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| Buskirk questions [message #275377] |
Wed, 08 April 2015 08:56  |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
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Rob posted this link yesterday to a photo essay on GMCMOTORHOMEINFO.com http://gmcmotorhome.com/tech/buskirk/index.html showing about 100 photos from a Buskirk stretch.
I somehow had not seen this before and have a few questions. It's specifically mentioned in the essay that neither Patric Flowers of Buddy Bethune would answer any questions so perhaps some here will know.
1- Are these photos taken in Buskirks first shop...the one Cinnabar is in now?
2- From what I can determine Clarence did the same things to most, if not all, of the coaches he built. What did he typically do brake wise?
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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| Re: Buskirk questions [message #275385 is a reply to message #275377] |
Wed, 08 April 2015 09:47  |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
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kerry pinkerton wrote on Wed, 08 April 2015 07:56Rob posted this link yesterday to a photo essay on GMCMOTORHOMEINFO.com http://gmcmotorhome.com/tech/buskirk/index.html showing about 100 photos from a Buskirk stretch.
I somehow had not seen this before and have a few questions. It's specifically mentioned in the essay that neither Patric Flowers of Buddy Bethune would answer any questions so perhaps some here will know.
1- Are these photos taken in Buskirks first shop...the one Cinnabar is in now?
2- From what I can determine Clarence did the same things to most, if not all, of the coaches he built. What did he typically do brake wise?
From what I see, those pictures look like his new shop after his departure from Cinnabar. In fact I saw the stretch after it had been painted and was having the interior put in. I don't recall him doing that kind of work in the other shop, but I can't say for sure. My coach was done by him when he was in the Cinnabar facility. He was a really innovative and great guy!
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] Buskirk questions [message #275414 is a reply to message #275377] |
Wed, 08 April 2015 12:44 |
Emery Stora
Messages: 959
Registered: January 2011
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Kerry
I was in Buskirk’s shop in the summer of 1999. I had an engine failure while on a trip to Michigan and they replaced the engine.
This was not the shop that Cinnabar is in now.
Buskirk was working on a couple of stretches at the time and there was a frame without a body. I could see how they were preparing the extra lift and the disk brakes in the rear.
I believe they were installing the Harrison disk brake system with the much larger disks.
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO
> On Apr 8, 2015, at 7:56 AM, Kerry Pinkerton wrote:
>
> Rob posted this link yesterday to a photo essay on GMCMOTORHOMEINFO.com http://gmcmotorhome.com/tech/buskirk/index.html showing about 100 photos from
> a Buskirk stretch.
>
> I somehow had not seen this before and have a few questions. It's specifically mentioned in the essay that neither Patric Flowers of Buddy Bethune
> would answer any questions so perhaps some here will know.
>
> 1- Are these photos taken in Buskirks first shop...the one Cinnabar is in now?
>
> 2- From what I can determine Clarence did the same things to most, if not all, of the coaches he built. What did he typically do brake wise?
> --
> Kerry Pinkerton
>
> North Alabama
>
> 77 Eleganza II, 403CI, Manny Brakes, 1 ton, tranny, lots of aluminum goodies.
>
> 77 Kingsley by Buskirk. Rear twins/dry bath, EFI Caddy.
>
> Also a 76 Eleganza to be re-bodied as an Art Deco car hauler
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| Re: [GMCnet] Buskirk questions [message #275597 is a reply to message #275377] |
Fri, 10 April 2015 18:41 |
powwerjon
Messages: 849
Registered: March 2013
Karma: -2
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To All,
Answer to Question 1: All Pictures were taken at CB's second shop located on Orval street, Cinnabar is just a half block to the east of the shop. Spent alot of time there in 98 thru 2000.
Answer to Question 2: Each coach was similar only different!
There were 7 1/2 coaches built and I will explain the 1/2 later:
Coaches 1, 2, 3 & 6 were painted in the Buskirk paint theme. Coaches 4, 5 & 7 were painted as per customer specs. I do know that coaches 1 & 6 are going to be repainted this year.
