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Old 12-11-2016, 11:32 AM   #1
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Buying a bus - Advice please!

Hey Guys,

I am very new to this and was wondering if i could get some advice.

I am looking to buy and import a American school bus into the UK to convert into a food trailer.

The bus needs to be older than 25years as then it will not need to undergo a number of tests to be road legal.

Here is a buy i am looking to buy, does anyone have any thoughts?1992 International 3700 School Bus 7.3 Liter Diesel in Mississippi NO RESERVE | eBay

Please can someone give me any advice on what i should look out for when buying a bus considering i will be looking at 25 year old buses.

Please and thank you for your help.

Regards,
Sanj

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Old 12-16-2016, 10:37 PM   #2
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Hi, Sanj.
Welcome to the forum and all that.
But why on Earth do you want to do this?
Surely there must be perfectly good vehicles in the UK for this purpose?

Even if the shipping cost is not prohibitive, you would constantly be searching for parts and expertise to maintain it.

Are you one of those "amcar" nuts? Do you drive a split-window Corvette or a 1976 Cadillac convertible or a 1965 Mustang? I know a thing or two about that, as I am one of the founders of the Amcar club in Norway, and also started the local Amcar club in Oslo -- all this four decades ago. LOL

One detail: You say "food trailer". Do you mean to remove the engine and the front axle and turn the bus into a camping caravan style of trailer?

Let's hear some more about your intentions! It's bound to be an interesting story, whatever it is.
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Old 12-16-2016, 10:57 PM   #3
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If your in the UK try Canada too. The same busses as the US just the speedometers are in KM not miles. The Canadian dollar is worth less than the US dollar so you might get a better deal. I got a bus from Alaskan Equipment in Edmonton, Alberta ask for Norm. They were good to deal with. Tell him Clayton who bought a bus recently sent you. Alaskan Equipment | Heavy Equipments, Heavy trucks and Transport Trailer : International, Ford, GMC, Caterpillars, Komatsu, Hitachi, Fruehauf, Great Dane, Dorsey dealership in Edmonton, Alberta T5S 1X2
PS my bus was not on the website, best to email to ask.
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Old 12-17-2016, 01:03 PM   #4
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Steering wheel and exit door would be on the wrong side.
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Old 12-20-2016, 04:44 AM   #5
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Thanks for the responses.

The bus will still be in use. The inside will be stripped and fitted with a kitchen.

Thanks, i will try taking a look at buses from Canada.
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Old 12-20-2016, 10:24 AM   #6
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Not really following the "Canadian bus" logic. The steering wheel and doors will still be on the wrong side of the vehicle, and the U.K. Drives in miles not KM so that's not going to help either. Driving a large bus in the smaller U.K. Roads with the steering wheel on the wrong side will not be easy.

Is it the "look" of an American school bus that you want ?


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Old 12-20-2016, 01:52 PM   #7
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Are you familiar with American "taco trucks"? Also known as "roach coach" and other monikers. Food trucks.
These are factory built with all the proper commercial kitchen equipment.



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Old 12-20-2016, 01:53 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elliot Naess View Post
Are you familiar with American "taco trucks"? Also known as "roach coach" and other monikers. Food trucks.
These are factory built with all the proper commercial kitchen equipment.



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Old 12-20-2016, 02:07 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Trelawney View Post
Not really following the "Canadian bus" logic. The steering wheel and doors will still be on the wrong side of the vehicle, and the U.K. Drives in miles not KM so that's not going to help either. Driving a large bus in the smaller U.K. Roads with the steering wheel on the wrong side will not be easy.

Is it the "look" of an American school bus that you want ?


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But, might be easier to export from Canada vs from U.S.A.
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Old 12-20-2016, 06:48 PM   #10
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I think I would work backwards-find out the shipping details first and let that help deciding what bus to buy. Depending on what port the bus will ship from-and I'm sure theres a difference from NY to Delaware to Miami. That being said, Mississippi is far way from any of those ports. I bet you can get a lot more for you total money spent if you shopped near whatever port you ship from.
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Old 12-20-2016, 07:04 PM   #11
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I dont know how overseas is but I know here in the states Food trucks have to be built to certain standard health codes.. some of these codes are tougher to meet with a bus...

not saying ab us cant be done because a local Pizza joint made a food truck out of an ambulance, and ive seen skoolies turned food truck before.. the Height becomes an issue with a full size bus though if you are going to hand foot over the side to the customers..

sit-inside and eat diners are near impossible to get pushed through USA health codes.. maybe overseas is lax.. but i know when a guy in columbus wanted to make a rolling diner he got socked with having to have fire sprinklers, a bathroom, and other things as it was then classed as a full restaraunt and not as a food-peddling cart (food trucks often fall under peddler clauses in cities).

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