The Bus Thread. 1956 Ford B-600. General questions.

ultraclyde wrote: Some of the self sealing silicone hose tape. If you are taking your whole electrical service box and two rolls of wire you will be doubling or tripling the electrical content of that bus.

The current owner is concerned about the condition of the wiring. Some of it is 50+ years old. I'm bringing enough stuff to be able to bypass any failed system and hot wire it to the battery if necessary. Any repairs will be very crude. If it fails, no time will be spent finding the short. Wire will be run and done. A bad tail light circuit could burn up 50' of wire in a hurry.

How is it I've never heard of Rescue Tape. That looks like a good thing to have on every vehicle.

SVreX wrote: Traveling light ain't some of y'all's specialty, is it?

I don't think I brought a damn thing with me for the drive home from Michigan when I bought the Spitfire from fujioko.

This will be awesome.

I'm thinking more like this for paint, but with a white roof.

It's points ign once you get there go to a box store buy two large deep cycle batteries. run one to the points for the ign keep the other for the lights if something goes wrong bring a set of magnetic trailer lights and a trailer light pig tail so you can wire in tail lights if needed. run a fram G2 filter before the fuel pump and one after along with a screw on unit that's on the pump. bring a solenoid type pump just incase. if you see the MPG dropping check oil for gas in motor.

In reply to Toyman01:

In regards to the taillights, maybe you should pick up a Harbor Freight magnetic trailer kit. Might be a quick and easy way to get brake/taillights if they're out.

In reply to Stampie:

They are on the list, and in the pile ready to load.

You, sir, are insane.

Good luck with the trip!

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to Stampie: They are on the list, and in the pile ready to load.

Stampie wrote: In reply to Toyman01: In regards to the taillights, maybe you should pick up a Harbor Freight magnetic trailer kit. Might be a quick and easy way to get brake/taillights if they're out.

Dumb question, but if the wiring turns out to be bad, how would this work? Do you need to plan for a momentary switch to rig up to the brake pedal and some type of flasher system for the turn signals?

Also, if the tails could go bad, the headlights could go bad just as equally. Maybe snag a set of cheap driving lights to hook to the front, just in case?

Of course, at the rate of all of our suggestions, you'll need a truck to get it all there!!

-Rob

In my younger days I had a 70 Cadillac that had no brake lights but the running lights worked in the rear. I just turned on the headlights every time I hit the brakes. I'm sure a momentarily switch would work and a flasher relay isn't that hard to rig up.

In reply to rob_lewis:

Brake and tail light problems will probably be in the wiring between the dash and the back of the bus. I can hack in a trailer pigtail under the dash, plug in the magnetic set and stick them to the bumper.

There is a set of Hella 500 lights in the bag with the magnetic tail lights in case the headlights puke.

Remembering Tim's posts about driving the ramp truck home - check the u-joints and carrier bearing(s). They may not have seen fresh grease in decades.

In reply to Toyman01:

I like that one but it needs a catch phrase on it.

Son_Of_Toyman wrote: In reply to Toyman01: I like that one but it needs a catch phrase on it.

Something like, "Flaming path to ruin?"

Consider bring or stopping to buy a 5gall gas can and 6 ft of hose as well just incase you need to gravity feed the gas... BTDT all the way from Northern VT to Boston in my 69 Bronco...

You're nuts. I love it.

I almost wish you some breakdowns and crisis for the sake of the story, but not quite. Having done that bringing the Fossil home from Michigan I can say that breakdowns are never fun. I was saved by a 24 hour Walmart when the bus quit on the Interstate in the middle of Chicago at 3AM.

Grab a can of great stuff foam so you can hit some of the worst drafts going down the road in addition to lots of ducttape?

Plenty of hand warmers (nothing worse than handling cold metal)

Just a few more loose ideas. I eagerly await watching your adventure

This is going to be epic.

Hell it already is.

bearmtnmartin wrote: I almost wish you some breakdowns and crisis for the sake of the story, but not quite. Having done that bringing the Fossil home from Michigan I can say that breakdowns are never fun. I was saved by a 24 hour Walmart when the bus quit on the Interstate in the middle of Chicago at 3AM.

OH No!! I've been cursed!! I'm expecting a couple. I'm hoping they are minor.

Well, I just checked the weather for Allenton, WI. Next Friday they are calling for 30% chance of freezing rain. How bad will that screw up the roads.

The roads are already pretty well seasoned (salted) from the last day or two. Biggest issues around here tend to be fast and heavy snowfalls during the day/rush where the plows and salt trucks can't keep up. Freezing rain usually gets salted or beet juiced in advance. How bald are the tires?

In reply to oldtin:

The tread should be 100%.

Beet juice? Really?

In reply to Dusterbd13:

Sugar works better than salt.

In reply to Toyman01:

If he cursed us I say we egg his house.