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Old 02-01-2019, 03:21 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 53
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Conventional
Engine: Cummins 8.3
Rated Cap: 84
Hi from central Utah

Hi everybody,

I teach at a boarding school in rural central Utah. Since the school is so isolated, the teachers here need to have CDL's. Most of the teachers here have class C (Shorty) certifications, but I went ahead and got the class B (air brakes), so I've spent a bunch of time driving the school's three full size busses. Now, they're ready to retire one, and I've decided to get it.

It's a 1994 Bluebird All American 84 passenger with just under 200k miles on the Cummins 8.3. The nicest thing about it (other than the fact the business office has readily agreed to take the asking price out of my salary over the course of several months) is that it's got new tires all around.

This will be my 2nd skoolie. My 1st was a '74 International mid-length (I don't recall the passenger rating) gasser that I had in the 90's.

I've been lurking here for a little while collecting ideas that I like (Roof raising and hydronic heat, to name a couple), and I'll start a build thread as soon as time and weather permits.

See you around,

Buzz Nichols

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Old 02-01-2019, 03:49 PM   #2
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Sounds like a really great bus.
Welcome, Buzz.
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Old 02-01-2019, 03:59 PM   #3
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Stansbury Park, Utah
Posts: 189
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: GA39530
Engine: DT466E 215hp 620tq
Rated Cap: 40
Welcome From Norther Utah

Welcome Buzz
Im building a bus in Erda, Utah by Tooele.

Perhaps we should do a Utah Skoolie meetup theres a few of us here in Utah
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Old 02-01-2019, 04:04 PM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 53
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Conventional
Engine: Cummins 8.3
Rated Cap: 84
Do you have any insights about the RV salvage yard up in Tooele? I'm wondering whether I should set up an appointment up there.
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Old 02-01-2019, 06:47 PM   #5
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Stansbury Park, Utah
Posts: 189
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: GA39530
Engine: DT466E 215hp 620tq
Rated Cap: 40
Tooele RV

I think its a guy just tearing them apart in his yard. If you need some stuff, Ive got a slide in that Im taking apart.
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Old 02-01-2019, 09:57 PM   #6
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Clearlake, Northern California
Posts: 2,505
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC-2000 Frt Eng, Tranny:MT643
Engine: 5,9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
That is just about the Dream Bus, Buzz!

All American is the "deLuxe" version of Blue Bird, which may be the best brand of school bus, and the 8.3 engine is a much-sought-after upgrade from the far more common 5.9.
And I bet the school buys tires for well below retail.

I kind'a just "had to" congratulate you on that bus.

And welcome you to the forum!
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Old 02-02-2019, 10:46 AM   #7
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 53
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Conventional
Engine: Cummins 8.3
Rated Cap: 84
Thanks, Elliot!

I was starting to suspect that this was a particularly desiable bus (not just compared to the POS I had in the 90's), what with the big Cummins and the retarder (for these nutty Utah roads), and I'm getting more and more excited to get going on it.
I'll definitely be looking to pick your brain about a number of things, as your build strikes me as a real exemplar.

Family Circus:

That sounds awesome! The only actual RV parts I'm sure I'll be wanting are a toilet and some windows; I expect to go with mostly household stuff otherwise. If it's cool, I'll start shooting you PM's about specifics as the scope and sequence of my plans become more clear.
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Old 02-02-2019, 11:59 AM   #8
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Salt Lake City Utah
Posts: 1,635
Year: 2000
Chassis: Blue Bird
Engine: ISC 8.3
Welcome! Sounds like you've found a great platform to build on and good-as-it-gets insight to the bus condition and sales terms. In case you get out to Salt Lake County some time and want to see a Blue Bird with a roof raise (still in an utterly unfinished state), give me a shout.
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Old 02-02-2019, 03:35 PM   #9
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Clearlake, Northern California
Posts: 2,505
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC-2000 Frt Eng, Tranny:MT643
Engine: 5,9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
A retarder also! What kind? Electric (Telma or similar), exhaust, or "Jake" type? (I don't know if they make a Jake for the 8.3.)
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Old 02-02-2019, 03:38 PM   #10
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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 Elliot Naess View Post
A retarder also! What kind? Electric (Telma or similar), exhaust, or "Jake" type? (I don't know if they make a Jake for the 8.3.)
There are also hydraulic retarders built into some auto transmissions.
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Old 02-02-2019, 03:52 PM   #11
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Clearlake, Northern California
Posts: 2,505
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC-2000 Frt Eng, Tranny:MT643
Engine: 5,9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 84
...as well as hydraulic retarders attached to the engine, using the engine oil. Haven't seen any in recent decades, though.
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Old 02-02-2019, 07:09 PM   #12
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 53
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Conventional
Engine: Cummins 8.3
Rated Cap: 84
...And that's what it's got.

