Scenicruiser #805

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somewhereinusa
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Scenicruiser #805

Post by somewhereinusa »

What a great way to spend fathers day weekend.

Many of you know that Scott (332) bought a Scenicruiser and that he and I were going to make the trek north of Chicago this last weekend to try to get it so that it can be driven home. We loaded everything we could think of that we might possibly need into Scott's MCI and headed North. From what we can tell it last ran about 5 years ago. Prior to that we think that it had a NEW engine and transmission installed some 10 years earlier, then went from Texas to somewhere on the east coast (Connecticut ?) and didn't go much of anywhere until it was hauled to Illinois. It also had the floor lowered at the same time. A lot of it's history after it left Texas is pretty hazy.

This is what we were greeted with when we arrived Friday evening.Sitting all forlorn at a farm.

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We had no expectations of getting it done in one weekend, but hoped to get it running. Friday we didn't have much time to do anything. Saturday morning we set about checking the countless things needed to resurrect an engine that hadn't run for years. Scott did a quick check on the batteries and they checked bad so we pulled them out. We had planned on pulling one out of the MCI for the weekend. I suggested that he check them individually and would you believe one showed that it had 12v and might be usable? We used that one weekend?

Since the wiring to the front looks like this.

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The plan is to get it running from the rear. There is mechanical oil pressure and water temp gauges in the rear. We went about checking ,greasing and making sure we would "do no harm" to anything. Had to close front heater loop. We wired a switch to the emergency stop solenoid, it doesn't seem quite strong enough to pull against the pressure exerted by the spring. We pulled the valve covers to check movement of the rack. That has to be the cleanest I have ever seen the inside of a diesel that has run. Also pulled the throttle cable and greased it. Scott cleaned out the oil bath air cleaners, better him than me.

We discovered that the fuel tank had virtually nothing in it. Not sure why, possibly former owner had siphoned fuel to run his tractor? Fortunately I have friends who live near by and one offered to bring 50 gallons of fuel down. He finally showed up at midnight. Many thanks to Bill.

While we were waiting, we addressed other problems, like no driver floorboard or pedals. It ain't pretty, but it works.

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Sunday morning we felt we were ready to try to start the engine. After much "getting that really nasty, what IS that stuff" out of the feel system and much bleeding of things, we got it to fire. We had oil pressure just cranking. I am convinced that we are "this" close, just haven't gotten enough good fuel up to the injectors yet.

So with heavy hearts, we headed home late Sunday afternoon. We were hoping to get thing aired up to evaluate the air system and brakes. We are off again this coming weekend to try again, armed with things we discovered we didn't have.
Still we had a very productive weekend.
Wish us luck
LuckyChow
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by LuckyChow »

At first glance, this may all look monumental. However, it will go faster than you think. You guys will have it purring in no time. This is an interesting story. Can't wait to see the next installment!
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Dennis The Bus Dweller
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by Dennis The Bus Dweller »

Ah Yes, another "King O f The Road" saved 8)
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by Stealth Camper »

Have always loved the look of those buses. I guess childhood memories coming back....
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by Dennis The Bus Dweller »

I have a buddy who owns #2 I believe (out of 1001 built) and it had 2/4-71's in it when he bought it but hed them taken out and shoehorned in a 8-92 and added an extra radiator and a few fans to help keep it cool.
Last edited by Dennis The Bus Dweller on Thu Jul 23, 2015 3:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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somewhereinusa
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She's ready to roll

Post by somewhereinusa »

SHE'S READY TO ROLL

Due to prior commitments I wasn't able to help last weekend. Scott got the very generous offer from a local construction company to let him borrow the needed tires. They had bought a number of buses pretty much just to get the tires. So he loaded up truck and trailer and took them up last Saturday, making a long day of it. With the help of Tami he was able to get the "must have" wires identified so that temporary wires could be run.
This last weekend Scott and I again made the trip up on Friday afternoon. I can't for the life of me see why anyone would want to LIVE anywhere near Chicago. Really not much could be done on Friday except plan our attack for the next day.

