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Collie
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2006
Posts: 1285
Location: Virginia
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 Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:23 am Post subject: |
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After driving for 10+ years on the 401 in Toronto, I was happy to move back to the South where people drive slower, maybe not as cautious, but slower.  |
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SGKent 
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:44 am Post subject: |
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| 1970fun wrote: |
| chabanais wrote: |
I heard adding a light bar to the Bus will make it go faster.
The nice thing about driving a Bus is it's a massive billboard that says "I can't go fast pass me." |
I use this one from time to time
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I like your sign 
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:52 am Post subject: Re: Making my bus go faster |
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| borninabus wrote: |
| SGKent wrote: |
| Even at 80 mph in a 60 zone we've had people come within 2' of us 3 or 4 times while passing us at speed. Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama were the worst... |
i thought you lived in califonia?
shouldn't be anything new to you. |
Believe it or not, Southern California drivers as a whole seem to be able to sit back, listen to music and cruise with the pack. Northern California drivers are a little bit more impatient but the distance between cars is closer to safe than what we saw in the SE. It was not common to see a hundred cars an hour driving 5'-8' behind the car in front of them at 85 mph and sometimes as little as 2' between them. Passes often were less than 2' on the right or left corner as they cut back in. Trucks gave a little more room but there were some very impatient truckers too - weaving in and out of traffic. You don't see that as much in California - probably because weaving in and out is the quickest way to get the attention of a CHP in California.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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jeffsbugs
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2011
Posts: 293
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:58 am Post subject: |
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I agree 100% SG.
I love that sign, I want one. Or at least a sticker that says something similar.
This past weekend was our first trip in the bus, 300 miles return. It ran great, 25 miles to the gallon. Still running a bit lean but not by much. Brand new engine. Time for oil change, valve adjust etc.
I'm doing 70 pulling my boat and people would still pass me, then cut me off at the end of the passing lane.  And what's with the tailgating? :fist:
Top speed is about 78 on flat ground. Forget hills though, 30 tops in 3rd and less on one steep grade. 4 way flashers and try to stay out of the way.
People these days are nuts, drive crazy and don't give a flying fuk about anyone but themselves.
Cheers,
Happy Independence Day to my american neighbors.
Jeff |
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:59 am Post subject: |
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| offrdbus70 wrote: |
I disagree. Make your bus go faster! It is not realistic to keep up with traffic otherwise.
Oh and SG Kent. Get out of the fast lane dude!
MG |
Dear Offrdbus - Since you have never driven with me you don't know how I drive. I'd love for you to tailgate me, we could retrain your thinking pretty fast.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin
Last edited by SGKent on Mon Jul 04, 2011 10:12 am; edited 1 time in total |
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 10:09 am Post subject: |
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| jeffsbugs wrote: |
I agree 100% SG.
I love that sign, I want one. Or at least a sticker that says something similar.
This past weekend was our first trip in the bus, 300 miles return. It ran great, 25 miles to the gallon. Still running a bit lean but not by much. Brand new engine. Time for oil change, valve adjust etc.
I'm doing 70 pulling my boat and people would still pass me, then cut me off at the end of the passing lane. And what's with the tailgating? :fist:
Top speed is about 78 on flat ground. Forget hills though, 30 tops in 3rd and less on one steep grade. 4 way flashers and try to stay out of the way.
People these days are nuts, drive crazy and don't give a flying fuk about anyone but themselves.
Cheers,
Happy Independence Day to my american neighbors.
Jeff |
25 would be a little lean unless you had a tail wind. Thank you for the Happy Independence Day. You would be celebrating too had Quebec fallen in 1775
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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babysnakes
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2008
Posts: 7106
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 11:58 am Post subject: |
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I'm not looking for speed. I usually run 75-80 in the work truck in the left or middle lanes. I like my 1600. It performs just nice. I stick to the right lanes on I-95 and the Turnpike. I get passed like I'm standing still from time to time. I just like to relax at 55-60 mph. What I do want is more torque. I have a small boat that I wish to trailer. While visiting S.Cali. this week I had the opportunity to ride in a Samba members '68. It had a large cc T-1 motor and I was totally impressed how it pulled up a very steep incline without bogging down and remained cool at the same time. More power yes, speed not so much. Why do you Cali. guys want to go fast anyway? Seemed bumper to bumper most of the time anyway.  |
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jeffsbugs
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2011
Posts: 293
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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| SGKent wrote: |
25 would be a little lean unless you had a tail wind. Thank you for the Happy Independence Day. You would be celebrating too had Quebec fallen in 1775 |
Good point, it is a little lean.
