Hi in new and could use some help

[ChaseWatson]

Hello everbody I am new here, I have done a lot of research on conversions for a schoolie, but I do not know what kind of bus to get my girlfriend wants a double decker and is starting to get really stuck on it. I have not been able to really find any I have come across a couple but they go for 40k and up and I Don't really have that kind of money and either does she, we want something that isnt out of our range but we are gonna be living in it essentially full time so I could really use some help on what kind of bus to get and where to find them

[EastCoastCB]

Tell her if she can find said double decker its on HER to drive it.
Oversize permits and careful planning of routes may be required.
Last double decker I saw sat for sale for $25k for YEARS till some ill-informed tiny house guy bought it and thought he was gonna drive it to Cali. He quickly realized how long a journey that would be in a WAY TALL vehicle that tops out at 45mph.
I still wonder where that bus ended up. No way it made Cali!

A good bus with a 466 or 8.3 can be had for like $2500-$3500 all day. For what a double decker will cost you could buy and convert a couple buses quite nicely.
Just my 2cents.

[ChaseWatson]

I'm gonna talk to her more about it when she wakes up I have found a 54 passanger school bus its a 1974 Chevy bus 350 engine with a allison automatic transmission, its 1000 for it just waitong for the owner to come back to state to go look at it but going that route out of curiosity would I be able to say raise the roof enough to make some what of a loft for the bed and whatever else I would put up there? So she is satisfied lol I'll be doing the work myself with her help and probably some friends up until I get to solar panels and wiring I'm decent with wiring but not sure how to do it or what to get but I'll start figuring that out wants I get to that point

Thanks for the help so far I really appreciate it alot

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by ChaseWatson

I'm gonna talk to her more about it when she wakes up I have found a 54 passanger school bus its a 1974 Chevy bus 350 engine with a allison automatic transmission, its 1000 for it just waitong for the owner to come back to state to go look at it but going that route out of curiosity would I be able to say raise the roof enough to make some what of a loft for the bed and whatever else I would put up there? So she is satisfied lol I'll be doing the work myself with her help and probably some friends up until I get to solar panels and wiring I'm decent with wiring but not sure how to do it or what to get but I'll start figuring that out wants I get to that point

Thanks for the help so far I really appreciate it alot

If TRAVEL is the plan avoid anything with a gas engine. Anything that old may need quite a bit of work. My favorite years of buses are from the mid-80's to the late 90's.

[ChaseWatson]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

If TRAVEL is the plan avoid anything with a gas engine. Anything that old may need quite a bit of work. My favorite years of buses are from the mid-80's to the late 90's.

I do have a lot of experience with working on engines but ya I don't want to have to do a lot of work to one, or have to continually work on it but obviously with my price range I'm more than likely gonna have to do some work to it or have to just give it tlc but I will definitely see if I can find some diesels in those years

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by ChaseWatson

I do have a lot of experience with working on engines but ya I don't want to have to do a lot of work to one, or have to continually work on it but obviously with my price range I'm more than likely gonna have to do some work to it or have to just give it tlc but I will definitely see if I can find some diesels in those years

I didn't just mean mechanical stuff.
Rust and other things. Those are the bane of the older buses. All the rubber parts start to disintegrate.
Pick your poison- buy a cheap gas bus and have an engine that's low on power and torque and gets 3 mpg or a diesel that cost a couple grand but will use less fuel and last much longer.
Gas buses are HARD to get rid of. I had one and I wouldn't have another. If you gave me one free, I'd stick it on CL and hope to get $500-$1000 for it and put that toward something better.
Certainly there has to be something between that thousand dollar gas oldie and that $40,000 double decker that will suit your needs.

[ChaseWatson]

I would assume there is I have to go look at some of the ones I had seen on a few websites but I know that I kept finding short busses for a few grand and then there was gas busses plus not to mention all the ones that said it had to be towed and and they still wanted a few grand for it. I'm not trying to rush into buying the first bus I come across I'm doing as much research as possibly but after awhile it comes down to taking a chance on the one that I think would be the best just don't like the stress of thinking it isn't going to turn out the way I want ya know.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by ChaseWatson

I would assume there is I have to go look at some of the ones I had seen on a few websites but I know that I kept finding short busses for a few grand and then there was gas busses plus not to mention all the ones that said it had to be towed and and they still wanted a few grand for it. I'm not trying to rush into buying the first bus I come across I'm doing as much research as possibly but after awhile it comes down to taking a chance on the one that I think would be the best just don't like the stress of thinking it isn't going to turn out the way I want ya know.

CL is all the swill. Look at public surplus and govdeals.
A good running nice bus won't set you back more than 2 or 3 grand. Mostly what you find on CL are neglected buses, failed projects, and flippers.
I took the first bus that came along. It was a FREE 1985 Thomas on a Ford chassis with a gas engine. It was a horrible bus and I'm glad its gone.
For my next bus I was more careful in my selection. GOt a 1992 Ward Senator for two grand. I got air ride, mechanical dt466, underside storage bins, 643 tranny, and a forty foot bus with virtually no rust. Bought it on GovDeals. Had to go all the way up to KY for it, but its WAY nicer than the buses around here in FL for the money. Five grand gets you a pos bus around here. Nothing in FL but neglected buses from poor schools and greedy dealers trying to flip rusty ohio buses for way too much $$.
If a gas bus from the nixon era is something you'd feel comfortable in for long hours on the interstates then go check it out it may be a fantastic deal for you.
Me- I NEED air ride and a powerful diesel if I'm driving a bus any distance.

[Skipoffools]

Raise the roof

And in my opinion inline 6 is the way to go for max mpg. My dta360 has almost the same mpg as my f250 6.9 v8 diesel. I haven't had any trouble with hills, but it is still empty.

[ChaseWatson]

I'll check out those sites see what I can find and ya inlines are pretty good on mpg