1991 xplorer motorhome

Why did I momentarily think the trailer was engulfed in flames 💀

2024.02.24 07:11 ThePixelatedPeach Why did I momentarily think the trailer was engulfed in flames 💀

Why did I momentarily think the trailer was engulfed in flames 💀
submitted by ThePixelatedPeach to AccidentalComedy [link] [comments]


2024.01.07 11:21 jorisvoest Hi Reddit Winnebago team,

Hi Reddit Winnebago team,
CHEVROLET CP 31 432 WINNEBAGO CHIEFTAIN 7.4 gas 1991 Info from sellers in the ad: Technical state average Not run for few years needs attention It starts directly.
I really like these motorhomes and would be happy to own one, but have now knowledge of them. Can you give me one random subjects your advise and thoughts on purchasing one and maybe your thoughts one the one in the pictures.
If I purchase it for, say,10.000 euros how much would I need to fix it up good. What is expected. Is a difficult question but your thoughts are much appreciated.
Kindest regards Joris.
submitted by jorisvoest to Camper [link] [comments]


2023.08.27 22:18 johnnypaper Radiator Swap

I am forced to install a replacement radiator on a motorhome, and cannot find an exact direct replacement anywhere. I have found one that I think will be equivalent size-wise, but want to make sure before I go to all the work to replace it and find out it won't work properly.
I have a 1991/1992 Ford F53 chassis with the FI 460, with 103K miles. It has never run hot. We have installed a new water pump, new hoses and belts among lots of other things not related to cooling while we had it torn down that far. I have flushed the new radiator per instructions and will be filling it with new 50/50 antifreeze and distilled water. I'm keeping the 195* thermostat at this point.
As near as I can tell with the radiator out, I removed a coppebrass 2-row radiator with plastic tanks. It has 2 very minor leaks thru seepage (not under pressure) in 2 corners, but has been pronounced unrepairable by a local shop. It has 22 fins per inch.
I am replacing it with a brand new all aluminum 4-row with aluminum tanks. It has only 15 fins per inch.
I have been told that coolant temperatures are critical for proper operation of the transmission (3-speed auto with OD), and possibly other unspecified things as well. I am concerned that the replacement radiator might be outside the tolerances of the proper operating temperatures once we have everything reassembled and running.
What is your opinion of the new combination? What else should I look out for ?
Much obliged for the information!
submitted by johnnypaper to MechanicAdvice [link] [comments]


2023.08.03 07:55 XxautumnstarsxX RV Covers

Hello everyone!! First time posting and I have a question for all.
I have a 1991 Class C Motorhome that is 19 feet long. Like all Class C with the bed over the cab, I've got some leaking over the cab.
What covers do you guys recommend for storing? I live/store my RV in southeast Michigan and it is stored at an outdoor storage.
submitted by XxautumnstarsxX to RVLiving [link] [comments]


2023.08.03 07:54 XxautumnstarsxX RV Covers

Hello everyone!! First time posting and I have a question for all.
I have a 1991 Class C Motorhome that is 19 feet long. Like all Class C with the bed over the cab, I've got some leaking over the cab.
What covers do you guys recommend for storing? I live/store my RV in southeast Michigan and it is stored at an outdoor storage.
submitted by XxautumnstarsxX to RVLiving [link] [comments]


2023.07.12 15:37 Shiannagins96 Tommy Lynn Sells

TW: Graphic details and mentions of violence against children.
Tommy Lynn Sells was born in Oakland, California on June 28, 1964, as one of five children to an unwed mother. Sells’ presumed biological father, Joe Lovins, died when Sells was 11. Sells and his twin sister, Tammy Jean, contracted meningitis when they were 18 months old; Tammy died from the illness. Shortly thereafter, Sells was sent to live with his aunt, Bonnie Walpole, in Holcomb, Missouri. When he was five years old, he was returned to his mother after she discovered that Walpole wanted to adopt him. At the age of seven, Sells began regularly drinking alcohol obtained from a supply stash belonging to his maternal grandfather. Within a year, he was socializing with an adult man named Willis Clark, who Sells alleged began molesting him. Sells also claimed his mother encouraged the relationship, which traumatized and further impacted him greatly.
Sells said he would later relive those experiences while committing his crimes. At age 10, Sells started using narcotics. Three years later, he entered his grandmother's bed nude while she was sleeping, leading to him being banned from the house. Shortly after that, his mother and siblings abandoned him by abruptly leaving town. A few days later, in a fit of rage, he shot a woman and assaulted her, although she survived. Sells began living as a nomad permanently in 1978, at the age of 14. When Sells visited family in Little Rock, Arkansas, in May 1981, his mother threw him out after he tried to molest her in the shower. Thereafter, he failed to receive mental health assistance, his drinking worsened, and ultimately led to his first arrest in 1982 for public intoxication.
Homeless, Sells hitchhiked and train-hopped across the United States from 1978 to 1999, committing various crimes along the way. He held several very short-term manual-labor and barber jobs. He drank heavily, abused drugs, and was imprisoned several times. In 1990, Sells stole a truck in Wyoming and was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment. He was diagnosed with a personality disorder consisting of antisocial, borderline, and schizoid features, substance use disorder (severe opioid, amphetamines, and alcohol dependence), bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and psychosis.
On May 13, 1992, Fabienne Witherspoon, a 19-year-old woman in Charleston, West Virginia, was driving when she saw Sells panhandling under an overpass with a sign that said, "I will work for food." She felt sorry for him and took him to her home, asking him to wait outside. She went into her home to get some food for him, and by the time she got back to her front door, he was inside. When she walked away to get something else, he got a knife from her kitchen, trapped her in a bathroom, and attempted to rape her. The woman fought back, hitting him in the head repeatedly with a ceramic duck and getting control of his knife and stabbing him, nicking his kidney and liver. In addition, his testicle was sliced.
In retaliation, Sells beat her over the head with a piano stool. Sells tried to get away but his injuries landed him in the ICU and in police custody. Witherspoon sustained significant injuries herself including a gaping head wound and a severe hand laceration that required surgery. After this attack, Sells took a plea deal on malicious wounding charges and served five years in prison. While serving this sentence, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and married Nora Price. He was released in 1997 and moved to Tennessee with his wife. He then left her that same year and resumed his cross-country travels.
Police investigators believe Sells murdered at least 22 people. Retired Texas Ranger John Allen said, "We did confirm 22... I know there's more. I know there's a lot more. Obviously, we won't ever know." Sells said he committed his first murder at age 15 in Mississippi, after breaking into a house. While in the house, Sells claimed to have discovered a man performing fellatio on a boy and killed the man in a fit of rage. This confessed crime has not been confirmed. Furthermore, in 1980 Sells claimed he killed a man with an ice pick near a Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles which has also never been confirmed. Nonetheless, Sells has been linked or has confessed to multiple crimes:
Note: Sells would not admit to any crimes he may have committed in St. Louis as he had family in that area.
On December 31, 1999, in the Guajia Bay subdivision, west of Del Rio, Texas, Sells sexually assaulted, stabbed and killed 13-year-old Kaylene "Katy" Harris before slitting the throat of 10-year-old Krystal Surles. Krystal survived and received help from the neighbors after traveling a quarter-mile to their home with a severed trachea. Sells was apprehended after being identified from a sketch made from the victim's description.
Police over time came to suspect him of "working the system" by confessing to murders he had not committed. Sells confessed to a number of crimes and supposed murders which were never able to be corroborated. Sells said he kidnapped a woman in 1982 in Little Rock, Arkansas, with an accomplice, whom he raped, tortured, and killed, then dumped her body in a quarry. Law enforcement chose not to explore the deep quarry lake Sells led them to due to financial concerns. Sells revealed that in 1986 while he was working for Atlas Towing in St. Louis, he received a call from a prostitute whose car had broken down. When he arrived at the vehicle, he suggested sex in lieu of paying for the towing cost. When she declined, Sells said he shot her and threw her body in a river. Sells also divulged that in 1988 he met a woman and her son in Salt Lake City, Utah, and travelled with them to go on a camping trip. Sells claimed he killed her and her son by an unclear method and dumped both of their bodies in the Snake River in Gooding County, Idaho. Sells once stated to investigators that he had killed a black man and dumped his body in a dumpster in Chicago. He named the specific street intersection this allegedly occurred at, but no such murder was ever discovered.
Sells also claimed he killed a 20-year-old woman, whom he originally thought was a man, in a drug deal gone wrong in Truckee, California on January 27, 1989. A report of an unrelated incident established that Sells was in the area and an unidentified female body was found in the area at that time. In addition, at one time Sells claimed to have killed two unidentified female hitchhikers in May 1989 in Roseburg, Oregon. Finally, Sells referenced other additional victims whom he said to have killed and dumped in the Florida swamps while he worked there as well as several gay men at various rest stops along the interstate in Pennsylvania. The state's attorney in Jefferson County, Illinois, declined to charge Sells with the Dardeen family homicides in 1987 because his confession to the quadruple killing, while generally consistent with the facts of the case as reported in the media, was inaccurate with concern to some details that had not been made public. He also changed his account three times regarding how he had met the family. Investigators wanted to bring Sells to southern Illinois to resolve their doubts, but Texas refused, due to its law forbidding death-row prisoners from leaving the state.
Sells was housed on death row in the Allan B. Polunsky Unit near Livingston, Texas. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice received him on November 8, 2000. In 2004, Sells confessed that on October 13, 1997, he broke into a home, took a knife from a butcher block in the kitchen, stabbed a little boy to death, and scuffled with a woman. Those details corroborated the account of Julie Rea Harper, who was initially convicted for the murder of her son, and then acquitted in 2006.
On January 3, 2014, a Del Rio judge set Sells' execution date for April 3, 2014. Sells' death sentence was carried out at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville. When asked if he would like to make a final statement, Sells replied, "No." As a lethal dose of pentobarbital was administered, he took a few deep breaths, closed his eyes, and began to snore. Less than a minute later, he stopped moving. Thirteen minutes later, at 6:27 p.m, he was pronounced dead. Krystal Surles and members of both the Harris and Perez families attended the execution.

