The Bus: December edition

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

steve remchak wrote:

at a glance, the striped like Mike W version is not \\\M worthy of a ten year investment. i'm thinking $15K + price range with a real diesel heritage.

Freightliner, Volvo or the like.

now this is a bus............ http://www.bargainbusnews.com/Buses/239 ... giframediv

25 years easy. CDL required to drive it? I don't know.

At least the front overhang matches the rear overhang... can you imagine how much that would pitch back and forth with our trailer in tow?

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:05 am

Arthur McDonald wrote:

steve remchak wrote:

at a glance, the striped like Mike W version is not \\\M worthy of a ten year investment. i'm thinking $15K + price range with a real diesel heritage.

Freightliner, Volvo or the like.

now this is a bus............ http://www.bargainbusnews.com/Buses/239 ... giframediv

25 years easy. CDL required to drive it? I don't know.

At least the front overhang matches the rear overhang... can you imagine how much that would pitch back and forth with our trailer in tow?

I doubt very much as heavy as that thing is.

Problem is, you'd never get it moving. A 5.9L Cummins in something like that can barely get out of its own way, especially with a couple big AC compressors running. I'd be skeptical of a '93 with only 64k miles, too. *shrug* Usually buses like that are on a shorter version of the same chassis that a longer one would have. If so, it would likely be a good bit heavier, by itself, than a typical E-450 chassis type bus. Except the 5.9L Cummins from '93 would be about the same kind of power as the later 7.3L turbo Powerstroke. It'll last longer and is easier and cheaper to work on (and hop up), though.

--Donnie

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

Hey look! Someone heard we were getting a new bus!

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

KendtEklund wrote:

Hey look! Someone heard we were getting a new bus!

Well, of course we'll have Ryan take a test drive before we make an offer

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:38 pm

Is it wrong that I actually want to try driving the bus to see how bad it is? It can't possibly be worse than the time that I overloaded my box truck with wooden playgrounds from Emporia to Raleigh (95 & 64). I though it was going to die when each time a semi would be as the front end was terribly unweighted. Never again. :shock:

Sounds like the current bus at times.

Is there a certain thread with a criteria of what we need.
-good visability to see the course
-a/c (?)
- < 200k turbo diesel
-longer wheelbase/shorter overhang than current bus
-budget?
-towing capacity

I have a lot of down time at work and can browse online to see what's out there.

If the E350 isn't totally out of the question, here's one not too far from here with a little less mileage if it helps.
http://www.commercialtrucktrader.com/fi ... 0-97782699

-Matt

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

I've driven it a lot, including a couple of trips to VA for rallyxes. I've driven it a few times when the AC wasn't working and it was about 100 degrees. Those trips were the worst. I also had the exhaust fall off on a trip back from Laurinburg - fortunately I was about 2 miles from home. Driving this POS is definitely an experience that will make you appreciate nice things. Which is part of the reason I volunteered to drive it so many times.

The brakes suck (especially when people get in & out of the driver's seat at the BMW Farm rallyx and they keep bumping the trailer brake controller, but you don't notice it's moved until your first panic stop when the asshole travelling in the opposite direction decides to stop and do a 3 point turn in the middle of the road in front of you just over the next hill), the steering REALLY sucks, it's really loud, and it has nowhere near enough power to haul around that much weight. You don't know how steep the hills are on I-40 until you've driven this bus.

So, Matt, you should definitely drive it wherever it needs to go next. :lol:

George Bright · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:14 pm

steve remchak wrote:

at a glance, the striped like Mike W version is not \\\M worthy of a ten year investment. i'm thinking $15K + price range with a real diesel heritage.

Freightliner, Volvo or the like.

now this is a bus............ http://www.bargainbusnews.com/Buses/239 ... giframediv

25 years easy. CDL required to drive it? I don't know.

I had to go get a bus like this to put a windshield in it. It was not happy over 45 MPH. and yes it did pitch a bit. Definately not suitable. Since it won't make highway speeds it might only have 64k miles on it.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:21 pm

George Bright wrote:

steve remchak wrote:

at a glance, the striped like Mike W version is not \\\M worthy of a ten year investment. i'm thinking $15K + price range with a real diesel heritage.

Freightliner, Volvo or the like.

now this is a bus............ http://www.bargainbusnews.com/Buses/239 ... giframediv

25 years easy. CDL required to drive it? I don't know.

I had to go get a bus like this to put a windshield in it. It was not happy over 45 MPH. and yes it did pitch a bit. Definately not suitable. Since it won't make highway speeds it might only have 64k miles on it.

makes sense George. too bad as that is one sexy bus. :lol:

JohnByers · **Posted:** Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:34 pm

it occured to me today that the few other groups I have autoxd with use trucks and just run the event out of trailers. I am sure there is a completely logical reason the club bought a bus (I know of at least two in a row) to tow the trailer with but has Tarheel always used this type of setup over a truck?

I am sure it has to do with the fact we have ALOT of stuff on the trailer and bus and it would be compromising to just use the trailer. Just thinking out loud.

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Sun Dec 19, 2010 10:41 pm

JohnByers wrote:

it occured to me today that the few other groups I have autoxd with use trucks and just run the event out of trailers. I am sure there is a completely logical reason the club bought a bus (I know of at least two in a row) to tow the trailer with but has Tarheel always used this type of setup over a truck?

I am sure it has to do with the fact we have ALOT of stuff on the trailer and bus and it would be compromising to just use the trailer. Just thinking out loud.

It's because we're elitists and like to have comfy areas to run Timing and registration.

It was before my time, but we evidently have run events from just a trailer. But that trailer was pulled behind a member's truck, not a club truck (at least as far as I know). And this is indeed our backup plan, if'n the bus decides not to work.

But, we DO have standards to maintain....

JasonWatts · **Posted:** Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:59 am

Arthur McDonald wrote:

KendtEklund wrote:

Hey look! Someone heard we were getting a new bus!

Well, of course we'll have Ryan take a test drive before we make an offer

where is this intersection? it feels like a corner I know of in charlotte.

RobLupella · **Posted:** Mon Dec 20, 2010 1:45 pm

JasonWatts wrote:

Arthur McDonald wrote:

KendtEklund wrote:

Hey look! Someone heard we were getting a new bus!

Well, of course we'll have Ryan take a test drive before we make an offer

where is this intersection? it feels like a corner I know of in charlotte.

Somewhere in Eastern NC where Ryan goes to do height checks on the bus and trailers

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Mon Dec 20, 2010 2:45 pm

That joke is sooooo 2005

Judi Westerfield · **Posted:** Mon Dec 20, 2010 2:46 pm

It is still funny 5 years later...

JasonWatts · **Posted:** Mon Dec 20, 2010 2:58 pm

Judi Westerfield wrote:

It is still funny 5 years later...

whats the back ground so those of us who were not here 5 years ago can realize what landmine they just stepped on. :shock:

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The Bus: December edition

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