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Old 06-07-2018, 11:02 AM   #181
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Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
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Year: 1999
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Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RHOMBUS View Post
Tow bill was ... $4600 or so. I went to uShip and it was very hit or miss for a couple weeks. Several companies asked questions but nobody bid. On the 2nd phase of bidding, 2 companies bid over $10,000 (wow) and the rest came in at 4200-4600. The 4200 and 4300 companies were all excited but never followed through to the extent of not even bothering to give me any updates for possible pickups or even not picking up the phone period.

Finally, this one company out of Phoenix, AZ came in right at the last minute with details, a schedule, and great communication.

To be honest, I was hoping for half that cost, but I've never had to move anything like this. I'm guessing the loaded weight was 23,000 pounds because I packed the whole shop into the bus.

Like everything bus-related for me, take what I expect to spend and multiply by 2. That's oddly the same pattern the rally car I'm building is following as well. Maybe it's just me.
I learned a long time ago that whatever the projected budget is you should double it and add another $100 and you'll be more accurate.

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Old 06-07-2018, 01:34 PM   #182
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Join Date: May 2018
Location: topeka kansas
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Year: 1954
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Chassis: old f500- new 2005 f-450
Engine: cummins 12 valve
Rated Cap: 20? five rows of 4?
bus shipping

A friend of mine, that has shipped cars and trucks for years, told me " recently the prices are sky high since the russians got involved" He is not the sort of person to exaggerate, and he knows about this sort of thing.

I am paying $1,200 to have 9,000 lb 25 foot short bus shipped from pueblo west colorado to Topeka kansas. That is on their schedule, not mine. There is a thread about "SANFORD" the bus here on skoolies, He has an address, contact for a person to tow busses.

The next lowest quote was $2200

regards, william
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Old 12-09-2018, 04:22 PM   #183
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 217
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner HDX
Engine: CAT 3126B250
Rated Cap: 84
"CRUEL BUS" UPDATE:
My plan is to have the bus moving under its own power by the time the snow melts in the spring. That doesn't mean DOT legal, just moveable. That means A LOT of electrical work since the whole wiring harness has been removed. These are just some of the bundles I've been going through:



I have been going through each circuit board and mapping the internal connections, then making diagrams on the computer which will eventually become a shop manual for the bus, because in 20 years, I'm not going to remember what the heck I did. I'm working front-to-back and am pleased to say that I am comfortable enough with the wiring harness mods I've done to actually put the fascia on the bus.

This is the lower fascia with TruckLite LED headlights, DRL system deleted and replaced with LED work lights that will be switch activated instead of tied into the headlight system. I used landscape drain grates, turned over, to make the covers, and made some "L" brackets to mount them. The drain grates are there for appearance, to offset any legal concerns (too many forward facing white lights), and to actually block some of the light for "very low presence" driving should such things ever become necessary.

The rear mounting brackets were cleared of all rust, treated, and painted. The headlight buckets were cold galvanized painted and all hardware replaced with stainless steel.




The upper fascia on my bus is a full-width single piece that swings down when unlocked. The mini hydraulic lifts on the back had rusted mount points and were binding as well as being loose. The result was a lot of slop when raising and lowering the upper fascia. All rusted hardware was replaced with stainless steel, and a few washers were added to tighten up the slop.


Weather stripping pieces were reattached where they had come lose.

The front logo was removed, painted then directionally hand sanded to give a weathered windblown look.




And finally, Optronics STL190 series LED lights were added.



After cleaning up the front portion of the bus, it's was time to mount the pieces.
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Old 12-09-2018, 07:36 PM   #184
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Location: Monroe, LA
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Year: 2006
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Smile Nifty

Nifty that you got the project running again. This thread is what convinced me to buy a 2006 hdx and I'm planning on driving it back from Maine in mid-july... All the way back to Louisiana. Wish me luck :3
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Old 12-09-2018, 08:02 PM   #185
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Location: South Dakota
Posts: 217
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner HDX
Engine: CAT 3126B250
Rated Cap: 84
Good choice to do it in the summer. Driving this one from Chicago to it's death in Iowa in February was totally miserable.

It'll be a great road trip! Be sure to make sure your ground and power connections at the alternator, starter, rear electrical power box and chassis are nice and clean. Here's a diagram for my 2002 that is probably very similar:

Not knowing there was a bad ground, and even where the grounds were, cost me a lot of money and time.
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Old 12-10-2018, 09:06 AM   #186
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Year: 2006
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Thanks RHOMBUS
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