Sources in comments
submitted by Shiannagins96 to s_isforserial [link] [comments]


2022.07.18 19:10 TaraCalicosBike John Iverson disappeared one evening from his home in 1991, with two vastly different versions of what happened coming to light. Was John kidnapped and murdered, or did he stage his own disappearance?

John Gordon Iverson was born on January 14, 1948, and by the early 1990’s, he had settled down in the 1700 block of South Palo Verde, in Lake Havasu, Arizona. He was known as a genius, working as an inventor at Electron Kinetic, which produced audio amplification systems. He lived with his girlfriend, Kathy Munro, who was also Iverson’s ex wife. The two had married in 1987, but shortly divorced thereafter, with the reason being financial. After the divorce, Iverson transferred all of his assets into Munro’s name. The two kept up a romantic relationship and shared the Lake Havasu home, together.
On the night of January 4, 1991, an acquaintance named Jack Weber visited the couples home. Weber was a machinist living in Las Vegas, and he had often supplied Iverson with cabinet parts and did odd jobs for him. According to Munro, on this evening, Weber had stopped by around 5 pm to drop off a project he had been working on. Typically Weber would meet Iverson at his own shop on the other side of town, but Weber had visited there and Iverson was not around. At the house, as they waited for Iverson to arrive, Munro had written Weber a $1,000 check, despite not being able to find the invoice for the job completed. After some time, Iverson arrived home, and Munro informed him about the check before heading to her bedroom and falling asleep. Around 9:30 pm, she was awoken by the glow of a flashlight bouncing off the hallway, making its way towards her room. She claims Weber appeared in the doorway, wearing gloves and carrying a pistol, and informed her that he had Iverson tied up in his van. He was demanding more money from the couple.
Munro proceed to gather $4,000 in cash, and hand it over to Weber. Weber asked her if Iverson had any more money in their bank account, demanding she write him out another check. She had then written him up another check for $2,500. When she filled the check out, she had purposefully made mistakes, in order to alert the bank that cashes it that she was under duress. As Weber followed Munro down the hallway, she quietly ducked into the family room and locked the door behind her. She ran from the house, screaming down the driveway and passing the van that supposedly held Iverson, as she did so. She ran to the neighbors house and called police, but despite this, Weber, Iverson, and the van were all gone when they arrived.
Iverson’s motorhome had been parked in the couples driveway, and police searched it. Inside, they found a damaged table and a small spot of blood on the carpet, which had been cleaned with a chemical cleaner, and a rug thrown atop it. It wasn’t able to be determined whether or not this was Iverson’s blood, or whether or not it was even fresh.
After a few days, with police unable to locate either Weber or Iverson, Weber’s wife received a letter in the mail from her husband. He details where to find his 1985 silver Ford van, and suggests that she give it back to the bank so they don’t need to keep making payments on it. It was unable to be determined where this letter was mailed from, though, as the post mark was illegible. With this information, police were able to find Weber’s van located at the exact spot he had claimed it would be, in an industrial area ten miles from his home. There was no indication that a struggle had taken place inside the van. No bloodstains or rips on the fabric of the vehicle.
On April 23, Weber walks into the police station and turns himself in. He knows he is facing charges for kidnapping and armed robbery. The story he shares is much different than the story told by Munro, though. In fact, he claims that both Iverson and Munro set HIM up.
Weber claims that Iverson had previously asked him to build a rapid fire weapon, that didn’t require live ammunition. Despite Iverson having fallen behind on payments to Weber for prior work, Weber still agreed, under the condition that he was paid in full upon the completion of building the gun. Weber claims that he arrived at the house 6:00pm that evening, an hour later than in Munro’s version of the story. He arrived expecting to be paid $8,400- the price of the gun as well as back payments for the prior work he’d done for Iverson. He claims that Munro had acted nervously while she filled out the check, and more so when he told her the $1,000 wasn’t enough. Once Iverson arrived home, Weber states that Munro proceeded to her bedroom without saying a word to anyone. While talking together in the kitchen, Weber says Iverson received a phone call. Iverson claims it was from someone interested in purchasing the gun. Weber had brought the prototype, but he refused to give it to Iverson without being paid in full. He then claims they went inside Weber’s van, swiveled the seats to face the back, and checked out the gun. This is where Iverson said that he had a potential buyer for the gun lined up, with the promise of the buyer paying $2,500 upfront the following week. Weber agreed to this, and left Iverson alone in the van with the gun, while he went inside to collect the rest of the money from Munro.
(Please find second half in comments, as post length was too long.)
submitted by TaraCalicosBike to UnresolvedMysteries [link] [comments]


2022.06.23 18:50 gonative1 Is a external in-line fuel pump available for a Motorhome with Ford 460?

When I spray ether in my trusty 1991 Class A Motorhome it fires like normal but won’t stay running. We discovered there is no fuel pressure. We were unable to find the fuel pump relay or isolate the wires without dropping the tank. I really only need to move it once or twice more in the life of the vehicle. I use it as a cabin. Not for driving. To jack the huge vehicle high enough to drop the enormous tank is a bib big job. Especially in a sloped field. Can I improvise a fuel pump inside a portable tank as a temporary measure? It occurred to me it would be ideal to order the correct fuel pump for the vehicle just in case I can find somewhere to drop the tank. If not can I insert the pump into a portable tank ? I’m having difficulty identifying the correct pump for a 1991 Georgie Boy Cruisemaster 32’ on a Ford chassis. It has a injector on each cylinder. The auto parts shop told I’d need to bring the old pump in. That is impossible at this time. Or can a in-line pump be made to work? Has anyone seen a adjustable pump? For correct pressure. Perhaps for racing? Thanks.
submitted by gonative1 to AskMechanics [link] [comments]


2022.06.17 20:41 kingofzdom engine blew up, will this new engine work?

