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Old 09-26-2019, 09:05 PM   #1
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
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Year: 1993
Chassis: IH 3800
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Is it worth it? '93 IH w/ DT360

Hey guys..


Needing an opinion on a big bus we are looking at.


It's a '93 IH with a Carpenter body (currently owned by a church).


DT360/AT545 combo with 275k. No running / driving issues.. no leaks, etc.


Parking brake needs rebuilt... has some rust (which for our project, all will be getting cut out anyways so no worries there). Has some other minor issue. Steer tires are decent but drive tires are thin. Brakes are recent and has decent maintenance records.


They didn't have this one listed for sale due to its body condition. I was actually looking at another bus he has for sale which is near mint but the price was quite a bit higher.


He said they were wanting 2100 for this one but "are very open to offers on it based on it's condition".


I'm under the impression I could get it for ~1500... maybe a little less.


If I get it.. I'll likely swap the trans sooner than later... I'd prefer the 643 or something with overdrive... but we'll see what I can find. Would also leave room to inframe the engine if it needs it. Supposedly it runs great and the current owner says it should have no trouble at all making the ~380 mile trip home.


So... thoughts?


I've been looking for something around this year range that is all mechanical. I was hoping for a 466 but the 360 will do the job just fine and is easy enough to get a bit more umph out of while maintaining reliability.



Most buses in my area are bringing 2500-5k and most are newer than 2000 (which I want to avoid).

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Old 09-26-2019, 09:08 PM   #2
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Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
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Year: 1999
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Lot of miles on a small engine and less than desirable trans.
Actually 2000-2003 would be desirable buses, 04 and later are the gremlins.
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Old 09-26-2019, 09:16 PM   #3
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If you can get t for $1500 then it's a good deal in my opinion.
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Old 09-26-2019, 10:12 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
Lot of miles on a small engine and less than desirable trans.
Actually 2000-2003 would be desirable buses, 04 and later are the gremlins.

Except that I don't want an electronic engine/trans. I want an all mechanical engine which limits me to the mid 90s. I think the last full mechanical 466 was in '97. I know the electronic engines are decent up to early '04.. but I don't want anything to do with them. The mechanical inline injection pumps are also more "alternative fuel" friendly.


It's size is just about right for our plans.


We are wanting to build a toy hauler (~14' flat deck including 3' dove added to rear) with a bit more living space then we have in our short bus and enough space for an actual "cab" (for safety while traveling with kids).


Basically, we'll have our small bathroom right behind the driver's seat and a partition wall just behind it. Across from the bath area will be permanent seating for the kids with proper seat belts. That way if anything were to happen, the "cab" would be somewhat isolated from the living area.


Then a small living area with 2 twin bunks, a full size bed, and a small kitchen area. Basically the same living space we currently have in our short bus which has been fine for us.


Any more input?
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Old 09-26-2019, 11:04 PM   #5
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If the trans swap is in the immediate future, I'm with ya.
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Old 09-26-2019, 11:17 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
If the trans swap is in the immediate future, I'm with ya.

It certainly will be before any trips with mountain passes. Lol.


Most of our trips will be in the flat lands for a good while. That'll give me time to track down a 643 or something with overdrive. I certainly don't mind the work to swap it out if the price is right.
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Old 09-26-2019, 11:52 PM   #7
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
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Year: 1991
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I have a 7 window carpenter with a DT360 and was an AT545 and now is a MT643. I have a 4.78 gear,.. my engine is stock and i slowdown on the hills.. much better with the 643 than with the 545 but still slow down.. i dont mind.. im also not pulling west coast grades in that bus.. i havent had it in the rockies.. but that engine never runs hot.. 70,000 BTU of A/C running.. 100 degrees outside and climbing a 5% grade at 55 and my temp gauge never goes over 200...



the 643 swap wasnt a bad swap.. the biggest thinbg is obtaining the new FlexPlate you need for it.. there are only so many of them left so if you get serious about a 643 then get the Flexplate and hang onto it.. LKQ still has some of the $650 ReMan MT643s with torque converters... those are in missouri but you can have it shipped..



