Heck yes! It looks awesome! That's got to feel great to see progress JB!
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Heck yes! It looks awesome! That's got to feel great to see progress JB!
Love the color, but then that's the color I want to paint Large Marge....joe
Thanks for the pics Roger, I take it they were posted initially by lamin8r?
It is good to see progress; if only everything didn't take so long!
A mate informed me the other day that at its present rate of progress I'd be trading it in on a zimmer frame before I got to drive it again.
(Don't you just love friends like that?)
The colour was matched from the inside of the glovebox door, where it hadn't been exposed to weathering and faded.
Ya need CHROME bumpers
Can't afford them Charlie!
After the money I've poured in to this over the last four or five years She Who Must Be Obeyed is getting a bit anti! :mad:
So they'll stay black, as Mr Ford built them.
:) :)
Man oh man oh man... I hope it can finally happen! it's been a long road....
Yep jb, those two, plus these three. What engine is in the bus?Quote:
Originally Posted by johnboy
Attachment 61936
Attachment 61937
Attachment 61938
To much - that Magic Bus..... :toocool:
Magic Bus - The Who (Live at the Isle of Wight) - YouTube
And according to that lil yella box on the engine,,Mr Lingenfelter has had his hand up there somewhere..
It's a 400 ci Vortec Chevrolet crate engine.
5 sp manual behind it.
So with a tare weight of around three tons ( haven't had chance to get it over a weighbridge lately, hopefully over the next few weeks,) it should have lots of grunt way down, and with a higher ratio diff still be a good cruiser.
I've never built a project like this before, everything else we've done has been familiar, you know the parameters; here I'm on a learning curve, so I know there will be a few tweaks to make, but we'll work those out as they arise.
I've never been involved with an engine like this before either . . . I mean; there's no carburettor, and no ignition system that I'm familiar with!
I s'pose I'll work it out.
But I'm taking out 'Roadside Assistance' insurance.
:D :D
and the reason you have tackled this project is, you have BIG B_LLSQuote:
Originally Posted by johnboy
.
Thank-you Joe for the compliment.
Miss Piggy once said: 'Never eat more than you can lift.'
A philosophy I've never lived by.
In the pioneering days of this country it was said that the first man on a block of land leaves his hide on the fence.
Well that was me.
It's what I've always done.
I've always 'lifted more than I could eat' and yeah, I've left my hide on the fence too at times.
I've faced losing everything I've worked for on more than one occasion, but with lateral thinking, and changing into a higher gear, have kept the wolves at bay.
I was innovative . . . didn't follow the herd. If you follow the herd you're left stepping in what the herd leaves behind.
On many occasions my accountant has shaken her head at stunts I've pulled, and said "I don't want to know how you did that. If I don't know I can't be implicated."
In the physical work I've done the thinking was: 'If it has the potential to get the job done then it's going to work. And if it's going to work then just do it.'
There was no room for finesse.
Close enough was good enough.
But with this particular job I was stymied by bureaucracy; the condom on the penis of vision, passion, and dedication.
With a condom, no seeds are allowed to flourish, to reach their potential.
Small people with small minds, in a position of minor authority, can bring the good and great low, just to satiate their own selfish interests and desires, thereby stifling any entrepreneur with vision and passion from achievement.
Nil bastardo carborundum.
Don't let them grind you down.
And I didn't.
Some will say I'm dedicated, some will say I'm obstinate, and some will say I'm bloody-minded and pig-headed.
Their choice.
I just do things my way.
Always have, and always will.
(Rant over. Steps off soapbox and exits stage left, shaking its head, dribbling and muttering to itself.)
There's nothing left to say................................... Elvis has left the building.................
OMG, Johnboy!! There's an art gallery full of "word pictures" and quotable quotes in your rant!! Love it!!! If I steal some of them, I'll be sure to give you proper credit!!;);)Quote:
Originally Posted by johnboy
Is there a book in the works?? :D:D
Thanks mate.Quote:
Originally Posted by randyr
You've got a pretty good turn of phrase yourself there.
And don't go giving me credit; I've got no copyright on words.
Nup.Quote:
Originally Posted by randyr
I've already written it.
It's like marriage and making babies; been there done that, don't need to do it again.
And a big thanks to 34 40 for the The Who Magic Bus link as man, who needs Led Zepplin when the greatest band of all rock time is on stage, absolutely brilliant. Best Bass player, best drummer, best guitarist and simply amazing vocalist. Two taken too early in their lifes sadly.
