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01-31-2018, 11:00 PM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Western NY
Posts: 54
Year: 2003
Chassis: Chevy 3500
Engine: 6.0L Chevy
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Bork in America
Hello all,
We decided last fall to purchase a bus and travel across the country for the summer to visit friends and family and to see the sights. About a month ago we found our bus. It's a 2003 Chevy 6.0L Shuttle bus from a nursing home. 90k miles, everything works, air conditioning with a large rear mounted unit and a bunch of new parts - tires, brakes, calipers, rotors, transmission lines, belt, and tension-er. It was a deal we couldn't pass up for 3200. The goal is to spend the least amount of money possible (isn't everyone's) and have a great place to call home for a couple of months that is reliable and easy to live in. Almost all of the components that we want have already been acquired, or I already had them stashed away for a project just like this. Please feel free to ask any questions or lend some advice and I will attempt to document the procedures as much as possible to pass on some knowledge in return.
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01-31-2018, 11:10 PM
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#2
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Western NY
Posts: 54
Year: 2003
Chassis: Chevy 3500
Engine: 6.0L Chevy
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01-31-2018, 11:32 PM
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#3
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
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Good start. But please...size your pix down before posting. Took 15 minutes to load the page!
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01-31-2018, 11:43 PM
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#4
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
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Nice find on the bus. Good start too.
This type of bus always reminds me of that whale with the big forhead.
__________________
Robin
Nobody's Business
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02-01-2018, 05:40 AM
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#5
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MNT CITY TN
Posts: 5,158
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango
Good start. But please...size your pix down before posting. Took 15 minutes to load the page!
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X87 please make smaller
__________________
Our build La Tortuga
Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.
George S. Patton
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02-01-2018, 07:58 AM
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#6
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Western NY
Posts: 54
Year: 2003
Chassis: Chevy 3500
Engine: 6.0L Chevy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bansil
X87 please make smaller
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So sorry guys! its been a minute since I've run a thread and I forgot all about shrinking the photo size. I will get that cleared up soon.
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02-01-2018, 01:22 PM
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#7
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Greenwood, Indiana
Posts: 669
Year: 1999
Coachwork: New Flyer
Chassis: D45HF "Viking"
Engine: 11.1L Detroit Diesel S60
Rated Cap: 51,600
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Your images are all gone now. I'm just getting black rectangles.
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02-01-2018, 09:25 PM
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#8
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Western NY
Posts: 54
Year: 2003
Chassis: Chevy 3500
Engine: 6.0L Chevy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkyDee
Your images are all gone now. I'm just getting black rectangles.
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Should be all set now, sorry about that!
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02-04-2018, 09:07 PM
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#9
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Western NY
Posts: 54
Year: 2003
Chassis: Chevy 3500
Engine: 6.0L Chevy
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Bit of history on the electricals of the buss so far... everything worked fine when we bought the bus but gradually a few things stopped working as the winter moved in. We had a few weeks with a high temperature around 3 degrees here and something went wrong and spawned an electrical gremlin. I make sure to start the bus and move it around at least once a week to keep the battery charged and shake the rust and corrosion around. First the radio stopped working, then all of the lights and accessories in the shell stopped working, then all of the accessories in the shell remained on with 3v going to them... I unhooked the battery to keep it from draining and when I hooked it up today the blower motor turned on even with the keys off. Something is back-feeding, possibly shorting out through some other wires. I'm guessing all of the accessories get there power through a very large relay somewhere and that might have frozen? Once the temperature gets a bit warmer I will start chasing that gremlin and report back.
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02-05-2018, 10:45 AM
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#10
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Cuyahoga Falls Ohio
Posts: 592
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Startrans
Chassis: Ford e-350 single wheel
Engine: 5.4 litre
Rated Cap: 12
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I have a very similar bus. When it gets really cold the relay won't engage that operates heater/blower, radio, inside lights. After I drive it for 30 minutes everything starts to work. I like your build, keep the pictures and info coming.
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02-05-2018, 11:22 AM
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#11
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Alberta
Posts: 28
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Corbeil
Chassis: e350 SD
Engine: 7.3
Rated Cap: 18
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Interesting...
I have had to use my bus a few times this winter and have experienced the same problem , once it gets warmed up everything works
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02-09-2018, 02:20 PM
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#12
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Western NY
Posts: 54
Year: 2003
Chassis: Chevy 3500
Engine: 6.0L Chevy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leadsled01
I have a very similar bus. When it gets really cold the relay won't engage that operates heater/blower, radio, inside lights. After I drive it for 30 minutes everything starts to work. I like your build, keep the pictures and info coming.
