The Dream Machine

[Bear001]

Gday Cind , Hows the bus going?? .
We stayed at some friends place at Walkerston , just west Mackay and they had a bus about the same model , looked great..
I have a 4 season hatch out of our van , from when I fitted the air con if you blokes need it !. Its yours in exchange for a fishing trip !! and I'll bring the beams !!.

Scott

Thanks for the offer Scott, hubby has advised we dont need the hatch - but Im sure me & u could manage to sneak a fishin trip in regardless......lol

[Bear001]

Well, not too much progress on the bus, what with all this xmas silly season...lol...wifey still no help - she too busy fishing instead of staying home helping...oh well....'happy wife = happy life'

Floor all up now.








No, we wont need a log book.

Will need a HC licence as we will be towing a big pantech trailer with the ute on the botom, boat/trailer up the top. I only have a MR licence, but as long as I have someone in with me, with the MC licence, I am allowed to drive it as a learner...so Im not bothering to upgrade my licence, cause hubby should always be in with me when we are hooning up the road in this ridiculous rig! lol

Our motorbikes will fit in one of the bins underneath - talk about toys!!!

Sorry guys, not very exciting update, but once the rust is cleaned up and we can start on the inside, it will be more fun! Like everything - the preparation is the crapest part

Cind

[Kevaclone]

You sure you need HC??. if the trailer being towed has a gross weight of less than 9 Tonne you should be right with just a HR


NIIICEE rig though, I like the high decks as they have so much more room. I like the look of those Volgren double decks. give you the option of having a master bedroom up front with full 180 degree panoramic views




.... lucky bastards

[Jabiru658]

I like the look of those Volgren double decks

I'm almost certain this one is a Denning not a Volgren although they are a similar shape. We used to run 7 Denning coaches in the fleet similar (although not identical) to the one that the original posters have picked to rebuild (ours were Landseer standard decks and mono coaches though not the High deck versions), basically the same coach though.

Is this one fitted with a Detroit 6V92 or a Detroit 8V92 or is it one of the rarer 8V71T versions? Or perhaps it's a later model with a series 60 Detroit in it?

If you have trouble with anything please pm us, I run our family business and if you have trouble finding bus specific parts there's some chance we could help. My sister converted a bus retired from our fleet a few years back into a camper so we've got some experience doing this as well.

Best of luck with your project

Geoff - Managing Director
http://www.castlemainebuslines.com.au

[captain rednut]

hey great to see you guys liven the dream?? good luck and happy motoring.
cheers jim

[TimiBoy]

I'm almost certain this one is a Denning not a Volgren

I'm almost certain it's a Denning, too. While I know nothing about buses, this one has a Denning name plate on the back of it, check photos!



Cheers,

Tim

[Bear001]

I'm almost certain it's a Denning, too. While I know nothing about buses, this one has a Denning name plate on the back of it, check photos!



Cheers,

Tim

FUNNY.....typical boys look you lot.....

Will take some more photo's this week and throw an update shortly....

[Bear001]

Is this one fitted with a Detroit 6V92 or a Detroit 8V92 or is it one of the rarer 8V71T versions? Or perhaps it's a later model with a series 60 Detroit in it?

If you have trouble with anything please pm us, I run our family business and if you have trouble finding bus specific parts there's some chance we could help. My sister converted a bus retired from our fleet a few years back into a camper so we've got some experience doing this as well.

Best of luck with your project

Geoff - Managing Director
http://www.castlemainebuslines.com.au

Thanks Geoff, be carefull what you offer...lol.....

Denning Landseer High Deck is the winner boys and girls.

It has a Detroit 8v92 in it - apparently...lol....you think I would know from the time & effort spent on the full rebuild the fussy mechanic husband insisted on being first job he did.

Seriously - all help is greatly appreciated. With the Country Music Festival in Tamworth last week we were hoping to measure out some floor plans in similar 40ft bus's - but had no luck finding anyone home the day we were in.

We need to get cracking on the final floor plan dimensions/measurements as it is getting time to cut/reinforce the side door we will be putting on the passenger side.

Our plan is to have the passenger and driver sit up front side by side. Both chairs will swing around to be seats in the loungeroom. Unlike most people who have the kitchen either side, bathroom and toilet on opposite sides and a corridor up the middle to the bedroom.........we want an L-shaped kitchen on the driver side with a corridor up the side. Shower/Toilet will back onto the kitchen, then the bedroom up the back above the motor.

This suits us best, for the 2 of us, gives bedroom privacy without doors.....seen a few setups and we like the spacious feeling this plan gives the living/kitchen area. I will still be 'working from home' doing bookwork, so the office station will swing up/down from behind the passenger chair.

Anyhow...blah blah....getting to the fun (read EXPENSIVE) stage....

[oldboot]

Yeh the Denning brothers used to build a nice coach (although it was Allans company).....and some of them went like stink.

My big brother did his time as a coach and body builder with dennings back in the 70's....and last time I heard his best mate Johnny from the period still worked for Alan Denning.

McKafferties used to order their coaches with the biggest motor.

Back in the eighties I drove to Townsville with Johnny & his family for my brothers wedding.....I still remember doing ###Kph up the highway and being passed by the one big "Dennair" after another.
Johnny could tell you the engine model by the exhaust note.

There is nothing like that dig diesel twinn system exhaust note at full noise.

There are plenty that will tell you they were the sweetest coach on the Australian roads

Lanseer comes from the road the factory was in...Lanseer St Acacia ridge.....the old shed is now occupied by Owen Cox mowers.

Back in their hey day most of the big coach companies were running Denning coaches.

In that big shed they could have 8 or more coaches on the go at one time..and they built from the ground up, everything including the chasis.......these days most coaches and busses are built on a baught in rolling chassis, and so much is baught in.

I don't know what happened with John Denning, but last time I heard Allan Denning was building top shelf mobile homes.


It will be a sweeeeet thing when you get it finished.
And it will be quick without all those pesky pasengers.

Oh I can hear that exhaust note now....mmmmm

cheers

[griz066]

Great build keep the pics coming, when is the finish date expected to be?

[Bear001]

Update - still doing the boring bits.....stripping & cleaning....the existing downstairs toilet is the last to cut out.
Some cross bracing has started (engineers requirements)
Windows are now being ordered - can start putting her back together soon.....yay....

Now hubby has decided we are having a slide-out after all in the lounge area....double yay!

Still dont have an exact floor plan, just one in our heads...looks like we are just starting from th back and working our way forward....I had better sit down with the autocad shortly it seems...

Will take some more boring framework pics this weekend...sorry guys...still nothing exciting I know

[griz066]

9 months without an update how long are you gunna keep us waiting Would love to see the progress pics.

[griz066]

It seems I log on to see the update pics every 9 months. Has there been any progress? Love to see the pics. Are you still starting the big trip in June/July

[Bear001]

sorry Grizz - Ive been a bit slack in pic dept. Between $$$ & some family illness there is always a holdup on getting this rig done.....our biggest problem atm is waiting for tradies/engineers insp blah blah the list goes on.....lol......

Bus went to QLD for 2weeks ended up being over 3months till we got it back with new front. Waiting for kitchen/cabinetry to all be done now....hubby hates that kinda thing so he sticks to the mechanic & steelwork...lol..... But we also got our trailer for the boat/ute which has now been modified & just needs the pretty work done....bit like the bus...

[griz066]

Any updates on the build up?