Motobus

[Motobus]

I've been browsing here for years and with the lack of traffic, and the fact I am layed up with an injury I thought I'd finally post pics of the old girl.

[Motobus]

[Motobus]

[Motobus]

I bought the bus in 2000 I think. It was converted already, owned by extended family that traveled in it. They said they had been to Canada in it, rebuilt the engine when they returned and ended up moving on to campers. I haven't used her much. I decided I should be enjoying her. The engine is 330 ft, 4 spd, the low side of the rear is in the 8's, high side is in the 6's. It runs great, did the following recently:

Radiator rebuild
plugs,wires,cap,points,cond,cap rotor
belts,hoses
carb rebuild
brake booster
diff and tranny oil
modern gm alternator
fuel pump
tires
roof paint
painted the trim a lighter color
battery
fuel tank cleaned and gauge fixed
new fuel lines
stereo
it goes on

Trying to do as much preventative as reasonable.

She runs and drives great, the back is to haul dirt bikes. Got all ready to use her and then I did this:
















Injury pics.

[Motobus]

I'm thinking now I will pull my jeep with the bus now.

[crazycal]

Ouch! I hurt just looking at it. Sorry that happened. Not sure how it happened.

[Tango]

Nice "Old School" rig --- And given the name "MotoBus" combined with what appeared to be a homemade jump ramp in one of the pix...I'll venture a guess that the injury just might somehow possibly be scooter related?

What kind of bike?

[Motobus]

Thanks,

I broke the foot crashing my 07 yz450f. I was on the brakes, it was dry and slick and I low sided, nothing spectacular. I fell to my right and the toe of my right boot stuck in the ground as the bike landed on my heal. At least that's how I think it happened.

I had been using a cargo van going to the track, but always wanted to use the bus. I had been working on it, and driving it some to gain faith in it. I dread having mechanical problems on my one day off to ride.

Now with the broken foot, including a LesFranc Joint injury (long time healing) I'm not to excited to ride again. The bus has pulled 4x4's in the past, the new plan is to take 4 wheeling up again.

I'm thinking portable welder, air compressor, parts tools in the back. Or, I could chop 8-10 ft. off and piggy back a jeep, pulling another rig. I see car haulers with a bunch of weight way in the back, anyone have any experience with how this works out?

I'm always looking for newer buses though, a lot of bus haulers end up sold cheap.

Any feedback appreciated.

[Motobus]

Just took the maiden voyage with a trailer I modified. I had the gooseneck trailer already, couldn't decide weather to start all over with another trailer, lengthen it, or do what I did. The ramp structure was part of another trailer I had already. I'm a little proud of the hitch attachment, it comes off. It cost me about $50, material I already had, and a couple days labor.

I wasn't sure if I liked it or not but after pulling it with my pickup and bus, it is growing on me. Both axles have good brakes, I have a controller in the bus. I probably need tires for the trailer. The Ole bus needs to be split shifted with that much load.

[PDBreske]

Originally Posted by Motobus

Just took the maiden voyage with a trailer I modified. I had the gooseneck trailer already, couldn't decide weather to start all over with another trailer, lengthen it, or do what I did. The ramp structure was part of another trailer I had already. I'm a little proud of the hitch attachment, it comes off. It cost me about $50, material I already had, and a couple days labor.

I wasn't sure if I liked it or not but after pulling it with my pickup and bus, it is growing on me. Both axles have good brakes, I have a controller in the bus. I probably need tires for the trailer. The Ole bus needs to be split shifted with that much load.

What happens if you pull into a parking lot with a steep ramp? Does the top of the gooseneck hit the back door of the bus? Kinda hard to see the arrangement in this photo.

[Motobus]

That is possible, there is only 15" in between the door and the gooseneck. I should be fine on the route I will take with it though. No plans to travel the country in a 1967 school bus, just hauling to the local off road area.

[LuckyChow]

I have a lot of miles in a Ford school bus with a 330 in it. We had several of them where I worked back in college. Be sure you keep the center bolt on the harmonic balancer tight or you'll end up with a striped timing gear. The gear is keyed, but if the bolt gets loose, nothing but the key way pulls the gear. We had this happen so often out shop stopped buying new gears and had the machine shop cut a new keyway in the old gears. Ford told us the center bolt is designed to bottom out at just the right time to put the timing gear in compression between the harmonic balancer and the crankshaft. The tight fit of the compression is what pulls the gear, not the key. I'd probably get the torque spec and check it with a torque wrench. If you have to loosen the old bolt for something, don't reuse it. Buy a new one from Ford. Apparently bolt stretch on an old bolt can cause the tension to be less than it needs to be.

[bansil]

nice Rodeo ,interesting setup....if door gets in the way just tie it open

[Motobus]

Thanks LuckChow, I checked it today and it was tight. Couldn't find numbers for a 330, but checked it at 90# listed for fe block fords.

Bansil, thanks the Isuzu's are overlooked. I have a d60/14 bolt ff for it, current project.

[bansil]

Have you checked out planetisuzoo?

Sound like a typical way to go 1ton

[Motobus]

I think I've been there. I was going to buy a toyota for the next project until I read up on isuzu. I welded the rear and wheeled it once, it did really well. Thought of leaving it for a while, but the cv's have issues. I would rather just do that swap than spend time on them. The swap is going to be simple. Spring over in the rear and a pair of leaves in the front. Welded both ends and full hydro steering.

[bansil]

What engine tranny?
I've done/helped a few Zu's along the last 12 years not many quirks since your replacing everything only acouple known swap issues easily fixed.
We ton'd andre's passport,matt did his troop robG's was most bad azzed,and lots of others,travis did his 98 rodeo it's slick....and michaels amigo is way badazz..... damn talk about memory lane.. thank you

[Motobus]

It has a 3.2 v6, auto. I'm going to have to get creative to get the crawl ratio low enough.

The bus has power steering, factory as far as I can tell.

[bansil]

the 4l30 it has it basically junk (they work good until they die)
Front driveshaft is really short unless you move front axle forward

doubling up 2 Isuzu tc's is an option for trail duty

A TH700r4 out of an s-10 will fit(your block is double tapped for 2 bell housings)

or a lot of folks are going with Toyota trannies and dual cases for crawl and added driveshaft length

[Motobus]

How about a 2wd 700r4 with a sm465/205 divorced? Is there any way I can pull the transfer case it has now and divorce the 465/205 from it?