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Norma Jean

This is a public forum. This forum will be a place to show your Project Eagle and updates on progress you have made. Please make one thread with your project and put all updates in the same thread. Sorry... Eagles only.
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Two Feathers
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:43 pm
FMCA #: F234821
Bus Model: 1978 Eagle 05
1990 Eagle 15

Norma Jean

Post by Two Feathers »

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We purchased Norma Jean, a 1990 Model 15, from Byron and Betty Pigg in October of 2006. Funny story, Byron and Betty signed the title to their gorgous 1985 model 15 and handed it to us. It didn't take long to find out that we had NOT purchased a fully finished bus for a SHELL price. That matter resolved, we corrected the title fiasco.

We named the bus NORMA JEAN because their cat with that name had taken the drivers chair as its prefered nap spot. I came back to Missouri to pick up the bus and drove it to Southwestern Coach in Copeland, KS where it had to wait in line for it's turn in Tony's shop for just over one year.


When our turn came, we stripped the coach of all siding, removed the bay doors, raised the roof 10",installed new 15 caps,streched .080 aluminum siding, built a living room slide and a bedroom slidepulled the drop box and axle to change out to a T-drive axle, installed disc brakes on the drive axle, lengthend the coach approximately 24" to accomodate the newly rebuilt Cummins M-11 Celect Plus 450 and the Allison 746 electronic automatic transmission. Pulled the radiator and installed a reconditioned version of the Eagle 15 radiator, charge air cooler, and transmission cooler all in line. The engine installation is almost completed as of this posting.
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http://S604.photobucket.com/albums/tt12 ... ount04.jpg[/img]

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We are getting pretty close to working on the stuff in the bays, tanks, aquahot, gen set, a/c, and the like. Then on to the cafe doors for the bays. Looking forward to trying mirror siding with NO rivets or hinges visible. Hope that works! Then on to the interior........
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Every bus builder dreams about the beautiful coach. I hope Norma Jean turns out as beautiful as the name implies.
Last edited by Two Feathers on Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:40 pm, edited 30 times in total.
1990 Eagle 15 Under Construction
Cummins M-11 Celect Plus
Allison 746, T drive axle
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Songman
Club Member
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Posts: 2107
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 1:48 am
FMCA #: F404262
Bus Model: 1993 Silver Eagle Model 15-45
Location: Nashville, TN
Contact:

Re: Norma Jean

Post by Songman »

Rie said to tell you that we will take anything you pulled off the bus and get it out of your way! haha

She really wants me to get busy on our bus!
Dale Houston
1993 Eagle 15-45
Nashville, TN
User avatar
Two Feathers
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:43 pm
FMCA #: F234821
Bus Model: 1978 Eagle 05
1990 Eagle 15

Re: Norma Jean

Post by Two Feathers »

How would you like a whole bunch of seated coach windows? I really do have an Allison 740 and the hydraulic pump for the fan for sale. Probably will have a lot of old steel wheels one of these days. If you are in to burning tires for a good bobsled run you might want to contact me next year.
1990 Eagle 15 Under Construction
Cummins M-11 Celect Plus
Allison 746, T drive axle
van
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Posts: 1437
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:35 pm

Re: Norma Jean

Post by van »

Well dale,now we know how to get you busy on your 20 ,all our funning and ribbing hasn't worked :D all we had to do was encourage your better half to crack the whip :lol: to get you motivated

Hopelessly anchored
Van
van
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Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:35 pm

Re: Norma Jean

Post by van »

Hi Dave ,was great talking to you the other day.We all wish you lots of luck with the conversion ,it's seeing the members progress thru photos like yours and every else here who is in some phase of construction ,that keeps the rest of us motivated .Looking foward to the completed results of your eagle .
In the skeletal photo you have posted ,between the 1st and 2nd bay there seems to be some sort of zig zag structure there can you describe it please? Is it framing for a side entrance stair way? just curious thanks
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Two Feathers
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Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:43 pm
FMCA #: F234821
Bus Model: 1978 Eagle 05
1990 Eagle 15

Re: Norma Jean

Post by Two Feathers »

Van,

I'll give you two more guesses before I explain to you that the zig zag is actually the stairs going from the livingroom down to the basement bedroom. It will be accessed from the inside of the bus. When we get done we should, could, might, have a two bedroom, two bath bus. My God! What next?
1990 Eagle 15 Under Construction
Cummins M-11 Celect Plus
Allison 746, T drive axle
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buscrazyinFL
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Posts: 655
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:47 pm
FMCA #: F385289
Bus Model: 1972 Eagle 05
Vin # 8851
Location: Winter Haven, FL

Re: Norma Jean

Post by buscrazyinFL »

We didn't quite understand about the title thing?

If you read our post on Trailways Red, you'll understand why bus IDs and Titles are so important to us...we're STILL trying to figure ours out. :?

We are suffering from an identity crisis! LOL
Manny & Darlene's
1972 Silver Eagle 05
VIN # 8851
8V71 / HT740 4 Speed Automatic
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Boomer
Club Member
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Posts: 780
Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2008 12:26 am
FMCA #: F352905
Bus Model: 1981 Eagle M10. Stretched, widened, raised to M15/45 specs. Cummins ISM 450, Allison World transmission. Mid entry door.
Location: Southwest Washington

Re: Norma Jean

Post by Boomer »

Cool idea about the basement bedroom! If you ever intend to utilize it going down the road though, you might want to check out the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations in regard to what is says about legal bus sleeper berths. I know you are not a Motor Carrier and legally do not have to follow the regs, but the same principals should apply to all of us busnuts.
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Two Feathers
Club Member
Club Member
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:43 pm
FMCA #: F234821
Bus Model: 1978 Eagle 05
1990 Eagle 15

Re: Norma Jean

Post by Two Feathers »

We don't have intentions to use a sleeping berth while going down the road. My wife won't let me close my eyes while I am driving.

What we are building will be a downstairs bedroom to be utilized only when we are parked for the evening. We have a similar arrangement in our current Eagle with a trap door under the dining room table. It has been functional but not convient. We want to build the next one with stand up dressing space and a full size double mattress. Our granddaughters currently have a ball in their "Play Room".
1990 Eagle 15 Under Construction
Cummins M-11 Celect Plus
Allison 746, T drive axle
van
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Posts: 1437
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:35 pm

Re: Norma Jean

Post by van »

Dave ,I think that basement thing is so cool ,while at Quartzsite we camped out with Basil who has a basement set up for his children and they love it. With grand children of our own ,seems the thing to have ,now Basil has a trap door to access the basement ,but having the stairs is a neet idea.Are you gonna include the side entrance with the stairs and basement access?
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