Now back to the bus before somebody puts a condom over my head.;)
Well said JP! I don't like following the herd either. Altough stuff would get done faster if I did. :LOL:
Yep why build what's already been built
Damn we must be twin brothers of different mothers, nothing better the a man out to prove his point that "YES, I did it MY WAY, I am CORRECT and Don't YOU Forget IT" and there's nothing more fun the hitting a hornets nest w/a big stick, lolololololololol.......joeQuote:
Originally Posted by johnboy
.
It's much safer to pop that nest with a lead slug, from a distance.
This thing is killer but I sure wouldn't want to wet sand that baby!
Only dead fish, sticks, and turds go with the flow.Quote:
Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe
Exactly!Quote:
Originally Posted by cffisher
We've 'been there, done that', let's do something that when it's finished (if it ever is,) is gonna be both practical, fun, and something different.
Another Mustang?
Ho-hum
Another Corvette?
Ho-hum.
Another '32 Ford?
Ho-hum.
Bellybuttons.
Everybody's got one
Let's do something else!
(I can see I'm gonna get rocks thrown at me any second now!)
:eek: :eek: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
Quote:
Originally Posted by firebird77clone
Naaaaaaaaaa, what's the fun in that??
I want that adrenaline rush, lololololol
Shot up to Waitara yesterday to check out progress.
The upper rubbing strip has been painted, (that's the one moulded into the body,) and the two lower ones have been painted and mounted.
The three black horizontal stripes along the sides have broken the intensity of the yellow nicely.
While we were there Robin (lamin8r,) and a mate were mounting the rear guards, mirrors, et cetera.
The replacement of the chrome trim and black bumpers will do even more to 'mellow' it.
Although I can see now that at some stage in the near future I'm going to have to paint the grille bars in something like a pale ivory; primarily to 'break' the yellow.
We then shot down to Normanby (virtually the other end of the province,) to talk with Dave Kindberg (a mate from way back,) regarding seat belts in the rear of the bus.
"Measure what size you want them to be, and I'll have them done for you within a fortnight. Measure them in inches, 'cos that's what my supplier, an American outfit, deals in."
Cheers mate! That's what I wanted to hear!
(As an aside, and really relevant only to us Kiwis, he's sold the custom car/trike building side of his business to Colin Hook, who has been his manager since its inception...a good bloke. So there's a bit of gossip you didn't know...Colin too I've known since he was a hairy-legged school-boy...)
So I'm getting all my ducks lined up...they're not in a row yet but.
That's dependant upon how soon we get the bus out of Broker's workshop.
I've got the crown wheel and pinion for the diff sitting under a bench.
The squabs and the material to cover them are sitting under another bench.
All the interior lights and relevant fittings are here waiting...as is the carpet for the floor.
The interior insulation is still sitting on my trailer in a shed
I've got the non-see-through film for the windows in the shower/toilet.
The seat belts will be ordered next week.
The appertainent tradies are poised and ready to swing in to action.
(They're all friends, and recognise the importance/time-frame of this.)
We've got less than two months now to get this thing finished before our NSRA Nationals, and the Spears' New Zealand Sojourn.
And it's all dependant upon when the bus departs Brokers.
Rattle your dags man!
Sic'um jb, sic'um! We're counting on the bus being ready for a long shakedown cruise!!
A little bird on FB says this is how it looked a bit after jb & Rosie departed ...... Hope you don't mind me posting it here, jb?Quote:
Originally Posted by johnboy
Attachment 61990
Mind?
Do I mind?
Would you ask a leper to count to ten on his fingers?
Hell no!
Man but you're pretty quick off the mark mate, I only became aware of this on farcebook around bedtime last night.
When I did I promptly put it in an e-mail and posted it to Coxy (Graeme Cox, the engineer who did the work on the bus for me,) then rang him to ensure he saw it.
Got him out of bed but, and he was a bit grumpy initially, but I told him to tell his missus to go to her e-mails and print it off.
When she returned with the pics there was a silence for a few seconds at the other end of the phone.
It's not often Coxy's speechless, but he was this time.
It really made his day to see it like that.
So we oohed and aahed for twenty minutes patting each other on the back.
He reckoned it was worth getting out of bed to see.
Its been a saga over the last couple of years; but to see it like that makes it (mostly) worthwhile.
