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| Richards McCulloughs Roadrunner |
| This Roadrunner was sold on eBay Sept 2007. Here is the description used on the eBay ad: 1957 Fitzjohn Roadrunner There were only 111 of them made between 1954 and 1957 34� x 7�-10� Height 10�-6� Engine = 6V53 Detroit Trans = Clark 5 speed manual This bus was converted to a motor home in the late 60�s. In the first year or so the Fitzjohns were powered with gas engines. This coach I believe was originally powered with diesel, which is one of the clues as to its year of manufacture. It may have been re-powered with the 6V53 Detroit diesel when the conversion was done. My father-in-law bought it from the man who did the conversion in the early �70�s. Over the next 10-15 years they used �Papaya Pete� (as they called it) for trips from Washington State to Tucson Arizona about once a year. I have no way of even guessing how may miles the coach has on it as the speedometer doesn�t work and I don�t know how long it was driven in that condition. I got this bus from my father-in-law and was going to fix it up for family trips �but our business has so completely consumed my life for the last 5 years that there just isn�t anything left - time or money wise to work on it. I drove this bus down from Anacortes Washington to Los Angeles a couple years ago and it�s been sitting in a storage yard ever since. This bus is a project, ideal for a young family to spend a few weekends working together on to bring it up to the point where it can be taken out and run. But like I said this is a project bus. You would have to be folks that don�t mind getting their hands dirty, and like tinkering with things. There are a few things that one would want to fix or improve on the bus before going on any long trips although, as I said, I drove it down from Washington. The front brake drums need to be turned and of course the shoes replaced. The transmission linkage needs to be upgraded as it tends to get stuck between gears if not shifted just right. The shocks and air bags need replacing. I found an outfit in Colorado who will make any shock you send them for less than $50 a piece and the bags can be replaced with the Firestones that the truckers use on their �air ride� tractor trailer rigs. The steering arm has more play in it than I like. And the fuel tank is scaling rust on the inside. It should be dropped and coated with PRI-15. Frankly, I hate to sell it. But sometimes one just has to let go and move on. My loss is your gain. I love the looks of the bus, and every time I think about it I�m reminded of all the plans I had for it. I was going to strip all the paint off and polish the stainless and rechristen it �The Silver Bullet�. Add a set of Alco�s and it would be really pretty. But first things first. The good news it that you can use it almost immediately and then fix it up as time allows. The bus sleeps 5 with a double bed in the back, a bench/bed in the side hall and a fold out couch in the front. 2 roof AC units , 3 way frig , Propane stove/oven , Bathroom with a tub shower combination and toilet Storage compartments � the two in the back are filled with water and waste tanks and the two in the front are available for storage. The �skylights� (as we call them) that run the length of the coach on either side between the sides and roof add a tremendous amount of visibility and are an original feature of the bus. |