/A |
I agree that there are many decent useable coaches out there for reasonable $$. The Flx is a neat project but you don't have the facility or resources now to carry it through to completion. If you get halfway through and can't finish, you won't get your investment back. Take $7,200 and one of his decent runner schoolies. Do a Goodwill store conversion to get you by 'till you get on your financial feet. Then when you have a place that willl allow it, get a project coach. | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 586 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 173.217.11.76 Rating: N/A |
Alright... I've decided to go ahead and push him to buy the bus... Not sure if it'll go or not, but... we'll see. I've got the little bit of $ I have left stuffed into a sock at the moment....  -Mac | ||
| Patrick levenson (Zubzub)
Registered Member Username: Zubzub Post Number: 208 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 70.51.28.211  Rating: N/A |
FWIW by the time I got around to buying my 4th '60s volvo (different old rig hobby) the one I got ('68 220) was the keeper. Hopefully your next bus will suit you better. | ||
| George Martinez (Foohorse)
Registered Member Username: Foohorse Post Number: 136 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 174.48.6.180 Rating: N/A |
Patrick ol buddy ol pal. not only do we share a penchant for brightly coloured grease but Volvos as well. I am finishing a 240. I changed the slush box to a 5 speed manual striped and repainted black the original colour, reupholstered the interior in Mercedes Benz black leather and black suede, and while the inside was bare I lined it with Dynamat insulation in preparation for the sound system that will further my hearing loss. figured she deserved a bit of pampering after logging 783,000 miles. I would really like to get an Amazon but for now the bus is the fire my money burns in | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 587 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 173.217.11.76 Rating: N/A |
Speaking of Phoenix.... How's the old girl? Getting things done? -Mac | ||
| Patrick levenson (Zubzub)
Registered Member Username: Zubzub Post Number: 209 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 174.91.219.51 Rating: N/A |
For George http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp3/zubzub_photos/IMG_1874.jpg May end up being my toad if I work out a way of running the bus exhaust up the back to the roof (Message edited by zubzub on May 14, 2010) | ||
| George Martinez (Foohorse)
Registered Member Username: Foohorse Post Number: 151 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 65.11.226.12 Rating: N/A |
Patrick that is a sweet Volvo. Phoenix is moving a bit slow to recover at the moment. |
