For those who say they can't find a Thomas MVP

[mokibrabrant]

That's a fact...........West Coast all the way...............

That sometimes works to my benefit. In the case of the Hewlett Packard Crown the folks I bought it from didn't know much about buses and surely didn't know anything about Crowns. Which allowed me to pick up an extremely rare Crown..........35 foot Intercity, mid engine with a raised roof.

Hewlett Packard in 1966 had four Crowns custom made: Two were 40ft raised roof tandems and two were 35 foot single axle raised roof. All were of the intercity highway coach variety. Not "School buses". Each came off the line with a 220 NA Cummins and a 13 speed Spicer. The HP Intercity I own was bought at auction, and the guy got it very cheap. I arranged the purchase through the auction house from the buyer. I paid a fairly handsome premium for that privilege. roughly just shy of 3 times what the auction price was..........

I found paperwork in this Coach that it had received trade in values in its long history. Most recent was 2005..........where it was traded in for 78K............In pretty close to the condition, in terms of amenities that I received it. However, It had issues, especially the brakes. Which literally, from the canisters, to the canister rods, to the treadle valve, to the rear relay valve, shoes, had to be completely undone and redone.........7 days in that process alone. So to your point...........with new brakes, tires, a couple of new airbags, some wiring work and some fluid filter changes...........I'm into this Crown about 8500 bucks including purchase price. Had this Crown been on the West Coast it would have been snatched up by the "knowledgeable".

Because of the nature of the repairs I had to make, I was refused service by more people than I care to remember. They knew nothing about Crowns. I tried to tell them it didn't matter. That brakes, drive train, bags, steering, differential, axles, brakes, are all over the road class eight truck parts. Didn't seem to matter. No one wanted to look at it.

First photo is of the "new Crown" I picked up on my recent trip from Arlington WA. Which I drove to Gresham. 1982 671T 4 speed automatic. Second shot is of the Crown I picked up in Gresham and drove through the storm to Torrance. 1985 855 cubic inch big cam Cummins Turbo. Eaton Fuller 5 speed. Currently believed to be on its way to France. Last Photo is the 66 HP Intercity 375 HP big cam Cummins Turbo 5 speed Allison auto.
After delivering the Crown to Torrance, I flew out of LA to Tampa FL to pick up the HP and drove it to Vegas where it awaits my return end of May................

[sweetfarm]

Well for those who missed their chance to pay the last high bidder for the chance to own this bus. It's back...https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...7&acctid=2489#
since last August it has been auctioned and sold 4 times. Twice on Public Surplus and twice on GovDeals. Maybe the fifth time is the charm!

[EastCoastCB]

Same thing happened to my bus. People didn't pay or answer calls or emails.
Too bad for them, its a GREAT bus.
I'm tempted to sell my meager belongings and hitchhike up to md for that bus...

[sweetfarm]

I bid on a van last summer. The bid trippled and I forgot about it. I received an email a week later that it was relisted. I rebid the same thing and won the auction $150 below my top bid. You nevery know with auctions.
As for me personally I really like the Thomas buses but I will not be buying one with a CAT engine....unless of course the price is too good to pass up this time!

[yeggs]

Does anyone have any input on that 2000 saf-t-liner specifically?

I'm currently shopping, and it keeps coming up on govdeals. But I read through the "smells like teen spirit" tread about the same make/model/district and the engine troubles he ran into give me major pause.

I could get to DC to pick it up, but probably not twice to inspect first and then again to pick up -- I'd have to be able to drive it out of there. Has anyone on here gone and kicked the tires on this thing? Why do folks keep passing on it? Is the CAT diesel with ~250K untrustable. Nice tranny though...

[EastCoastCB]

I'm convinced its just shill bids. I'd buy it if Md weren't so damn far from here.

[mokibrabrant]

If I were interested in the bus and thought it might really be a winner.............then I would find someone in the area and spend the money and have him do a full on inspection of the bus: start it, hear it, check gauges, lights, how quickly it airs up, look for leaks, rust, glass..............and I would also have him take a couple dozen pictures, under chassis, engine compartment dash etc etc etc etc................I don't believe that the CAT would be worn out: And the reason would be the transmission. One of the questions I'd be interested being answered is whether all six forward gears are programed.............which would give a double overdrive. I feel confident that 5 are programed..............and as i try to impress upon anyone buying school buses an overdrive will greatly extend the life of these buses.............4 speeds and a final drive ratio of 1:1 and numerically high axle ratios is not an optimum way to run a medium duty powered bus..............anyway if you are really interested finds someone to actually look at it for you............

