Any help would be appreciated!

[UltravanOwners]

Hello Everyone,

I’m saving this coach. The PO started to restore it many years ago and has since passed away.
Any help would be appreciated!
Those who want to help and/or who like to turn wrenches please let me know.
I’ll be in Terre Haute, IN July 5th thru 11th and could use some help. Thank you!!

I plan to be in Terre Haute, IN to get Ultravan #520 ready to tow home.
I plan to be there July 5th and I might get there on the 3rd.
But that all depends on how I and my truck hold up with the long trip, two stops and pickups before I get there. GGG

I have alot to get done within a week.
I’m trying to make it to Kalamazoo, MI for the Corvair Convention starting July 16th and running through until the 20th.
This is my first Corvair Convention ever. It’s also my first vacation in well over 10 years.
After the convention I’ll head home from there.


If you would like to help please let me know.

Here are the things I have to get done within a week:

• I’m removing the entire rear suspension and frame to get the power plant out and tie it down in my truck.
• I then have to put the frame and suspension back under the coach.
• Inspect the rear hubs and bearings.
• I have to run two of the coach’s old tires and rims to a tire shop to have newer tires that I’ll have with me mounted on the special Toronado rims.
• I have to inspect the front brakes and more than likely rebuild, or replace, the front wheel cylinders.
• I have to clean and repack the front bearings.
• I have to install newer tires and rims on the front of the coach that I’ll also have with me.
• I have to attach my custom tow-bar with surge brakes to the front suspension of the coach.
• I have to get brake lines, hoses, and fittings at FLAPS; to attach to the surge brake system and bleed the brakes.
• I have to pack up all the loose parts the PO had removed from the coach.
• I have to tow the coach to the local sand and gravel pit to weigh it. I want to make sure the coach has good tongue weight and is not too heavy.


Here are some pictures of what I’ll be working on.
For those who might not have already seen some of my post; this is an Ultravan with a FWD Toronado conversion in the back.

Removing the heavy FWD Toronado power plant is the biggest part of the project.
But removing all the extra weight from the back will make it much easier to tow.

[BrianinMichigan]

Wow, what an adventure. Good luck with the rebuild. You've got a lot more energy than I do. Lets see a You Tube video of it when your done.

[UltravanOwners]

Hello everyone,

I was able to safely tow the coach home by leave the Toronado power plant in the back of the coach and just remove the axles.

I like to thank everyone who helped with advice.

Here are some pictures I thought I share and hope you enjoy.

Working on UV520. Checking the bearings, removing the rear axles and putting on the new tires I brought with me.


I have mounted the custom two bar that I had made and the new tires are sitting in front of the coach ready to be put on.


I was not able to remove the 1 and 1/2 inch nuts from the rear axles -
so I had to hire one of those mobile tire repair trucks to come out and use their large 3/4" air gun.
It cost me $105 but was well worth it to get it done and be able to leave sooner than later.


Sunday morning, July 14, 2013, I towed the coach to the hotel I was staying at for the past 6 days.
I took a shower, put my presonal stuff in the turck and checked out.


I made it to Greenwood, IN, Sunday July 14th to stay one night at the host hotel.
I met up with the Circle City Corvair Club Monday morning July 15th to carvan with members to the Kalamazoo, MI convnetion.


This is Port Huron in MI. I had to walk over to the doors to the right of the sign just behind the truck to export Ultravan #520 out of USA.


Here UV520 sits just before I leave USA soil and cross the border.


Heading towards the bridge to enter into Canada.


I made it home, safe and sound - Thank God, in the driveway by 8:40pm July 21, 2013.


Thanks agian for all your input, help and support.
Sincerely, Tony

[UltravanOwners]

Update:

So far so good..

I'm on a long round about trip that started July 5th and I hope to be back home with our latest Ultravan - UV520 by July 23rd.

It all started with me leaving Prescott, ON (Canada) and dropping off some new Ultravan windshields at a members' house in Hayward, WI then drove down to De Witt, IN and picked up a FC corvair engine. From De Witt, IA I drove to Terre Haute, IN. I spent the next couple of days, July 10 to the morning of July 14th, getting UV520 our latest addition for our Ultravan collection ready to tow back home. BTW - I left the power plant in the coach.

Here is a video of me leaving from the Circle City Corvair Club show and shine on Sunday the 14th in Whiteland, IN. Sadly I made it there, from Terre Haute, with only one hour left for the show and most of the Corvairs had long since left. Boy was it hot that day...
7 14 13 Circle City Corvairs Get Together Vid - YouTube

But the Ultravan UV520 is towing better than I thought it would.

Here is a video of the next day, just after our lunch break, starting the second part of the Caravan to Kalamazoo, MI.
Indy Corvairs Caravan Ta Kalamazoo 7 15 13 - YouTube

I'm now in Kalamazoo, MI at the Corvair Convention and a GMC owner, I believe his name was Bob, Please forgive me if I'm wrong, (I have a poor memory and names are even worse for me) he stopped by to see how things were going. That was very kind and thoughtful of him and it was nice to meet him and talk for a while.

BTW - It has been hot every day so far.

July 20th at the Gilmore Museum, near Kalamazoo, MI, will be an outdoor display of Corvairs and Corvair Ultravans if anyone close by would like to come.

Tony

[UltravanOwners]

After looking into everything I have a plan A and B

A) I will remove the axles, hook up the lights, replace the old tires and shocks, rebuilding or replacing the front wheel cylinders doing the front brakes, cleaning and repacking the front wheel bearings, mount the brackets for the tow bar, hook up the tow bar and tow it 60 miles to a garage of a very kind MH owner. (This will also be my time to test how well it tows and how I feel about going the rest of the way home with the power plant in the coach.)

