Eagles International Forum

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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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........




Every bus builder dreams about the beautiful coach. I hope Norma Jean turns out as beautiful as the name implies.

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!

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.

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

Hopelessly anchored
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

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?

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

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.

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".

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?