I sure would! We just did the Canada Day thing. 
Cheers,
Jeff |
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Rubber Duck
Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2006
Posts: 806
Location: Pitt Meadows BC
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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I like that sign so much, I'm going to make one for myself.
Cut it out of black Sintra, mount it on top of a nice oblong shaped red-lens light and away we go.
I wonder...do you have a special switch to activate it or is it activated by brake?
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Rubber Duck
1974 Westfalia |
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skid
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2009
Posts: 1329
Location: Vancouver, BC
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Emeritusx
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2008
Posts: 2775
Location: 12 inches behind the wheel
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Rubber Duck wrote: |
I like that sign so much, I'm going to make one for myself.
Cut it out of black Sintra, mount it on top of a nice oblong shaped red-lens light and away we go.
I wonder...do you have a special switch to activate it or is it activated by brake? |
He said he used the defroster power and switch previously
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82 Westy ☢, 66 Splitty ☮, 73 Type 181 ✠ |
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Desertbusman
Samba Member
Joined: June 03, 2005
Posts: 14655
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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| jeffsbugs wrote: |
This past weekend was our first trip in the bus, 300 miles return. It ran great, 25 miles to the gallon. Still running a bit lean but not by much. Brand new engine. Time for oil change, valve adjust etc.
I'm doing 70 pulling my boat ...........
Top speed is about 78 on flat ground. Forget hills though, 30 tops in 3rd and less on one steep grade. 4 way flashers and try to stay out of the way.
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Glad you're on the road and doing well. That's the mileage I get with my T-1 on road trips.
70 pulling a boat with a new engine? How new, was it even broken in? And 78 on flats? Of course we have different engines and mine will top out around 85 but I run it a 60 because I want it to last.
But I would be concerned with your 30 tops in 3rd. I'd think that's lugging it big time. Time to run it in 2nd at a slower speed. When mine is stressed on grades there are speed ranges between gears that I just plain won't try to run at. I drive for what's good for the bus, not what's good for me.
As far as the highway, on some of my common trips maybe 500 cars will pass me and maybe I'll pass 1 or 2. That's like time to celebrate. But it's back and forth with semi's on grades. I'll shoot past them but on downhills they blast past me. I guess we both do the same thing by not wanting to loose speed on grades. Everyone else on the road does not have that concern.
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71 Superbug
71 Westy |
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poptop tom
Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2004
Posts: 1607
Location: The Hoosier State
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| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 4:12 am Post subject: |
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I can't understand why that hasn't sold in the four years it's been posted for sale.
I was running 65 to 70 (in a 70 mph zone) for a few hours yesterday in Michigan. I believe I passed four cars and three semis........but was passed by hundreds of cars!
BTW. Michigan's concrete roads suck beyond comparison.
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'76 Deluxe Campmobile |
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Bleyseng
Samba Member
Joined: July 03, 2005
Posts: 4752
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 9:26 am Post subject: |
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| Bewitched wrote: |
I agree with alot on here that making a bus go faster wont work becoz you will always have people driving faster then you.
My question is as i want to buy a bus what is the maximum speed(if the stock engine is ok,e.g 1.6,1.7,1.8 or 2 liter) the bus can reach driving on the freeway?
Here in holland the maximum speed on some highways is 100 km per hour(63 mph) or 120 km per hour(75 mph) and i want to know if a stock engine will handle this speed on the highway without any problems.
I have heard that the bus wont handle a certain speed for a long period of time but what would be a save driving speed going with the modern day traffic of now.
Greets,
Stanford |
A later type 4 powered bus (091 tranny) will cruise all day at 70-75 mph. With the stock size tires, its running 4000-4200rpms which is the Max cooling for the fan.
My 77 with the CS engine loves it at that speed and just cruises along with 355F CH temps, 220F oil temps..gas mileage 17-22.
Going 80-85 mph the bus just gets loud as rpms are up there and wind noise is awful. I go that speed if I have to "make time" but prefer just to go 70-75.
