[Archived]

No wonder you can’t see the dash. You are too far away.

To the best of my knowledge there was no such thing as a standard Prevost dash. Some converters made their own proprietary dash. The rest moved the Prevost gauges around into a configuration that suited their needs. Usually every dash had a tach, speedometer, voltage gauge, primary and secondary air pressure gauges, maybe an accessory air pressure gauge, oil pressure, engine temp, and a oil temp gauge which was really the transmission fluid temp.

Some had pyrometer gauges. Then the converters added their switches, knobs, and gauges. The layouts varied.

On the early vintage coaches the gauges were OK in the daylight, and almost impossible to read at night due to lousy lighting.

There were a number of rectangular annunciator lights on the dash. Prevost installed lights for check engine (CEL), stop engine (SEL), battery balance, hi or low voltage, air pressure (along with an audible alarm), tag lift, and then the converters added to those lights as they saw fit such as antenna up, shore power connected, etc.

[Will]

Hi Jon, I don’t sit anywhere near that far back, that’s the picture originally shown on the for sale writeup. I thought I read somewhere this was a Prevost dash but I’d not be surprised to be wrong again!

Harry

[Roger]

It is a Prevost type dash, but I suspect Beaver may have modified the layout of gauges and switches. I am just pointing that out so if you have questions relative to the dash you do not just assume we know how your various parts of the dash are configured. If you question things like the purpose of a gauge for example if you cannot describe it at least post a photo. Saying it is the gauge to the left of the speedometer won’t help because another conversion may not have the same layout.

[Doug]

You’re right about that Jon, I’ve been meaning to take pictures of my dash and the area where the transmission buttons are located for a long time. Then I get on to other things and forget to do it. . There are buttons that I have no idea what they do? Mostly because the labels are worn off. The fuel gauge is a little quirky because it bounces a little. You can tell the tank level though.

Harry

[Archived]

In the case of switches with worn labels I see three possible ways to learn what they do.

First, as another Beaver owner but use a photo that shows its relationship to other components. We have a couple of owners on here and Jim Lane or Chris also may remember the switch.

The second is to play with the switch until you figure out what is happening. As a new owner that might not be as easy as it sounds unless you are really paying attention when you operate the switch. Switches can also help tell you what they do by how they work. It might be a 2 position switch (on-off). It might be a multiple 3 position switch with one position off and the other two doing something (like off, parking lights, headlights) or it could be a momentary contact switch spring loaded to go to the off position.

The third is to pull the switch up and look at the wire numbers. Prevost numbers its wires and I think the coverters did also. That provides a clue, but will require further investigation.

[John]

I know many or you were in the military and what I remember best is there was not a thing I couldn’t take apart and put back together blindfolded. Sorry ladies!

That’s how I want to be with my bus! I first want to know where everything is on the dash and transmission arm (is there an actual name for that?), so I don’t have to look down or over to push what needs pushing, at least the important ones. As soon as I get pictures of my dash etc I’ll post them here on the forum with some kind of catchy name like.

• Don’t be pushing my buttons Pilgram! (that’s for Jon)

• Do you feel lucky punk, do yah? A button story!

• Hasta la vista, Baby! Lets button it up!

You can vote on those if you’d like but please don’t add your own… This is a buttoned up post! 🙂 And remember that Jon and Tom have no sense of humor!

Harry