Let me start off by saying I'm pretty desperate here. A few days ago my daily driver and part time home broke down going down the road. Yall gave me some great advice that unfortunately didn't help as I had it towed to a mechanics shop and they told me it overheated, blew a valve valve the timing had slipped and I just needed an entirely new engine.
The van is a 1990 E350 XL that currently has a Windsor 350 and a 3 speed automatic transmission.
I've got a 1991 E350 motorhome with a 460 and 5 speed automatic transmission. I got keep this motorhome around to use for minor parts for the '90.
Will the 460 from the '91 go into the '90? Will I have to swap the trans as well? I am a complete noob when it comes to engines.
submitted by kingofzdom to MechanicAdvice [link] [comments]


2022.01.14 19:16 RasulaTab Project: Sorting thru ancient GM Shop Manuals from the 1950s thru the late 1990s - What to do with them?

So, our long-time General Manager has retired, leaving behind a curious collection of stuff in our dealership. Among them are a collection of roughly 300+ old shop manuals from ~1950 until the end of GM's publication of paper manuals. The office has requested that I "sell them so we can buy paint for the front office". (LOL)
Current ideas are:
Relative value seems to be googleable, but there's a couple of semi-priceless manuals in here. (~1970 Motorhome Wiring Diagrams, etc.) I'd love to buy a document scanner and turn them into pirate PDF's, but I'm a bit leery of dropping $100 - $600 for a quality document scanner. Seems like the kind of tool that might have interesting applications tho...
So I ask the crowd: What the hecc do I do with this stack of Mechanical History?
Partial List
submitted by RasulaTab to partscounter [link] [comments]


2021.12.07 22:03 kingofzdom swapping a 460 from a motorhome to an f150

So I've been offered a 1992 ford f150 in perfectly good condition for free except for one thing; it has no engine in it.
I've got a 1991 E350 motorhome chassis with a 460 in it. The motorcoach itself is just about scrap metal, but the engine is perfectly functional. How feasible would it be to take the engine from one and put it in the other? I've never done anything more advanced than a rear end swap on my truck before.
submitted by kingofzdom to MechanicAdvice [link] [comments]


2021.12.05 17:44 Joiner2008 Any engine builders here that can share knowledge?

Been benchtoping an engine build and was hoping people could rate it and share knowledge if I missed something. I'm looking to build a 489 from a motorhome 454 that has about 70k miles on it. The goal is a street friendly big block that can pass emissions. I'm not concerned about a lopey idle or sound, my state does smog tests all the way to 1981 and I'd rather not have to put an antique plate on it (will if I have to). The car is a 1991 Firebird, it will receive appropriate upgrades, currie 9 inch rear, t56 magnum, koni yellows, etc.
-4.28 bore, 4.25 stroke -Forged scat crankshaft -Forged scat 6.385 connecting rods -4032 icon 15cc dome pistons -AFR 265 intake, 112 cc combustion chamber fully cnc oval port cylinder heads -Edelbrock pro flo 4 efi intake 4150 style throttle body with 35 lb/hr fuel injectors (max hp rating 550) -Howard cam hydraulic roller 287/297, 235/245 @ .050, 0.646/0.635 lift, 114 LSA, 110 centerline
10:1 static compression 8.18:1 dynamic compression Estimated hp (excluding pro flo limit) 570@5631 rpms The horsepower will probably be choked off some by having two catalytic converters.
Is this too much horsepower for a regular driver? I keep reading that big block horsepower is much more tame. The rear axle and the close ratio t56 magnum puts it at around 2200 rpms at 70mph. All advice is appreciated and welcome.
submitted by Joiner2008 to projectcar [link] [comments]


2021.11.04 22:27 kingofzdom 1985 Ford e350 mini schoolbus

I’ve been stalking around Facebook marketplace looking for a cargo hauler for under $1000. This bus caught my eye weeks ago at $1800 but that’s a little out of my budget. The bus also has been sitting for a while and needs a fuel pump, fluids, rubber and tires.
It has an interior mounted wheelchair lift, which I’m seeing could be removed and resold to recoup what I spent on the whole bus if it works
I’ve been looking for a vehicle that can serve as a mobile scrapyard and having an enclosed cargo area that can transport full size refrigerators without worrying about stuff falling out like a pickup truck.
I also have a dead 1991 e350 motorhome with the same engine in my yard that I can use for parts if anything breaks.
submitted by kingofzdom to whatcarshouldIbuy [link] [comments]


2021.10.08 22:21 hippymule DLC Car Wishlist

The list of cars in this game already is insane. I think we're all pretty happy with it.
The art style, customization, and attention to detail is so good, I can't help but put together a little list of some of my personal picks. I have a ton of classic models I'd love to see.
1982 Thunder Roller
1976 GMC Motorhome
1991 Oshkosh Snowplow
2011 442 Much
52' Hudson Hornet (Not sure on release year)
2011 Studebaker Avanti
2004 Tooned Deora 25
2005 Blings Ford Bronco Concept
2004 Bling Hummer H2
2006 Hi-Rakers 71 Buick Riviera
Tooned Sixy Beast
2004 Fatbax Plymouth Barracuda
2004 Hardnoze 74' Monte Carlo
1974 Torino Stocker
1959 Cadillac #266 (Not sure release year. Seems mid to late 90s?)
This list has a total nostalgia bias, BUT I did try to pick a variety of different vehicle types and styles to make things interesting.
The whole fun of the game for me is seeing the weird looking cars racing around the track. We're all pretty used to normal cars driving in games, but the cartoony and eccentric designs are so fun to drive!
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2021.09.09 07:52 teenwent11 Fully Converted 1991 Thomas Rear Engine Skoolie - 40k OBO [Sacramento, CA]

Fully Converted 1991 Thomas Rear Engine Skoolie - 40k OBO [Sacramento, CA]

