Hi all I recently purchased a 1998 Goshen Sentry 36' passenger bus
The Goshen Sentry is basically a bus built on a RV platform
https://www.carsforsale.com/used_car...?vid=145810441
My bus is very similar but the paint needs attention

I have started to research tractor paint.
I just want a white paint job.
I don't want to destroy the value in the bus and want something that will hold up well.

Does anyone have a recommendation on a easy DIY paint that has pro like results.

Also what should a decent paint job cost in plain white? The windows take up more space then the body panels.

Does Anyone know of a good video system to add to the bus?

Thanks,

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1998 Goshen Sentry Pusher 250hp mechanical cummins Allison MT643 w/side radiator (perfection)

https://norfolk.craigslist.org/cto/6138246721.html

These are a few thread that I used when deciding how to paint my bus,

http://www.instructables.com/id/Paint-Y ... Rustoleum/

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/sh ... t-job-quot

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My conversion thread, viewtopic.php?f=9&t=466746

If you dont want to destroy the value of the bus, get it done right. If you want something that will last long and look good, skip it. Get it done professionally. Thats a pretty flat bus, should be pretty reasonable to paint. After the hours you would put into prepping the bus for paint, you really wont be saving much, if any. Lots and lots of prep work!!

This comes from experience by the way. ;) But I knew that going into it.

Buses have no resale value.

This is one of the reasons for changing from a bus cab to a truck cab with my Haul All build. The truck gained $10,000 of value. When I convert to 4x4 it will gain another $10,000 of value.

Medium duty trucks hold their value. Buses just loose value.

Do you really want the hassle of looking after a (nice) paint job that big?

Or like most of us, just use some thing that looks good from 10 feet away, keeps the metal from rusting, and holds up well. Big rock chip, or a fender bender can be fixed with a spray can, or brush. Makes for stress free ownership.

IMO painting a full size bus should cost less than $500.

Nat

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"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

Or if you like bling, how about a vinyl wrap?

Google automotive vinyl wrap.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=automoti ... 66&bih=664

Or Google Bus vinyl wrap.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=automoti ... l&tbm=isch

Or if you like a specific pattern like camo.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=automoti ... l&tbm=isch

Nat

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"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

I have $350 info my paint job.

A good vinyl wrap on a Prevost is about $10,000.

Nat

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"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

Well...there goes my idea about wrapping my bus in World War I lozenge camouflage

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Hey! That's not an RV, that's a school bus.
Well thank you for noticing, Captain Obvious
Captain Obvious on deviantArt

Price looks like $5 a square foot to me.

http://www.camotruckwraps.com/product/C ... and-Sheets

http://www.metrorestyling.com/Digital-A ... armydg.htm

https://www.google.ca/search?newwindow= ... v2N7UI0OLY

Walls of a bus are approximately 6 feet x the length of the bus. I will go with a 38 foot.
6x38=228 square feet per wall. Rear would be 6x8=48 square feet.

So 2 walls at 228x2=456 + 38 for the rear wall = 494 square feet.

At $5 cents a square foot, we go 494 x $5 = $2479

So a DIY vinyl wrap for a big $ss 38 foot skoolie would cost around $3000.

Disclaimer.
I know nothing about how long this stuff lasts.

Nat

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"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

I saw somewhere else on the forum I believe, maybe elsewhere, that a vinyl wrap starts to really fade in 3 years time.

Wraps arent made for long term. They change them about every oil change it seems...well, in the music world at least.

I couldnt EVER imagine putting a wrap on myself! I tinted a window once.......

Then again, my focus is never on appearance, but it sure is on mechanical condition. Son's gals brothers are excellent at "tagging" things, buildings, vehicles. I had half a mind to park the bus and let them go at it. What I get is what I get.

I used DuPont Automotive paint with the proper primer and hardner and was just shy of $400 to do my skoolie. Looks nice and shouldn't fade all too quickly.

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Passes everything but gas stations.

I plan on using tractor paint from tractor supply as a matter of fact. Going to use my HVLP sprayer to shoot it.

I think its a easy and cheap way out to get it recolored. If you dont like it..... well change it up. Since mine will be the texas flag it will be pretty simple to do.

As said here I dont think you will loose or gain value in a professional paint job for the bus unless you are doing something special with it. I say go cheaper... drive it... enjoy it.

I agree with you, a nice paint job is worth it, I have to redo mine it sucks, it does add to the value, it puts it much more in " better built rv class" then a school bus turned into a camper. We take pride in our interior builds, a pro paint job is icing on the cake
gbstewart

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my bus build viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5931

It will fade, promise. I've painted literally hundreds of old Farmall's and Moline's (and even a few Deere's ... shudder) and there is an absolute difference between the paint at the "tractor supply" store and actual tractor paint. I've used the cheap paint upon request and it ALWAYS fades in a few years, even when kept inside annd used for parades and what-not only.

There's a very good reason I spent more on paint on my skoolie than I did for the bus itself ...

Do it right the first time, or don't do it at all. Cheap is always more expensive in the long run.

For what it's worth, around 150 hours went into my paint job. 4 of us, two weekends, 10hr days and a "few" cases of beer. Did not sand to bare metal but we fixed all the visable rust, patched what we needed to and prepped it properly. Looks good, won't fade and should outlast my obsession with skoolies (as if).

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Passes everything but gas stations.

The bus is not a school bus it is a small coach. It is flat like a Blue bird TC2000. It is a Goshen Sentry. I don’t know the actual value but I would assume it is $15-$20K with the low miles and the Cummins 250hp/Allison MT643 rear engine setup. We are trying to getting it looking as presentable as possible. It will be used to transport youth basketball players to tournaments for a non-profit organization. This is not the type of organization where anyone receives a paycheck.

It is currently white and I want to keep it white. I found a product called Dakota Shine. It looks like thick spray on wax. Does anyone have any experience with this type of product? I watched a few YouTube videos about it and it sounds like a good product. If anyone knows of a similar product that is available in bus sized amounts please let me know.

I have heard of people using mop and glow and things like that but I am skeptical about the long term results and possible paint damage.

Respectfully,

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1998 Goshen Sentry Pusher 250hp mechanical cummins Allison MT643 w/side radiator (perfection)

https://norfolk.craigslist.org/cto/6138246721.html

Don't want to burst any bubbles but you would be hard pressed to get 15-20k.

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