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70 Ghia Black convert-9/69 build date-stock w/133k 1600 SP-barn find now with a rebuilt tranny and engine
77 Westy 2.0L w/Ljet, Camper Special engine-95hp and with LSD!(sold)
76 Porsche 914 2.1L L20c, 120hp Djet (sold)
87 Syncro Westy Titan Red 2.1L 2 knob 100k miles |
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jeffsbugs
Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2011
Posts: 293
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:30 am Post subject: |
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| Desertbusman wrote: |
Glad you're on the road and doing well. That's the mileage I get with my T-1 on road trips.
70 pulling a boat with a new engine? How new, was it even broken in? And 78 on flats? Of course we have different engines and mine will top out around 85 but I run it a 60 because I want it to last.
But I would be concerned with your 30 tops in 3rd. I'd think that's lugging it big time. Time to run it in 2nd at a slower speed. When mine is stressed on grades there are speed ranges between gears that I just plain won't try to run at. I drive for what's good for the bus, not what's good for me.
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Thanks, it had a couple hundred miles on it from driving to work, up hills, etc. standard new engine stuff.
I set my tach at 4k but I don't think I'm getting WOT but that's ok. It likes 60 so I kept it there most of the trip. 70 was downhill.
78 was without 12' alum boat and trailer.
I don't lug the engine, the tach stopped working about 30 minutes into the trip but I use my ears and listen. I'm pretty sure 30/35 in third is 2500+ rpm. It seems low geared to me. (3 rib?) I agree I drive the same. I didn't put all the effort into a good engine just to abuse it.
When I fix the tach I'll have more accurate rpm/speed readings.
Ya, I got used to people passing me. Oh well, it's so nice to drive I don't care.
Jeff |
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Desertbusman
Samba Member
Joined: June 03, 2005
Posts: 14655
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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Randy in Maine has a real cool term he uses but I forgot what it is. My descriptive term is usually 80%. That's the max pedal I give it. Actually the cable is probably adjusted to stop before it can get 100%. It saves a lot of wear and tear and damage to the linkage components and the carb throttle shaft bearings.
In those demanding situations if 80% isn't enough then it's time to downshift and run slower.
Living in the fast lane and bus mentality are cotradictory.
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71 Superbug
71 Westy |
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Randy in Maine
Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2003
Posts: 34890
Location: The Beach
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| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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You have found the secret....
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| but I use my ears and listen |
Listening and feeling what the bus is telling you is a great skill that is only aquired by some experience. Even though I like to keep a little acceleration in my pocket, sometimes have to just let them ponies run a little. They like it |
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Rubber Duck
Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2006
Posts: 806
Location: Pitt Meadows BC
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 9:39 am Post subject: |
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Just got back from the camping trip to washington and remembered this thread about driving fast. Well...lets just say I was surprised by my bus, and by the drivers in Washington too!
The bus was happy to cruise at 60 on the flats, but on the some hills, it would only go 50, and some downhills it got to 70 even! who knew! Overall, I felt that she could go faster, but the pedal was already to the metal on most cases. Maybe time to adjust the carb cable, or maybe time to finally drop that engine and put in a timesert on #3
Anyway, just thought I would add an observation: You US drivers are so courteous!!
I was actually a little intimidated at first on the I5 having read all the horror stories here (and even on this thread), but the reality pleasantly surprised me. Every single US-plate vehicle gave me lots of room, not one, not even the semis, came up and hung around my tail as I went uphill at 50. All hung back until it was safe to overtake.
The only times I ever got tailgated, it was BC-plated vehicles, with the bigger RVs and 5th-Wheels being the main culprits. And when I got back across the border, well, 60 mph sometimes just isn't fast enough on the 80 kmh stretches on the number 1. 
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Rubber Duck
1974 Westfalia |
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 41031
Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:20 am Post subject: |
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the only time I have experienced issues on I-5 is SF Bay are folks headed home from Los Angeles on Sunday eves when they just want to get home and don't care whom they cut off. Some will push their way between cars to get to the head of the line even though maybe 10 people are patiently waiting for a lane blocked by a slow truck to clear. We just found that some folks in the SE really had an attitude when driving where they thought they were on a NASCAR track where bump and push was normal. No question some use intimidation as a tactic to get by even though their may be no way it can happen. One recently interesting article shows that the SE has become the Meth capital of the US so this may be nothing more than tweakers mixing their tweaking and driving.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin
Last edited by SGKent on Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:00 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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chabanais
Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2002
Posts: 4866
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| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:54 am Post subject: |
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How many horses live on your ranch?
| Randy in Maine wrote: |
| sometimes have to just let them ponies run a little. They like it |
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"I spud therefore I yam." |
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