Most recent photo. The front roof exit has been changed to a plexigas window.
This is a fully converted, custom 1991 Thomas Skoolie that I lived in for over a year. I don;t have the most up to date photos for everything, but the first photo is accurate. The rest of the photos were taken as I constructed the bus. The bus is in storage right now and I am quite far, but I will work on getting better photos and a video walkthrough.
The Story
I bought this school bus in 2018 and converted it almost entirely myself. At first, I didn't have power tools or the money to buy them so everything was done by hand. I removed each bolt for each leg for each seat myself. This took me two months. phew! I then proceeded to remove the floors and install R5 insulation, a formaldehyde free subfloor, underlayment, and engineered hardwood floors. The kitchen was next with white cabinetry, granite countertops and a large farmhouse sink. To me, cooking is important and fun so I wanted to add a full range and oven. It's white like the rest of the kitchen. My aesthetic goal was "white and woodsy".
From there I built out the bedroom, living room, and bathroom. I kept each area separate and as large as I could. It took me two years to get it to the level it's at right now. Everything was done with the utmost care (and frequently done twice or thrice when I messed up). I really didn't know what I was doing much of the time. I sourced much of the wood myself including the cherry used to build the front closets, shelves, bedroom bookshelves, and dining table. The roof is all cedar planks which were dried by the sun and sanded by hand. In an effort to remove off gassing, I tried to use as green materials as I could find. Nonetheless, the kitchen ended up being mostly ikea. They're pretty low on the VOC's so I was okay with the compromise. It's been a work of a lifetime and an immense adventure that I'd love to share with the next owner. Most of the stuff is pretty easy to replace (only plumbing would be hard) so an owner could change things s/he didn't like.
Driving this 40ft bus is a ton of fun! the steering wheel is smooth and easy, the turning radius reasonable, and bumps kinda disappear with the large tires. Both my wife and I have driven this long distances and it's been totally reliable. It doesn't have any AC while driving, but you'd probably be able to do this by hooking up the alternator to the power system and powering the AC.
Mechanics
  • Thomas SAF-T-LINER registered as motorhome in CA
  • Engine CAT 3116- about 120000 miles. about 3300 hours
  • Allison Transmission
  • four brand new tires in 2021
  • new starter in 2019.
  • freshly rodded out radiator core (like 3k) in 2021
  • I have records of all above repairs as well as an oil analysis
  • 3 batteries (about 4 years old according to last owner). If I go about three weeks without charging them, they need to be jumpered. Fortunately it's all 12V so I just hook up my clunker and get it going. :)
Amenities
  • composting toilet
  • 35 gallon gray water tank
  • washing machine
  • 24" UNIQUE propane range and oven https://uniqueappliances.com/product/classic-24-off-grid-propane-range-battery-ignition/
  • propane heater (needs work)
  • HUGE wood burning stove
  • beautiful farmhouse sink
  • daewoo mini fridge. I chose this to keep an open aesthetic to the bus. I really like having that large open living room and kitchen space which I felt would have been impeded by a larger fridge.
  • two large closets
  • plentiful kitchen storage plus lots of shelving in the front and rear of the bus. In the front of the bus you'll find a closet above and below which is some shelving space. The rear closet has two large shelves under it. The bathroom has some shelves next to the shower and next to the washing machine. The bedroom has two bookshelves of cherry.
  • HUGE under-bus storage bays. they go through the bus and are one large compartments.
  • engineered hardwood floors
  • 6ft custom made wood dining table that folds against the wall
  • Penguin air conditioning unit
  • 50AMP power panel (provides option to go on-grid)
  • SOLAR Fully equipped with 800W solar panels, 230AH of batteries- efficient LED lighting
  • gas generator for emergency power
  • electric water heater
  • bedding for four (rear full size bed, and front sofa that pulls out)- small desk for work
  • indoor shower
  • fully insulated floors (R5 rigid insulation)
  • fully insulated ceiling (R15 fiberglass with a polyester liner held up by hand sanded ceder planks)
  • partially insulated walls (bedroom walls, dining area, office and bathroom). all held behind with wood studs and moisture resistant drywall (the purple stuff from Home Depot)
  • plexiglas skylight
  • I have lots of extra material and tools that didn't get used which will be passed on to the next owner of the bus (2 propane tanks, wood, pipes, etc).- I made some cool roof rails that are useful. I used them for hanging a tarp from the roof and making a dry, shaded area next to the bus. They are thick angle iron so I suspect mounting a roof deck to them wouldn't be a problem. That was my long term plan anyways.
things that need work:
  • one closet needs doors. I have the wood for it, but never go around to it- propane heater broke a little while ago, but I just switched to using the wood burning stove. I do not know what is wrong with it. Bus stays fairly warm even in below freezing temperatures though it matters which part of the bus one is in.
  • the roof leaked a bit and the flooring got warped in the kitchen area. I cleaned it out, but never replaced the flooring. I have plenty of extra flooring.
  • hide the wires. I have wood to do this sanded and ready. It's cedar.
  • curtains. I have blackout fabric, white+baby blue fabric, and curtain rods that I intended to use for this.
  • paint - the outside isn't painted. the drywall inside is also not painted. I have paint for the inside, but not the outside.
just be aware that going up hills, the bus goes somewhat slowly like 40 mph for the nearby ones. I lived in the sierras with it and it will make it up and down but you just have to know what you're doing. It can overheat if you push it hard uphill, but it does much better since I got the radiator cleaned out.
To schedule a showing for this skoolie, please contact me directly. I live about 6 hours from it right now and will need to drive to it. For this reason, please only schedule with me if you are serious. I'd like this to go to a conscientious, caring owner who will enjoy all that it has to offer. I can provide a discount for anyone paying in crypto!
Tell me a bit about yourself, what you'd like to do with it, and what/how you'd like to pay for it. If you'd like it delivered, I can arrange it within a couple hour drive and payment is given up front. If you need delivery for a longer distance, we can chat and work out an appropriate fee.
photos below. Again, these were taken as the bus was being built. all the incomplete stuff is now done. I just don't have a good set of photos at the current time. sorry!

shower and toilet

wood burning stove. this was later mounted with a steel frame to the bus floor.

kitchen. cabinets were added later. the roof was also insulated and covered. lighting also added to the far side.

other side of kitchen. granite counters. the steel behind the counter was later covered with wood planks for insulation.

the bedroom. pictured is a twin mattress, but there is enough room for a full mattress. the ceiling was later finished with cedar planks and the steel frame between the windows was covered with wood.

the front of the bus. It is still yellow and still says 'BU' on top :P

Driver side of the bus - note the underbus storage, emergency exit, and battery bay on this side. The other side has water and 50AMP electric hook ups.

solar panels during install. I added a angle iron frame and mounted the panels to them. There is space for more if needed.
submitted by teenwent11 to SkoolieMarketplace [link] [comments]