The rear suspension evolved thru the coaches being built. Coach #1 was a single stock air bag and used extender on the mounts. The following coaches were a combination of components. At this time Buskirk copied the Leigh Harrison 4 bag system modifying it with much heavier components, including larger air bags and much heavier (thicker) metal parts along with a billet Hex material and they only built seven of these kits that were used on the Buskirk coaches including the 1/2 coach. Later coaches, used a combo of components. The typical setup was a Harrison 12 1/2” braking setup on the middle bogy and a drum on the rear with 2 3/4” shoes on the trailing bogy. Torsion bars were used on the early coaches and not on the later coaches. More research is need on how the coach suspensions were finished
The engine combination are all over the place with 455 cu in Olds, 461 Jasper Olds, 454 & 500 cu in chevy and 500 cu in Cad. I am still doing research on what engines where in which coaches.
My search is still incomplete as I have not yet been able to find info on the owner and coaches 2 & 3 and not yet contacted coach 7 in person although I was there and did help on the assembly of that coach.
If any on has any information on a Buskirk stretch in Midwest, KS, MN & NEB please contact me off net. There is also a coach down in the Monroe MI area that the owner is hard to get in touch. Once I get all the info that I have collected on each coach, I plan to do a Album on each coach. As for the 1/2 coach it was built by Clarences close friend out of the remaining parts and was not sold thru Buskirk an is still in private hands.
I have talked to the owners of coaches 1, 4, 6 by phone and I am trying to get ahold of the dentist in TN, he had listed his coach #7 for sale a year or so, don’t know if it has changed hands.
J.R. Wright
30' Buskirk Stretch
Buskirk Coach Historian
Michigan
On Location in Tucson
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| Re: [GMCnet] Buskirk questions [message #275620 is a reply to message #275599] |
Sat, 11 April 2015 00:16 |
powwerjon
Messages: 849
Registered: March 2013
Karma: -2
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Wally,
Buskirk use 2 3/4” drum/shoes setup before going to the Leigh Harrison 12 1/2 disk on the middle bogy starting I think in coach Chassis#4. If you closely at those pictures you will notice that a TruTrack on both the middle and rear body. My coach Chassis #5 was set up that with the 2 3/4 shoe and 12/1/2 Harrison disk.
J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
Newsletter Editor/Publisher
78 Buskirk 30' Stretch
75 Avion Under Reconstruction
Michigan
> On Apr 10, 2015, at 5:29 PM, Wally Anderson wrote:
>
> USAussie wrote on Wed, 08 April 2015 17:15
>> Kerry,
>>
>> Page 5 shows the OEM rear drum brakes on the one being built. Page 5 also has a photo of the driver side front brake caliper. Page 6
>> has a photo of the passenger side unfortunately I can't tell if it's an OEM 70MM or 80MM.
>>
>> The photos also show an OEM air bag system and IIRC L. Harrison supplied one of his four bag units for these coaches as well.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Rob M.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Kerry Pinkerton
>>
>> Rob posted this link yesterday to a photo essay on GMCMOTORHOMEINFO.com http://gmcmotorhome.com/tech/buskirk/index.html showing
>> about 100 photos from a Buskirk stretch.
>>
>> I somehow had not seen this before and have a few questions. It's specifically mentioned in the essay that neither Patric Flowers
>> of Buddy Bethune would answer any questions so perhaps some here will know.
>>
>> 1- Are these photos taken in Buskirks first shop...the one Cinnabar is in now?
>>
>> 2- From what I can determine Clarence did the same things to most, if not all, of the coaches he built. What did he typically do
>> brake wise?
>> --
>> Kerry
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
> It looks to me the caliper on page 5 is original. An 80mm sticks out more. Pic
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/power-level-valve-fitting/p57740-80mm-caliper-in-front-knuckle.html
>
> --
> Wally Anderson
> 1975 Glenbrook
> Megasquirt 455 port injection science project
> Omaha Nebraska
> Greater Midwest Classics
> GMCES
> http://wallyandsue.blogspot.com/
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| Re: Buskirk questions [message #275641 is a reply to message #275640] |
Sat, 11 April 2015 12:17 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
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kerry pinkerton wrote on Sat, 11 April 2015 11:05Thanks guys, it will be interesting to see what is actually "non-stock" under the Kingsley when I get time to look at it more carefully.
