COOL !!!!!!!

Yeah what Jerry said, COOL !!!!!!!

I finally got the nerve to try a project that has been staring me in the face for too long. A while back I showed a couple guys in chat a bus I really wanted to get but missed the auction by 5 minutes and lost a great buy. Well, 30.00 and a few weeks later I picked up a more generic version of the same bus. (The good one retails for 46.00). I am now trying to structure my day a little better so I get my slot time in, and while I didn't rip into the bus with a dremel yet, I did get the chassis straightened out.

Here are a few shots of this monstrosity!!!

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2472.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2470.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2473.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2475.jpg

This was originally a 6X chassis designed to power a norscot Peterbuilt, but after assembly I determined it sat too high. Then an elongation project was undertaken to attempt powering a diecast greyhound bus, but the body proved to be way too heavy. Sadly, with the cash I spent on the diecast stuff, and the cheaper version bus I bought, I could have had the cool purple one. Some day I'll wise up!! It probably would have been easier to use a stock chassis and add the front of another one, but this 6X was already messed with so I stuck with it.

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2477.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2480.jpg

I will need to radius the wheel wells a little to use the truck wheels and tires. I think there's enough room around the wheelwells that a little trim won't be noticeable.

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2483.jpg

This would have been a really fun project if I was able to dig into it back when I wanted to. Having so many flops, mess ups, and human errors did a number on my confidence. The good news is, 3 more days and the kids are back in school!!!!!!

All I can say is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YQa6l3Geyo

... That'll work!!.. Can't wait till ya buzz that baby open and put some power in it... Want I for to send ya a can opener?? :rolleyes: nd

Great video! And the Bus...it's going to be really cool! I'd like to see that baby negotiate the inside of a 6" radius turn :eek:

Heck yeah. U-joe! :thumbsup:

This is a great suprise...way to go U-Joe!

Bob...ding, ding this is my stop driver...zilla

C'mon open up that tuna can and git'er in motion. ;) nd

Well I wish I could say it'll be done today, but I need to go to my nieces house for a cookout... Due to the cost of this bus, I will tread lightly and take my time. I can't afford to mess it up. I do plan on lighting it up once it proves to be track worthy.. The body is lightweight so that won't be an issue.. The smallest curves on my track are 9"-ers and it looks like it'll negotiate them ok. The only issue as far as running will be a minor conflict if something tries to pass it in a curve. I set it up intentionally with the pin right at the wheels because of the long frontal overhang to avoid two issues... clearing guard rails, and maintaining power through the dips in my screwy track. I do have most guard rails set back so I should be ok there..This has been sitting on my desk for a month now so one more day isn't going to kill me! If this one works I have a school bus or three to do next.. Now if I can only figure out a way to make the red lights flash on it when it stops... :tongue: :rolleyes: :tongue:

Thanks for the encouragement guys!!! Cross yer fingers!!

Now if I can only figure out a way to make the red lights flash on it when it stops...

We'll promote you to Super Genius if ya can pull this off Wile E. :thumbsup: Enjoy the day Joe... Scarf a few down fer me. nd

Power issues? No reason ya couldnt reconfigure the frontal chassis morph to use two sets of pick ups and shunt them together...or worst case scenario a set of drag braids can be adapted into the werks. A re-morph might also allow for other guide pin locations should you run into steerage issues. With a little light blade or dremel work you could locate the guide pin pocket any where along the central raised comm ridge. Heck, if yer careful there's already a coupla usable holes already. Remember that Aurora flipped the guide around on the early Cobra.

The rear wheel fitment might could be worked out by shaving the outside of the rear frame rail by half AND minimizing the gigantor mumbo lip/flange on the rims. Just sand the extra off. Keep in mind that one could also true the backside of the inner tire flat; as well as the outer side of the inner tire and the inner side of the outer tire where they meet. Only yer hairdresser would know fer sure and a few thou may be all you need to spare those precious wheel wells!

