Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 07-27-2018, 03:49 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
BartStephens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 41
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner EF
Engine: Cummins 6.7L ISB220
Rated Cap: Not sure. 29' length
Rear Engine Short Bus?

Is there such a thing? WOuld love to find a rear-engine bus to reduce noise, but would also like to stay around 30' so we can use for national parks.

Bart

BartStephens is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2018, 04:11 PM   #2
Skoolie
 
Tryonis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: GA
Posts: 129
Year: 1998
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000 RE
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 78
They do exist but they are harder to find. I was actually looking for that exact same thing when i bought mine but i couldn't turn down the deal i got so i got a 40 footer.
__________________
Build Thread:> https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/1...yet-22358.html
Tryonis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2018, 04:11 PM   #3
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,401
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
I saw mention of short RE bus in a post here recently. I have never seen one myself.

They are unicorns.....
PNW_Steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 07:21 PM   #4
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Greater Houston, Tx.
Posts: 589
Seems like different people describe a "shot bus" differently. The shortest RE that I have seen, was, (I think) 11 windows.
Those do seem to be elusive., but go for it.
1olfart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 08:22 PM   #5
Bus Geek
 
ol trunt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: So Cal
Posts: 3,227
Year: 1935
Coachwork: Superior
Chassis: Chevy
Engine: 317 ci/tid / Isuzu
Cut ten feet out of a 40 footer. Just look for one with a full steel frame--Even sounds like fun! Jack
ol trunt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 08:38 PM   #6
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Aren't the RE's motors supported in their own frame that bolts on the back of a conventional frame? If so then it sounds doable on a real shorty. Whats the shortest FE?
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 08:40 PM   #7
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW_Steve View Post
I saw mention of short RE bus in a post here recently. I have never seen one myself.

They are unicorns.....
I've seen plenty.

SuperDave has one.
There were upwards of a dozen just on Public Surplus last month. Went cheap too.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 08:41 PM   #8
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
Aren't the RE's motors supported in their own frame that bolts on the back of a conventional frame? If so then it sounds doable on a real shorty. Whats the shortest FE?
FE's can go a bit shorter than RE's.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 09:08 PM   #9
Bus Crazy
 
plfking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: N.C.
Posts: 1,136
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: 34
Quote:
Originally Posted by BartStephens View Post
Is there such a thing? WOuld love to find a rear-engine bus to reduce noise, but would also like to stay around 30' so we can use for national parks.

Bart
This 03 TC2000 RE was for sale at Northwest Bus a couple years ago. I doubt it was a school bus due to lack of flashing lights.
Attached Thumbnails
03 bluebird TC2000 8 window.jpg   bb tc2000 28 pass.JPG  
__________________
Don

The Busted Flush
plfking is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 09:32 PM   #10
Mini-Skoolie
 
BartStephens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 41
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner EF
Engine: Cummins 6.7L ISB220
Rated Cap: Not sure. 29' length
Quote:
Originally Posted by ol trunt View Post
Cut ten feet out of a 40 footer. Just look for one with a full steel frame--Even sounds like fun! Jack


Granted, I am no mechanic, but that sounds like an enormous pain in the @$$!!!
BartStephens is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 09:40 PM   #11
Mini-Skoolie
 
BartStephens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 41
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner EF
Engine: Cummins 6.7L ISB220
Rated Cap: Not sure. 29' length
Quote:
Originally Posted by plfking View Post
This 03 TC2000 RE was for sale at Northwest Bus a couple years ago. I doubt it was a school bus due to lack of flashing lights.


That’s the one! That is exactly what I need! A rear engine bus that is short enough to go anywhere!!!

Let the unicorn hunt commence!!!
BartStephens is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 09:41 PM   #12
Mini-Skoolie
 
BartStephens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 41
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner EF
Engine: Cummins 6.7L ISB220
Rated Cap: Not sure. 29' length
Quote:
Originally Posted by BartStephens View Post
Granted, I am no mechanic, but that sounds like an enormous pain in the @$$!!!


Wait, that actually looks like a front engine bus.
BartStephens is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2018, 05:33 AM   #13
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by plfking View Post
This 03 TC2000 RE was for sale at Northwest Bus a couple years ago. I doubt it was a school bus due to lack of flashing lights.
That's a FE bus with RE rear hatch exit.



I'm telling you- they're not unicorns. You just want one NOW and that makes it seem like they're so elusive.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2018, 09:03 PM   #14
Bus Crazy
 
plfking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: N.C.
Posts: 1,136
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: 34
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
That's a FE bus with RE rear hatch exit.



I'm telling you- they're not unicorns. You just want one NOW and that makes it seem like they're so elusive.
You're right, again. Finally found the video....I lusted after this bus for quite a while early in my search.....



I must've had it confused with this 10 window, although I don't know if it's RE or not.
Attached Thumbnails
DSC08315.JPG  
__________________
Don

The Busted Flush
plfking is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2018, 10:35 PM   #15
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Greater Houston, Tx.
Posts: 589
As usual, my steel trap memory, let me down again. I gotta find me one of those buses.
1olfart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2018, 10:36 PM   #16
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Pic from left rear shows odd rear door arrangement and side vent for rear engine. Front grill makes it look like an FE. If that's the case, bolting a RE to an FE bus is not out of the realm of doable. Again, what is the shortest FE bus out there?
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2018, 12:18 AM   #17
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,753
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by plfking View Post
This 03 TC2000 RE was for sale at Northwest Bus a couple years ago. I doubt it was a school bus due to lack of flashing lights.

these and thomas's the same size are quite common.. but ive never see none in an RE, only FE...


-Christopher
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2018, 12:29 AM   #18
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 1,358
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Crown, integral. (With 2kW of tiltable solar)
Chassis: Crown Supercoach II (rear engine)
Engine: Detroit 6V92TAC, DDEC 2, Jake brake, Allison HT740
Rated Cap: 37,400 lbs GVWR
Just bear in mind that a short pusher may have squirrely handling, especially when the roads are wet or slippery. With such a difference in weight front to rear, you could get a "tail wags the dog" feeling with all that weight behind the rear axle and not much in front to counterbalance it. The 36-foot versions of my bus did not have the poise or balance that the 40-foot versions like mine have.

The local school district here has some short Thomas pushers, maybe about 30 feet long or just over, and they're the shortest RE school buses I've ever seen. If you want a good-handling shortie, buy a short mid-engine Crown!: http://www.crownisking.org/culacobus.html

John
Iceni John is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2018, 01:27 PM   #19
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Greater Houston, Tx.
Posts: 589
Omg...... That"s sweet!
1olfart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2018, 03:37 PM   #20
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 1,001
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: International
Engine: TE 444
Rated Cap: 12
The blue bus is front engine, you can see the dog house through the door
Kubla is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:54 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.