After only a week I found the one.
I couldn’t believe it. This was perfect. It did not have the windshield or the double headlights like the ’58. It did have 6 ½ feet headroom so I can live with that, and converted to RV. I made the purchase from e-bay and the seller offered to deliver it from Oregon. We set up a time for delivery and I waited, and waited. They took 12 hours for a six hour journey. Is everyone in Oregon so laid back? No, at midnight my bus arrived followed by…The Dudes! We all had a laugh about the coincidence. The dude let me know that the brake fluid leaks if it sits, but works fine on a journey, and that it got loud around Tacoma must have blown a donut. And the power brakes stopped working due to loss of vacuum, must have knocked a vacuum line loose when he removed the air filter. I asked why he removed the air filter. He said it was sputtering.
The next day I started checking things out. The paperwork showed he had owned it for Four years. Under the hood I found a house lamp wire, not connected to anything, pinched between the carb and manifold. That may have been why he said it was sputtering. I touched to coil and the wires fell off, that could cause problems too. Both easy fixes for me. The vacuum advance hose was missing as well. I tried to start it, but nothing, no click. I looked at the starter and the wires were loose. It still wouldn’t turn with the nuts tightened, so I went to replace it. This is a 1955 6700 Bus with a 1966 327 engine. The auto parts store sold me a starter for a 1966 327 with automatic transmission. The mounting holes did not line up, and in my excitement, I turned in the core when I picked up the new starter. Unfortunately, they shipped all the cores out that day, so I worked with the clerk for Two days to retrieve my core from the warehouse. We finally got it back along with a couple possible correct replacement starters. Somehow my core had been damaged, one ear was busted off. But I was able to get the measurement and bought a Mid Eighties bus starter that fit and works great. I also got tune up items. Plugs, wires, new coil, dist. Cap and rotor, a vacuum line, and a clear fuel filter.
It started right up and ran for a few minutes before it shut itself off. It sounded good, so I decided to go back at it another day. The next day I tried to start it, but it would not pop. No fuel in the filter. The Dudes were amazing, they got the bus to me with only a drop of gas to spare. I finally got some fuel and now it starts right up and runs smooth, and loud. One stud is busted where the exhaust pipe connects to the manifold. I disconnected the exhaust pipe and drilled a pilot hole near the center of the stud. The first Extractor tool broke, so I drilled a bigger hole. The second one fell out and disappeared in the gravel below. After a week or so I finally got the extractor ready to work, but I needed a way to turn it. I tried finding a square socket for my extension and breaker bar, but all I could find was a hex socket and that didn’t work. I broke down and purchased a tap handle and immediately mangled it. I decided to drill the stud out more and go at it with hammer and punch. The pilot hole was almost on center, so I was on some threads on one side. The bits that remained did not peel off the threads when persuaded with hammer and punch, so my next option was to tap the hole, or use a heli coil. I had used a heli coil once before years ago, so I decided to go that route. I forgot that it requires tapping the hole, so I broke down and got a tap set and exchanged the mangled tap handle for a new one. The tap worked, so no heli coil was needed. The pipe is now in place, but the engine is still loud. I’ll look again when it’s cold out to see if there are any leaks, I don’t have a feel for how tight the nuts should be and I’m overly cautious not to break another stud.
I am creating a list of what needs to be done and an inspection of the brake system is at the top of the list. The brake pedal went soft, so I popped the cap off the master cylinder. The plastic cap threads are stripped, and the cylinder was empty except for something. When you open a container of brake fluid, and break the foil seal, typically a ring of the foil remains on the rim of the container. I pulled this foil ring out of the master cylinder, before adding fluid. The hydrovac seems to work good, but I have no idea what the condition of the shoes are. I did see the parking brake linkage has been wired out of the way and disconnected, it needs a nut and a special metal bushing. That’s just as well since no brake lining remains on the parking brake. I know of a local truck shop that may be able to take on the job.
