Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 03-04-2014, 09:29 PM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 9
1988 International 66 Passanger Bus Purchase

I'm new to the forum and looking for some advice. I just purchased a 1988 International 66 Passenger Bus with a Diesel motor and automatic transmission with 189000 miles owned by a church. Im going to pick it up tomorrow in Tennessee and bring it home to Indiana. I am so thankful I found this site. The incredible information and the people dedicated to keeping these buses alive and repurposed is amazing. The creativity that goes into these buses is really something.
Once I get it home I'll be able to supply some more information and pictures. My first challenge is I have never owned a diesel and know nothing about them. I have been assured this bus has been well taken care of and serviced regularly with service records. Big plus for me.
I want to build a bus I can use year around. My budget will not allow me to build a Rolls Royce just a nice Ford.
My question is I have a floor plan and after the demolition and insulation what is the next best order of things to consider. I just don't have a feel for the order of construction.
I would welcome and appreciate any information you could provide.
Best regards
Phil32

phil32 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-04-2014, 09:54 PM   #2
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,937
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: 190hp 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
Re: 1988 International 66 Passanger Bus Purchase

Welcome friend.

You will find the best part about owning a diesel of that vintage (before electronic control) is the simplicity, long life, and far less parts than any gas engine.
It may be a mechanical DT360 or DT466, both really good, simple, wet sleeve engines.
After you get it home, take some pics and we will help you identify what engine it is.

Looking forward to pics and helping a fellow skoolie build their dream.

Nat
__________________
"Don't argue with stupid people. They will just drag you down to their level, and beat you up with experience."

Patently waiting for the apocalypses to level the playing field in this physiological game of life commonly known as Civilization
nat_ster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-05-2014, 12:07 AM   #3
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 9
Re: 1988 International 66 Passanger Bus Purchase

Thanks Nat that would be so helpful
Best regards
Phil32
phil32 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-05-2014, 01:50 PM   #4
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,937
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: 190hp 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
Re: 1988 International 66 Passanger Bus Purchase

Finish the demo. Seats, windows, headliner, inner wall skin, ALL insulation, then floor right down to steel.

Finish all steel work (raise roof, move door, cover windows, ect, clean the floor steel, rust proof, make floor plan, rough in waste plumbing, insulate floor, lay subfloor, insulate walls, insulate ceiling, Frame walls, add fresh water plumbing, rough in cabinets, shower, toilet, start finishing walls, ect.

Climate and usage change the way and where things get installed. Things like battery location depend on climate, battery chemistry, and usage. Water tanks in warm climates get installed under the bus, cold climates inside the bus. Heating method also comes into play. IMO hot water radiant floor heating is superior in every way over forced hot air. 10 times more efficient at moving the heat, and 1/2 lines are much easier to route throughout the bus than a 4 inch forced air duct.

That is just a quick off the top of my head. I put the things in order the way the generally need to be done. Some circumstances may change the order of things.

Nat
__________________
"Don't argue with stupid people. They will just drag you down to their level, and beat you up with experience."

Patently waiting for the apocalypses to level the playing field in this physiological game of life commonly known as Civilization
nat_ster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2014, 08:01 AM   #5
Bus Crazy
 
somewhereinusa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Andrews,Indiana
Posts: 2,430
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: AARE
Engine: 3116 Cat 250hp
Rated Cap: Just the two of us.
Re: 1988 International 66 Passanger Bus Purchase

Welcome, from another Hoosier.
Quote:
bring it home to Indiana.
Witch end?
somewhereinusa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2014, 12:11 AM   #6
Almost There
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Seattle, Washington
Posts: 82
Year: 1981
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American FE
Engine: Cummins 555 9.1 L diesel
Rated Cap: 77
Re: 1988 International 66 Passanger Bus Purchase

Nat,
That there is an excellent and succinct list. I wish I had it when I did my work, but we basically did the same minus some elements. Now, nine years later, we are thinking of a total reno and putting everything we want in. So we'll come back to that list, especially as we've lived with our choices for a while. I'd definitely take the sheet metal off and insulate the whole bus!

Branden
__________________
Lucinda
1981 Bluebird All American
Branden is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
FOR SALE - 1988 Navistar International - Diesel & Veggie Oil booobar Classifieds | Buy, Sell, Swap 3 10-10-2010 06:36 PM
Pennsylvania registering 1988 INTERNATIONAL BUS as van? PAtoNM Titles, Insurance, Registration and Money Matters 0 07-10-2008 02:35 PM
1988 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL TOYHAULER ON EBAY Steve Classifieds | Buy, Sell, Swap 1 07-03-2007 05:29 PM
NEW PRICE!!! 1988 International Diesel 66 Pass School Bus 4 uglymut.com Classifieds | Buy, Sell, Swap 1 06-29-2007 11:07 AM
1988 7.3 international 140k miles , worth 4k? Roasting8 Conversion General Discussions 2 02-21-2007 07:27 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:52 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.