| Author | Message | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 615 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 173.8.103.161  Rating: N/A |
Hey everyone, It's been a while since I last wrote, or even visited the boards... A lot has been going on over the past couple of months. First... While I still have my old '53 Flx, I doubt I'll be able to do anything with her any time soon. I've gone another route for now... I went ahead and got a boat for now instead. The advantages of having the boat vs. a bus where I am now (Minnesota) were greater. So... Maybe I'll be able to do something with the bus later on, but the boat is going to keep me pretty busy for a while. Everything is going well for the moment... Koko is doing good and so is Cricket. They're both adjusting to boat life quite well.  Cricket especially since he has more places he can hide, and Koko seems to like the big open spaces here at the marina. The boat itself isn't very big. It's a 1970 38 foot River Queen. About the same amount of usable interior space as a bus, just a little wider (11ft or so inside) but only about 28ft of usable length (until next year when I push the cabins further out onto the bow). I'm working again, which is good. The pay may not be the greatest, but it beats nothing any day. I'm still fighting Comcast to get internet and cable out here, but that'll come in time. Anyway, I just wanted to drop a little update while I was thinking about it since it's been so long... Cheers! -Mac | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1585 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 76.4.123.74  Rating: N/A |
Good to hear from you Mac PLEASE do keep us updated on things going on and the best of luck to you!! Gomer | ||
| Bill Gerrie (Bill_gerrie)
Registered Member Username: Bill_gerrie Post Number: 577 Registered: 3-2006 Posted From: 216.198.139.38  Rating: N/A |
Mac Good to hear things are picking up for you. Keep us updated on your boating and someday bus progress. Bill | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 701 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 24.126.36.245  Rating: N/A |
Best wishes; it is good to hear that things are going better. | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 616 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 173.8.103.161 Rating: N/A |
Quick question... anyone know an approximate cost to move my old 1953 Flx from LA to MN? 1100 miles or so... I think she's 35 feet in length... Absolutely NO idea on weight, but she's empty. Marvin, Bill... HAI! Bruce... Wow... Is that your current bus in your profile pic? If so... Sweet! Yes, things are finally getting better after everything that happened... It's good to finally be moving forward again. Hopefully, it'll stay that way and not stall out again, eh? lol I would post some pix of the boat I ended up with, but she's a bit ugly right now, being covered in foam insulation and all... So, I'll do the next best thing. Here's the pictures of it from when it was up for sale.... http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/photo_gallery.jsp?&hosturl=watergate&&ywo=watergate &slim=broker&boat_id=2275906&boatname=38%27+River+Queen+Liveaboard+Houseboat+Houseboat&pho to_revised_date=1300842649000&photo_name=Photo+1&photo=33&url= I have a great deal planned for her... We'll see how all that works out next summer. Lots of construction to do. I'll be adding a second deck up top. Her center of gravity is really low (she's a steel hull boat), and others have done the exact same thing with excellent results... Can't wait to rip into her! XD The only difference between my old bus and this boat... The bus has wheels, the boat floats. Otherwise, they're pretty much identical. -Mac | ||
| Ian Giffin (Admin)
Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1475 Registered: 7-1997 Posted From: 24.239.5.12  Rating: N/A |
Correction: The difference is that the vessel floats and the bus doesn't! ;-) Good to see you back and checking in, Mac. Thanks! Ian www.busnut.com | ||
| Bill Gerrie (Bill_gerrie)
Registered Member Username: Bill_gerrie Post Number: 578 Registered: 3-2006 Posted From: 216.198.139.38 Rating: N/A |
Mac Good looking boat. Engine doesn't look anything like a Detroit Diesel. Are you sure you know how to run it? Happy boating. Bill | ||
| Bob MacIsaac (Wildbob24)
Registered Member Username: Wildbob24 Post Number: 152 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 184.36.53.93  Rating: N/A |
