Getting Shrek (the 4x4 bus/cabin) stuck and unstuck

[Reddog]

So while at a friends snowmachine access only cabin, we decided that instead of letting my 4x4 bus.cabin/eyesore sit in my pasture all winter. We would take it to his cabin and use it as a "guest house".
We chained the beast up and did really well in the 4-8" of packed, yet still sugary snow...then came the spot where the road became off camber and the bus decided to zig instead of zag...

So after some digging and cussing and head scratching, we went home, went to bed and came back the next day with the cat:

Ran the winch cable past the bus, thru a snatch block on a tree and back to Shrek. Worked like a charm! Once back on the road, we pulled Shrek back to a wide spot (kinda wide)

and got the cat in front and escorted (chain attached) Shrek on down teh road and to it's winter home without further drama:

Gotta love a snowcat...
Doug at 8000'

 

[Cowboy]

Great pics and nice view. The "guest house" looks plenty comfy at its new location.

 

[bczoom]

Great pics and nice view. The "guest house" looks plenty comfy at its new location.

Yep, what CB said. Some friends of mine go out to Gunnison for Elk, but they never bring back pics. Beautiful place. They're planning a trip now. Will ask them to take pics this time.

 

[mannix]

I want to know more about the bus!

Where did you get it? Searching for pics now, but if you could post more about that, I'd really appreciate it - I want one for a snowmobile hauler, convert the back half into a garage, make a living area in the front.



Iain

 

[redsqwrl]

ditto on the bunkhouse. I really dont need a photo of how the front end is located. but that would be cool to see.
I am eyeing up a IH diesel powered Bus to haul my cat around. by eyeing up I mean sawzall cutting begins soon. 4wd would be nice.
www.Skoolie.net for other Bus junkies.

 

[squerly]

Cool bus and that's a beautiful location. Got anymore pics of the cabin and surrounding area?

 

[Reddog]

Ahh yes, the bus...
It is a 1977 Chevy based bus with a Superior bus body. I was told it was ordered new by a nearby mine (we think it was the Galactic Mine near Del Norte, CO) and used to transport workers from a parking area to the mine. It shows 71XXX miles, and I think that is correct. It has a 366 gas engine with HEI ignition and and Edelbrock carb, really runs well, smooth and quiet. It has a 5 speed manual tranny, 1st gear being a granny gear, hi/low, 2wd/4wd transfer case, all work great. Rockwell 90 series front axle with Selectro lock out hubs. It is running 900x20 tires, the 2 on the front are BRAND new, rears are serviceable.
I bought it because I'm kinda a bus nut, had built a RV conversion a few years back
http://ImageEvent.com/reddog/1990thomasbuiltbusdogbus
and thought I might make another, more off pavement worthy rig out of this one. It had a pretty 'mountain man" theme going and was really filthy inside,
http://ImageEvent.com/reddog/shrek
so I pulled everything but the woodstove out, and cleaned it up for use as the winter bus/cabin.

Like many of my ideas, I have about decided that I really don't have time to take on another project of this scale, so I'm going to sell it. I had it advertised on CL and a couple other forums, but no takers, so we decided to take it to the hills for the winter. If somebody wants it, I need 3000 for it. I hope this is not a transgression of forum rules to say I'm selling something in this thread. If so, please move the thread as necessary.
The cabin belongs to some friends who are good enough to let us park the bus on their property. It is near the base of the Anthracite Range a few miles from Crested Butte, CO. It was in poor condition when they bought it, but after many hours of work this summer, it's a real piece of heaven now.




Makes poor old Shrek look pretty bad...huh?!?!?
If anybody needs a bus, let me know, we can get it back out of the property now, but another snowstorm and it will be there till May!
Doug at 8000'

 

[Cowboy]

Great pics of ALL of your projects. I loved the pics of both buses, but the cabin IS really, really nice. The scenery is just breathtaking.

 

[squerly]

Wow, that is really a nice place. No phone, no tv, no microwave. The bus has potential, not sure the guest house idea is going to go far though.

 

[Reddog]

Forgot to add, Shrek has a Telma Driveline retarder, just about the coolest thing since snowcats! And as an aside, is there anyway to edit posts, I was going to add the retarder to the bus description, but can't find a "edit post" button...
D@8K'

 

[Cowboy]

Forgot to add, Shrek has a Telma Driveline retarder, just about the coolest thing since snowcats! And as an aside, is there anyway to edit posts, I was going to add the retarder to the bus description, but can't find a "edit post" button...
D@8K'

I seen that in the picture link and wondered what it was, I think the edit button is only available for 15 or 20 minutes after you post. You might get one of the mods to add it for you if you send them a PM .

 

[Reddog]

Now I see it. Like you said, must go away after a little bit. I gotta start thinking faster....
D@8K'

 

[the old trucker]

Is this what your talking about ?? I guess it's similur to an engine brake (heads on top of engine, or a brake saver,( mounted on transmission.)