2021.09.06 20:42 NitroBike The Schumacher Story

(Credit to Tom Rubython, BusinessF1)
The dramatic circumstances of the Italian Grand Prix and Michael Schumacher’s retirement will live on for a long time. After his rival was sidelined by a bizarre stewards’ decision, Schumacher won the race and then announced his retirement. But it was an amazing few hours, worthy of a scripted piece of drama. BusinessF1 retraced the moves that led to that startling finish.
On Sunday 10th September 2006 at 3:25pm, precisely the same time as Michael Schumacher passed the checkered flag to win the Italian Grand Prix, the staff of Ferrari’s press supremo, Luca Colajanni, started handing an A4 sheet of paper to journalists outside the team’s motorhome. It was a one-page press release announcing the retirement of the most successful racing driver in history, a driver at the top of his game challenging for the world championship. Colajanni had been given precise orders by Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo about just what he had to do and when he had to do it.
It was strange timing, as Schumacher was about to make the announcement himself in the winner’s press conference after the podium ceremony. Normally press releases are handed out after an announcement has been made, or during it – but rarely before. It takes away the point. As so it turned out when half an hour later Schumacher found himself announcing what everybody already knew.
The Ferrari team’s haste to announce its driver’s retirement was indeed bizarre. Colajanni had wanted to pre-empt the driver’s own announcement as if to make sure there was no turning back.
Montezemolo had exercised a strong presence in the Ferrari garage at Monza Park all weekend. On qualifying day he hovered around the Ferrari motorhome waving away journalists’ enquiries about what was going on. On race-day he had arrived with John Elkann, the most senior member of the Agnelli family working at Fiat, and Sergio Marchionne, the chief executive of Fiat. He also had Piero Ferrari in his party. One observer was mystified at the presence of all these big guns and said: “It was as though Luca wanted reinforcements.” But reinforcements for what? It was soon to become clear. Although everything looked normal in the Ferrari garage and motorhome, underneath the surface a civil war was concluding, in Montezemolo’s favour. It had run all summer, but was finally coming to an end. All that Montezemolo now required was for Jean Todt, the team principal, and Michael Schumacher, the number one driver, to run up the white flag.
In truth no one knew what was about to happen. Schumacher didn’t want to retire, at least not that day. And he thought he still retained enough power to get his way. But Montezemolo had long before given him a deadline of Monza and told him (expressly against Jean Todt’s wishes) that it was either driving alongside Kimi Räikkönen in 2007 – or retirement.
In a previous age no one had dared tell Michael Schumacher what to do. He had been king of Formula One for 12 years and for half of them was easily the sport’s most powerful man, eclipsing even Bernie Ecclestone.
Montezemolo hated this situation and had also come to resent Jean Todt’s role in the Michael Schumacher show. He took the Enzo Ferrari view that drivers were employees who performed at the behest of their employers. Todt on the other hand took a collegiate view; the top people at the team, including Schumacher, were his close friends and far from being his employees.
But there is no doubt that this combination of opposing management styles got the job done. And for that reason each had tolerated the other.
Only once before in the 11 seasons that Schumacher had been a Ferrari driver, in 1999, had Montezemolo insisted on getting his way.
Officially, of course, none of the above occurred. The official line was that Schumacher had simply decided to retire many months before and that Ferrari had signed Räikkönen to take his place, end of story. In fact, Todt suggested anyone who thought any different was “stupid”.
Everyone, then, is stupid.
There was clearly tension between Todt and Montezemolo that weekend in Monza. On Friday and Saturday, there had been an uneasy peace as both men went about their business. Then, on race-day, with less than 15 minutes to the start, Montezemolo broke away from Ferrari on the grid and went up to Räikkönen’s car. He leaned over the cockpit and gave a thumbs-up sign, as if indicating that all was going to plan. It was a strange action to pursue with his team’s close competitor at Ferrari’s home race.
After Schumacher’s race victory, Montezemolo was delirious with joy and, flanked by Elkann and Marchionne, in the full glare of television, he embraced Jean Todt and kissed him. But as Montezemolo kissed him Italian style and threw his arms around his shoulders, Todt quickly turned away. It resembled the scene in ‘The Godfather Part III’ when Michael Corleone embraces his brother Fredo whilst whispering his death sentence.
Then it was Michael Schumacher’s turn. After being pecked by Montezemolo, he too resisted his boss’s celebratory embraces and looked blankly over his shoulder. For Montezemolo, as he embraced the two men he knew the press release signalling his victory was being handed out to journalists.
It was now clear to insiders that Montezemolo had won his internal battle with Todt to turn Räikkönen’s option into a firm contract drive for Ferrari in 2007. And it was clear that Schumacher’s ultimatum of ‘Räikkönen’s or me’ had been ignored.
It was a battle Montezemolo had been determined to win. Six years earlier, to give the team the very best chance of winning, he had wanted to hire Mika Häkkinen as team-mate to Schumacher. But he had been blocked by the twin powers of Schumacher and Todt. This time he was determined to prevail. He wanted Räikkönen, and if that meant Schumacher’s departure, then so be it. And he also made it clear he was not prepared to carry on paying Schumacher his US$45 million a year in his twilight years. In any case that money was no longer available, it had been allocated to Räikkönen in a deal skilfully negotiated by the driver’s manager David Robertson.
In truth Schumacher was not simply being pushed out of Ferrari, he was not prepared to carry on under the terms that were being offered. So he reluctantly decided to retire. And in any event it was good timing – he was going out at the peak of his powers.
Naturally, in the circumstances, the two press conferences, first for TV and then for the press were sad affairs. Schumacher was very morose. He clearly saw no happiness in retirement. But he played the company line and did not vent any feelings of being pushed out. That was not Schumacher’s way. And the timing of the press release before his own announcement had given him no room for manoeuvre. It was done on the express orders of Montezemolo to ensure that he, and not Schumacher, was setting the agenda.
The sense of despair from Schumacher was obvious. He is the one driver on the grid who genuinely loves Formula One. He lives and breathes it. Whilst some other multiple world champions have rushed into retirement, he seemed set to drive on into his 40s. He was clearly not ready to retire after 16 seasons of racing, nearly double the average career span and equalling the career of Ricardo Patrese.
But at the age of 37, he found, like many others, that as far as Montezemolo was concerned he was past his sell-by date. As Schumacher’s long-time manager, Willi Weber, woefully observed in a passing comment to a journalist at Monza: “Michael found he no longer has the power he thought at Ferrari.” So Schumacher’s retirement was just as controversial as his entry into the sport at the Belgian Grand Prix in first practice on Friday 23rd August 1991.
The countdown for Schumacher’s demise had begun on 25th August 2005 when Räikkönen signed a one-year option which gave Ferrari the right, within a certain time period, to employ him, at a salary of around US$45 million, for three years from 2007 to 2009 with options to renew beyond that. The option price had never been confirmed but was rumoured around the paddock to be US$5 million.
Everybody knew that the drivers’ market was headed for a shake-up in 2007. It became clear that the contracts of the three best drivers in the world, Schumacher, Räikkönen and Fernando Alonso were all expiring at the same time – at end of 2006. It was a unique event in Formula One history and meant that all three could be driving at different teams in 2007. In normal circumstances one or two of the top drivers might be out of contract at the same time, but never three. However, in truth nobody expected any of the three to move from their incumbent teams. Schumacher was an absolute fixture at Ferrari and showing no sign of retiring. Alonso was winning everything at Renault so why would he move, especially as Flavio Briatore, the Renault team principal, was his manager? And Räikkönen, despite coming to the end of his contract, had options for the future and really nowhere else to go.
And that was how it looked in the summer of 2005 as Räikkönen’s manager, David Robertson, and McLaren Mercedes team principal, Ron Dennis, sat down to discuss the Finnish driver’s future. It was to be the first of the big driver negotiations for 2007.
As far as Robertson was concerned, it was all going to be pretty straightforward. He couldn’t comprehend Räikkönen leaving. The contract was up but Dennis had options to renew it well into the future. These options all stemmed from the original contract Räikkönen had signed in September 2001. Dennis had paid a small fortune to secure Räikkönen’s services including a rumoured US$14 million to compensate Peter Sauber. It was a complex contract – two years (2002 and 2003) at a modest salary and then three years (2004-2006) for a much larger retainer culminating in the near US$45 million he was being paid in 2006. But Räikkönen was far from a free agent at the end of his McLaren contract. By all accounts it was at Dennis’s option to take up another three years if he was willing to pay an escalating salary.
