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Old 01-07-2016, 05:14 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Winter Haven, Florida
Posts: 21
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird
Engine: Cat 3116
Rated Cap: 88 souls
New member in Central Florida

Hi,

My name is Buzzard (Jim really). I've posted a few times on here, even hijacked another new members thread, but I never introduced myself.

There are some great people on here. I was able to find an insurance carrier from advice on one of the threads, after striking out locally. A nearby member has offered to give me a brand-new waste tank that he doesn't need. How cool is that?

Last Saturday I picked up my 1997 Bluebird All American FE. It's a long one...approximately 40' & set up for 88 passengers (little ones).

I'll strip it over the next couple of months. I'm contemplating a roof raise and other mods, but not committed. I've got some design ideas, but will think it over while I'm doing the other work...no need for a plan until the demo is done.

A local RV storage lot is charging me only $37/month. I told them I just needed a few weeks until I found a place where I would be allowed to work on it. They said, "why don't you just work on it here?"

It's less than 1/4 mile from my office, so I can even visit my bus at lunchtime, which I did today. I feel blessed that things have come together so well.

I'll post pictures if I come across anything interesting. For now, it's the familiar yellow blob with a moldy interior.

I've learned a lot from this site already and expect that I will keep learning. It's nice to be among you all.

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Old 01-07-2016, 07:23 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
Call Blanchard Insurance. They're in your area and who I use.
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Old 01-07-2016, 08:48 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 47
Hello and Welcome...
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Old 01-08-2016, 09:34 PM   #4
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Johnstown, PA
Posts: 248
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC 2000
Engine: 5.9
Rated Cap: 83
Welcome. As far as having a plan it will change so many times till you are done (you won't ever actually be "done") that you may not recognize your original plan. Best thing to do is to read everything here. Over and over. Oh yeah, we love pics, even if it is a yellow blob with a moldy interior. We've been there, done that. Good luck and ask lots of questions.
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Old 01-09-2016, 09:14 AM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Winter Haven, Florida
Posts: 21
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird
Engine: Cat 3116
Rated Cap: 88 souls
Thanks ECCB. Yep, Blanchard fixed me right up.
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Old 01-09-2016, 09:16 AM   #6
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Winter Haven, Florida
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Year: 1997
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: Blue Bird
Engine: Cat 3116
Rated Cap: 88 souls
Thanks Underground_Bear & Roadrunner
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Old 01-09-2016, 09:53 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzard View Post
Thanks ECCB. Yep, Blanchard fixed me right up.
They have been GREAT to deal with, other than the having to actually pay them part! Glad it worked out.

I couldn't find ANY ins when I got my first bus, and it cost me the bus.
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Old 03-17-2016, 11:23 AM   #8
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Hi Buzzard!

I too am a newbie here and am looking for my perfect skoolie.

If you don't mind, could you share the RV lot that is letting you work on the RV there? I am at a loss for places to work on it once I buy it.
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Old 03-17-2016, 02:50 PM   #9
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Houston, Tx.
Posts: 403
Year: 1999
Coachwork: AmTran
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: 84
Welcome Jim,

You've come to the right place for Skoolie advice. Hope all goes well with your build. Looking forward to seeing the progress.
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Old 03-17-2016, 04:10 PM   #10
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Posts: 171
Year: 1995
Coachwork: International
Chassis: Carpenter
Engine: d466 mechanical
Welcome, from Sarasota, Florida here. Will be bringing our bus to Orlando in a few weeks!
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Old 03-17-2016, 04:13 PM   #11
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: The Valley - Arizona
Posts: 644
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freight-shaker (Freightliner)
Engine: Cat 3126b 250 HP
Rated Cap: Only 1 seat
Almost as many Central Floridians as Texans on this forum now!!!

Welcome to the gang!
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Old 03-17-2016, 04:32 PM   #12
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Location: Eustis FLORIDA
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I'm still in Apopka/Sorrento/Eustis if anyone wants to drink a few beers and talk buses.
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Old 03-17-2016, 05:42 PM   #13
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Location: Ft. Smith Arkansas
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
I'm still in Apopka/Sorrento/Eustis if anyone wants to drink a few beers and talk buses.
I do can I drive down and live, while I get the bus converted and insurance and my DL renewed..
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Old 03-17-2016, 06:22 PM   #14
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
I don't have anywhere you could "live" but a week or two stay is cool!
My landlords are awful weird about buses. They let me keep mine there, but complain enough to make me constantly nervous about my storage there in the future.
I'm working hard on trying to buy an acre or two in which case ANYONE with a school bus may park and live at will, communally.
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Old 03-17-2016, 06:46 PM   #15
Skoolie
 
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Oh I understand completely, it would be nice to have community of bus conversions
Where people could come and go working on their conversions, help each other
Hey are we talking hippie commune
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Old 03-17-2016, 07:10 PM   #16
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Well, yeah, pretty much.
In the sense that I don't want anyones money and I listen to Grateful Dead a lot.

A sort of rv park for nice people. Mean people would be shown the way out.
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Old 03-17-2016, 08:37 PM   #17
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Location: Willamina, Oregon
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Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Build you skoolie park on higher ground. The sea is rising. Well... mean people could stay in the lower section of the park.
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Old 03-17-2016, 08:46 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
Well, yeah, pretty much.
In the sense that I don't want anyones money and I listen to Grateful Dead a lot.

A sort of rv park for nice people. Mean people would be shown the way out.
Not a problem, I love music, I prefer country.
Even Jerry liked bluegrass
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Old 03-17-2016, 09:33 PM   #19
Bus Geek
 
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Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Me too, SkoolyDoo. But good country hasn't came on the radio for decades.
Come to think of it, I don't listen to the radio at all anyhow.
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Old 03-17-2016, 11:42 PM   #20
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Come to think of it, I don't listen to 8-track tapes anymore.
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