Brian Diehl: How is your bus coming along?

[Paladin]

Brian, I was browsing around your page again.  Still in awe at the work!

How's it coming along?

-Dave

[Brian Diehl]

Hi Dave,

Well, since I got back from my early December trip out to Virginia I haven't done a single thing to the bus.  The trip left me with a list of things I want to do including trying to find a way to reduce some of the drive line vibration I have when running at high horsepower loads.  I've got a good amount of vibration at full jake brakes at red-line RPMs and at full fuel.  I'm not sure I can do anything about it, but want to look into it.  I'm also going to go electric for my windshield washer fluid and wipers.  None of this stuff is going to get any attention until it warms up around here.  This weekend we had day time highs below zero!   

On the inside I want to start building my cabinet for the refrigerator, pull out pantry combo.  Once I get that carcass built I move on to the cabinetry over the driver/co-pilot areas.  This then allows me to move into building all the drawer and door fronts for the entire front of the bus. 

How's your bus?  Did your neighbor ever come around to thinking about bus conversions positively? 
-Brian

[Paladin]

Oh boy, I feel really sorry for you. That new engine, trans, jakes and a full tank of fuel to boot. I wish I had those worries!


My bus is limping along, considering how long I've had it I've come a very long way and moving ever faster but I mostly enjoy it.
My neighbor and I sort of came to a truce of sorts...I hope. I don't start my GTX with open pipes while he has people over anymore, keep the belching, smoking and ever aromatic Detroit Diesel to a minimum, keep it tucked as far away from the street view as possible and he leaves me alone. It's still sort of hard to hide and ignore a bus that's nearly as tall as my house in the driveway.
He'll probably even want to come over and look at the beast when I pull it out in the spring. I've been extra nice to my neighbors, this morning I got up at 5:00 am and shoveled several of my neighbors walks and driveways from the big storm we're getting.
Whatever it takes to keep me on their good side.


-Dave 

[gumpy]

I've been extra nice to my neighbors, this morning I got up at 5:00 am and shoveled several of my neighbors walks and driveways from the big storm we're getting.
Whatever it takes to keep me on their good side.

I've found that goes a long way to keeping peace with the neighbors. I had my father-in-law's tractor up here for a couple years, and was able to use it when we'd get a really heavy snow to clear out the neighbor's driveway after the snowplow filled them in. I have a big 8 hp snow blower, and when we get the really heavy stuff, I usually do 2 or three of the neighbors driveways, too. They think it's pretty cool to come home from work or Christmas travels and find their driveway is clear.

One of the easiest ways to get your neighbors approval is to involve him in the project in some way. Ask him to come over and give his opinion on how to do something trivial in the bus. Even if you don't really need or want his opinion. Make hm feel involved in it and he'll accept it much more readily.

[H3Jim]

While we don't get snow here, I live in a rural area and we have lots of brush and trees that always need trimming.  I found a great deal on a commercial brush chipper, and have chipping parties where we go around to all the neighbors and chip up their brush piles.  After working together on each others piles, over time it creates a really nice neighborhood feel.  We all help each other in other ways now too.

No one would ever complain about my bus or the pile of parts next to it.

[Paladin]

The problem is that I was doing all of this stuff anyway, have done for many years and someone still called the city on me although not about the bus, a few years ago they didn't like my ugly old Dodge Ramcharger and kept calling parking enforcement on me even though it was painted, licensed, running and legal. It stopped when I bought a Lincoln Navigator.
I keep quiet except for my cars and boat, I help people when I can, fix their cars etc and I even welcome anyone who wants to come over for my movie nights in the summer where I play 16mm and 35mm movies in my backyard theater. Free theater popcorn from my popper and a free movie and some jerk was still hassling me. I stopped doing most of the stuff for the past couple of years but now I'm going back. Can't let one or two idiots ruin it for everyone!

This summers opening film will probably be Batman Begins which I never played since I got it while it was still playing in the theaters.

[Brian Diehl]

Oh boy, I feel really sorry for you. That new engine, trans, jakes and a full tank of fuel to boot. I wish I had those worries!

Dave, Yeah it really is a terrible situation to be in!  NOT!   

Yeah, I keep looking at it sitting in the drive and thinking about getting out of dodge.  I'm picking up a set of snow shoes this week and am thinking about heading out to a state park this weekend or next weekend to go snowshoeing with the wife.  Now I just need to decide if I'm going to take a spring break.  I'd love to go down to Big Bend state park this spring and enjoy a few days in the sun and in the hot springs!  I was last at Big Bend when I was 13 and have good memories of the visit.