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(65.41.158.2) | Hi,
I worked as a Electrical Line Tech and Inspector for the duration of the manufacturing of the FMC 2900R, Club Coach and Custom Models in Santa Clara, California.
I also had a hand in the 2300R made in San Dirgo.
I can help you add to your website, I own documentaion, Newsletters and such.
My Dad designed the interiors.
If you own one I can help.
Mr. John Vizzusi
e-mail: centralhsd@earthlink.net
Apopka Florida
Dad
Peter Vizzusi (Supervisor) | |
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Location: Victoria, BC. Canada
(108.172.116.231) | Wow! This is really cool.
Are you okay if a cuss at you while I've got my head stuck up behind the dash in a sea of funny coloured wires trying to chase a short?
Welcome aboard John!
I'm certain you'll become popular fast in this circle. 
Terry
#846 | |
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(65.41.158.2) | Thanks so much Terry, I will tell you I personally worked on your vehicle!
Just to start with the "Uppers" as we called them were molded out of a prototype Military grade Landing Craft that never flew. Once the molds were completed they were delivered from the plant across the street via crane. All the Electrical harnesses that ran through the "Upper" had to be placed and then the foam was sprayed. So by the time the Upper shell was mounted to the frame you had plugs for most of the exterior electrical. We hand built the dashboards after first attempting to install dashes bought from AMC. So all the wiring is custom. Again, the foam protected and shielded the harnesses but if you have a short up or down the upper shell you have to dig out the wiring and it was easier just to bypass.
Hopefully I'll get electrics questions here. I was literally the first Plant Employee hired and worked numerous jobs setting up the plant prior to becoming a Union Electrical Line Specialist. Shortly after celebrating 1000 vehicles, we had a plant shutdown which was a fore-warning and then we came back for a couple of weeks and in a group setting all told the plant was closing.
A small crew was left on building the Denver busses, I was gone to a different Division by then.
My dad designed the interiors, including the goddy mirror with cedar floor closet.
I have a thousand stories to tell and since we are all home in isolation I thought I would return and research my days at FMC.
And yes, I did meet Mario!
Best
John V.
formerly San Jose, CA
Apopka, Florida | |
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Location: Victoria, BC. Canada
(108.172.116.231) | Way cool John!
A guy like you is just what this Forum needs right now to wake everyone up.
Brace yourself: I can feel a thousand questions, a lot of story's and much gratitude coming down the pipe!
I'm up here in Canada (Vancouver Island) mostly hunkered down during this mess. We are lucky up here as we got on top of it sooner; you guy's... not so lucky.
I'm really worried about all you folks as I have an American brother, other relatives and many good friends living in Trumplandia.
I'm also lucky I'm a carpenter/contractor and am mostly staying busy these days. Who'd-a-thunk that still pounding-nails for a living at 64 - would turn out to a fortuitous thing?
I've also dove-in-deep on a diesel conversion on #864. I've got a 96' 12-V Cummins almost ready to shoe-horn into her. It'll be bolted to a freshly rebuilt Chrysler 47RH trans.
Right now - again at 64' - I'm learning how to use a mig welder so I can weld up the air-bag/spring trailing arm mounts I've designed for it.
When I stop learning new and challenging stuff - I'm screwed!
Terry
#846 | |
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(65.41.158.2) | Thanks, I live in a very wooded rural area on top of lakes and rivers (and gators) very very low numbers in my neck of the woods. I spent many a summer in Lynwood WA on Lake Serene on my crazy Jay's (aunt) mansion on the water.
Interesting choice for changing out the engine. FMC (AED) Airline Equipment Division used Cummings as well, that's where I was transferred to after RVD closed. I still wonder today if that 440 was the first choice for the 2900R but I do know we had a relationship for cheap parts from Chrysler. So the 440 became our engine. The mounting drove us all crazy...
Best of luck great project to get you through this mess. BTW: I rarely used schematics when working the lines and or testing in Final. We winged it so much, no vehicle is the same as I'm sure the owners love to hear.