Telma offices will be closed from December 23, 2011 through January 3, 2012.
Technical support and sales will be monitored over the holiday break, please call 800-797-7714 x501 and leave a message and we will return your call.

[FONT=verdana,helvetica,arial]Faster speeds. Heavier vehicles. Intense demands in a fast-paced, stop and go world. Let's face it, traditional friction brakes - whether drum or disc, air or hydraulic - are finding it increasingly difficult to meet the real demands of today's heavy vehicles. While other transportation and safety capabilities have steadily progressed over time, this metal-on-metal technology has remained relatively unchanged. Well, at Telma, we think it's time for a major revolution. And though many are describing our innovation as "the future," we call it simply "frictionless braking." As the world's leading manufacturer of electromagnetic frictionless braking systems, Telma is literally revolutionizing vehicle control. The transportation market needs breakthrough solutions to friction braking problems, and we're providing them. From the principles of human safety, to the efficiency and cost savings of cutting-edge technology, the reasons for advancing to the science of frictionless brakes have never been more compelling. [/FONT]

 

[the old trucker]

[FONT=verdana,helvetica,arial]Rotating parts called rotors are attached to the driveshaft. Separated by a narrow air gap, the stator is connected to the vehicle chassis. When electricity flows through the stator coils, electromagnetic fields with alternate polarities are created. As the rotors pass through these fields, eddy currents are generated which slow the rotors and thus slow the driveshaft. Any heat generated during braking is self-dissipated through the rotor vanes. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,helvetica,arial]Traveling at 40 mph on a 6% gradient, the foundation brakes of a 19-ton, 4 X 2 vehicle reach approximately 750 degrees after only 150 seconds. Under panic stop conditions, the foundation brake temperatures can quickly climb to 2000 degrees. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,helvetica,arial]Wherever there's a need for heavy "stop-and-go" brake applications, Telma Frictionless Braking systems have a solution. From buses and firefighting equipment to emergency vehicles, and refuse trucks, this break-through innovation immediately enhances safety and profitability. [/FONT]

 

[Reddog]

That's it. Electromagnets try to "grab" the rotor on the driveshaft. 4 different stages, works like a charm. Got one on the Thomas bus and I never touch the brake pedal coming off the passes.
I gave serious thought to the bus/flatbed/snowcat hauler concept, but I have a really handy hydraulic tilt trailer that works like a charm. If it ain't broke....
D@8K'

 

[Doc]

Great pics. Beautiful.
No problem when mentioning that you are willing to sell the bus. We also have a free classified forum if you want to list it there too.
You can edit posts for 60 minutes after posting then the option goes away. You can then report the post and request that a mod edit it for you if you want ...or do like you did and make another post in the thread ...whichever you prefer.

 

[Reddog]

Thanks Doc, you folks have a nice forum. Happy Holidays, Doug

 

[Doc]

You're welcome Doug / Reddog. And welcome to Forums Forums. We have another member named RedDog2 and I missed that you were a new member since i was used to seeing that membername.
Anyway, welcome to the forums and I hope you'll stick around a while. That seems like a more than fair price on your bus. Good luck selling it.

Enjoy and post often!!!!

 

[Reddog]

Thanks again Doc, price seemed fair to me too. A new retarder is about a $10K option. Around here, a beater 4x4 blazer will bring $3K, so 4x4 bus/cabin/cat hauler ought to be worth at least that...or in my addled mind at least... D@8K'

 

[the old trucker]

That's it. Electromagnets try to "grab" the rotor on the driveshaft. 4 different stages, works like a charm. Got one on the Thomas bus and I never touch the brake pedal coming off the passes.
I gave serious thought to the bus/flatbed/snowcat hauler concept, but I have a really handy hydraulic tilt trailer that works like a charm. If it ain't broke....
D@8K'

Any chance of getting a couple of pics of your trailer & how it works ?? I want to build a 7' x 18' tilting trailer for my B12. The hydraulic part sounds interesting.
OT.

 

[Reddog]

I'm sure I'll have the cat out some over the weekend and I'll take some pics of it in action. These are the only shots I have right now:

Please excuse the lack of flashy paint, too cold to spray outside here in Gunnison. Basically, the tongue is hinged a couple feet behind the front of the flatbed and a hydraulic ram pushes the trailer bed and tongue apart. It kinda does a wheelie on the rear tires of the trailer. I used an electric over hydraulic pump that I salvaged off of a bus wheelchair lift. I'll get you some more pics and post them soon. D@8K'

 

[mannix]

Thanks for the businfo - I did actually find the CL posts.

When it comes out of hibernation in the spring, email me - ircmannix <at> gmail.com. Entirely serious; not in a position to buy (store) it right now, but if by some stroke of luck it is available in the spring, I'd seriously consider it.

Thanks!


Iain

 

[Reddog]

Will do Iain, with the lack of snow we are getting, spring may come sooner than later. Happy Holidays, D@8K'