Mac, I, too, am glad things have turned for the better, although I think I'd rather be in LA than MN for the winter. I really like your boat......has a lot of character. Gas engines in a boat have always made me a little nervous. Make sure you use the bilge fans before you try to crank that thing. My guess is hauling your Flx up there would be mighty expensive, probably $3.00 - $4.00 per mile unless you could find someone with the appropriate trailer needing a load for a backhaul. Bob | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 702 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 24.126.36.245 Rating: N/A |
Bob MacIsaac wrote: "My guess is hauling your Flx up there would be mighty expensive" Yeah. Do you have a "non-commercial" title? If so, can a buddy drive? Offer somebody a couple of hundred $$, a steak dinner when he gets there and a SouthWest ticket home. | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 617 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 173.8.103.161 Rating: N/A |
@Ian: Actually, buses float too. Just uh... not for very long. ^.^ @Bill: Yeah, know what you mean. I miss the smell and roar of a good diesel! @Bob: Thanks And yeah, I don't like gas engines on boats either. I don't like GAS on a boat, period... However... Up here, for some reason, diesel is really rare on a boat. Only a select few fuel docks have diesel access. Everything is gasoline... Kindof sucks. :'( @Bruce: It can't be driven. The engine barely runs, the transmission is OK, but is original to the bus, so... Needs to be replaced (parts are impossible to find) and I'd like to swap out the rear end with something more modern (it has spring suspension right now and I'd like to convert to air ride) and she's in desperate need of tires..... So... Driving her is simply not possible. I just wish I'd had the money to buy that scrapper bus I found that had everything I needed for a lowly $750. >.< But, to answer your question... yes, the title is non-commercial. It's titled in LA as a "Private Bus", which is what all motorhomes get. -Mac | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 703 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 24.126.36.245 Rating: N/A |
OK, yeah, that's an important factor in the whole equation. Good luck with it! | ||
| Bryce Gaston (Busted_knuckle)
Registered Member Username: Busted_knuckle Post Number: 308 Registered: 1-2006 Posted From: 184.41.2.217 Rating: N/A |
Mac, Use Uship.com and/or find you a trucker with a stepdeck looking a back haul back home. Your bus will fit on a stepdeck no problem. I found one on Uship to haul a 40' Setra 1676 miles from ID to TN for $3000. ;D BK ;D | ||
| Jorge Martinez (Foohorse)
Registered Member Username: Foohorse Post Number: 607 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 174.254.17.15  Rating: N/A |
Kevin Buddy send your monkeys uncle a recent picture of cricket will ya. He really is a very special little guy. or better yet post it here so others can see him. | ||
| macgyver (91flyer)
Registered Member Username: 91flyer Post Number: 618 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 50.73.120.1 Rating: N/A |
Heya,Jorge! How ya been, buddy? I'll take a pic and get it up when I get back home. I'm out of town right now for training... -Mac | ||
| Tom (Oldmansax)
Registered Member Username: Oldmansax Post Number: 11 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 67.142.130.46  Rating: N/A |
"I really like your boat......has a lot of character. Gas engines in a boat have always made me a little nervous. Make sure you use the bilge fans before you try to crank that thing. " It's kinda odd to see another busnut who has a boat with a gas motor. I just looked at trading my MCI for a 38" live aboard with two 454s in it. It wasn't really worth as much as my bus & the boat owner doesn't have any money. I thought at first I could trade for the boat & then sell it this spring but the condition & those gas guzzling 454s put the kibosh on the deal... Maybe I should trade the guy & take the boat to Minnesota...... TOM | ||
| ned sanders (Uncle_ned)
Registered Member Username: Uncle_ned Post Number: 120 Registered: 5-2005 Posted From: 184.39.30.141 Rating: N/A |
I also have a friend that has a boat with two 454 in it. Do you know that one of them turns backward. Wonder if i could put one in HUGGY my 4104. Guess I will have to ask Hard headed Ken if that would be easer than the series 50 and take less than a week to install. | ||
| Jack Fids (Jack_fids)
Registered Member Username: Jack_fids Post Number: 1000 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 72.211.145.15  Rating: N/A |
...all I have to say is I hope you brought your IceSkates, you'll be needing them to get to the Chandler unless they deliver. As a former resident of Mini-Soda, one who actually swam between Navy Island & the Courthouse & then showered at the Hilton Pool, I can tell you that you'd be better off in Key West with a cold drink . |