Let everyone know some guy that was actually in the warzone of producing the 2900R, Club Coach and Customs is on this board.
Quick story: My favorite project was a custom outfitted Club Coach for the Warner Bros Movie "Motorhome" the Director came and told us where to put the bolt on camera trays and special interior lighting was accomplished. We also pumped up the engine by using a specially built 440 with Headers, Holly Carb, Isky Cam, Offy manifold etc etc. pumping out well over 400hp. The vehicle was used in the Feature Film as both a stunt action and main vehicle for the actors. 2 TV Monitors were installed via CCTV so the action could be seen inside the vehicle. Warners spent 100k on this motorhome, I have no idea what happened to it. It does crash in the movie.
1 of 1000 stories hopefully you enjoyed it. Don't buy the DVD the movie is awful, although the star is the 2900R.
John V. | |
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Location: Cottage Grove, OR
(71.94.238.133) | Well, you met Mario and his club coach is alive and well up in WA. I own 1046 which I claim to be the newest one “on the road”. It is going good and I converted it to a Duramax 6.6L turbo diesel coupled with a 6 speed Allison tranny about 50,000 miles ago. | |
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(65.41.158.2) | Great! Yes, I did meet Mario and Mr Jones as they toured the plant in Santa Clara... I begged my Supervisor to let me go to Daytona 500 track but they said no. Later we heard the test vehicle which was stock was driven around the track at a top speed of 106mph. Somewhere I have the RVD Newsletter that proves that. I also met Andy Devine, Mr Eastwood drove in with a older Chevy Pickup... there was something about pink curtains with the Carol Burnett model. The Max Factor custom Coach was used as a Honey Wagon on photo shoots.
After vehicle 1000 there was a plant shutdown. Your vehicle was built with a crew that was brought in to finish out the shells that were already out of mold and of course the Denver Transit Vehicle contract. And yes, I would agree you own the last of the last coach.
Have a thousand stories to tell if you folks have an interest.
And I can offer tech advise as far as Electrics go.
Best
John V. | |
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Location: Bethune, SC
(96.45.100.131) | I have #589 (FOR SALE) and #920. 920 was completely rewired by the previous owner to his own scheme. I am being driven almost crazy trying to figure it out. I guess it prevents dementia, or may even cause it. 589 had a dash fire at some point in its life, but all but one connection has been repaired and I will finish it this week.
A mechanic who worked on a couple of other FMCs I owned, said that the first thing the supervisor must have asked every morning was, "What parts do you fellows want to use today?"
Henry | |
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(65.41.158.2) | Yes its really true and a very valid question to ask! The early vehicles was the personification of "winging it by the seat of our pants". I used schematics to a certain point and then simply knew what plugs went where. I do remember we had a couple of mishaps not in plant but after sales as I worked from time to time on returned vehicles. The original dashboards were crap, parts purchased from AMC as one of the suits from AMC was hired. Frankly by the time each vehicle got that far up the line I was only testing and later inspecting. Everyone needs to know that each vehicle is in some way different than the other.
Best of luck
John V. | |
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Location: Olympia, Washington
(71.197.142.167) | John:
Are there any un-used circuits running from the dash to the engine compartment? Coach #506
Thanks George #506 | |
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Location: Oceanside, CA
(172.10.134.245) | There were at least half a dozen unused wires running from the dash to the engine bay on mine when I did the conversion....putting your hands on them and isolating them is no small task..
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(65.41.158.2) | Dear George, hope you are enjoying #506
To answer that question I would need to know your complete list of options. Yes, we had un-used wiring throughout the coach depending on the specifics of "options". However I'm not aware of harness's within the engine cowling area that were not used as within the plant the engines were pre-wired and then mounted and my job was to test voltage once all the wiring was connected. If you do find un-used wiring easy to use a volt meter with engine running to test to see if wiring is hot or not.
Hope this helps
John V. | |
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