Given the time frame and the photos being in the new shop, the Kingsley in the background may not have been mine after all. 
I spoke recently with Max Purdy (Clarence's shop manager) and asked if he was aware of any other Kingsleys that Clarence did. He said no but that Rick Rush (Partner in the second facility) had one that was pretty much a twin of the one I have. Also, my coach had been up there several times for work and it could have been either coach.
I also asked him if Clarence did any other Caddys and he said that they thought they did a couple. John Biwersi told me his engine builder friend Fritz Slama sold one Cad 500 to Buskirk. I don't know of any way to tell is mine is a Slama engine. Unfortunately, Fritz passed away so I can't get a timeframe.
btw, Max said he had a bunch of photos and he's going to dig them out and let me scan them.
I seem to recall that they had a stretch Cadillac turbo in there. Not all of the coaches in the shop were being modified. Some were there just for routine repair work.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: Buskirk questions [message #276451 is a reply to message #275377] |
Wed, 22 April 2015 07:05 |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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I continue to study this pictoral. Lots and lots of good stuff in there.
More questions....beginning on page 3,
http://gmcmotorhome.com/tech/buskirk/page3.html
it shows that the entire roof is removed and later replaced, and even later, a new section is added in, and still later, all the holes cut out and replaced with a new aluminum strip that ran from front to rear.
So,
1- How did they get the top off? I'm pretty sure the extrusions for the top are welded to extrusions for the sides. My 76 parts coach certainly appears that way and the extrusions are very complex. Am I missing something?
2- Why did they remove the roof? The photos clearly show it was removed then put back in the original location. It also shows the side wall bracing to ensure nothing shifts while the roof is off.
3- HOW did they patch the roof section? I understand why they wanted to redo the holes in the roof (because of the stretch, the rear AC and such will need to be in a different location. The photos show a long strip of about 20' x 24 or 30" wide right down the middle. Did they cut out the old aluminum and weld in the long piece or did they overlap the original roof and use adhesive and rivets/screws. I'd certainly think TIG welding a new panel in would cause some massive distortion that would be very difficult to work out. Jeff Sirum told me that when he stretched what is now Paul and Nancy Doane's coach, he special ordered a single piece of aluminum for the roof. (crating and shipping cost more than the aluminum)
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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| Re: Buskirk questions [message #276481 is a reply to message #276451] |
Wed, 22 April 2015 15:30 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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kerry pinkerton wrote on Wed, 22 April 2015 06:05I continue to study this pictoral. Lots and lots of good stuff in there.
More questions....beginning on page 3,
http://gmcmotorhome.com/tech/buskirk/page3.html
it shows that the entire roof is removed and later replaced, and even later, a new section is added in, and still later, all the holes cut out and replaced with a new aluminum strip that ran from front to rear.
So,
1- How did they get the top off? I'm pretty sure the extrusions for the top are welded to extrusions for the sides. My 76 parts coach certainly appears that way and the extrusions are very complex. Am I missing something?
2- Why did they remove the roof? The photos clearly show it was removed then put back in the original location. It also shows the side wall bracing to ensure nothing shifts while the roof is off.
3- HOW did they patch the roof section? I understand why they wanted to redo the holes in the roof (because of the stretch, the rear AC and such will need to be in a different location. The photos show a long strip of about 20' x 24 or 30" wide right down the middle. Did they cut out the old aluminum and weld in the long piece or did they overlap the original roof and use adhesive and rivets/screws. I'd certainly think TIG welding a new panel in would cause some massive distortion that would be very difficult to work out. Jeff Sirum told me that when he stretched what is now Paul and Nancy Doane's coach, he special ordered a single piece of aluminum for the roof. (crating and shipping cost more than the aluminum)
I noticed that as well--it almost seemed that the pictures were out of order or more than one coach was involved.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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