There is room for wheel trimmage.. and the thought of tire shaving never crossed my mind! Due to the location of the wheels VS. the pick ups I really can't do much to the front wheels other than shave the inside of the rim a bit, and then take an equal amount off the axle. I'm taking it slow..one step at a time. Plans changed and I'm still home. I wasn't moving fast enough for the TM and she had a hissy fit. :lol:

I finally got the courage to do a little grinding and cutting today. These Busch buses are constructed a little strange, and after my first few cuts all I could do is stare in disbelief.. How in the world do they put these things together?? :freak: The way they are molded is still a mystery. There are bars going across the bottom that are part of the body.. Anyway, here's a few preliminary shots as she sits right now. I only had one OOOOPS and accidently zipped the corner of a rear wheel well. It will sit a bit lower in the rear after I tinker with the wheels and wells..

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2488.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2489.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2491.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2492.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2493.jpg

I tried my best to retain as much of the interior as I could. After looking at this opened up I don't know if lighting will be an option, at least not without completely pulling the interior out.. I haven't given up hope yet. It's going to be a lot harder than I envisioned before I got into it, is all..

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2490.jpg

German engineering at it's finest. The detail on this body is really good. The problem is the detail's delicate nature. Them wipers won't be around long! Gonna take a break and then start on the wheels..

Take the wipers off and re-installem!...along with whatever else gets in yer way or pisses ya off!~hahahahahaha!

Ya got me all riled up with this cool bus project Joe, and the ideas are dancing across my mind. Nuthin sez that you couldnt carefully slice one of those front tires down the middle, re-true/shape the inner sidewall roll, cut the back of the rim away and bond the skinnied up tire back to the backshaved rim...all yer really after is the frontal or facing ribbed detail any how ?....no?

Nuthin' sez ya couldnt take a few thou of a scoop out of the pick up shoe either!!!....or maybe bevel the backside of the rim on an angle for shoe clearance/avoidance.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f30/modelmurdering/BFCDFB0-ACC3-4A16-A105-ACDF0B0903B3.jpg

Obviously I had to take a little nibble out of the pick ups on the Project X
brass rat. The upward shoe travel rubbed on the rocker panel relative to the forward cowl area that I REALLY wanted to keep. Dont hurt it a bit.

How much is a round trip ticket to upstate NY please??? Looks great, even though it's a lot of work!!! RM

How much is a round trip ticket to upstate NY please??? Looks great, even though it's a lot of work!!! RM

Actually, the summer saver fares are still in effect until mid September!! If the TM doesn't adjust her attitude I just might be heading south!! :lol:

Frankenbus! I love it.

you know every time i open this thread i think...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX6aVa7B2qQ&feature=related

:cool:

--rick

I had no idea these buses had wooden floors until I did some research.. Always wanted one converted into a motor home.. Someday, maybe... :rolleyes:

Looks great so far Joe... Last night in chat, as we talked about the bus, I had no idea you got this far!!... I thought the cookout and "other things" took up your time and I didn't check the thread until now... Good progress. :thumbsup::thumbsup: nd

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2490.jpg

German engineering at it's finest. The detail on this body is really good. The problem is the detail's delicate nature. Them wipers won't be around long! Gonna take a break and then start on the wheels..

So you're gonna light it. Are you gonna make those wipers work?

Too Cool Joe!

Rich

Sure Rich!! Heck I'm even thinking putting a smoke generator in it!! You know these buses can't take off without dumping a ton of diesel smoke in the air! :lol:

Actually, due to the way these buses are put together, I don't know if I can light it. The body sides are constructed in 2 sections, and then held together by the ends. Front and back are single pieces. The sides of the body are very thin and flex too much without the bottom there. Part of me wants to pull the interior out, lightly tint the windows and light it up. Part of me is afraid to go any further for fear I really screw it up and have to start over with a new body. :drunk: I wish they sold these in kit form.. It would make things so much easier!! I guess I'm going to sit back for a while and ponder the situation. Pinesol won't fix any booboos with this one!! :tongue:

too cool man!!! :thumbsup:

Wes

Thanks for the encouragement guys!! I did a little chassis shaving, wheel sanding, and the back wheels are still a bit too wide. I did a bit more trimming on the body and decided to rip the interior out. Lighting it is feasible again!! If I can figure out a way to do this, Busch makes some cool paint variations of this bus, and while expensive, they are so cool it will be hard not to want to do a couple more. Sad reality is, they fall in the 35-46.00 range each and I'm not made of money!!