-Christopher
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Old 09-26-2019, 11:56 PM   #8
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Hmm... good deal. I guess it all depends on how it drives with the 545. I dont like the idea of going down grades with no lock-up... relying on hydraulic brakes.


Going to see if we can get the price right in the morning. From what I'm gathering, it could be a decent deal. We'll see.
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Old 09-27-2019, 12:26 AM   #9
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Well... I made an offer on it. We'll see what happens. I personally don't think it's worth more than 1500... he said he was going to put batteries and such in it which I told him in my offer (of 1350) that he didn't need to do anything to it as long as we could get it started. I've got batteries at the house... plus it'll be sitting for ~ a year during the build I'm sure.. if not longer. No point in wasting new batteries just sitting around.


Anyways.. we'll see what happens. Thanks for the input guys.
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Old 09-27-2019, 02:41 AM   #10
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Good luck!

If you get this, will you keep your present bus also?
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Old 09-27-2019, 07:30 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr4btTahoe View Post
Well... I made an offer on it. We'll see what happens. I personally don't think it's worth more than 1500... he said he was going to put batteries and such in it which I told him in my offer (of 1350) that he didn't need to do anything to it as long as we could get it started. I've got batteries at the house... plus it'll be sitting for ~ a year during the build I'm sure.. if not longer. No point in wasting new batteries just sitting around.


Anyways.. we'll see what happens. Thanks for the input guys.
That sounds like a fair offer, and you're 100% right on the batteries.

I wouldn't fret too much on the trans. At 275k miles on the bus, it's likely been replaced at least once, and there's a few of us on here that use the at545 without issue.

As long as the bare bones are in acceptable shape, it sounds good to me.
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Old 09-27-2019, 09:16 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by plfking View Post
Good luck!

If you get this, will you keep your present bus also?

For the time being, yup. Wont consider selling it until the other is up and rolling.


We came to an agreement on price at $1500 and he had already put batteries in it and said they'll stay with it.


Now it's just a matter of arranging a time to go get it.


Here's the turd.. lol
























Looks fairly solid. Drive tires are a bit thin and there's some rust issues around the rear wheel wells and back (which will all be cut out anyways for the flat deck).


Hopefully we can make arrangements to get it picked up by early November.
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Old 09-27-2019, 09:27 AM   #13
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nice old WARD.. classic body style.. looks to be in pretty good shape too!
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Old 09-27-2019, 09:35 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
nice old WARD.. classic body style.. looks to be in pretty good shape too!

Wasn't Ward done by '92?
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Old 09-27-2019, 09:56 AM   #15
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Join Date: May 2009
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Engine: DTA360 / MT643
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"Technically" they retired the nameplate.. but any bus with that shape I still call a ward vs an AmTran. but thats the Classic Bus-lover in me...
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Old 09-27-2019, 10:04 AM   #16
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Somebody needs a gallon of Ospho! One of my next jobs is to fill a spray bottle with it and crawl under my new bus and spray everything that's orange.
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Old 09-27-2019, 10:11 AM   #17
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is ospho thinb enough to spray like that? or do you thin it? ive always used POR 15 which to spray it you really should use a compressed sprayer..
-Christopher
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Old 09-27-2019, 10:15 AM   #18
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Yep you can totally put it in a $1 walmart spray bottle and go to town. You can also use a $10 home depot pesticide sprayer if you're feeling rich today.
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Old 09-27-2019, 10:43 AM   #19
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Sounds like a plan.


Made arrangements to pick it up. He said he doesn't care when I come get it so it'll likely be early November. Gave him a deposit and we are set.


I'll start a build thread in the near future with details on the plans we have in mind.
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Old 09-27-2019, 11:38 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
is ospho thinb enough to spray like that? or do you thin it? ive always used POR 15 which to spray it you really should use a compressed sprayer..
-Christopher
Yeah its like the viscosity of water. I keep a windex bottle full of ospho.
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