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05-12-2010, 04:30 PM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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general bus info wanted
I am looking into making a car hauler out of the bus. Like the idea of being able to haul the car on the back and have a couple bunks up front.
Couple questions.
What are the tallest interior busses? floor to roof inside
What are the longest busses? from rear of drivers seat to back emergency door
I am also looking into having it a WVO bus. Can someone possibly point out a specific bus that works the best with the WVO keeping in mind my needs for overall length being the greatest need.
thanks all
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05-12-2010, 04:54 PM
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#2
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 55
Year: 1987
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: Chevrolet B-60
Engine: 366 Gas
Rated Cap: 54
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Re: general bus info wanted
Welcome!
I can atleast answer one question for you. The tallest interior roof height (at center of body) is 78". All body manufacturers offered high headroom that varied from 77 to 78" depending on brand. I know Thomas's were at about 78". Waynes and Blue Birds were 77" i believe.
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05-12-2010, 04:58 PM
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#3
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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Re: general bus info wanted
im guessing the 72 passenger busses are the longest interior busses. Are there any special order or secret models I could look for that are longer?
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05-12-2010, 06:04 PM
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#4
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northeast CT
Posts: 201
Year: 1999
Coachwork: AmTran RE
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Re: general bus info wanted
The maximum outside length (with one exception for rear engine buses in some states, but REs don't work for car haulers) is 40 feet bumper to bumper. This would give you a 77/78 pass conventional (hood in front) or an 84/90 pass front-engine (FE) flat-nose. If you want maximum interior space, look for one of the 84/90 FEs. As Jared said, factory high headroom tops out at 6'5 or 6'6. If you need more than that, you'll have to do a roof raise like other members here have done.
FEs built in the 90s usually have either a Cummins 5.9 (same engine used in Dodge diesel pickups) or an International DT466 (the big brother of the T444E/7.3L Ford Powerstroke). Both are considered very reliable, give a decent amount of power, and are popular for veggie conversions. Some models may have CAT engines, which are good but not as common. I've heard varying opinions on the CATs.
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05-12-2010, 06:28 PM
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#5
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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Re: general bus info wanted
So other than being a P.I.T.A. to work on what do I gain or loose with going for the front engine flat nose school bus? What bus specifially am I lookin for with this combo? (with the engine like the 7.3) This sounds like the ideal bus for me. I imagine that the fuel mileage will be a little lower on a flat nose? Does anyone know the difference between dog nose and FE?
Is the rear of these busses lower to the ground? for some reason It seems like the flat nose busses are lower in the rear. this is also good for me otherwards im gunna have todo some research on how much I can dovetail a standard bus. Im worried about declining driveways and scrapping the rear of the bus if I dove tail it to much.
Does anyone have any experience with dovetails on a school bus?
thanks
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05-12-2010, 08:14 PM
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#6
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northeast CT
Posts: 201
Year: 1999
Coachwork: AmTran RE
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 72
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Re: general bus info wanted
Flat noses are a little harder to work on, generally louder up front, and you can feel a certain amount of engine heat. A custom center console loaded up with insulation will help with #2 and #3. The engine cover (doghouse) also makes it awkward climbing into the driver's seat, and requires an angled stepwell. However, the biggest advantage is interior length. As long as you account for the stepwell angle, your usable floor space is only about 5-6 feet less than the outside length, so on a 40ft bus you could have as much as 35 feet to play with.
If you want an International, look for anything that says Genesis/AmTran/Ward. Power ratings and performance with older buses vary a lot, it goes without saying you should test drive before buying. You won't get the actual 7.3 (T444E in bus applications) in an FE, the V8s are too wide to fit under a 90s doghouse, so they always used the I6 DTs.
If you want a Cummins, you have some choices. Blue Bird and Thomas are preferred. Carpenter offered the Cummins engines, but they had some major quality control issues and it's hit-or-miss with the rest of the bus.
Wayne buses were sometimes built on the International chassis and would have the same DT engines as above. They were also available on the Asia Smith chassis, which should be avoided due to non-standard hard-to-replace parts.
Fuel mileage varies a lot. The one I drive every day at work averages about 8 with mostly rural stop-and-go driving, but that's with electronic controls (2002 model) on a CAT 3126E and a modern MD3060 5-speed lockup transmission. A lot of 90s buses used the AT545 trans - reliable if it's been taken care of, but lower torque ratings and it's a 4-speed with no lockup. Look for something with an MT643 (or MD3060 if you want a newer bus).