Dennis had security, but at a price. There is no way of telling what that price was but it was likely to mean Räikkönen receiving at least US$60-US$70 million a year by 2009. But Dennis, who had been bamboozled into agreeing the high price four years before in 2001, just before the 9/11 terrorist attacks when economic conditions had been very different, did not want to pay, although he still wanted Räikkönen to drive for him.
By all accounts Robertson was somewhat surprised, even if he didn’t show it, when Dennis said he wasn’t taking up the option. Although there is no independent confirmation of this it appears that Dennis believed he could cancel the option, and thereby his commitment, and open negotiations with Robertson at a more sensible retainer. After all Dennis believed, and it certainly looked the case, that Räikkönen had nowhere else to go.
It appears Dennis genuinely believed Robertson would simply agree a lower retainer, probably something nearer US$35 million. But it proved Dennis did not know the man at all. Robertson is an extremely shrewd individual. Even his critics say he can read the minds of team principals. He is believed to study their psyche in his spare time so that he can deal with them more effectively. In his short career in the paddock he has already negotiated with Frank Williams, Flavio Briatore, Ron Dennis and Jean Todt, and bested all of them.
Anyone who has had negotiations with him of any kind is aware of his skills. As one associate says: “He is the sort of man, and this is not said impolitely, with whom one counts ones fingers after shaking his hand. He probably secretly relishes that reputation.”
It is important to emphasise that at that stage of the 2005 season, in spite of Robertson’s reputation, Dennis thought he held all the cards. Räikkönen was dominating the latter half of the 2005 season and McLaren was the top team. Conversely Ferrari was in the doldrums – why would Räikkönen want to go there even if he could?
And Renault was out of the equation. Everyone thought Alonso was a fixture at Renault. When Dennis let Räikkönen’s option lapse he knew, or at least thought he knew, that he could simply wait for Robertson to accept his offer.
But Robertson sensed something different. He sensed discontent in the McLaren organisation, a sense of drift. He had picked up that Adrian Newey was leaving and that Nick Tombazis might do the same. He also thought most of Ferrari’s problems were tyre related and solvable; he knew that Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne had not suddenly become bad engineers. But Robertson kept his counsel with Dennis and said he would get back to him.
Robertson considered his options and marched over to the Ferrari motorhome to get the lie of the land. He imagined negotiations with Todt alone would be a waste of time. So he sought to engage Montezemolo and Todt together. Again the wily operator had picked up their differences on his radar and thought he might be able to divide and conquer. He was absolutely correct. Whilst Todt was cool to the idea of hiring Räikkönen, Montezemolo was more than keen. But there were complications. Ferrari already had an option with Valentino Rossi and Todt doubted openly that Schumacher would want Räikkönen alongside him. But Robertson spoke privately to Montezemolo. Soon the two men agreed to sign Räikkönen to an option in Ferrari’s favour for a year, and to pay for the privilege.
But Robertson was not out of the woods. At that point he did not think Ferrari would actually sign Räikkönen. But it was his leverage on Ron Dennis. Robertson made sure by judicious leaks to journalist friends that it got around the paddock about Ferrari’s option. Dennis’s bluff had been publicly called.
And so matters rested, until the end of the season when Dennis heard on the grapevine that Räikkönen had signed for Ferrari. Although it was only an option he guessed immediately what was going on and decided he was not about to be kept on a string for a year whilst Ferrari decided his future.
By then the situation with the third driver in the loop, Fernando Alonso, was becoming clouded as rumours spread that Renault would withdraw from Formula One at the end of 2006. One very highly placed pundit whispered in Dennis’s ear that he had heard this would definitely happen. As sad as that might be for Formula One, Dennis realised it was very good news for him. As the rumour gained currency, whatever its truth, it effectively put Alonso into play.
Dennis made an approach for Alonso. He understood, as did everyone else in the paddock, that at around US$6 million a year, Alonso was underpaid. Dennis offered Alonso US$16 million a year. The timing of the move was perfect.
At that point Renault’s prospects for 2007 were at their lowest and McLaren’s, after its storming season, at their highest. McLaren had also just announced it had signed Vodafone as title sponsor for 2007; it had more cash than ever. With all things considered Alonso’s manager Flavio Briatore had no choice but to advise his driver to accept Dennis’s offer. He knew Renault at that moment in time would not match it (although later the situation was to change).
Dennis attached one condition to his offer – he wanted to announce it immediately despite the disruption it would cause to his existing drivers. Close friends say he was driven by a desire to get back at David Robertson and tell the Formula One world how clever he was.
Alonso’s signing was announced to an unsuspecting world just before Christmas 2005. It caused a sensation, mainly revolving around Briatore’s position and the obvious conflict of interest. Briatore took it all in his stride. Interestingly he and Dennis came up with entirely different stories of how Alonso was signed. But by then it didn’t matter. After the ravages inflicted on his bank account by David Robertson, Dennis considered it a good day’s work to get Alonso for just US$16 million.
But Dennis had seriously piqued his existing drivers and when they heard the news both vowed to leave the team at the end of 2006. They felt they had been double-crossed. Räikkönen’s position for 2007 suddenly looked precarious.
Over at Ferrari, Michael Schumacher was as entrenched as ever and the Italian team had signed an option with Valentino Rossi for 2007, this one at the driver’s behest. If Rossi decided to take up his option there would be no room for Räikkönen. The situation was slightly complicated when Rubens Barrichello read the tea leaves and saw that he also would be out at the end of 2006. Honda was desperate to sign him and he negotiated a release from his contract to take a big money, three-year deal. To replace him the team signed Felipe Massa on a one-year contract as a stop-gap. Schumacher expected that it would be him and Rossi in the cockpit for 2007.
But as 2006 began, Montezemolo realised he didn’t want that. Signing Rossi was Todt and Schumacher’s plan. He wanted Räikkönen, his man, in the car for 2007, and started scheming to get his way.
It may seem ridiculous that Montezemolo had effectively to politic within his own company, but that is the way it was. Todt had made Ferrari his own fiefdom, much to the annoyance of Montezemolo. The two had already clashed earlier this year when Montezemolo wanted to take Marlboro off the car for 2007 and find a non-tobacco sponsor. Todt wanted to stay with an eager Marlboro. Montezemolo tried everything he could to find an alternative and even invited Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP Group, the world’s biggest advertising agency group, to visit him in Maranello. Ostensibly he wanted to discuss whether WPP and its network of sponsorship agencies could help with finding a new title sponsor for 2007.
But Todt found out about Sorrell’s visit. And when Sorrell arrived at Maranello, he did not meet with Montezemolo but with the Frenchman. Predictably the discussions went nowhere. Todt told Sorrell he already had a title sponsor for 2007 and asked him why he was there. Sorrell wondered that himself and the visit had effectively been a waste of his time. But as Sorrell was leaving, walking down the corridor on his way to Ferrari’s reception, Montezemolo jumped out of a door in front of him and ushered him into a small adjacent conference room. He asked him what had been discussed with Todt and when Sorrell told him, begged him to find an alternative to Marlboro. It was all over in 10 minutes and Sorrell left Maranello shaking his head at the shenanigans he had witnessed between the two men. Sorrell had no intention of wasting his time trying to find a title sponsor for a team that already had one. Todt had already told Sorrell he had done a deal with his friend Louis Camilleri, the chairman of Altria, the Marlboro parent company. Camilleri had agreed a five-year deal from 2007 to pay US$200 million a year. It was the biggest sponsorship deal ever in Formula One and an offer the team could not turn down.
Montezemolo was in despair after the Marlboro deal was signed. It made Todt, now seen as a top rainmaker, even more powerful inside the team. In fact Montezemolo had begun to feel like a stranger in his own factory. Continually away on Fiat and Italian business, Montezemolo realised he had made a mistake when he had promoted Todt the year before to head the whole Ferrari car factory. He had expected him to fall flat on his face but instead he rose to the task and Ferrari, which had been in the financial doldrums, began a remarkable recovery under Todt’s stewardship.
Montezemolo felt he had created a monster in Todt that he could no longer control. Although the two men had worked together for more than a decade, they were like chalk and cheese. Behind the rough exterior, Todt is a self-made, cultured man, an art lover with impeccable taste. In 2005 he had teamed up with Hollywood actress, Michelle Yeoh, got engaged to her and was in many ways beginning to outshine Montezemolo himself.
By contrast Montezemolo is a proud aristocrat. A member of the Agnelli family by any other name, he is regarded within the Fiat empire as a marketing wunderkind.
