The past few days I’ve been plugging away at the bus list. I started in on the engine, replacing plugs, plug wires, fuel filters, fuel lines, some hoses, cleaning up the carb linkages, installing a new starter battery and fixing up the wiring, etc. All the easy stuff.
I also changed the oil today. This picture was taken a couple of hours before. What? Doesn’t everyone change their oil when it’s this nice out?
What else? Finished up painting the kids’ room. Kept working on framing up beds and storage.
The big project was the ceiling. I tell you that was a major chore. The thing is, it’s not difficult work if you’ve got three hands. With only two I struggled a bit, and I’ve got the sore neck and shoulders to show for it. However, I think it looks great. Reminiscences of the boat. All that’s really left is the trim between the pieces.
Tomorrow I start on the walls, which I’m excited about. Once the walls start going on it’ll feel like a bus again. Like something we can actually move into and head off on an adventure in.
Removed the skirt and reinstalled it on the front of the bus as a bustache.
And if anybody can find me one of these it would be greatly appreciated. It’s on a Magic Chef stove, and I’ve been told that this is the part that is failing, not the thermocoupler or anything else.
26 Comments on “Bustache”
methinks that is the thermostat? maybe try antiquestoveheaven.com in Los Angeles.. they work on a TON of vintage stoves and should be able to ID the part for you if nothing else..
Mikes LP located on Frost and Clarence St. im Maplewood does a lot of work on RVs, Campers, Camper Trailers, and Concession Stands for Heating, Air conditioning , Stoves, etc. They may be a good place to check out.
I was looking through the Phoenix craigslist this evening and saw a couple of Travcos for sale, and one guy offering a curved door for one. The two for sale have been updated (well, up to about the 80s, anyway) and they may still have access to the old equipment that was replaced. Might be worth a call – here’s the link to the listings:
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/search/rva?zoomToPosting=&catAbb=rva&query=Travco&minAsk=&maxAsk=&hasPic=1&excats=
TJ
You know those cowcatchers for old locomotives? You could make one of those for the bus…
Got a model/serial number for the part or the stove would help???
Also many of those boxes are interchangeable if they fit the install space. As the themo and gas ports are usually a standard size/thread.
might look here too
http://www.travco.org/
and
http://www.dodgetravcos.com/
http://travco-rv.com/
Happy to see your Bustache acoming together!!
I’ve had good luck taking stove and furnace parts around to the back of the gas utility supplier place and finding “that guy”. He’s in a dinghy work-space filled with treasures that appear junk to us mortals. There’s a single bare bulb hanging from frayed wires, he’s sitting on a chair with a missing leg, propped on a milk crate. There’s an overflowing ashtray and a lit palmall hanging from his lips. His social skills are not great and you may need to simply accept his grunts and gestures as complete sentences. Hill be annoyed and amazed at how little you know about gas appliances. But if you play it right he’ll rummage around for a few minutes, put a working part in your hand and wave you off when you try to pay him. WARNING: The cute kids ploy will not work on this guy and can backfire pretty spectacularly.
Looking awesome Pat…very excited for you guys and can’t wait to see how it turns out!
I swear, I drool every time I see your bus. There’s getting to be quite a pool on the floor here…
You probably already saw this… (Does not look good)
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f426/harper-wyman-oven-thermostat-magic-chef-range-34047.html
It seems to be a simple regulator. You might be able to use one here…
http://www.antiquestoves.com/toac/stoveparts.htm
Or… gasp… just get a new stove/oven
you will probably need to remove the intake manifold and clean out the exhaust cross over runs witch heat the manifold and allow the fuel to vaporize other wise the engine will always try to stall upon acceleration it was a big problem with those engines back in the day i have owned a few and repaired many
good luck
stan
I agree with Stan, can’t tell you how many I’ve swapped out with Edlebrock manifolds during that era. Otherwise you’ll keep thinking its the carb.
Is that ErternaBond tape I see on the center roof seam? (http://www.eternabond.com/).
Nice grab handles on the front of the bus too. I suppose those are for assist while cleaning the windshield?
The ceiling looks awesome! Nice work Pat.
Did you try looking at Magic Chef replacement parts? They have a ton of stuff for old stoves, etc.
You might try:
http://www.antiquestoves.com/toac/thermostat_solutions.htm
They advertise rebuilding of antique stove thermostats. They specifically mention MagicChef on their website. Don’t know anything about them though. They have a phone #.
What is broken about the gas thermostat? No gas getting to the oven? Is the knob frozen and won’t turn? Looks like it’s very similar to the Princess stove/oven thermostat that’s on zillions of boats. It should be very simple inside. A valve and a couple of springs and seals. Pull it apart and fix it. Or you could probably replace it with a Princess part if you can’t find a Magic Chef
No idea on the part. What does a bustache do, other than attract the ladies?
Googled magic chef rv oven “harper thermostat” and this is what came up, you might try some of the places mentioned. http://www.airforums.com/forums/f426/oven-thermostat-1750-2.html
Good luck
Enjoying your adventure! Came across this recently. Have you seen it? http://tinyhouseswoon.com/myrtle-travco/#more-6412
That’s looking sweeeeet.
Just curious to know if new plugs, wires, etc, solved your stalling problem?
Paul T
The skirt in the front disturbs the lines of your RV. Not my decision, but I’d move it back.
You do realize that the busstache is a joke, right?
That’s not the thermostat I don’t believe. It’s the fuel valve. I would need the exact model # for the stove, but Sears Direct sells the replacement parts for those. Here’s an example of one of the model numbers:
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/part-model/Magic-chef-Parts/All-Products-Parts/Model-CLY1620ADB/1429/0124600/M0404296/00001
Deb
S/V Kintala
http://www.theretirementproject.blogspot.com
I’ve got a lot of antique stove parts, give me a ring
Thanks for the offer, we did get the stove working…but sold the bus a few years later.