Indiana - michigan schoolies with rear storage

[maj]

Hi

I am looking for some local schoolies with full size buses with garage storage in the rear for some advice. I am looking to build a bus with a rear garage to store blacksmithing tools to go to reenactments. I want a flatnose but I am not sure if a rear or front engine is best. I also need help on which engine is best for mileage and maintance. I hope to get a bus in the fall and start my project. PLEASE HELP

[Diesel Dan]

If you want a garage in the back, then best to have the engine in the front. Engines with good fuel economy (relatively speaking) are the Detroit Diesel 8.2, Cummins 5.9, and International/Navistar 360DTA. The Cummins 5.9 is common in the flat nose front engine buses, and from what I hear, a very good engine.

[paul iossi]

Indiana-michigan, where?
I agree if you want a garage with rear access, front engine is the answer, but if you didn't have a problem with side access, their are no rules that say you can't put a large side door in, Moving vans have double side doors, regular vans have large side doors either sliders or doubles, and their are regular truck van boxes with rollup doors in the side. Once you decide what will work best for your needs you just have to have the stones to cut a large hole in a perfectly good bus and then install the door system of choice.

I went to a bus auction here on the north side of detroit 2 saturdays ago, 7 2000 model Thomas MVP pushers sold for $2500/3000, 5.9 cummins, mt 643 trans, airride rears, clean bodies, 100/125k miles, 78 pass. 3 2000 conventional International Thomas with dt466e sold for 2500/3600

[maj]

Thanks for the info. North center Indiana, My plain is to find a 35 to 40 ft bus and make the back 10 ft the garage and the rest for the conversion.
I can put in a second door on the side for access to load my forge, anvil, tent and supplies. I know it will be tight in the garage.
Is a front engine harder to work on then a rear engine? Also in northern Indiana we get a lot of snow and sloppy roads,
Will a rear engine rust more and wear out faster? Is any one close to northern Indiana so I could see a completed project?
Thanks Mike

[dentedvw]

We are interested in the same thing, but for dirt bikes and mountain bike storage.
We are thinking either ambulance doors, or a rollup door.

The wings are pretty wild, I like that idea. Might have to incorporate that in somehow. I have to wonder about the windows they are using though, they look like not sealed at all.

Still neat idea for a small, small store.

[maj]

How hard is it to work on a front engine bus? Do you get to things from the bottom or can you get to things from the front?

[dentedvw]

Not from the front, that's for sure.
As far as I can tell, it depends upon what you are working on. Cooling system is under, and front. Some bluebirds either have or can be fitted with a swing out radiator panel. Very handy, I would think.
Fuel plates are obviously on top, and a lot of your work will be up there, so you will be in the bus.
Belts... umm.. looks like under and front again.
Rest of the mysterious doodads are under and top.

I don't think that cleared up much.
I would say most of the time you will need to access the top, which is easily done from inside.

Speaking of interesting rear ends, check out this expedition rig.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/s ... 36&page=27



It ends up looking like this. I don't think I will go this route, but it's pretty cool nonetheless.








Enjoy that forum. I go there a LOT. They pretty much PooPoo anything that won't go off pavement, or has a crappy departure angle, but there is a wealth of information there, if you can get past the snobbery.

[maj]

very nice. I am taking ideas from everybody,

I was wondering for insulation could I have someone come in and spray foam the inside and the underneath before I close it in? I will be using it in the winter so I will have to wrap it up good.

I can not wait to find a bus and start work.


Mike

[dentedvw]

Sure, but you could also spray foam yourself. Use the low expanding type, and once it dries, use a sawzall blade, or a hacksaw blade, and a vacuum to cut all the extraneous bits and clean up. Then put the metal skins back on the inside. Oh, did I forget to mention removal of at least some of them?

[Sojakai]

Dont forget to put some sort of thermal bridge break between those metal skins and the metal ribs or its not going to matter much on the insulation.