No one in Maranello can understand why the Todt-Montezemolo alliance has lasted so long. One observer said: “It is a mystery, Todt’s not Luca’s sort of person and vice versa.”
It was never part of Montezemolo’s plan to get rid of Todt, he simply wanted to break up the Todt-Brawn-Schumacher alliance that so effectively controlled the team. And it appears that the battleground was drawn over Michael Schumacher, with both men determined to get their way.
But Montezemolo was more determined.
Montezemolo was not overawed by Michael Schumacher as so clearly was Jean Todt. That was shown in 1999 when the two men faced up to each other after Schumacher broke his leg at the British Grand Prix. Even after he had recovered enough to go testing Schumacher announced on Sunday 3rd October that he would not be fit enough to take part in the remaining two races of the year in Malaysia and Japan.
After the accident Eddie Irvine had taken up the running for the world championship title and badly needed the help of a strong team-mate. But the last thing Schumacher appeared to want was his team-mate to win the world championship and he had clearly decided, with Todt’s collaboration, to see the last two races out. Irvine pleaded with Montezemolo to intervene.
What happened next was instructive in the differing relationships Schumacher enjoyed with Todt and Montezemolo. On the afternoon of Tuesday 5th October 1999, Montezemolo rang Schumacher at his home in Switzerland to ask if he would change his mind and drive. But Schumacher’s young daughter Gina-Maria answered the phone and told Montezemolo that her Daddy was “getting out of his football boots”. Montezemolo questioned the little girl more closely and ascertained that she and her brother had been enjoying a rough game of football in the garden with their father. When Schumacher finally came to the phone, Montezemolo asked him if indeed he had been playing football. The German had no choice but to be truthful. Once Montezemolo heard that, he said to him that if he was fit enough to play football he was fit enough to drive in Malaysia and Japan. When Schumacher resisted, Montezemolo reminded him that he was being paid US$2 million a race and would do as he was told. Schumacher had no choice but to comply and on Friday 8th October the team announced he would indeed be returning for the last two races.
The incident had been a lesson for Montezemolo, who realised that a secret conspiracy existed between Todt and Schumacher.
He had run up against it before when he had wanted to hire Mika Häkkinen to partner Schumacher. Then Todt had told Montezemolo that Schumacher would not have it and would leave. In effect Schumacher was so powerful he could dictate terms and Montezemolo could not risk calling his bluff. But Montezemolo believed Schumacher would have stayed and was left smarting by his rebuttal at the hands of the two men.
So when the chance came to sign Kimi Räïkkönen in the summer of 2005, Montezemolo was determined to grab it. After a poor season when the team had won nothing bar the controversial United States Grand Prix, Montezemolo sensed that Schumacher’s reign was coming to an end. He would be nearly 38 when his last contract ended in 2006.
So when David Robertson came calling, Montezemolo was all ears. Robertson brilliantly played off Montezemolo and Todt against each other. According to sources at Ferrari, Montezemolo didn’t want to get into a situation next year where he was looking for a top-line driver and everyone was signed up. Montezemolo is in instinctive man and, as one person close to Ferrari observes: “He decided to put the bunsen-burner under the situation.”
That person confirms that Montezemolo had been bitterly disappointed when he couldn’t sign Häkkinen and it had always rankled: “The aggravation with Todt has been there the whole time but came to a head at Monza. Luca had wanted to see Häkkinen in the other car. He believes it is 200 per cent about the drivers.”
During the 2005 season Montezemolo decided he didn’t want Valentino Rossi even though he had a firm option to join the team. He persuaded Rossi not to take it up and stay in MotoGP. This decision upset Schumacher who could see what it meant. Rossi had had a programme mapped out to familiarise himself with the car prior to a 2007 debut.
Schumacher said at the time: “We are sad not to see him here. I think he has a very high talent and could have done it in terms of driving.” Ross Brawn, the Ferrari technical director and a strong Todt-Schumacher ally was also upset and said: “We were very impressed with what he was able to do. It would have been very exciting. He was very impressive in all the running we did, otherwise we wouldn’t have taken him so seriously. It would have been a nice challenge to have. It’s a shame.”
Rossi’s announcement fuelled speculation that Ferrari had already decided upon its 2007 driver line-up and that Kimi Räikkönen would be named as Michael Schumacher’s team-mate for next season. But by midsummer it was far from decided and a full-scale battle was going on inside Ferrari. There was a stand-off, which would continue until the deadline to take up Räikkönen’s option.
Meanwhile, David Robertson was sensing that Ferrari might not take up Räikkönen’s option and that Schumacher would not drive alongside him. That prompted him to renew relations with Ron Dennis and make sure his options were still open there. But with McLaren’s 2006 car having flopped and the three top technical men, led by Adrian Newey, having left the team, conditions were totally different. So in May, Robertson started serious negotiations with Flavio Briatore to take Räikkönen to Renault. Robertson found a team principal who very badly wanted to do a deal. The downside was that the retainer was half what he had been getting at McLaren and half of what he had been offered at Ferrari. But against that was a very competitive car; in May it was the most competitive car.
The negotiations were a surprise as Briatore had clashed with Robertson in 2001 and openly criticised him and his methods. But now the Italian turned on the charm offensive and entertained Robertson, and his son Steve, on his boat in Monte Carlo. He also introduced them to his ravishing new girlfriend, Elisabetta Gregoracci, and she worked her own charms on the two men as they toured the Renault team principal’s new yacht in Monaco harbour.
Briatore was ready to forget the past if there was a deal to be done. And he badly needed the deal. By this time his position was very different to how it had been in December 2005. Now the future was clear and Carlos Ghosn, the Renault chairman, had made a long-term commitment to the team and even turned on the cash spigot. Briatore was able to offer Räikkönen a decent retainer, said to be US$21 million but with the added opportunity to accept outside endorsements, which could have been worth another US$10 million.
The two men held detailed negotiations and Briatore personally spent a lot of time wooing Robertson. Later Briatore would angrily tell friends that he felt Robertson had been wasting his time and had been committed to Ferrari at the same time as he was offering Räikkönen to Renault. However, this was not the case. Robertson had been negotiating in the genuine belief that Ferrari would not take up its option because of Schumacher.
All through the early summer, civil war raged behind the scenes at Maranello. But Schumacher found his power to get his way had gone. Montezemolo appeared not to care whether he stayed or went. At the German Grand Prix, which Schumacher won with Massa second and Räikkönen third, the Ferrari number one driver put on a very public show of affection for his team-mate and totally ignored Räikkönen. It was a classic Schumacher display: he was demonstrating publicly to Montezemolo how he wanted it to be and how good it could be. But Montezemolo was totally unmoved. In fact insiders say it hardened his resolve to dislodge the superstar. And in August, Robertson was proved wrong when Montezemolo signed the contract with him. No one close to Ferrari was surprised, as one insider says: “Luca, being the politician that he is, closed off every rat hole.”
When Schumacher learned the news, he told Montezemolo he wanted until the end of the season to make up his mind about whether he would stay and partner Räikkönen. In the meantime, he didn’t want any announcement made about Räikkönen. But Montezemolo was not having any of that. He wanted the situation resolved and told Schumacher he wanted his decision by Monza, when he would announce Räikkönen. By then it appears Ross Brawn had also decided he would leave if Schumacher did. That news was leaked to journalists to pile pressure on Montezemolo.
The writing was on the wall. Montezemolo had come this far and was not about to turn back.
Montezemolo won the battle: Schumacher would not drive with Räikkönen and would instead announce his retirement. But the decision was very much against his will.
He would have rather carried on with Felipe Massa as his team-mate. Now the seven times world champion, still only 37, has to decide what to do next and where life will take him.
Meanwhile, none of the pronouncements so far can be taken for granted. Despite the 17 years since Enzo Ferrari’s death, Ferrari is still a very Machiavellian organisation and Jean Todt, predictably, is seething about losing this public battle with Montezemolo. He knows he will never have the same type of relationship with Räikkönen that he has had with Schumacher. Insiders, however, insist that Todt’s job is safe and that he has too many friends inside Fiat for Montezemolo to contemplate sacking him. And they add that Montezemolo, who is not regarded as malicious, genuinely doesn’t want that and knows Todt is the best man to run Ferrari. One says: “Whatever Luca is, he isn’t stupid.”
But another outside observer says that Todt has been wounded by what has transpired and doesn’t believe the story is concluded, as he says: “Todt is the most malicious person on two legs and he will hold that against Luca.”
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2021.08.09 00:30 DefiantCorner Old RV Master Brake Cylinder

