XJSuperman
Well-known member
You'll hate me but I had a section of bowling alley in Alexandria before family sold the property. Coulda been yours if you had come to get it. I couldn't fit it in the truck. Sorry bud.
JBLnut, a set of Alcoa rims would class it up even more. I see used ones for around $200 each. You could even leave the steel inner rear wheels alone.The counter top is going in a 1977 Chevy C60 School Bus that we've converted into a camper. We're trying to "class it up" a bit as my wife says. I am having fun doing the actual conversion. It's a great excuse to play with my woodworking toys
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This is more the "budget luxury" model. It's no Prevost but it is paid for !!
Maybe if Soybeans get over $10 and corn goes over $4 again I can spring for both of them !!!JBLnut, a set of Alcoa rims would class it up even more. I see used ones for around $200 each. You could even leave the steel inner rear wheels alone.
While you're at it, maybe a big chrome bumper....

Brings a whole new meaning to "watching a chick flick"You're making your own Chick Flick!
Careful, make a friend with one and the others will be jealous. You'll have to hold each one for a few minutes each day. Lets see, you'll need 300 hours per day for chick petting.


What can I say, chicks love meDoes your wife know you're a chick magnet? And literally have thousands of chicks vying for your attention? I don't envy you, I'll just stick with my regular three...
Countertop/arm rest/cup holder came out great. I suggest an appropriately sized hole close to the driver, and a curtain for the stuff underneath. Great work man.

I put it in there last spring so I'd have something to sit in while driving it around and I think it's gonna stay the seat. I can use it outside while parked and easily put the portable A/C in it's place while parked. I probably should at least put a shoe string in for a safety belt just in case.I love the custom drivers seat in the motor home!
I've spent an insane number of hours in steel seats on older tractors over the years so this feels like it belongsIt's a steel...




Thanks for following along and breaking your posting silence !!! There really are a number of wonderful gallery threads on this site. The GJ is one of the best sites I've been on in a long time and the quality of content shows it.jblnut,
I have not posted since joining as I just read all the threads learning and admiring peoples work! I have been following yours for about a year now!
I was curious what kind of PoE cameras do you use/install on your projects/jobs?
"Put it in a warm shop with cold beer and a bottle of Fireball and we'll knock that out no problem".
No kidding. I'm going to pay him something for his time. When all is said and done even if it costs me the same I'd much rather pay someone I know than giving my money to a dealer.Nice! That's a good friend there.
It is 95% cut to size. I need to cut out a 3"x3" (roughly) area for some wires to go through and it'll be ready to go in. I am thinking of leaving it free-span for now as it's a little under 1-3/4" thick spanning 9'. I think it should be plenty strong.JBL: Thanks a lot for posting up all the extra pics on the homemade oak butcher block you and your dad (and bride) all helped to fabricate. WELL DONE!!
Looks like it's cut to size and ready for a few minor supports and it's a project started and finished in a very timely matter too.
Bus has a full 12v and 120v electrical system. There is a 50a hookup outside and panel inside. There is a mini-fridge under the original counter top as well. There is no plumbing what-so-ever. Plumbing creates more work to winterize and keep clean. The places we go camping all have showers and bathrooms close-by so it hasn't been a big deal so far. We do have a 5gl bucket with a spigot we fill and put outside to use for washing hands and such.So have you made your bus self contained with a few RV type improvements or do you have to park in places that have restrooms and showers?
I'd imagine you'd freeze your ninnies off if it got -25F below or colder out thereSorry it's so cold in your part of the world and surprisingly it's 50's and sunny here on the PNW today.









The LP heater easily keeps it at 42-45F and whenever I have time I fire up the wood stove. Right now it's a touch over 60F in there. When it's -25F the stove struggles to keep it above 40F so the LP heater will be nice to have the next few days.What was the temp in the shop?
I certainly don't miss those conditions anymore, having moved from western Nebrasksa in 1985!

