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Old 10-28-2019, 11:54 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
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Shorty Schoolie Advice

Thinking of buying a shorty to convert for tiny home living. I would likely sell my little 40mpg station wagon and be full-time in the bus. Found one I like that's going for $8500. Dealer says it's an International T444 7.3 powerstroke turbodiesel engine. It has about 220,000 miles. I am just getting started researching all of this and looking for any advice or I formation about this type of bus. Good solid reliable engine? Average mpg In can expect? I know thst can really vary just seeking some info. Thanks in advance!

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Old 10-29-2019, 12:18 AM   #2
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Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
Seems a little expensive. What’s the bus model and transmission? What year? How many windows? Where’s the bus from?

Some things can make a bus more expensive such as a bus that has a high ceiling like those purchased to haul adults, underbody storage, and transmissions designed for highway use, being 7 to 9 windows.
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Old 10-29-2019, 12:59 AM   #3
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I guess I don't know the transmission and model. It just says international on the bus and that's the only information he gave. I looked up the VIN and found that it's a 2001. It has 5 windows and is from Phoenix, AZ, used by Mesa Unified school district.
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Old 10-29-2019, 01:18 AM   #4
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Info from vin decoder-
Manufacturer
Amtran
Model Year
2001
Model
3800
Engine Series
International/Navistar T444 Diesel
Engine Capacity
V-8, 7.3L (444CID)
Fuel Type
Diesel
Vehicle Details
International School Bus
Drive Line Type
4X2
Brake System
Hydraulic
GVWR Class
16,001 - 19,500lbs.
Country
US Produced Incomplete Bus
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Old 10-29-2019, 02:26 AM   #5
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It does seem too high in price. It is from a highly sought after area of the country because it *probably* will not have much rust. Still, seem too high in price.
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Old 10-29-2019, 07:03 AM   #6
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Yeah, good place to buy a bus. I think there might be a bus named Mr. Beefy on here that is the same. If it is the same it deserves more consideration because it has a preferred transmission and higher headroom.

No trans info. Bummer. That usually doesn’t show up in the VIN. You should find out. The price is a tad high, but some of those key attributes might make it worth it.

Still, mechanical condition is important so...
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Old 10-29-2019, 07:29 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scvington22 View Post
Thinking of buying a shorty to convert for tiny home living. I would likely sell my little 40mpg station wagon and be full-time in the bus. Found one I like that's going for $8500. Dealer says it's an International T444 7.3 powerstroke turbodiesel engine. It has about 220,000 miles. I am just getting started researching all of this and looking for any advice or I formation about this type of bus. Good solid reliable engine? Average mpg In can expect? I know thst can really vary just seeking some info. Thanks in advance!
That's seriously high. Sounds like a $5000 bus on a good day.

I'd let my unicorn shorty go for only $10,000.
http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/go...-23298-27.html
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Old 10-29-2019, 03:47 PM   #8
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It has a remanufactured Allison transmission. Model AT-545RM. Any good?
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Old 10-29-2019, 04:14 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Scvington22 View Post
It has a remanufactured Allison transmission. Model AT-545RM. Any good?
I've got a reman 545 in mine. For a shorty a 545 isn't a total deal breaker. Its pretty hard to find a pre-2003 (the good buses) with anything other than a 545.
for more than 4 or 5 grand it should be totally decked out though. Sounds like its got a totally bloated price to me.
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Old 10-29-2019, 05:12 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Scvington22 View Post
It has a remanufactured Allison transmission. Model AT-545RM. Any good?
IDK. I think I’d keep looking. It’s starting to sound like a $5000 bus
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Old 10-29-2019, 06:20 PM   #11
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Alright, well bummer.. he seems pretty firm on price.

Seems to be a shortage of shorties as I start looking. I've been told that the school districts are getting grants for new busses only if they destroy the old?

Anyhow, I'm on a tight budget for the initial purchase so I probably will keep looking for something more reasonable. I appreciate the thoughts and advice.
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Old 10-29-2019, 06:33 PM   #12
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You really want a shorty with a cowl. I have a cutaway and dread the day I need to fix it. Still 5 and 6 window cutaways can be found for around $3-5K. Rust free, low miles. If you decide to go that route then look for a Collins. They have flatter roofs so more uniform ceiling inside and better mounting for solar.