Good call, CB.
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Old 02-02-2019, 07:10 PM   #13
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 53
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Conventional
Engine: Cummins 8.3
Rated Cap: 84
Whoops. I replied just as another post came in. It's the hydraulic, at-the-back-of-the-tranny kind.
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Old 02-07-2019, 12:40 PM   #14
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 53
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Conventional
Engine: Cummins 8.3
Rated Cap: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by family wagon View Post
Welcome! Sounds like you've found a great platform to build on and good-as-it-gets insight to the bus condition and sales terms. In case you get out to Salt Lake County some time and want to see a Blue Bird with a roof raise (still in an utterly unfinished state), give me a shout.
I just looked through your build thread, and I would absolutely love to stop around and see your machine! I've got a house up in SLC, but it's a little hit-or-miss when I get up there, and whether I'll have any time to spare when I do.

I'll let you know when I'm likely to be in your neck of the woods (probably after the weather calms down a little.)
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"Guess what, daddy! Boys have a penis, and girls have an agenda!"
-Hank Nichols, age 3 (some 8 years ago)
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Old 02-13-2019, 06:10 PM   #15
Almost There
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 74
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000 (3904 RE)
Engine: Cummins 8.3TA
Rated Cap: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzz Nichols View Post
Hi everybody,



I teach at a boarding school in rural central Utah. Since the school is so isolated, the teachers here need to have CDL's. Most of the teachers here have class C (Shorty) certifications, but I went ahead and got the class B (air brakes), so I've spent a bunch of time driving the school's three full size busses. Now, they're ready to retire one, and I've decided to get it.



It's a 1994 Bluebird All American 84 passenger with just under 200k miles on the Cummins 8.3. The nicest thing about it (other than the fact the business office has readily agreed to take the asking price out of my salary over the course of several months) is that it's got new tires all around.



This will be my 2nd skoolie. My 1st was a '74 International mid-length (I don't recall the passenger rating) gasser that I had in the 90's.



I've been lurking here for a little while collecting ideas that I like (Roof raising and hydronic heat, to name a couple), and I'll start a build thread as soon as time and weather permits.



See you around,



Buzz Nichols
Welcome to the madness! I'm in the Salt Lake valley and bought a very similar bus. Mine's a TC2000 RE with a Cummins 8.3TA and an Alison push-button (I think it's the 3000 series) from a local district. No retarder though.

I don't have much else to add other than I would love to exchange info, ideas, suggestions, etc. with local skoolie people. I'm always on the lookout for local components, places to pick up parts, and shops to do the things I can't.
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Old 02-13-2019, 09:13 PM   #16
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Stansbury Park, Utah
Posts: 189
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: GA39530
Engine: DT466E 215hp 620tq
Rated Cap: 40
Wasatch Front GTG

We need a Wasatch front get to gether. Dean lives in Provo, Im in Tooele county. We have a growing skoolie community in this area and we should do a skoolie camp out or something.
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Old 02-13-2019, 10:47 PM   #17
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 53
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Conventional
Engine: Cummins 8.3
Rated Cap: 84
I'm down in Mt. Pleasant (45 minutes South of Spanish Fork on 89). It's great to hear there's a crop of skoolie folk up in the beehive.
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-Hank Nichols, age 3 (some 8 years ago)
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Old 02-14-2019, 03:05 AM   #18
New Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Manassa Utah
Posts: 6
Buzz, you're in Mt. Pleasant? Cool. I'm about 12 miles from ya in Ephraim. No skoolie yet, but...you can also go down south to Aurora and see if Country Auto Salvage (435.539.3211) has much, then a couple miles further south to Sigurd and see what Dwight's Recycling (435.893.2020) has anything (and man, they have a LOT!) or go up to Nephi and see what Nephi Auto Wrecking & Recycling (435.623.2200) has. If that fails, I know a few other guys that used to have wrecking yards and we can see what they think.
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Old 02-14-2019, 09:36 AM   #19
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 53
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Conventional
Engine: Cummins 8.3
Rated Cap: 84
First time ever the adjective "cool" has been used to describe Mount Pleasant ;)

Thanks so much for the list of salvage contacts. I'm sure I'll wind up visiting all of them before all is said and done.

Seeing as you're so nearby, is there a specific kind/size/vintage of bus I should be on the lookout for on your behalf?

Cheers,

Buzz
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"Guess what, daddy! Boys have a penis, and girls have an agenda!"
-Hank Nichols, age 3 (some 8 years ago)
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Old 02-14-2019, 10:49 AM   #20
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Central Utah
Posts: 53
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Conventional
Engine: Cummins 8.3
Rated Cap: 84
Here's a question for the native Utahns:

I know there's a big "prepper" culture here, and an attendant abundance of military surplus shops. Does anybody know if there's a place around that carries surplus diesel cookstoves? I'd love to completely avoid any dependence on propane, and that might very well get me there.

thanks,

Buzz
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