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Old 02-23-2020, 03:21 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 58
“Dream Liner”

Okay all.
Upon some posts, some advice (both good and bad) I dove in and bought a bus.
Behold the 1996 international blue bird.
Has a mechanical 466 and a 6+1 manual spicer.
138k. Rescued it from the woods of Utah for $1000.
Was originally an Idaho bus, from the mountain valley school district.
The back story on it.
I’m on a ski trip and have been to 9 states and 16 resorts in the last 5 weeks. This popped up on the ksl classifieds and I went out, found the milky oil, dropped the pan, crank was good, and have banked on it being a bad liner. Hence the name “dream liner”.

Drove it 60 miles, and didn’t lose coolant until it shut off. Leaving me to believe the pressure and heat keep it somewhat sealed while driving. Oil stayed clean, and had minimal blow by out the breather tube while driving.
This will be a major mechanical endeavor for me, but I’m confident I can rebuild the motor, or at least the inframe side of it. I’ll be driving it 440 miles up to Montana on Wednesday and parking it there for a week, getting my truck from Michigan, and driving back out with my tools to start the process.
Planning on a time lapse video of the engine rebuild so stay tuned for that.

As far as the conversion, I’m going to go as minimal as possible once the engine is built, live in it bare bones, and draw up plans over the summer while I’m working. The real work will start sometime in the fall of this year when my job slows down, and I have some change to boot on the build.

I’m excited, scared, and hopeful.
At least when I’m done with the motor I can say I actually “built” the bus.

Wish me luck.
-Caleb.
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Old 02-23-2020, 05:30 PM   #2
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Central missouri
Posts: 128
Chassis: 2000 Int Amtran
Engine: DT466HT
Rated Cap: 84
you got this
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Old 02-24-2020, 12:31 AM   #3
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,856
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas Built Bus
Chassis: Freightliner FS65
Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
This will be a fun thread t watch.
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Old 02-24-2020, 01:55 PM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 58
Here is the thread from the purchase and what I had to deal with before I bought it. I have a four minute video I’ll link to YouTube from that day. Maybe you guys will get a kick out of it.
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f14/p...tml#post373525
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Old 02-24-2020, 07:21 PM   #5
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: KANSAS CITY
Posts: 751
Does it have a brake retarder?
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Former owner of a 1969 F600 Skoolie.

1998 Ford B700 Thomas body 65 passenger. 5.9 Cummins 12 valve with MT643 Transmission 123,000 miles.
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Old 02-24-2020, 08:58 PM   #6
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 58
Quote:
Originally Posted by Versatile View Post
Does it have a brake retarder?
I’m not sure? How can I tell? The manual holds engine braking pretty well.
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Old 02-24-2020, 09:01 PM   #7
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: KANSAS CITY
Posts: 751
Brake retarder goes between tranny and driveshaft. A definite plus and adds to value; safety and saves brake wear.
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Former owner of a 1969 F600 Skoolie.

1998 Ford B700 Thomas body 65 passenger. 5.9 Cummins 12 valve with MT643 Transmission 123,000 miles.
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Old 02-24-2020, 09:07 PM   #8
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 58
It might have one. I’ll have to check tomorrow. I know when I’m going downhill I barely touch the brakes. Maybe it’s there? Any idea what it looks like?
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Old 02-25-2020, 11:00 PM   #9
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 58
Ok boys, and girls...
I MADE IT TO MONTANA!!!!!!!
Total trip of 520 miles. I was averaging between 60-65mph in 6th gear at around 2200rpm. Seemed to be the sweet spot. Only clipped over 180 on the thermostat once, and used about 2 quarts of coolant.

All in all it was a successful trip.
Tomorrow she will go in the shop, and sit for a couple weeks until I get my tools out here from Michigan.

No brake retarder, but still held good going down the steep stuff. I am a happy man today!!!

Stay tuned. The real work begins soon!
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Old 02-26-2020, 01:47 AM   #10
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Kalispell, MT
Posts: 290
Year: 1993
Coachwork: Amtran Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 84
Congratulations on a good trip! What part of Montana?
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Old 02-26-2020, 08:44 AM   #11
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: MONTANA
Posts: 471
Year: 1995
Coachwork: AMTRAM
Chassis: INT
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: Big Girl
Contrats on your bus. I am in Townsend,MT.
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Old 02-26-2020, 10:05 AM   #12
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Montana/Texas
Posts: 681
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Crown by Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: 230 HP DT 466e/MT 643!
Rated Cap: 16
That's awesome! Looks like we have quite a few folks from MT!

We are in East Glacier Park, MT from April-October...

John
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Old 02-26-2020, 10:15 AM   #13
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: MONTANA
Posts: 471
Year: 1995
Coachwork: AMTRAM
Chassis: INT
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: Big Girl
Do you own land up there or do you rent a spot? Would not spending time up there my self



Quote:
Originally Posted by johnbloem1974 View Post
That's awesome! Looks like we have quite a few folks from MT!

We are in East Glacier Park, MT from April-October...

John
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Old 02-26-2020, 10:21 AM   #14
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Montana/Texas
Posts: 681
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Crown by Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: 230 HP DT 466e/MT 643!
Rated Cap: 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigskypc50 View Post
Do you own land up there or do you rent a spot? Would not spending time up there my self
We work there in the summer, and my employer gives me a free RV spot to Park the bus...

John
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