Wrecked or Burned SOB's

Randy Dupree · #1 05-04-2008

hey guys,i just bought a wrecked SOB,it was hit by a semi and its got an engine tranny in it thats still good,i want this engine for my pickup.
it should be delivered tomorrow and we will take some pics,just to show you what happens when you take a hit in a fiberglass coach.
Randy

fxdwg · #2 05-04-2008

That will be interesting to see, Randy. Unfortunately, I remember a thread on the Escapees site some time back about a fellow who rear ended a semi with a bus conversion. The impact drove the rear of the semi through the front of the bus, severing both legs. Very unfortunate situation, to say the least (young fellow with family). The only thing that will save you no matter what you're driving (or riding for that matter) is keeping safety first and foremost. There's always something bigger out there!

Randy Dupree · #3 05-04-2008

as luck would have it,the old couple driving this coach were unhurt.
when you see the pics you will wonder why..
i agree that theres always something bigger,but a bus conversion is not a bird.
Randy

patticake · #4 05-05-2008

A friend of mine passed through here today(on the way to Coachcraft) with an 88PT that hit a Susuki SUV, that stuck it's nose out too far at an enterence to an interstate(in a construction zone). The Susuki was totaled, and the Bird drove home.
Of course, the whole side is dented and the front bumper pushed back a little, BUT....
Can you imagine what a sticks and staples would have looked like?
Steve Gureasko
90WBWL40 Jus Chillin
Ponchatoula, La.

Randy Dupree · #5 05-05-2008

we got the SOB in today and started the dis-assembly.
we did look the coach over before we tore intoit with the forklift.
the floors are 1/4'' plywood over 1'' of foam and then .030 aluim.
that was in the drivers area,under the driver and co-pilot seats.
its a little thicker where you can walk,tomorrow we will see how that part was built.
Rob took a few pics,maybe he will post them.
the bedroom area was all that was left on the coach,i stuck the forklifts forks into the side and ripped it all off.
Randy

TZScales · #6 05-06-2008

I'm interested in seeing the pictures of the wrecked SOB.

Randy Dupree · #7 05-08-2008

Rob took some pics of it arriving,and a few of the demolition.
hes on the road,and may not have WIFI.
I'll will get some pics tomorrow.
heres a few of the things i see to comment on.
1-the floor; the floor is .024 aluim with 1'' of blue foam and 1/4'' of plywood,all glued together,in the hall and the kitchen was some pergo type stuff glued to the plywood.
2-the roof;the roof is 3'' of white foam,the coffee cup type,with 1/8th plywood glued to the top and bottom of the foam,and the top was covered with the "rubber" roof stuff.
3-the walls;the walls are made of some very thin fiberglass glued to white foam and then 1/8th plywood.
4-the engine; the engine was found under the bed,thats the only place you could see it,theres a lift-up door under the bed.
both sides of the engine are not accessable from outside,fact is,you can't even see the engine from outside of the coach.
the Radiator is in the very rear,along with the dipstick ad the oil fill tube,you can't see the engine from the rear.
the radiator Fan is direct drive,no clutch at all,and the intercooler is behind the rad,so you can get all the hot air from the rad blowing over the cooler,killing a few HP in the process.
the intercooler was completely blocked with oily crud,kinda like what the SPs look like sometimes,only difference is you cant see the intercooler to see if its dirty,and you can't clean it without pulling the rad and the cooler (no swing rad here!)
not good!
5-batterys;
the coach has 2 6 volt golf cart batterys for the house,and 2 group 31s for the coach start.
6- generator;
the gennie is an air-cooled onan PROPANE unit, the coach is a diesel pusher,air ride,air brakes and its got a PROPANE gennie?
it must have belonged to Hank Hill!!
Its a fleetwood brand coach,and it retailed for around $135,000 when it was new in 1999, what a **** shame that some some un-aware consumer gave up that much money for this bag of ****..

as i said early on,we stuck the forks of the forklift through the wall of this coach will no problem at all,this is the same forklift that i used to PULL dents out of woodys old FC,the dent pulling took more work!
more later..
Randy

Crit Bliss · #8 05-09-2008

Randy, what do you think the manufacturer really has tied up in a unit like that when it rolls out?
Crit Bliss '80FC33 chatham,ma

Randy Dupree · #9 05-11-2008

Crit.
i have no idea what it would take to build one of these "throw away"coachs!

during the cleanup i found a heavy aluim extrusion along the bottom of the wall,where it meets the floor.
i sawed down through it and found it was a very interesting piece of work.
its hard to explain,but its a 2 part system,one part attachs to the wall,the mate attachs to the floor.
then the wall is lowered down onto the floor and it all snaps together,a few screws are put through both of them and thats it,the walls are attached to the floor.
i will get pics of the cross section to show how it snaps together.
Randy

Crit Bliss · #10 05-11-2008

I still show anyone who is interested the pics over on Bruce's site of the SOB that landed on it's roof and smashed it's self right down to the floor. It seems the old 1972 Winnebago Indian that Diane and I had was made better than the "modern" version.