I am currently trying to get the guts up to drill some holes and get started on lighting this bad boy up, and there is still some trim work needed around the wheel wells to allow a little more clearance. I have the front wheel set up trimmed up pretty good now with just minor body trimming required. As for the back, the tires are clearing the outer silver panel, but the inner red section is interfering. I can take a few more thousandths off the wheel sets and maybe the same off the chassis but I don't want to go much further or I'll run out of axle splines.. :rolleyes:

It has been suggested I light the interior of this bus too, and as cool as it will look there are issues that would need to be addressed. The body's light weight nature has it's downside. It will glow worse than a flame thrower if I try to illuminate the inside. Without a total disassemble and some silver paint I don't think I could block all the light from leaking through the roof and the sides. As it is, the head and tail lights will be needing special treatment to avoid any issues.

As is stands now, the game plan is to install the LEDs for the head and tail lights, maybe salvage the front section of seating with a gnome driver (my signature driver) behind the wheel, and then fill the rest with sheet styrene painted black to give me a solid base for posts to mount the chassis and hide the emptiness of the body. It will also stiffen the body back up so it won't be a rattle can running around the track. I am proceeding cautiously with this one and hopefully the next one will be smooth sailing as I can use all the intel I gathered from this one on the next. Once I get her all together I plan on some advertising panels on the side and back.. maybe the theater, Hooters, Coors, Pete's Meats?? Who knows what I'll come up with.. :lol: I'll pop some pictures up when I have something new to show. ;)

I don't think I could block all the light from leaking through the roof and the sides. As it is, the head and tail lights will be needing special treatment to avoid any issues. I'll pop some pictures up when I have something new to show. ;)

Sounds like a plan Joe. ....Kidding on the wipers though... unless you think you can of course ???... Naaah... No worries just kidding... really ;) this time. It's gonna be cool. nd

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/Davesx4/Slotman.jpg

This one has only been sitting dead for a few months. Maybe you could get a deal on it. It's Mint, Sweet and Nice! (Needs work).

Oh jeez Dave, you sure know how to hurt a guy!!! That there is a solid example of what I would want!! I'd need a few life altering changes to make anything close to that a reality though.. Maybe someday that wish can get fulfilled, but lately, the lottery Gods don't seem to like me very much! :lol:

I bet you're wondering what's been going on with the big red monster.. I know I have! :lol: As stated earlier, I got the guts up to remove the interior which has opened up the possibility of lighting this bad boy. Doing this raised another situation. With the clear glass the chassis is in plain sight when looking in the windows. Also, removal of the interior left me no alternative for post placement. There was one obvious solution. A flat interior must be made to support the posts and hide the chassis. This gave me the chance to put my favorite driver (my roaming gnome buddy) in the drivers seat, and he even has some of his clix buddies on the ride with him!!

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2505.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2506.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2508.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2509.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2510.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2512.jpg

I know the platform is crooked in there.. It's not attached to anything at this time. I'm still debating whether or not to light the clearance lights up top. It's not looking very favorable now.. This would require an LED mounted top side and running the fiber optic inside the roof. I can hide the clearance light LED in shrink tubing and the only thing I would have visible would be the the small wires running to down below. It's anybody's guess which path I'll take, as I still haven't made my mind up.. I do know the 3 clearance lights in front and back center will be a pain due to their small size. The outside ones would be a bit easier, but I'm not sure if it's worth the risk of a mistake.. Only time will tell.... Apparently, I will need to invest in a container of testors window glue. The "glass" extends down to just above the wheel wells, and I hate to obscure the view of my passengers!!