B) Only if I don't like how it tows and I have concerns will I go about removing the power plant.

Otherwise I'm attaching brake lines and hoses to the front wheel cylinders and my surge brake system which I will put on the front of the tow bar, then bleed the system and use it for the remaining part of my trip back home with the power plant in the coach.

It still be nice if I had some conpany. More so when I'm jacking up and working under in an area where I don't have freinds or family to call on - should something happen. NOT that I'm planning that something will. ggg

Dave, I got it. Tell the MRS you are going to lend your 2-jaw gear puller to a friend and you are delivering it to him. (If you happen to leave out the part that your going to Terre Haute - oh well.) GGG ha ha ha LOL

Tony

[Daveinet]

You almost have it. The tool lifts/rotates the torsion bar, so the adjuster bolt that would normally be holding tension turns freely. The bolt is threaded into a small plate. The plate is not thick enough for the threads to carry the load when the bolt is turned. The tool just reduces/removes the load on the adjuster threads so they don't strip. In your case, you probably won't remove the adjuster completely, but just back it off a ways. Then loosen the tool so the porkchop rests on the adjuster again.

On the engine removal, I was assuming a hoist was sitting on the ground behind the coach. I assume the center section skin on the rear of the coach comes off. I'm also assuming there is really no room to actually lift the engine very far, but just enough to roll it straight out the back. Dropping the trans out the bottom would allow one to move the engine straight out the back if I'm assuming correctly about the center section of the skin.

[UltravanOwners]

Okay, I'm guessing here. The tool holds the adjust in place as you back off the bolt, to release the tension, while keeping the torsion bar from spinning the teeth off of the adjuster and/or the torsion bar itself?
(Hope you can understand that and I have that right)

Ultravans have good and bad. More good than bad..
One of the goods; they are light weight get great gas mileage.
One of the bad, IMHO, is it has less structure in places that it might help to have more - to aid with conversions.

I cannot see a way to use any of the hoists, homemade or store purchased, to lift the engine up out of the hole; from inside the coach. Not enough structure to support the weight. Also not enough room.


Tony

[Daveinet]

OK, found the pic on my network, so here it is:


Just looked back at your OP. Over July 4th? Hmm, if I just quietly suggest to DW to visit her mom's in Indianapolis, just maybe...Hmm

BTW:Jim Bounds, of GMCcoop drops the engines out the bottom. Removes the trans first, and then drops the engine. In looking at your difficulties, makes me wonder if one could drop the trans, or at least the bellhousing down, so the engine could come out the rear without pulling the whole suspension.

[UltravanOwners]

So true about nothing to attach to.. GGG (I hope we can find everything in time)

BTW - If the MRS would have merely sent to you the dog house; you could have slept in your coach.
But killing you is a another story.
I don't want any harm to come to anyone and I surely do not want my wife to read in the paper or see it on CNN - Canada man in T.H., IN to save MotorHome is partly the reason why.......... GGG

[Jarlaxle]

UO...please just have this hauled home!

[Daveinet]

I'm only half way familiar with it - just a little background: The early version Revcons used a Toro half frame bolted to a ladder frame for the rest of the coach. When the big Toro went obsolete, Revcon designed their own drivetrain, which is what I have. But there are many similarities in the design, which is why I have some familiarity with it. That and being on a forum with those who talk tech about it, you learn a bit. The assumption is that once the engine is out, you will probably want to lower the ride height, so the suspension will at least halfway work. Easy to do. I have a photo somewhere of adjusting mine, which is very similar, so it will make sense. I just can't find it yet. I'll post it later.

I figured your towbar was custom, but assumed Readybrake receiver was worth a look. Not much good when you don't have anything to attach a cable to.

[UltravanOwners]

Dave, Thanks for the info..

I've never worked on a Toronado front suspension.
I know the torsion bar is under extreme tension/load.
However, I do not fully understand what I will need to do, to release the tension safely.

And I must say I completely forgot that the coach will sit much higher or even bounce harder due to the stiffness of the rear suspension from the missing engine and transmission weight and the original setting of the torsion bars.
I could use more details and maybe some pictures to help in this area.
(I want to make sure I have all the tools I need and better understand what I have to do.
Or to know that someone will at least stop by with the special tools needed to handle that and/or they might also lend a hand.)

BTW - I did look at the ReadyBrake system. It will not work for this situation.
There is no MC or bracket system in the coach.
PO took the MC, its bracket system and the dash apart. I hope to find it in the garage.
Plus I do not know what shape the brake lines are in from the MC to the rear of the coach or what shape the rear brakes are in.

My Tow-bar is made just for Ultravans and I will tie into the front brakes – without – the MC.

Tony

[Daveinet]

That is about what I imagined they would have done. Looks like the Toro Half frame.

Do you have a torch??? If you plan to do this in a week, count on a lot of rusted bolts and weird rigged connections. Make sure you have a 2-jaw gear puller. This will be used to take the load off the torsion porkchops, so the suspension can be lowered. There is an adjustment on the porkchop to adjust ride height. You must remove the load from the adjustment bolt, otherwise it will strip the threads. Gear puller upside down hooked to the frame flange and thread the bolt into the porkchop will release the tension.

I noticed in your comments, that you intend to use a towbar and surge brake. I assume tapping into the existing brake lines is the intent. If you have not done so already, you may want to look at ReadyBrake hitch receiver, as it is about the simplest surge brake system I know of.

I also noticed the coach has side air scoops, assumed for cooling. Do you know for sure that idea worked? Makes me wonder if there are permanent design issues, unless these are known to be OK.

As much as that would be a lot of fun to help, my wife would kill me.