COLTON MOTOR EXPRESS #6 HERE!

Introducing.... the "Hot-Rod Bus" ie.. the future "Colton Motor Express"

What a find! 1960 Gillig SchoolBus Conversion,
Originally had a small Cumins and a Std Trans,
A professional builder put a DD8V-71 and Allison
6sp Auto in it.. It Flys!! Good sound mechanically
and fair interior conversion.. It will get new paint
this summer and new Interior this winter.. in TX
and Mexico..

# posted by -Gary @ 9:16 AM 0 comments

CME6 [Mercedes 300TD Turbo Diesel] paint job

Well, I got the Coach painted, figured I might as well match up the toad. Going to be a eye catching pair as we travel this United States. :) Actually I bought another wagon, and am painting it to match RV. I also will switch most everything from the beige wagon.. engine, interior.. etc. to the newly painted white one.

# posted by -Gary @ 5:42 AM 0 comments

Flat-Screen TV install Modification

Here is a LCD TV and DVD player mod I did for my Friends Bob and Sherry Gray on their rear bedroom class C Minnie Winnie.. Pulled the refer and re-inforced the wall before mounting.. Wal_Mart all the way! Under $300 total cost.. -Gar

# posted by -Gary @ 5:22 AM 0 comments

Mirror Modification

Here is a neat Mod on your old "Truck Mirrors" on your classic RV. These came off a early 90's Chevy 1 ton 15 passenger van. I took the left one and hung it upside down on the right side. Samo on the left side. They are really big mirrors. I'm sure my vision is better than with the old truck type mirrors.. With the new paint and all I think it is a big improvement..

# posted by -Gary @ 2:05 PM 0 comments

Wheel Fender Skirts/Flares Replacement

Here is a start on the fender skirt/flare replacement. Old plastic replaced with custom built heavy duty aluminum. Quality craftsmanship. Nice upgrade. More later.. -Gar

# posted by -Gary @ 6:42 AM 0 comments

Getting some of the CME6 repainting job posted

# posted by -Gary @ 4:05 PM 0 comments

Old? Antique? Vintage? Classic? I report, YOU decide!

The "Old" CME6

The "New" CME6

CME6 is short for Colton Motor Express, the name of my rig.. It's a classic old 79 Georgie-Boy.. I like old stuff. I spose I got it from my dad while growing up in a small farming community in south eastern South Dakota. We seemed NEVER to buy something new. If it broke, we fixed it, If we didn't have it we made it or 'scrounged' one up.

I probably spent more time with my dad [my best friend, looking back..] in 2 years than most kids would in their entire time at home. Today I think of him as I tinker all day fixing the refrigerator light switch rather than buying a new one for $2.49.

I really like this rig. The 'ol girl is rock-solid. Tripple Heavy-duty everything. Solid 1-piece truck frame, Big 'Ol Chrysler 440 C.I. fuel injected engine and simple running gear. The only computer on this rig is the one I have is on my lap!

This 'ol GB came with ammenities you wouldn't find on most other RV's for the next 10-15 years! She rides a bit rough, but she "lives and sleeps" real nice.

My brother Eldon and I recently took out the carpet and put in laminate flooring. WOW! Good Idea! The under floor was 3/4" plywood. [like new] He also doubled Lynda's cupboard space by creating mid-shelves in them.

I've spent some 6+ years 'customizing' the interior and exterior of this classic Georgieboy... It now fits me 'an Lynny like a glove. I would hate to part with it..

Have you ever built a Hot Rod?? Would you trade it for a newer Lincoln?? I wouldn't!! That's the way I feel about my rig.. It not only meets all our RVing wants and needs, it is a part of us. In other words.. "It's Home"!!!

Brother Eldon and his wife Dorothy also full-time. He's not hung up on old stuff, He cruises in an elegant Dutch Star! Maybe he'll someday be COLTON MOTOR EXPRESS #2HERE! .......Ya, he's a lot older than I am. :)

This is Lynda... "Mahoney".. my 'better' half. Wow.. That is a total understatement. 39 years with me. She loves me.. says she can't help it.. :) It's paying off in spades now, for both of us. :)

My main 'base camp' mechanic. Cody Jackson and his cat taking a break from the hot sun... [he's now six!] Ya, Tom Cat is still with us also...