AWWW MAN thats awesome !! I like it!! :)

Wes

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2506.jpg



I think I'll take a cab!!! Bus looks great on the outside, just not sure about that crew on the inside :p:p ... RM

Thanks guys!!! A thought just occurred to me. I might be able to do a little side gearing and have one of the passengers do one of those Amityville Horror head spins.. Then again, maybe not!! :tongue:

Very, very nice! Is that the Toxic Avenger in the middle?:hat:

Nope. That's Harold. He works at Pete's Meats as an apprentice butcher.. :lol:

Diggin it.... :thumbsup::thumbsup: nd

Crimenelly that bus of yours is coming along great. Gnome driver and passengers! This is a great bus build up thread you got going here slotcarman. Building what yah want no matter what it takes. Yeah Baby!

Hope you win the lottery...seriously it would be great to see you get a couple more buses to mess around with like this! :woohoo:

Ginger, one of her friends and I went to the Movie theater way back when. We were trying to pick out a movie to see when we got to the theater & couldn't decide on one. Finaly we just picked "Get on the Bus". LOL it was a good movie but, we learned what it was like to be a minority. hahahahaaha The theater wasn't that full but, we were the only White Crackers watching the show.

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Get+on+the+bus+movie&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7RNWE_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=EdCtStGgCoWANt-fwfIN&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=10#

This movie was a heck of a lot better than Sandra Bullocks Neeeeeeeeeeew Steve movie...that dang thing put Gingers Sisters Husband and me to sleep Friday night. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Bob...if you win fly down and buy me a Jimmy Johns sandwich please...zilla

Can't help but smile when you look at that Bus! Very cool and is going to look great running around the track.

Now That"s Cool

The song "Magic Bus" comes to mind, Ujoe.
The Who got it right and so did you! :thumbsup:
I am still laughing over the driver and passengers! :D

Thanks guys, but a clarification needs to be made. This is not the magic bus!! This is public transportation for Stump City.. The Magic Bus will be a Lindberg school bus body transformed into a 60's hippie camper complete with cosmic light show inside.. Kinda like an acid trip on wheels!! If it comes out as envisioned, Jerry will go into "COLORS" overload!! :lol:

The biggest issue I had to work out was the multi color flashing LED on a chassis. This is the same LED that resides in the bar. I got it working, but I still need to correct the resistance for the head lights as they tend to dim down at low speed. There's also the challenge of fitting it all in a cramped space. For you guys not familiar with the body, the passenger compartment is about the same length as an AW 63 chebby. Add on the hood length again and that's how long it is. It stands a little over an inch high. My first 6X chassis will reside in it, minus the front drives. The wheelbase worked out perfect on it!!

What's holding me back on it is the need for certain things that I keep forgetting to buy until the checking account dips below a usable level.. I need window cement for 2 projects now, and I still need to experiment with methods of painting the glass so the flashing LED is diffused. I also need to tinker with methods of making the cosmic hippie paint job. Just decals won't cut it, and speaking of decals, I need to remember decalset too. The few decals that will be the start of the decoration need to cover a number of ribs on the bus sides.. Thanks for your patience Jerry.. You've been waiting a long time for this one!! :drunk:

Hooray!!! I found my metalcast paint in yellow, but it's not gonna be cheap with the shipping! Jeg's carries it and sells it on the bay. They offer a decent shipping discount if I buy more than one. Next week for sure I'm grabbing more. No telling how long it'll still be available, as I suffer the same problem as Rich. When I like a product, it surely will be discontinued!! :tongue:

I don't know what's worse.. The insomnia or the after affects.. Three nights this week I found myself having three hours or less sleep, and being a zombie all day because of it; and then making up the sleep deficit costs me another day of productivity. Sadly, there's not much news to report on the bus as I was either too burned out to touch it or sleeping the day away trying to recuperate. I do have a couple things to post up though. A ways back Jerry (win43) sold me a few MEV bodies.. I finally got to one of them.

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2519.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2520.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2521.jpg

Totally out of character for me, I decided to leave the body alone and leave it basically unpainted, other than the bed cover, tail lights and grill. I also decided lighting it wasn't a possibility because the tail light's location makes it near impossible. I still need to spot the snaps on the cover, but have been too shaky to try.