[EastCoastCB]

I doubt any school is going to have the 6th gear programmed.
For what the bus is going for, I'd be willing to roll the dice a bit. Would be nice to have a friendly local check it out, though.

[mokibrabrant]

I'm not big on Rolling dice on School buses. Unless they're Crowns............but they really the only thing they have in common with a school bus is their color..........

[mokibrabrant]

I am thinking about buying this one thought

[EastCoastCB]

I think buying a school bus is much less a risk than buying a used car from a lot.
A school district isn't nearly as likely to exaggerate condition and they tend to maintain buses better than the average car owner.
Believe me, I think we all get the "Crown superiority". Some of us want a two thousand dollar bus to build a thrifty house or RV from, though.

[mokibrabrant]

Time is valuable being stuck on the side of a road isn't fun...............I read the questions that have been asked, none of them are probing in the least..........I don't know if you or others have had conversations with maintenance or transportation departments but from what i see there, one picture, no probative questions at all listed..........I ask a lot of questions. Whether sixth gear is unlocked or not I want to know: I want to know if it's dropping fluids, gauges, lights etc.............etc I definitely want to know the rear axle ratio: And whether "we all get the Crown Superiority" thing or not that had not ought to preclude me from advancing it when the spirit moves me............but keeping it in context the point I'm advancing is I just know them so well: Thomas buses I don't..........I hear many stories about them.........even New deliveries get returned with significant problems........granted what you say is generally true with regard maintenance. It is also true that some do it far better than others and some just drive them till there little more than a wreck:

Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona come to mind. When I do buy buses on line, other than Crowns I actually try to find out as much about the demographics of the district as I can, as to wealth, I also try to find out precisely the history of the bus as well as the availability of maintenance records. it doesn't take long before what seems as a bargain, once you factor in time, travel, and potential disappointments that the bargain bus gets to be not so much of a bargain.....We all have our own objectives and our own end game and go about getting there in our own way. That's the way we do it.

I work hard for my money. I am a big time advocate of risk reward: I am also an advocate of minimizing risk...........And I have also noticed that northern school districts, New York in particular, will even throw a new coat of paint on their buses once their work cycle is complete.............A 14 year old Thomas from MD..........may look good on the surface and may be a tattered ruin of rust underneath.............step wells............etc. Not saying that's the case here.............but what would be the problem of having maintenance staff shoot some photo's and pass them along to you?

[EastCoastCB]

For what most buses auction for, I just don't see how disappointed it can be. Worst case I'd pull the drivetrain and scrap it. Still worth a couple two three grand.
Its cheaper than a ten year old used Hyundai...
Demographics? Some of the poorest districts have the nicest buses... I like Kentucky and they are among the poorest states in the union. Mine is from the least populated, most rural part of Ky too.
I see your points, and on some I agree.
I'm sure a Crown is a great machine, but on the east side of the country one may live their whole life without even seeing one.
I call and talk to the yard maintenance guy when I'm interested. I also have had them send me pics or info.

[sweetfarm]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I'm convinced its just shill bids. I'd buy it if Md weren't so damn far from here.

There is 5 of them just like this on GovDeals in Florida right now

[EastCoastCB]

no there aren't.
Those ones on GovDeals in Fl have bad engines. From really under-funded schools.

[sweetfarm]

Okay only 3. One just says doesn't run and 2 say bad injectors. I wonder what their reserve is ?

[EastCoastCB]

IDK but for two grand or less that one in MD runs.
Bad injectors/doesn't run= hundreds and hundred to have it towed and to fix it. Maybe even thousands...

[charles_m]

Hey! Id buy that old loadstar international on looks alone! I love those loadstar grills. If i could have found one near me i would have snatched it up without a second thought. I like your style man!

[boojiewoojie]

There ain't no way that 6th is unlocked on that bus. Worth checking, sure. But more chance of having brand spankin' new tires and the engine rebuilt 100 miles ago than the transmission being unlocked.

[EastCoastCB]

This would make a nice home for someone.
http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/auc...ew?auc=1242440