This is a picture of the really nice working conditions. This is BEFORE the monsoon that swept in Saturday afternoon.

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Saturday after the obligatory "Start it up just because it's so cool" We set about getting that one brake that wouldn't release, freed up. After that we wrestled the new wheels and tires into place.

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We have an audience

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Next step is to air up the suspension to take the rear blocks out and get the front end up to check, lube and install the new tires. BIG PROBLEM, the suspension wouldn't air up (it did two weeks ago). It sure would be nice if there was an air diagram, or something even remotely addressing all of the air systems in the repair manuals. If there is such a thing we haven't been able to find it. After much discussion about what does what, and taking lines apart to see if there was air there, we were able to again get it up on it's feet.
Since the front had sank into the ground a bit we couldn't get a jack under it. Scott drove it forward just enough to get it out of the holes.

Note the cool "bucket" seat.

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I am constantly amazed by the things that look like they were just put in, then just sat for ten years. Many of the brake shoes haven't even fully seated yet. The front went smoothly, brakes adjusted, everything lubed and checked, new tires on. We had just started working on wiring, then the Monsoon came. We were working on wiring by that time so no time lost and we stayed dry, kinda. :)) Saturday was another of those16 hour days we all love so much.

Sunday up again at 6 to whittle away at that list that for a while kept getting longer instead of shorter, and by about 1PM the list had everything crossed off. It's ready.

The route home is not going to involve any interstates, so it's going to be a bit slow going so we decided to make the trip this coming Saturday. Since there is no way it will get out of that muck hole by itself so, Scott has contacted the services of a wrecker to meet us there.

Cockpit now with seat, gauges, shifter, turn signals and brake lights.

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It ain't pretty, but it works. Hopefully the next installment will only have pictures on the road with no tales to tell.

Dick
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Dennis The Bus Dweller
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by Dennis The Bus Dweller »

Those are such a great old rigs. If you guys ever won't or need to swap notes there is a great scenic cruiser group on yahoo and it's members are a bunch of pretty knowledgeable guys. There are actually 2 groups and one is better then the other.
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somewhereinusa
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by somewhereinusa »

Here's the trip home
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by Dennis The Bus Dweller »

The King Rides Again :thumbup:
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by Dusty »

FABULOUS :mrgreen: :mrgreen: What a prize , well done , I am a lot envious , I love those buses :thumbup:
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by splummer »

i also love this bus, great save, will check in on occasion to see your progress, keep the pics coming steve
just because you ride the bus , it doesnt make you a bus person
the bus stopped and i got on and thats how it all began
HOGCAT
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by HOGCAT »

I also loved the looks of them Scenic Cruisers, but was afraid of how complex the electric and air systems on them. Plus the tranny and engine parts availability if broke down on the road.
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by Canned Ham »

Hearing the engine start, and seeing it pulling out onto the road was very moving! Must have been quite a sight in person.

I'm looking forward to seeing progress on this great old bus. I love the look of them, and as a kid always wanted to sit in that upstairs window - never got to ride in one.
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somewhereinusa
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by somewhereinusa »

We're going to Il tomorrow to look at Tom McNally's #771 which is a fully restored seated coach. Tom also has 1001 which is the last Scenic ever built, oddly, it is also number 1. Scott is going to NC over thanksgiving to cut the front off another 4501 which hasn't been butchered and has the bumper extensions.
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Re: Scenicruiser #805

Post by Dennis The Bus Dweller »

somewhereinusa wrote:We're going to Il tomorrow to look at Tom McNally's #771 which is a fully restored seated coach. Tom also has 1001 which is the last Scenic ever built, oddly, it is also number 1. Scott is going to NC over thanksgiving to cut the front off another 4501 which hasn't been butchered and has the bumper extensions.
Im pretty sure Tom even raised the roof roof on #771
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