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Well at least we are not alone! That makes me more motivated to find the issue while it is still cold out. I will be sure to report back with my findings. Thank you.
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02-27-2018, 10:00 PM
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#13
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Western NY
Posts: 54
Year: 2003
Chassis: Chevy 3500
Engine: 6.0L Chevy
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Lots of planning happening, I should keep track of how many times I go into that bus with a tape measure. Quick question for you guys, is it legal to mount
things to the back of the bus? I know the lights and the license plate have to be visible. Things I would like to mount back there are two bikes vertically (possibly on the door), propane tank(s), water heater, grill mounted to a swing out arm. I plan to build a heavy duty bumper that can mount the grill arm and a propane tank securely. I will build it up around the propane beefy enough to be rear-ended without worry of the tank exploding. I just dont know if it is legal to do any of this and google is not cooperating with me... or is this a better to ask forgiveness situation.... thank you in advance!
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02-27-2018, 10:08 PM
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#14
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bork
Lots of planning happening, I should keep track of
things to the back of the bus? I know the lights and the license plate have to be visible. Things I would like to mount back there are two bikes vertically (possibly on the door), propane tank(s), water heater, grill mounted to a swing out arm. I plan to build a heavy duty bumper that can mount the grill arm and a propane tank securely. I will build it up around the propane beefy enough to be rear-ended without worry of the tank exploding. I just dont know if it is legal to do any of this and google is not cooperating with me... or is this a better to ask forgiveness situation.... thank you in advance!
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Ya, I'd check legality os open storage of propane canisters on the back, I've only seen external mounts on the frogs where they are less likely to be impacted. In the case of a possibly explosive incidence potential a LEO may not be forgiving when it is so easy to ticket you.
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02-28-2018, 08:53 AM
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#15
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SW New Hampshire
Posts: 1,334
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Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc
Ya, I'd check legality os open storage of propane canisters on the back, I've only seen external mounts on the frogs where they are less likely to be impacted. In the case of a possibly explosive incidence potential a LEO may not be forgiving when it is so easy to ticket you.
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"Frogs"? What are these "frogs" you speak of?
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02-28-2018, 10:13 AM
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#16
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-fox
"Frogs"? What are these "frogs" you speak of?
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Fronts, dang spellcheck.
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03-01-2018, 05:25 AM
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#17
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Western NY
Posts: 54
Year: 2003
Chassis: Chevy 3500
Engine: 6.0L Chevy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc
Fronts, dang spellcheck.
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I dont think I like the idea of them on the front at all (or on the frogs for that matter). I have been looking through setups and talking with people and I believe that if I build a solid enclosure that is integrated into the back bumper when I build it all should be good. Think solid steel box vented out the bottom. You wont even know its in there.
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03-12-2018, 02:16 AM
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#18
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Western NY
Posts: 54
Year: 2003
Chassis: Chevy 3500
Engine: 6.0L Chevy
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Currently we do not have a place for the copilot to sit and I am aware that this is a constant battle for schoolies... hopefully I have thought of a revolutionary idea. I have owned several jeeps in the past and I know the 97-06 TJ era jeeps had front seats that were on a slider rail and they would "lift" up towards the dash so you could climb behind them into the back seat. I believe one of these seats could be mounted in the passenger position in the bus and then slid forward and up out of the way once the bus is parked. Does anyone know if this has been attempted before? initial measurements seem to work out and I am searching the local craigslists for the mounting base from one of these. Living in the rust belt gives me plenty of options....
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03-15-2018, 11:32 PM
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#19
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Western NY
Posts: 54
Year: 2003
Chassis: Chevy 3500
Engine: 6.0L Chevy
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i found the electrical problem, somehow I missed an auxiliary battery that is mounted on the outside of the frame on the passenger side. due to its location the fiberglass panelling probably has to be removed in order to service it. That explains why it look like its 15 years old. Somehow the cable that connects it to the main battery for the engine pulled out of its terminal a very long time ago and just corroded itself to the top of the battery post. That is what all of the extra components on the bus have been running off of. Gravity making the connection. I bypassed the battery and everything works fine. New high amp fuses are on the way...
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03-19-2018, 06:47 AM
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#20
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Cuyahoga Falls Ohio
Posts: 592
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Startrans
Chassis: Ford e-350 single wheel
Engine: 5.4 litre
Rated Cap: 12
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I just built and installed a new battery holder for that battery. I had to cut 1" of fiberglass to get the old battery out. I don't see how the factory got it in there.
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