I've made walks like that and from what I can remember I don't remember it being that cold on the way back either ... or rather I don't REMEMBER it being that cold on the way back-30F occasionally back in the 50's-70's, but with 10-20 mph +wind always. My junior year, 1973/74, at Chadron State in northwest NE, there were 4 weeks where the high was -25F and it hit -31 a few nights, and did I mention the wind? I didn't get my Chevelle started the whole time, but a friends VW fastback started up every day and took us back home to Scottsbluff/Gering on weekends the whole time( we did have to push start it one time only). Funny thing, the winds and cold didn't keep us from the Thursday night walk down hill about 3/4 mile to the bars. Funny, it didn't seem as cold on the way back to the dorm, with the wind at our backs!
Lots of windchill days -40-50F+ every year I lived in NE. ( High plains- 4000' altitude)

I had to look up what a Triumph Herald was and I must say I am jealous. What a neat little car !!!On the rare occasion it got to -30*F in Poughkeepsie, my little 1963 Triumph Herald daily driver would start right up. Then it would stall when I put it in first gear and tried to drive away. I assume the gear oil in the transmission and rear end solidified. It didn't help that the 1200cc engine put out a whopping 39 horsepower. Our family car was a '68 GTO with 350 horsepower and it didn't care how cold or hot it was.
The counter top is trapped in the bus in the -22F heat right now so it won't be finished until it warms up 50 degrees or soThe counter top (and the 884) look great! The tech sounds like a good friend to have.







I had a little different fun at work today. Today was the day we placed four brand new Lely A5 robots in a brand new barn. We used a flat rack to haul them from the farmers machine shed to the barn. At around $140,000/ea we took our time when moving them !!
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With lows in the mid -30's for the next three days Dad bedded the steers with some nice clean wheat straw. It must feel like sleeping on an air bed because they always go bonkers when we use it
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I started to tear into the 884 tonight. I only spend about 45 minutes on it while I made sure the wood stove stayed lit. I got the hood off, battery out and one loader bracket off. I didn't go too crazy because I need to bring some Ziploc baggies out there so I can put nuts/bolts in them as I remove them. I label the bags for what part they came from so things go together much smoother when the time comes.
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Right behind the block is the clutch housing. I need to be able to separate the front half from the back half by a few feet to get in there and replace the main clutch and T/A clutches. Hopefully there isn't more wrong with the T/A but who knows until it's opened up.
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Once I took the right side loader bracket off the serial plate stuck out. This tractor was built in April of 1981 putting it just shy of 38yrs old.
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I went and looked at a diesel 350 utility a few years back down by Zumbrota, MN. It was in tough shape and the guy insisted it was a rare bird. Had I known how correct he was I'd have jumped on it as the price was reasonable but the tractor was closer to the scrap pile than the showroomLet us know what you find inside. I'd like to find a diesel utility IH, the 350U is great but a gasser.

The plan is to use the engine hoist and if that fails we'll figure something else out as usual.Enjoying the clutch swap!
Do you have roller supports to put each half on?
The Dorchester plant wasn't the only IH plant in Europe but I believe it was the first in the late 40's to make IH branded tractors outside of the USA. The plant closed in mid Dec 2007. As far as I know all 84 and 85 series tractor were produced in that plant. The 784 we used to own had "Made in Great Britain" on the tag as well.Nice for this Brit to see "Made in Britain" on the plate. I don't know how many plants there were over here but if there was only one it is in a town called Doncaster which is where I was living in 1981. I assumed it was just to supply the British market but obviously I was wrong.
Maybe they made certain models here and others in the USA. They closed our factory at least 10 years ago ,maybe more. Does I.H. still exist?
A diesel 350 with a wide front and
a fast hitch is on my "someday" list. It'd be a nifty little tractor !!











Honestly either would be fine if the right one comes along. I'd prefer a row crop but if I find a Utility one day that checks the boxes that would be fine as well !!Utility or row crop?
Our 350U has the fast hitch. Have one for the 450 in my profile, too, it's just not on there.![]()
Honestly either would be fine if the right one comes along. I'd prefer a row crop but if I find a Utility one day that checks the boxes that would be fine as well !!