Also, I've been toying with another project this week, and it's still in pieces, and kinda rough. I still need to tinker with the tandem axle mounting, and figure out a way to tie it all together. Here's a peek..

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2522.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2525.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2530.jpg

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp251/slotcarman12078/100_2533.jpg

I still have a ways to go with it.. At the rate I'm going it should be done by next June!! :freak:

Aww Man thats one sweet looking dump truck!!! That ford truck looks good too!! :thumbsup:

Wes

I'm a liking that dumpster truck!!! Those wheels look great on there, need to make a note... Yellow Ford makes a nice crusier also, just leave it a daytime driver, no lights needed...RM

Just another nice piece for your action-packed layout. There's all kinds of action everywhere you look. I love it! And, the Bus is way cool! :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Great Dump Truck and Pickup there U-Joe! Yeah what yankee said, these are going to be a perfect on you very cool layout man.

Bob...everyone loves a truck...zilla

I have figured out one thing.. Without my computer operational I do get a lot more done. The dump has been finished in the standard Stump City blah yellow, got the back tandem set up pretty good using a hunk of chassis from a donor chassis.. (thanks again hojohn!!) I even had it almost all decaled up but I chewed up my extras and have to print out more. I'd love to put up pic's but my computer is off line for now. We had a problem with our linksys wireless set up and they want money to tell us how to fix something that shouldn't be broke in the first place. We're done with the wireless junk, we're each getting our own routers so we won't need to screw around anymore with the wireless junk!

Also, the magic bus (not the Stump City Transit bus pictured) has been started. If all goes well it will be the coolest thing on 6 tires!! Sadly, the lack of funds thanx to NY Unemployment screwing me up, has prevented me from buying the yellow metalcast paint I need to get back on the project. Hoping the $$$ hits my account in the morning.. :rolleyes: Been broke since Weds and going nutty!!

I have got a little done on the S.C. Transit bus, but nothing major. I did remove the extra gears and re-stretch the chassis. There was just too much monkey motion in the chassis and it constantly ran hot. The bus's driver is in place now. I still need to fire up the soldering iron and get to lighting it. Once that chore is done, I can get to the chassis mounting and get'er done!! That's all the news for now. Wes, I'm not having much luck casting the lightbars. Let me know if you find something else. Worst case I can light them as is and BMF the top of the light bar..

Well, the $$$ finally showed up today, and it was off the wally world for my own personal modem. Got it all hooked up and found out we can't share the internet this way.. We would have to pay for each internet connection. So, the modems(one for the kid too) got packed back up and returned to Wallyworld. However, now after all the cash we spent on our old wireless system, we find out we could have got the wireless set up from them for no charge. It figures.. Wednesday AM my computer will be back up and running. In the meantime, I've been trying to stay occupied and am slowly making progress on some of my projects. The transit bus made it's maiden voyage this afternoon. I have to do the LEDs still, and the posts are temporarily held on with poster putty. She made the whole circuit on my track with only a few slight issues. I need to move one guardrail in a little, and trim a little plaster cloth on one curve. As long as the chassis is, it does handle the inside lane on a 9" 1/8 curve, and 12" 1/4 curves without a problem.. :thumbsup: Sorry, pics will have to wait until Weds.. :rolleyes:

Looking good, Ujoe! :thumbsup:

I also know how frustrating projects can be when you have the answers but not the materials, yeah? It looks to me that you are making good progress with very little. Good show!
I can hardly wait to see the new pics!

While not as perfect as I wanted, progress was made today on the magic bus. This hippy trippy rolling light show has been officially "colorized", and the clear coat is drying.. (walk away, as Zilla would say). Still need to decal the heck out of it, and assemble it. It's almost guaranteed to be a cosmic experience!! I'm relatively sure the recipient will suffer flashbacks :freak: the minute it hits his track!! :lol: I still have a bunch to do on it, and I really don't want to spoil the surprise any more than I have already.. All I can say is.. Peace, man!!! :thumbsup:

Need any hippy decals?? Just say the word. I got'em and don't need'em. nd