Hell; I know I couldn't be happier if I was a hurricane in a caravan park!
There are an awful lot of people we've got to thank for their work, advice, assistance with knobby bits, and also just 'holding my hand' and giving encouragement throughout this whole drama.
Very humbling.
Thank-you one and all.
(There's also one or two who deserve being splunged with a gillican spike...but we won't go there now. Note my comments re bureaucrats in a previous post.)
Thanks Roger!
Kurt Broker rang today; we can pick the bus up Wednesday.
YEEHA!
First stop will be the signwriter's, where they can do their measuring preparatory to putting it on vinyl.
Regulations state that only school buses can have the word 'school' on them, so this will read: Billings Ind Dist on the top widest rubbing strip, with a large numeral 4 on a black background between the upper rubbing strips and alongside the door, as it did originally.
(Can anyone verify the 'Ind Dist' as Independent District?)
Then to Pete Moller's garage for the diff gears to be changed.
Then to Okato for the interior work to be done.
Things are moving again.
I'm so happy if I were a puppy I'd leave puddles.
good news jb looking forward to the final post.
by the way- at the age you're approaching - you won't have to be a puppy!!
jb, "Ind. Dist" was "Independent School District" back in that era, replaced today by "Public School District", or in a few rare cases "Consolidated School District". Is your signwriter going to do the elephant across the back, or have you decided to keep it more period correct?
Many school buses in TX still have an ISD suffix on the side, for Independent School District, and the various areas are still called Independent School Districts.
ISD is "Intermediate School District" Separate from Independent School District.
Yep. The elephant is going across the back, along with a few bars of Baby Elephant Walk.Quote:
Originally Posted by rspears
Thanks for that info people.
It's good to have your assumptions verified.
Roll on to-morrow!
:D :D
Thanks mate.Quote:
Originally Posted by sharpmark
Cheeky beggar! May your hens turn into ostriches and kick your fowl-house to pieces!Quote:
Originally Posted by sharpmark
:) :) :)
JB, it's sure looking great! Congrats and I hope the streak continues!!!
Couldn't have said it better myself! :LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by johnboy
Pete Moller rang at 3:50 pm to tell me he'd finished the bus, so shot through to New Plymouth to pick it up.
Brought it home, and parked it on the driveway where I could look at it last thing at night before I went to bed, and look at it again first thing in the morning when I crawled out.
Eye candy!
Spent some considerable time on Saturday doing little inconsequential jobs, and yeah, as Roger said, jest settin' and thinkin'.
Saturday evening the rain came . . . and it rained.
And then it rained some more.
Two inches in about fifteen hours.
And the bus leaked like a bloody colander.
sigh.
First thing was to ring Errol Ward, my upholsterer mate and tell him it won't be coming to his place Monday.
Then early today (Monday,) head to Nigel Fraser (Classic Auto Repaints,) in Opunake and ask for his assistance in rectifying this new problem.
He knows me, he knows of the tribulations we've endured with it, and he prioritised it for me.
Thanks Nigel!
He's got the gear to reach all over it --- I've got a gantry, a left-over from when we hired out caravans for a living; but this thing won't fit underneath it.
He rang back this arvo, (She took the message; I was busy elsewhere,) and said it should be finished (waterproofed but not painted,) by lunchtime to-morrow.
He also said he's practically had to fight voyeurs off with a stick!
(I know when I took it down to him this morning, a couple walked around it while Nigel and I were talking, with her taking photos of it.
She smiled at me and said "Very nice."
"Thank-you," I replied.
He said "She meant the bus; not you!" :LOL: )
So hopefully that little hiccough is remedied!
Thanks again Nigel.
Damnitall but we've employed some bloody duffers on this job!
Noel McMillin had the thing sitting outside his workshop for thirteen months and didn't notice or think to mention it leaked?!?!
Donaldsons had it sitting outside their workshop for ten months and didn't notice or think to mention it leaked?!?!
Yeah right!
The 'not my job' syndrome . . . all too prevalent amongst tradies.
(No slur on the painter, Kurt Broker, all the time he had it it was inside; he wouldn't have noticed.)
Now what else can go wrong?
another sigh.
Hang tough JB, you'll get 'er, just gotta pay a few more dues. I feel your pain, been there, done that, and refused the T-shirt cuz didn't want the reminder.......
If we took out all the trade slackers and hung 'em the world population would likely be halved.............sigh indeed.