You should define what you want out of your bus. You’ll find that shorter buses have limited under body real estate for tanks which may limit what you do.
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Old 10-30-2019, 10:54 AM   #13
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I'm wanting a shorty because it's just me and my dog and I wouldn't feel comfortable manuevering a large one. I want to do a pretty basic conversion with just a bed, sink, wood stove, and a couple other things. I've been looking around a couple months now and am wanting to get started as soon as possible building out .

There's a 1994 Ford E350 7.3 International locally. He wants $6000. Has a solar system and new deep cycle battery plus wood stove included. 200,000 miles. I don't understand the cutaway vs cowl fully.. I know what I want out of the build I'm just not educated enough about the machine that is bus..
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Old 10-30-2019, 12:14 PM   #14
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Why are these buses that you’re looking at so expensive?

A bus with a cowl is going to be easier to work on which is important for your wallet if someone else is going to work on it and easier on your sanity if you are doing it yourself. A cutaway is mechanically similar, but the engine is crammed into a tighter space, often requiring more stuff to be removed to get to what needs fixed. The advantage of a cutaway bus is that parts are more readily available and less expensive.

What state do you live?

I would look at auctions. You’re right to look for buses in the Southwestern states. The only problem is getting inspection before you bid if it’s not local to you. A lot of people on this site will tell you to have patience because many have spent a long time to find their bus. I can also tell you from experience that moving slow helps in the decision making process.
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Old 11-05-2019, 01:14 AM   #15
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Im trying to find out the visible difference between a cutaway and cowl. How do you tell?

I live in Oregon and these prices seem to be the norm around here. I've called just about every bus dealer, Craigslist ad, school district,and auction nearby and if they've had short buses they've been $6000 or well above that. I am looking into the non-local auctions more now.
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Old 11-05-2019, 06:02 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scvington22 View Post
Im trying to find out the visible difference between a cutaway and cowl. How do you tell?

I live in Oregon and these prices seem to be the norm around here. I've called just about every bus dealer, Craigslist ad, school district,and auction nearby and if they've had short buses they've been $6000 or well above that. I am looking into the non-local auctions more now.

A cutaway has a van front end, that being the everything from just behind the front doors forward. Everything behind that is "cutoff" for the bus body. In reality it is just built that way they do not cut up good van bodys to do it. The van cutaways are normally on a one ton chassis, like the one ton pickups except longer.

The cowl forward is really just your basic everyday school bus. If you look at it closely the front hood , fenders and the part just behind the hood(cowl) is all that is used from a truck body. These buses are normally built on a medium duty truck chassis, like large moving trucks. So larger heavier duty, more durable,and can be more expensive to maintain
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Old 11-05-2019, 11:20 AM   #17
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I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a shortie with a cowl, but so far have only found 2 and both had shitty engines unfortunately. But I'm also only looking locally because I don't have time to travel cross country to get my bus, so maybe you'll have better luck.
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Old 11-05-2019, 03:52 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by Sirirah View Post
I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a shortie with a cowl, but so far have only found 2 and both had shitty engines unfortunately. But I'm also only looking locally because I don't have time to travel cross country to get my bus, so maybe you'll have better luck.
If you have a time shortage, you probably don't want a bus from anywhere near NY, unless you're going to have lots of extra time later for rust remediation and repair (by "lots" I mean waaaaaay more time than it takes to fly somewhere and drive back). My bus came from near Buffalo, and you can check out my build thread to see what salty winters can do to a bus.
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Old 11-05-2019, 07:18 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Danjo View Post
You really want a shorty with a cowl. I have a cutaway and dread the day I need to fix it. Still 5 and 6 window cutaways can be found for around $3-5K. Rust free, low miles. If you decide to go that route then look for a Collins. They have flatter roofs so more uniform ceiling inside and better mounting for solar.

You should define what you want out of your bus. You’ll find that shorter buses have limited under body real estate for tanks which may limit what you do.
What he said

I bought a cutaway and found it to be a major PITA to work on. I talked to the fleet service manager with our local power company who maintained a bunch of E450 vans. He told me that for many repairs they lifted the body off the chassis to access certain parts of the engine.

I sold it. Unlikely that I would buy another one. Now I am on the hunt for a 5-7 window CE.
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Old 11-05-2019, 07:57 PM   #20
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Just as important...maybe even more so, how many hours are on it?
some have hour meters, some don't.
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