As for rear clearance, it depends on the model, tires, and suspension. The buses my employer runs vary more than a foot with rear bumper height depending on the specs. However, one of the tradeoffs with an 84/90pax FE is extreme rear overhang - see Smitty's post in Conversion Discussion about rear decks.
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05-12-2010, 08:31 PM
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#7
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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Re: general bus info wanted
One of the things I was definetly worried about is the rear overhang of putting a full size car behind the rear axles of the bus.
I did a search and I came up with pretty much exactly what im lookin for .
not sure how to post links but ill try it http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3252179
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05-13-2010, 06:32 PM
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#8
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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Re: general bus info wanted
Anybody know of a place I can find info on bus transmissions that will accept a PTO? I posted in the mechanical section also but seems liek this forum gets more traffic.
thanks
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05-13-2010, 11:59 PM
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#9
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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Re: general bus info wanted
PTO will be used to power the winch for the car, the rear door, air compressor, welder, anything that I might need to use at the track. some tracks I can plug into but most I can not. The PTO option sounds like the best for me.
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05-14-2010, 09:42 AM
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#10
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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Re: general bus info wanted
Im hopin that I can go searchin and find an old bus with a PTo on the bus and salavage the PTO. if not they are between $2000-$3000. I have thought about the generator and prolly will actually have one on board as well but I was trying to get away from using it.
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05-14-2010, 10:08 AM
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#11
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 212
Year: 1978
Coachwork: thomas
Chassis: ford
Engine: 406 Ford
Rated Cap: 25
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Re: general bus info wanted
Hey there- I don't know much about trannys other than mine, but for my New Process 542, I've sourced PTO's used for as little as $175, sometimes even including extra goodies. If you're going to do the mechanical work yourself, like installation and routing of shifter, mounting of shaft, etc., I think you could do the job for well under a grand. PTO's, like transmissions, are something I'd have no qualms with sourcing used. A lot of places give small warranties with their used parts, too, so if there was trouble, an exchange or refund isn't out of the question.
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05-14-2010, 11:10 AM
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#12
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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Re: general bus info wanted
Hey thanks bus-ted just the information I wanted to here. Is there an online listing with bus-yards or can anyone give me some say between madison wi milwaukee wi chicago il and dubuque iowa? I will travel outside the box but hopin for osmething close to me.
thanks agian
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05-14-2010, 11:22 AM
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#13
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 212
Year: 1978
Coachwork: thomas
Chassis: ford
Engine: 406 Ford
Rated Cap: 25
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Re: general bus info wanted
I've had a lot of luck with truck parts inventory...
http://www.truckpartsinventory.com/
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05-14-2010, 11:28 AM
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#14
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 212
Year: 1978
Coachwork: thomas
Chassis: ford
Engine: 406 Ford
Rated Cap: 25
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Re: general bus info wanted
As an aside, I priced one new from Chelsea for around $820 shipped, and it was for a single speed, lever shift, 1.25" shaft drive, with forward and reverse. For what you're looking to do, you'll probably be looking at a bit more $, since you'll probably want a 2 speed, and perhaps a dual shaft... they're out there, though, and if you do a bit of research, you'll see that there's lots of pto's for lots of trannys.
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05-14-2010, 12:34 PM
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#15
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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Re: general bus info wanted
will most of the large trans have the abiulity to conenct to the PTO or are there certain trans I will need?
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05-15-2010, 12:18 AM
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#16
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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Re: general bus info wanted
I was lookin at the gallery pictures. The university of South Florida Society of engineers bus. http://www.skoolie.net/gallery2/v/Sk...neers-_frey2_/ This bus looks longer than any bus I have ever seen. is it just optical illusion because its a FE or is this type of bus (92 Ward Senator) longer than other busses including other FE? Definetly looks like the "cab" is added on in front of where most other busses start???
Another thing I was wondering when people make the roof racks do they just extended every couple supports down to the floor of the bus or does everyone need to be conencted to the floor and or frame of the bus?
O last but not least is this bus legal? http://www.skoolie.net/gallery2/v/Sk...ddle1.jpg.html If in fact that bus is legal how far can you add onto the front of a bus? is there a rule like how far back the front axle must be after the front bumper?
thanks
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06-03-2010, 03:44 PM
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#17
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 59
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Re: general bus info wanted
anyone care to comment on the florida bus?
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