Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 11-20-2019, 07:13 PM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 9
Year: 1998
Chassis: Thomas MVP
Engine: CAT 3116 ta
My conversion pictures!

Hi All!

I'm a long time lurker, but I've never posted any pictures of our bus. Here is a link to the google photo album...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gXQstHKpEkR2wSFh6


Its a 1998 Thomas MVP Bus with a CAT 4116ta and Allison automatic transmission.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

-Ralph

rejjr7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2019, 06:53 AM   #2
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Central missouri
Posts: 128
Chassis: 2000 Int Amtran
Engine: DT466HT
Rated Cap: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by rejjr7 View Post
Hi All!

I'm a long time lurker, but I've never posted any pictures of our bus. Here is a link to the google photo album...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gXQstHKpEkR2wSFh6


Its a 1998 Thomas MVP Bus with a CAT 4116ta and Allison automatic transmission.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

-Ralph
The best layout I have seen, I will be copying you!
MacC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2019, 07:10 AM   #3
Bus Geek
 
musigenesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 7,030
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
Beautiful conversion with lots of very cool details. I like the stained glass rear windows especially.
__________________
Rusty 87 build thread
musigenesis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2019, 12:48 PM   #4
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 334
Nicely done
Seriousracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2019, 03:53 PM   #5
Bus Crazy
 
plfking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: N.C.
Posts: 1,136
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: 34
That's some quality work. I like all the recessed shelves and the 'tree' windows.
__________________
Don

The Busted Flush
plfking is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2019, 04:00 PM   #6
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Picton,Ont, Can.
Posts: 1,956
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: GMC
Engine: Cat 3116
Rated Cap: 72
Very well done, really nicely finished, as a bus should be.


How does your CAT work, happy with it I would think?


Thanks for sharing,


John
__________________
Question everything!
BlackJohn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2019, 04:47 PM   #7
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Savannah GA
Posts: 756
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: Cummins 5.9 24v
Rated Cap: 54 passenger
Great build. Thanks for sharing. I wanted a hallway on the side like you did,but I was worried about all the weight on the other side. You don't have any issues like that?
JDSquared is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2019, 05:14 PM   #8
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 9
Year: 1998
Chassis: Thomas MVP
Engine: CAT 3116 ta
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackJohn View Post
Very well done, really nicely finished, as a bus should be.


How does your CAT work, happy with it I would think?


Thanks for sharing,


John
Runs great! Im pleased with it and it's been easy to work on for me.
rejjr7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2019, 05:16 PM   #9
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 9
Year: 1998
Chassis: Thomas MVP
Engine: CAT 3116 ta
Quote:
Originally Posted by JDSquared View Post
Great build. Thanks for sharing. I wanted a hallway on the side like you did,but I was worried about all the weight on the other side. You don't have any issues like that?
I had that thought as well, but I haven't noticed any effect from it being being passenger side heavy. It sits evenly and I don't notice anything unusual when I'm driving.
rejjr7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 01:45 AM   #10
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,860
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas Built Bus
Chassis: Freightliner FS65
Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
Y'all are quite crafty folks!
Native is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 06:22 AM   #11
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Maine
Posts: 47
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: 466DT
Beautiful, indeed!

We're exploring a similar offset layout as well. My lovely bride wants to avoid "the bowling alley" look!

Thanks for posting!
ted@campbycanoe.com is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 06:32 AM   #12
Bus Geek
 
musigenesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 7,030
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
Quote:
Originally Posted by rejjr7 View Post
I had that thought as well, but I haven't noticed any effect from it being being passenger side heavy. It sits evenly and I don't notice anything unusual when I'm driving.
Since one bench worth of kids could weigh 400 pounds or more, a school bus could easily be unbalanced left-to-right by more than a thousand pounds in its normal operation (since kids don't always distribute themselves evenly). I don't think anybody's skoolie layout could be more unbalanced than this.
__________________
Rusty 87 build thread
musigenesis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 07:08 AM   #13
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Central missouri
Posts: 128
Chassis: 2000 Int Amtran
Engine: DT466HT
Rated Cap: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by musigenesis View Post
Since one bench worth of kids could weigh 400 pounds or more, a school bus could easily be unbalanced left-to-right by more than a thousand pounds in its normal operation (since kids don't always distribute themselves evenly). I don't think anybody's skoolie layout could be more unbalanced than this.
I didn't think about that. But I do find it very usable. Maybe add a leaf to that side??
MacC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-22-2019, 07:17 AM   #14
Bus Crazy
 
WIbluebird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,259
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins ISC
Rated Cap: 75
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacC View Post
I didn't think about that. But I do find it very usable. Maybe add a leaf to that side??

If your bus has air bags on the rear axle there is no need at all for that.
WIbluebird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2019, 03:06 PM   #15
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Pensacola Fl
Posts: 35
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: International
Rated Cap: 7 Window 20 Passengers
Nice Job

Very nice job, a lot of work!

Quote:
Originally Posted by rejjr7 View Post
Hi All!

I'm a long time lurker, but I've never posted any pictures of our bus. Here is a link to the google photo album...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gXQstHKpEkR2wSFh6


Its a 1998 Thomas MVP Bus with a CAT 4116ta and Allison automatic transmission.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

-Ralph
MrBoogie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2019, 05:33 PM   #16
New Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 8
What brand of wood stove?
M.ruel55@gmail.com is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2019, 07:04 PM   #17
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by musigenesis View Post
Since one bench worth of kids could weigh 400 pounds or more, a school bus could easily be unbalanced left-to-right by more than a thousand pounds in its normal operation (since kids don't always distribute themselves evenly). I don't think anybody's skoolie layout could be more unbalanced than this.

As a professional driver over the last 25 or so years, I don't think this bus is unduly balanced left-to-right. A full tank of fuel (assuming 100 gallons) is close to 1000 pounds (including the tank) and that's not even including the crash cage.


Mythbusters did a rollover test with a bus - granted, it was a city bus and not a school bus - and found buses were incredibly stable even with several hundred gallons of water offset to one side. It was only with the addition of some heavy steel plates on the roof were they able to get the bus to roll over.


I hauled a load in which a heavy electric forklift had to ride offset on one side of my trailer - Kentucky to Texas via Louisiana (had a multi-stop load) and it rode just fine. All that needs to be done is be aware of a possible left-right weight offset and drive sanely and accordingly. I'd be *MUCH* more concerned about a balanced load that's very top heavy (been there, done that) rather than an offset weight with a low center of gravity.
Brad_SwiftFur is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2019, 07:49 PM   #18
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3
Great job! I too, would like to know the make and model of your woodstove and whether you are happy with its performance ? Thanks!
roadtoad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2019, 09:08 PM   #19
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 9
Year: 1998
Chassis: Thomas MVP
Engine: CAT 3116 ta
Quote:
Originally Posted by M.ruel55@gmail.com View Post
What brand of wood stove?
Hobbit by Salamander
rejjr7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2019, 09:12 PM   #20
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Maryland
Posts: 9
Year: 1998
Chassis: Thomas MVP
Engine: CAT 3116 ta
Quote:
Originally Posted by roadtoad View Post
Great job! I too, would like to know the make and model of your woodstove and whether you are happy with its performance ? Thanks!
It's a very easy to use and efficient stove. Keeps the living area, kitchen, hallway, and (to a lesser extent) the bathroom warm in temperatures down to 15 degrees. The heat doesn't reach very well back to the bedroom so we need additional heating back there when it gets well and truly cold. If I build the fire up around 10pm I need to get up once in the middle of the night to keep it going. I do wish it lasted longer than 4-ish hours on a burn but if it were bigger I'm afraid we'd be too warm. All in all I'm happy.
rejjr7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:23 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.