Ford E350 based Corbiel 5 window short bus

[gyronaut]

Greetings,

I have just found this forum and glad i did. I have just bought a 2000 Ford E350 based Corbiel short bus (single rear wheel) powered by the 7.3 powerstroke diesel. However, unlike most of you guys i guess, I'm not intending doing a full motorhome conversion. My plan is a little different.

I have a couple of young kids, a wife, mortgage and a partridge in a pair tree. Notwithstanding that, i am planning on pulling the kids for 6-12 months and doing the great north American natural history tour (grand canyon, great redwoods, Utah, Yellowstone etc). We already have a 25' travel trailer that has served us well. Problem is that it's not big enough to consider full timing (or at least that's what my wife says). A new bigger trailer will be expensive, and so would likely the bigger truck id need to pull it. So, it got me thinking. If i could get a vehicle that gave us more space and travel flexibility as a tow vehicle, then i might get away with not blowing the kids college fund.

The solution, a small diesel bus. I will make a dinette behind the driver, with a 3 seat sofa on the passenger side. I'll build a couple of bunks behind the dinette and leave the other corner for storage of bikes, canoes etc, but still allowing room for an air mattress on the floor if needed. I'll put in a few AC/DC conveniences, but not bothering with plumbing or a kitchen because we have the fully equipped trailer.

I'm hoping that I will get a good tow vehicle, the kids can belt in at the dinette and colour or read on he road rather than being stuck in a car seat watch dvds, i get the safe structure of a school bus, it'll be relatively cheap and it's a little bit of fun. What's not to like?

I have already pulled the seats and i am working on the very long list of jobs to do. Hoping to be on the road for the summer.

I'll start pouring through the forum for ideas and advice, but if anyone knows this Ford Corbiel or can offer some thoughts, I'm all ears.

Thanks,

Gyronaut

[mysty]

That sounds like a lot of fun! I'm looking forward to seeing pics when you're finished.

[joeblack5]

Hi, that is cool. I just bough an 98 e350 corbeil single rear wheel.

Where did you get yours, auction, paper. I looked for months all over the place and could not find a srw. I got one 600 miles away and drove up with a car and dolly and towed that back. I was a little worried about the long overhang the 5 window buses have and it causing problems with towing. It was Ok but I think you might want to try that first if your setup towing a big trailer is stable with a 5 window? May be other with more experience towing can drop in?

Later J

[gyronaut]

HI Joeblack5,

I found my bus locally (Southern Ontario) in the classified. It was still registered as a bus, so i quickly got it registered as a motorhome. Everything becomes easier then. I paid CAd2500 for it all in with 250k km. She's a bit tatty, but all just cosmetic. Good tyres, brakes, engine etc.

I am aware that the overhang wont make it an ideal tow vehicle, but my trailer is only about 6,000lbs all up and we wont be going fast. Im hoping that the 1 ton chassis (even with the overhang) will make it tow at least as well as my half ton truck. If it does turn out to be a problem, i hear it's relatively easy to convert to a dually, but haven't explored this in detail yet.

Hope this helps and thanks for the interest.

Gyronaut

[Robin97396]

Try using this for a "bus" search. It's free and relatively quick. Put in your zip code and it lists everything by distance from your location.

SearchTempest: Search all of Craigslist nationwide & more

[joeblack5]

thanks gyronaut.

Good price, I paid $3700 for mine with one rust hole at the driver feet.
I used searctempest up to 1500 miles from central PA and a second search 1500 miles from Las vegas plus all the bus sellers and could not find on.
But all is good now,
Good luck.
later J

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by joeblack5

thanks gyronaut.

Good price, I paid $3700 for mine with one rust hole at the driver feet.
I used searctempest up to 1500 miles from central PA and a second search 1500 miles from Las vegas plus all the bus sellers and could not find on.
But all is good now,
Good luck.
later J

it seems to me like the prices on the corbeil style busses have gone UP a lot in the last 6 months to a year.. when I started looking for a new bus last fall it seemed like they were going for next to nothing.. now the craigslist ads you see a lot of worn out busses for "should-be-good-bus prices.."..
-Christopher