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Old 11-20-2019, 07:13 PM   #1
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Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Maryland
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Year: 1998
Chassis: Thomas MVP
Engine: CAT 3116 ta
My conversion pictures!

Hi All!

I'm a long time lurker, but I've never posted any pictures of our bus. Here is a link to the google photo album...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gXQstHKpEkR2wSFh6


Its a 1998 Thomas MVP Bus with a CAT 4116ta and Allison automatic transmission.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

-Ralph

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Old 11-21-2019, 06:53 AM   #2
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Location: Central missouri
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Chassis: 2000 Int Amtran
Engine: DT466HT
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rejjr7 View Post
Hi All!

I'm a long time lurker, but I've never posted any pictures of our bus. Here is a link to the google photo album...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gXQstHKpEkR2wSFh6


Its a 1998 Thomas MVP Bus with a CAT 4116ta and Allison automatic transmission.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

-Ralph
The best layout I have seen, I will be copying you!
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Old 11-21-2019, 07:10 AM   #3
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Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,992
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
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Rated Cap: 65C-43A
Beautiful conversion with lots of very cool details. I like the stained glass rear windows especially.
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Old 11-21-2019, 12:48 PM   #4
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Nicely done
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Old 11-21-2019, 03:53 PM   #5
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That's some quality work. I like all the recessed shelves and the 'tree' windows.
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Old 11-21-2019, 04:00 PM   #6
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Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: GMC
Engine: Cat 3116
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Very well done, really nicely finished, as a bus should be.


How does your CAT work, happy with it I would think?


Thanks for sharing,


John
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Old 11-21-2019, 04:47 PM   #7
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Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9 24v
Rated Cap: 54 passenger
Great build. Thanks for sharing. I wanted a hallway on the side like you did,but I was worried about all the weight on the other side. You don't have any issues like that?
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Old 11-21-2019, 05:14 PM   #8
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Very well done, really nicely finished, as a bus should be.


How does your CAT work, happy with it I would think?


Thanks for sharing,


John
Runs great! Im pleased with it and it's been easy to work on for me.
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Old 11-21-2019, 05:16 PM   #9
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Year: 1998
Chassis: Thomas MVP
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Originally Posted by JDSquared View Post
Great build. Thanks for sharing. I wanted a hallway on the side like you did,but I was worried about all the weight on the other side. You don't have any issues like that?
I had that thought as well, but I haven't noticed any effect from it being being passenger side heavy. It sits evenly and I don't notice anything unusual when I'm driving.
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Old 11-22-2019, 01:45 AM   #10
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Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
Y'all are quite crafty folks!
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Old 11-22-2019, 06:22 AM   #11
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Beautiful, indeed!

We're exploring a similar offset layout as well. My lovely bride wants to avoid "the bowling alley" look!

Thanks for posting!
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Old 11-22-2019, 06:32 AM   #12
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Quote:
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I had that thought as well, but I haven't noticed any effect from it being being passenger side heavy. It sits evenly and I don't notice anything unusual when I'm driving.
Since one bench worth of kids could weigh 400 pounds or more, a school bus could easily be unbalanced left-to-right by more than a thousand pounds in its normal operation (since kids don't always distribute themselves evenly). I don't think anybody's skoolie layout could be more unbalanced than this.
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Old 11-22-2019, 07:08 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by musigenesis View Post
Since one bench worth of kids could weigh 400 pounds or more, a school bus could easily be unbalanced left-to-right by more than a thousand pounds in its normal operation (since kids don't always distribute themselves evenly). I don't think anybody's skoolie layout could be more unbalanced than this.
I didn't think about that. But I do find it very usable. Maybe add a leaf to that side??
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Old 11-22-2019, 07:17 AM   #14
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I didn't think about that. But I do find it very usable. Maybe add a leaf to that side??

If your bus has air bags on the rear axle there is no need at all for that.
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Old 11-30-2019, 03:06 PM   #15
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Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: International
Rated Cap: 7 Window 20 Passengers
Nice Job

Very nice job, a lot of work!

Quote:
Originally Posted by rejjr7 View Post
Hi All!

I'm a long time lurker, but I've never posted any pictures of our bus. Here is a link to the google photo album...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gXQstHKpEkR2wSFh6


Its a 1998 Thomas MVP Bus with a CAT 4116ta and Allison automatic transmission.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

-Ralph
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Old 11-30-2019, 05:33 PM   #16
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What brand of wood stove?
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Old 11-30-2019, 07:04 PM   #17
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Year: 2001
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Engine: T444E
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Quote:
Originally Posted by musigenesis View Post
Since one bench worth of kids could weigh 400 pounds or more, a school bus could easily be unbalanced left-to-right by more than a thousand pounds in its normal operation (since kids don't always distribute themselves evenly). I don't think anybody's skoolie layout could be more unbalanced than this.

As a professional driver over the last 25 or so years, I don't think this bus is unduly balanced left-to-right. A full tank of fuel (assuming 100 gallons) is close to 1000 pounds (including the tank) and that's not even including the crash cage.


Mythbusters did a rollover test with a bus - granted, it was a city bus and not a school bus - and found buses were incredibly stable even with several hundred gallons of water offset to one side. It was only with the addition of some heavy steel plates on the roof were they able to get the bus to roll over.


I hauled a load in which a heavy electric forklift had to ride offset on one side of my trailer - Kentucky to Texas via Louisiana (had a multi-stop load) and it rode just fine. All that needs to be done is be aware of a possible left-right weight offset and drive sanely and accordingly. I'd be *MUCH* more concerned about a balanced load that's very top heavy (been there, done that) rather than an offset weight with a low center of gravity.
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Old 11-30-2019, 07:49 PM   #18
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Great job! I too, would like to know the make and model of your woodstove and whether you are happy with its performance ? Thanks!
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Old 11-30-2019, 09:08 PM   #19
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What brand of wood stove?
Hobbit by Salamander
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Old 11-30-2019, 09:12 PM   #20
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Year: 1998
Chassis: Thomas MVP
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Originally Posted by roadtoad View Post
Great job! I too, would like to know the make and model of your woodstove and whether you are happy with its performance ? Thanks!
It's a very easy to use and efficient stove. Keeps the living area, kitchen, hallway, and (to a lesser extent) the bathroom warm in temperatures down to 15 degrees. The heat doesn't reach very well back to the bedroom so we need additional heating back there when it gets well and truly cold. If I build the fire up around 10pm I need to get up once in the middle of the night to keep it going. I do wish it lasted longer than 4-ish hours on a burn but if it were bigger I'm afraid we'd be too warm. All in all I'm happy.
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