Sharkey's Back Up!

[Lostranger]

Thursday, 3:40 A.M. EDT. I have an early day and couldn't get back to sleep for the last two hours I had available, but I'm thrilled to see that mrsharkey.com is back on line. Welcome back, Sharkey. We missed you.

Jim in NC

[ezrablu]

ditto....it was scary when the page wouldn't open on the 2nd day. I thought I would have to rejoin that angry "other" group

[yugogypsy]

HURRAY

Sure am glad to be back, I've been hiding in the bomb shelter with the rest of you that found it.

Blu-called my friend at the private school, he said to call him again at the end of May about dorm mattresses. I'm continuing my search for a bus.
What I want is a little Dodge bus, so I am going to have to do some more advertising.

My book is sizzling along, up to 168 pgs and building another housetruck, this one will have a crawl through, the first one didn't.

I love writing fiction, or semi-fiction, because a few of my friends are in it.

Hope everyone is doing good today
Hugs
Lois

[Mark R. Obtinario]

Lois I don't want to rain on your parade but why in the world would you want a Dodge bus?

I am a Pentastar kind of guy--we have two Chryslers in our garage right now. But the last bus I would want to purchase would be a Dodge chassis bus. Ford would be a close second to last for me.

The last Dodge medium and heavy duty trucks left the factory in the middle '70's. The last of the cut-away chassis left the factory in the early '80's.

Parts for the cut-away aren't too bad but it is just about as hard to find parts for the medium and heavy duty Dodge trucks as Studebaker trucks.

[yugogypsy]

Because I know Dodge engines fairly well, my Dad drove a Dodge or Plymouth vehicle right up to the year he died.

I know NOTHING about Fords or Chevs and anything beyond that is a total mystery.

I'm just going to keep looking
Lois

[Headache]

Please do yugo. I have to agree with Mark that you step out of your comfort zone on this one. All the knowledge in the world about Dodges won't get you the parts you need to fix one and Fords are only slightly better.

Ford did briefly build a decent truck but never backed it like they should have. Getting parts took weeks, finding a mechanic that was familiar with them was just as hard.

I would definitely stay away only because the things you will most certainly need most likely won't be found.

[yugogypsy]

Parts aren't much of an issue, the Buy, Sell & Trade paper can usually get me what I want, and if my pal Tom can get parts for his 1956 Dodge Power Wagon (w/swivel frame) at the local auto supply, I shouldn't have too much trouble either.

Lois

[splummer]

lois i also like dodge, there are a few pics of the old flat fender power wagons some place here , a bus and my 47 civy ffpw, i think the bus was a m37 , pparts are fairly easy but expensive, the only draw back with the old pw that they are very uncomftable to drive a lonf distance, as far as a swival frame ,iam still looking for one

[Stealth Camper]

Not trying to gang up on you here, but something similar to a medium duty International with DT466 and Allison tranny (or 6 speed manual) is a great place to start. Freightliner is doing some newer stuff in that field now.

This has been around for decades and they are very good combination. I consistently get 10 mpg and better in box trucks with that drive train, and they are tough! (Drive occasionally for Salvation Army and the trucks get driven by a WIDE variety of people and are almost literally beat to death, but they keep on going. With a little maintenance...)

And reasonable to work on with parts easily available.

[Jones'n4chrome]

MOPAR'S RULE!

[yugogypsy]

Yeah MOPAR 'S RULE!!!!

Lois

[Stealth Camper]

Bashing on regardless - and happy owner of Ram w/Cummins - but Dodge Bus?????

[yugogypsy]

No Cat diesel engines for this kid--I'm going looking for an older bus with a good old 360 or 440 in it.

Have to start looking when my van is back on the road--and I don't want a full sized bus, because I don't NEED a full sized bus.
I could probably do fine in something as small as Good Glue's unit.
Lois

[Mark R. Obtinario]

Most of the full size Dodge buses I have seen had 361's or 413's--great engines but parts are few and far between compared to the small block's or the 440's.

The biggest problems with full size Dodge buses aren't the engines and transmissions. It is the brakes. The last school district I know that had full size Dodge buses had to have brake drums made because NOS or re-pop brake drums are just non-existent. I have no idea what the availability of springs or brake cylinders would be.

If you are looking at a cut-away the parts availability will be a whole lot better. But nothing compared to finding parts for an IHC. Most of the parts on almost every IHC truck or bus built are still available from Navistar.

My biggest problem with every small bus, particular those built on cut-away chassis, is almost every single one of them has more bus on top than there is truck underneath to carry it.

Look at the GVWR stickers on a few buses and you will get an idea of what I am saying.

Most full size school buses have GVWR's in the 26,000+ range with empty weights of around 16,000. You can do a lot with five tons.

Most small buses have GVWR's in the 12,000 range with empty weights of around 10,000. You can't do a lot with one ton.

[Headache]

I still miss my 71 Dodge Dart with the slant 6 motor. It had 225,000 miles on it when I sold it and all it needed was a head gasket and of course the windshield sealed up.

I used to belong to a Slant 6 club, they were a fun bunch of people.

But that's as far as I go. I gotta look at the big picture in that someday I will be traveling in my bus and I wouldn't be a happy camper if I had to wait weeks or even months to find a part.