Update on My Reno Status - My 3 Choices....

[M Thomas Eastham]

I haven't done a cummins repower (yet). There are lots of school
buses around here coming up for auction with the 5.9L mounted up
front. Most are early 90's. Fitment would be no problem. Motor
mounts would probably have to be moved... and you may need a custom
drive shaft if you have a retarder. or just sell the retarder,
install a jake brake. mmmmmm :-) yummy

I'd be concerned that the 8.3L would be too large to fit in the front
of an FC.

Since I intend to keep my 83' FC35 forever I will be doing this
someday. I almost look forward to engine trouble... almost

Here's the economies I see:

$4000 Running Bird School Bus at auction
$700 Pull engine out of school bus (20hrs) ( I can get good
mechanics at $35 an hour cash... )
-$1000 Sell rest of bus for scrap (maybe use rear end if gearing is
better?)
$700 Pull engine out of FC35 (20hrs)
-$1500 Sell CAT 3208 core
$3000 Driveshaft, fab work, motor mounts, hoses, new jake brake, etc
-$3500 Pull retarder and sell it
$3000 Rebuild cummins (20hrs + head work, parts)
$3000 rebuild trans (send it out) ? don't know the cost on this
$1400 Install cummins (40hrs)

Total estimate with labor $9800 now pad the number by $5000.
Say $15000 total.


I move heavy equipment across the country two to three times a
month. I use http://www.getloaded.com to find trucks that are
repositioning and willing to accept loads at reduced rates. I think
the Bird in Reno could be moved for less than $2/mile with a little
patience and a LOT of phone work.

Thomas Eastham
Houston, TX
83' FC35
84' FC33 with large hole where 3208 used to live.





Thomas Eastham

Anitel Investments, LLC
2305 Lyons Ave.
Houston, TX 77020

email: thomase@...
web: http://www.houstonheavy.com
cell: 713-851-9693
fax: 713-228-3019




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]