Update:: 5/08.. Ol' Tom died a month or so ago.. buried him here on the place he loved.. R.I.P!

# posted by -Gary @ 1:03 PM 0 comments

POP's ORIGINAL COLTON MOTOR EXPRESS

This is my dad, Harvey, and his old, [near new then] K-B 10 International Semi. The original 'Colton Motor Express' He hauled grain with it in the mid-west. Load up in South Dakota, go south till he could make a profit on the grain, then sell it. Buy something there, and head back north. same old, same old.

You can see my Dad was pretty road savy, He was a hell of a 'boondocker'. Slept most of the time on top of the load of grain, [weather permitting] Kept clean, well, sort of, and did personal grooming in public restrooms. He did lots and lots of 18 hour days. The only log book he had was his wallet!

Note he had the front bulk-head on his trailer off and laid horizontally when running empty for lower wind resistance. [Can you imagine that? Pop never cracked 45 MPH in his life!] Note the fog lights and big front signals on the front bumper. Those 'white' looking tires were from running on gravel roads. You see, my dad always took the shortest distance between 2 points. "Take the diagonal, Son"

I am mom and pop's 6th and last child. Hence my rig's name, #6 Here! I imagine I was 5-6 years old when this pix was taken. I am now 60. Pop lived to be 93. Mom died at 86. Wonderful parents. Still miss them lots.

# posted by -Gary @ 12:30 PM 0 comments

The CME6 and my 81 MERCEDES TOW-CAR

My 'Tow Princess'
In Rv'r jargon, your 'tow car' is called a 'toad'. I just can't call my

ol Mercedes a 'toad'! I don't think she would forgive me.

We've been together a long time and she is my good and loyal friend.

Heck, she's only got a half million miles on her!!

♪♪..She ain't heavee... she's my chauffeur.. so on we go....♪♪

# posted by -Gary @ 12:29 PM 0 comments

COLTON MOTOR EXPRESS #6

What a Gem! Bought her for a ♪ song♪ on ebay 6 years ago, drove to Phoenix to pick her up. She had never been out of the state, been garaged most of the time and in overall great shape.

Dodge 440 cubic inch, Holly throttle-body fuel injected engine. She's on a big ol truck chassis and rides a bit stiff, but she lives and sleeps real nice! Don't go much over a hundred miles in a day so I can live with the ride.

I have spent a lot of hours making her into a home. Huge battery pack, individual inverters for all but the A/C's. Satelite internet and TV. We can park, [boondock] for weeks at a time w/o hook-ups, running on batterys only.

We love the rear bedroom with it's own private door, [you just don't find that anymore] elec bed and 3 big picture windows. What a view! Tilt the bed up and read a book and watch the ocean roll in. Beats any easy chair I ever had.

Nothing I can't do my self on this rig.

# posted by -Gary @ 12:28 PM 0 comments

Some of the modifications to my Classic Georgie Boy

Georgie Boy Club Logo

Cockpit.. also 2 extra living room chairs.

New wood blinds and Tidy
Computer Desk

Carpet? In Quartzsite? Boondocking?
Not me.. New laminate flooring.

Bedroom Flat Screen TV up inna Corner

If your older Classic RV has a..ugh..
plastic sink.. Re-do the thing and
put in a nice stainless....

While your re-doing the sink, spend a couple
hundred on a nice full-size procelain toilet...
And.. add a new high-pressure water pump
for good flushing and nice-home like showers.

Original factory Genny had only a couple hundred
hours on it when I got it. Onan 6.0 It is only
used for running A/c. And that, mostly on
road trips.

3 big batteries and a little Honda Genny for
easy 'Boondocking' I have a seperate Inverter
for nearly each appliance. Manually on-off as
required.

Deadbolt Locks upgrage

# posted by -Gary @ 10:36 AM 0 comments