my lifted bus build

[fusername]

so building a new engine for the utah trip, while it is going faster than any build I have ever done, I feel it is taking much too long. the whole I leave in 12 days thing is getting to me. calling it a night for now, can't find my shadek pump and the brosol won't fit. gotta finish lapping the cyls to the heads early in the morning, then get the jugs honed and assemble them, notch the heads for CHT senders, assemble heads, put more studs in the case, the list goes on.

that said, it should be a swell engine! 3 different mfr pistons, rods I rebuilt myself, a reground cam with a couple huge notches in the gear, and an align bore only a mother could love.

as for the bus, I need to:
rear tow hook
new front shocks (stealing them from the buggy)
add coilovers
CB whip mount
build tow bar

uhh, organize my junk

[Sneaks]

I recommend doing the whip mount off the bumper and not the skin and get a good ground. I'll be interested in seeing what you come up with for a tow bar, I might be looking for something along those lines myself...that or I'm just going to break down and buy a ramp truck....

[fusername]

told ya you should have gotten that dueli. I have have 2 bug tow bars, one of which is collapsable, so I am making a universal out of it. fits the sammi, my rail, and the SWB. just need to see what it takes to make it fit the bus. the nice thing about a car with frame rails, is you can stash a lot of really usefull stuf up there. on the list are

tie rods
axles
dead hoooker
tow bar
wheel chocks

saves interiors space, and keeps the CG lower.

[fusername]

also that whip is totally gonna demolish my mount, so I am going to use some plastic to reinforce the top. tie it to the rain gutter or something.

oh god so much to dooooo

[Sneaks]

\
dead hoooker

Dude...we need to talk....

[Lotrat]

You do know that the states are much bigger out west than they are on the east coast right? UT is a long way to go on a maiden voyage. Just sayin.

[fusername]

I always assuemd the maps were just drawn in perspective. While yes that is a long way on a brand new motor, I will be doing a looot of driving around here to log some miles and seat the rings right. I took every precaution possible on this build, not trying anything new or exciting aside from a bigger oil pump, and have all the guages I could htink of. measured thrice, cut once, and still sweating hard over it.

lotrat, when you are playing the voice of reason, something is horribly horribly wrong.

[Lotrat]

There is a fine line between being a risk taker and a risk maker. I have no idea what that means, but it sounds profound in my head.

[fusername]

haha. Well I feel better making the trip on a brand nw motor, with oil pressure, rather than the hot loose pig that was in there. shame it did get over 18 mpg on good days...

[Big Dave]

Put some miles on it before you leave, and drive moderately (like no more than 65) on your trip, and you'll be OK.
Sounds like you will have your tools and a few extra parts, so even if it does give you trouble, you'll get by.

I know these days a trip like that in a bus sounds very ambitious, but its been done lots of times.
My dad tells a story from when he was a teenager, his parents took him and his 4 sisters from Sacramento CA to Ohio and back in 61 bus with a bad starter. They would just make sure to only shut the engine off on a hill, and when in the flat country, 5 kids would push and pop start the thing. All the way to Ohio and back at 55 MPH

[fusername]

actually I rarely take the bus over 60 these days, as one time on a 75-80 deg day I had my CHT guage hooked up and Iwas reading about 400 deg when i hit 60 on level ground, and had a hard time keeping it below 380 going 55. this was a well tuned motor, but the CR was too high. I have always driven slow, as the engine in it before had barely 95 psi on each cyl, so 60 was nearly my top speed. the sammi w/ big tires and no top or doors is slower than me now, but when I 'downgrade" to the weaker new engine, we will be a even match, 60 mph all the way there, 38 hours on the road. helps the mileage too!

can't wait to see my new CHTs w/ the new motor! I am even glueing some senders to random fins, should I decide to play scientest later in life. As for break in, gonna visit sneaks a few times, maybe even go to CT to pick up some parts, if I can ever find that guys number.

[Sneaks]

Like I said, I'm home all week, c'mon up. You can help me sort out the FI on the Bus...

[ajdenette]

Thought you all might like an update on this as fuser seems to be too buisy to post, but Aparently fuser is working too much and having issues but sounds like he is going to get the engine together soon and moving, however he is debating what exhaust to use he has 2 one that is easy to put on but runs a little hotter, or one that takes a little more time but makes the bus run cooler and was wondering which he should use, my coment was he will be in the DESERT!!! and wants the cooler running setup.

[Hedrock]

I would think the same thing but, I'm no expert.

[Sneaks]

I think he should use the crappier one and give the other one to me...


...I'm looking at another bus now, things are addictive...