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Old 01-15-2019, 09:31 PM   #1
Bus Nut
 
geminusprime's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Rock Hill, SC
Posts: 255
Year: 1997
Coachwork: International
Chassis: Vista 3600
Engine: DT466E / AT545
Rated Cap: 72
Any benefits of having a lower roof?

I've got 72" headroom and I'm fine with it, I'm 5'9" and designing the bus with only me and a dog as the primary passengers.

However, I am curious if there is any actual benefit of having a lower roof. I not sure if that bit of roof taper after the driver area in the 78" models will have too much effect on airflow. The material difference seems minimal, just a bit more glass and metal per window, and a few inches more of metal on the between window columns.

On the other hand, other than the obvious lack of headroom, is there any practical downsides of having a low roof?

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Old 01-15-2019, 10:07 PM   #2
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Nothing wrong with a low headroom bus but certainly no real world practical benefit. Sightly more claustrophobia if anything. I guess having that few inches less could lessen the branches and stuff hitting when you drive under. The BIG roof raises some folks do are obviously done before driving their buses much. Its hard NOT to hit stuff hanging overhead. So that's one "benefit". My lifted high headroom bus is about as tall as I'd want a vehicle to be.
Low headroom isn't the end of the world- Enjoy the bus!
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Old 01-16-2019, 06:13 AM   #3
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,830
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
a tale of 3 busses.. 2 are shorties.. all are at their factory roof height.. my red one is a Low height 72" headrooms bus.. ands my DEV bus is a factory 78" headroom bus.. it is rather amazing how much more open and airy my DEV bus feels with just that 6" of extra room and the tall windows.. I think the tall windows are a big part of it.. my Superior is a factory low height 73" of room.. and I had thought at first the tinted windows of the red bus were what made it feel more closed in, however the superior is full length but has clear windowsl and it feels much more closed-in than the DEV bus.. while im only 5'9 i dont think id want to convert a low height bus.. mainly because id feel like any overhead cabinets or such would be right in my face.. whereas on a factory 78" height. i could keep the cabinets above my head for the most part.



-Christopher
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Old 01-16-2019, 10:10 AM   #4
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Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,401
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
I agree with Christopher.

I am only 5'8" tall.

My first bus had 76" ceiling height. I didn't "need" a roof raise.

Then I went and looked at other conversions and was amazed at how much more roomy the ones with the higher felt. We raised the roof 8" and were glad we did.

Raising the roof on my current bus 10".
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