First post, don’t know how these things go. If not the correct forum, please direct me where I can go.
My parents have a 1991 Mallard Sprint (not sprinter) Oshkosh motorhome, with a Ford 460 engine.
My father is looking for information/manuals about the master brake cylinder. He doesn’t know if it’s mechanical or electrical. Also looking for where he can buy one or a rebuild kit for it.
Any and all help is appreciated.
Thanks!
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2021.03.20 19:34 PickleSignal2166 Towing Trailer Question

Hello all, My family and I are thinking about living in a motorhome or trailer for a while. We currently already own 2 great cars and don't want to give them up. We would prefer to hitch a trailer to our 1991 Caprice Wagon but have no idea if that will wreck our vehicle. It's a beauty and my dream car so I don't want to damage it. It says towing capacity it 5000 lb but how big or heavy of a trailer would that safely carry?
Any help would be awesome, thank you.
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2021.03.04 17:50 speedyspaghetti California - Motorhome parked on street by apartment complex without license plates

Hey everyone -
So I live in the Bay Area in an apartment complex that has two entrances - it is located on a hill and you can enter from the bottom or the top. On the street on the bottom (public street) there is a motorhome with all sorts of weird stuff scribbled in paint (strange political ideas) that has been parked on the street for over two weeks. They were here previously in December, moved to a different street for a few weeks, and now they are back. The "inhabitants" of the RV seem to always be on some sort of drugs as whenever I see them, they are driving slowly through my complex between the two entrances muttering stuff to themselves.
Our complex has no security cameras, but I am nearly certain that they are the ones responsible for a series of thefts we've had recently. Every day they drive through the complex in different cars very slowly, ostensibly looking for packages. My neighbor had all of his kid's shoes stolen off their porch, another neighbor had multiple packages stolen off their doorstep, and I had gas siphoned out of my 1991 Toyota Pickup (like come on, who needs to steal 4 gallons of 87 gas?). They even stolen our entire mailbox assembly a month ago.
The town police have been called multiple times but they appear to be disinterested. Our property manager has called as well but nothing has changed. What can I do? Many of our neighbors have kids and this place does not feel safe with these lowlifes "living" next to us. I also am not ok with paying $2500 a month to live next to crackheads.
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2020.06.22 20:59 Cars_Forza_fan "Disney's Motorama" - car list ideas

This post is based on the car list to my own game idea. You can check out the main post of 'Disney's Motorama' via this link - https://www.reddit.com/gameideas/comments/n4rvdf/disneys_motorama_a_crossover_of_the_forza_horizon/
Cars characters
Abarth
Acura
Alfa Romeo
Alpine
Alumi Craft
AMC
AMG Transport Dynamics
Apollo
Ariel
Ascari
Aston Martin
ATS
Audi
Austin
Austin-Healey
Auto Union
Automobili Pininfarina
BAC
Baldwin Motorsports
Bentley
Bertone
BMW
Bowler
Brabham
Bugatti
Buick
Cadillac
Can-Am
Casey Currie Motorsports
Caterham
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Chryslus
Citroën
Cupra
Czinger
DAF
Datsun
De Tomaso
DeLorean
Devon
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submitted by Cars_Forza_fan to gameideas [link] [comments]


2020.04.04 16:46 portlane Lowell Nelsen (June 9, 1952 - March 5, 2020)

LOWELL DEAN NELSEN
June 9, 1952 - March 5, 2020
Lowell Dean Nelsen of Vancouver, WA, passed away suddenly on Thurs., March 5, 2020 at the age of 67. He was born in Harlan, IA on June 9, 1952 and graduated from Avoca High School.
Right after graduation, Lowell enlisted in the Navy in June of 1970 where he served as a Sonar Service Technician until August of 1979.
Lowell met and married his first wife Janae while he was in the Navy and they had 5 children before they divorced in 1991.
On Aug. 1st, 2003, Lowell married Kathy in Lake Tahoe, CA and between the two of them they incorporated a vast extended family.
His service led him to a career as a Craftsman in PSC (Power System Control) for the Bonneville Power Administration where he worked until he retired after 32 years on Dec. 31, 2011. Not to be one to sit idle, he only stayed retired for about 4 months and then went back to work as a private contractor for BPA as a Communications Technician. He worked for them traveling all over the Pacific Northwest right up until the time of his death.
When not working, Lowell loved spending time at his “Happy Place” at the condo in Ocean Shores. When not there, he enjoyed “Glamping” in the motorhome...playing games...BBQing. When he was home, he was usually tinkering around building furniture, tending to his 2 dogs and 2 cats. But anyone that knew him, knew his VERY favorite hobby was “Napping”...LOL. Lowell was an avid John Wayne fan and would watch anything and everything that he could with John Wayne in it...(sometime 20 times over)! He always said next to “Jack” Trombley, “The Duke” was his hero! He loved his family more than anything.
Lowell is survived by his wife of over 16 years, Kathy Nelsen of Vancouver; her 2 children, Megan (Sean) Flohaug and Travis (Stephanie) Trombley; his 5 children, Lindsey (Larry) Livsey, Brian (Amanda) Nelsen, Jody (Tony) Merrill, Stephanie (Gary) Carter and Courtney Nelsen; his 2 sisters, Karen (Steve) Guyer and Cheryl (Larry) Billings; 11 grandchildren; and was a wonderful “Poppa” to his 6 “Bonus Grandchildren”; along with 5 nieces and 7 nephews. He will be missed by many, but Never forgotten...
He was preceded in death by his parents, Nels and Evelyn Nelsen; and 2 sisters, Sandra Popp and Beverly Worth.
Lowell had requested that in lieu of a funeral service there be a “Celebration of Life” instead. Please come and join us and share your memories of Lowell at Jakes Bar & Grill, 4062 NE St. Johns Blvd., Vancouver, WA on Sat., March 21st from 1-5 p.m.
Please sign his guest book at www.columbian.com/obits
source: http://obits.columbian.com/obituaries/columbian/obituary.aspx?n=lowell-dean-nelsen&pid=195701158
submitted by portlane to deadpeoplepdx [link] [comments]


2020.03.05 21:36 east_pdx_dude WCSIB? Love convertibles, 3rd kid maybe?

I'm a total car guy, but I'm having trouble selecting my next vehicle and my wife is no longer interested in whatever latest scheme I have concocted. I need professional help so here I am.
I became a step-dad a few years ago, then a biological dad 15 months ago and might have another kiddo in a year. So right now I haul around a 1st-grader and a toddler, with a soon baby maybe. I carpool other kids, too.
I've had multiple vehicles simultaneously as a bachelor. Never could whittle it down to just one until recently. I previously had a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo Sport (Amigo) to satisfy my convertible need, a 2006 GMC Savana AWD cargo converted for Van Life and a supercharged 2013 Scion FR-S for that speed need. Sold off the FR-S first, then the Isuzu went in exchange for my first leased vehicle (2017 Wrangler JKU) and then the van went when my wife got pregnant since we just weren't camping anymore. (regret) Here are my past cars for reference.
So I am down to just my Wrangler Unlimited now. It's OK, but since it's leased I just don't feel that it's mine. I'm not in love with it anyway. I have about a year left on the lease so I'm starting to imagine my next vehicle.
I would prefer to own and not lease again. It was an interesting experience that allowed me to get into a much nicer vehicle than I would have otherwise owned at that moment, but I don't want to be stick in the cycle.
I hate depreciation so I want something used enough to avoid that hit, and even so much that I think I might want something about to become a classic so I can actually enjoy some appreciation instead.
I MUST have four doors.
I WANT some kind of convertible, removable roof, at least a panoramic sunroof or maybe an aftermarket sliding ragtop, etc.
I WOULD LIKE room to throw a mattress in the back so we could camp in it for road trips
What I am considering:
- 1973-1991 Chevy Suburban: I love this idea! I want to convert the back to the K5 Blazer removable roof ala-4Runner-style. I've been shopping low-mile, end-generation rigs and almost won a couple in auction. This blue one went for $20k and this black one went for $15,500 when I slept through the end of the damn auction. I have a close friend that does good bodywork and could do the K5 conversion with enough lead time. I'm budgeting $15-17k for the rig and another $3k for the conversion and maintenance issues. Will the K5 top conversion destroy the resale value?
- 1960s Lincoln Continental Convertible: How could I overlook the only REAL 4-door convertible? I don't drive far and I haven't even put half of my mileage limit on my leased Jeep. I feel like this would be the coolest option, but clean, decent Conti converts are running $30k. I would have to use ALL my car budget and have no buffer for repairs or maintenance issues which seems like a horrible idea. Upside is strong resale value. Also, would have to buy a 2nd vehicle for road trips. (old motorhome/van?)
- Resigning myself to a minivan. Maybe a 15-year-old Oddysey that I could at least lower and install some cool wheels with thick sidewalls and turn into a Mad Max Odyssey. Cheap, I don't have to care about appearances and just maintain the basics. Or maybe a Ford Transit Express passenger van
Please help me come up with some reasonable alternatives!
submitted by east_pdx_dude to whatcarshouldIbuy [link] [comments]


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