My "NEW" 2004 IC CE200!

cofrari · 09-20-2021, 04:41 PM

I had so much fun converting my first bus, that I'm starting on a second! I did my first bus to be more accommodating for my girlfriend and my 2 boys. But as my boys interest has lapsed in Skoolie traveling, I'm hoping to design my "forever bus" for just my girlfriend and I.

I was excited to find a pre-2005 bus coming out of service with a local school district. I plan to start gutting it this upcoming weekend, just in time for my town's bulk-trash-pickup day on Oct 5!

musigenesis · 09-20-2021, 06:47 PM

You are a deranged lunatic, and I mean that in the nicest possible way.

cofrari · 09-20-2021, 07:46 PM

Since your bus is about the same as the one I just got, your initial rust pictures scare me!

Despite my first bus being a CT bus, I lucked out that it didn't have any real rust on it once I started gutting it. This new bus is a MA bus. It doesn't look bad from the bottom -- just looks like surface rust. But hopefully I don't run into anything more than that over the weekend! They did have to replace the fuel tank and the stairwell about a year ago.

GarySeven · 09-20-2021, 11:15 PM

Good luck on your build but I gotta say this:

Why in the actual hell don't y'all come down to the southwest to get your buses? They are plentiful and cheap as dirt with not a speck of rust on them.

musigenesis · 09-20-2021, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GarySeven

Why in the actual hell don't y'all come down to the southwest to get your buses? They are plentiful and cheap as dirt with not a speck of rust on them.

This is the core problem with building a skoolie: the biggest decision you make in the entire project is which bus to buy, and you have to make that decision at the beginning when you know the least.

cofrari · 09-21-2021, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GarySeven

Good luck on your build but I gotta say this:

Why in the actual hell don't y'all come down to the southwest to get your buses? They are plentiful and cheap as dirt with not a speck of rust on them.

I went to the auction site to look around the South and West for a pre-2005 bus and three just happened to be 20 minutes away from where I live going off in 7-hours. I lost control of myself and here I am... I was able to go out to the lot and see them before I bid and met with the mechanic. The mechanic did a walk through of all the work he has done on them, both mechanically and body. With all that factored in, it seemed like a less-risky move than buying a bus unseen. I ended up getting this one for $3150 with only 125,000 miles on it. It has 6 new Good Year tires on it, so if anything I can sell the tires!

Mags · 09-21-2021, 07:03 PM

Any Ideas where I Can I find a Shortie in the Southwest? ?

GarySeven · 09-21-2021, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mags

Any Ideas where I Can I find a Shortie in the Southwest? ?

I found mine on CraigsList. You can search every area of every state in this manner:

https://geo.craigslist.org/iso/us/az

In my area there are two sites to check out:

https://www.phoenixskoolbuses.com

https://www.nationalbus.com/Arizona/...e_Arizona.aspx

cadillackid · 09-22-2021, 07:22 AM

a 2004 CE200 should be a allison 2000 5 speed auto with a T-444E diesel.. should be right before the VT365.. I dont think they put 466E in the 200.. that will be a really nice bus to work with.

cofrari · 09-22-2021, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillackid

a 2004 CE200 should be a allison 2000 5 speed auto with a T-444E diesel.. should be right before the VT365.. I dont think they put 466E in the 200.. that will be a really nice bus to work with.

The one I got was a 2004 bus with a 2003 T444E (sticker on engine says 2003) and an Allison 2000 transmission.

How would you compare the T444E vs VT365 vs 466E?

EastCoastCB · 09-22-2021, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cofrari

The one I got was a 2004 bus with a 2003 T444E (sticker on engine says 2003) and an Allison 2000 transmission.

How would you compare the T444E vs VT365 vs 466E?

466e>444E>VT365

Your bus is probably worth 2-3x what it would be worth if it had the VT.

cofrari · 09-22-2021, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

466e>444E>VT365

Your bus is probably worth 2-3x what it would be worth if it had the VT.

That's good news! What is performance or reliability difference between the 466e and the 444E?

EastCoastCB · 09-22-2021, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cofrari

That's good news! What is performance or reliability difference between the 466e and the 444E?

466E. the 444E can't be rebuilt without removing it and totally disassembling it.

o1marc · 09-22-2021, 03:26 PM

The 466E is an L6, where the 444E is a V8. The L6 makes more torque and horsepower.

cadillackid · 09-22-2021, 03:42 PM

generally inline 6 engines do much better on low end torque.. that said the 444E is a super reliable engine.. tried and true.. a 466E in 04 wouldve been the beginning of emissions as they put EGR on them.. the 444E is a non EGR engine.

there are ways to "turn up the juice" through the computer using God mode servicemaxx or purchasing a Kickass tuner from Powerhungry (he is a member here and makes a great power-adder for the 444E)..

cofrari · 10-13-2021, 04:16 PM

Finished my first day of painting Bus #2. Trying to do a different color scheme than I did on my first bus: Going for more outdoorsy colors. So far I think it is coming along fairly good! Hoping to be done painting before the cold New England weather starts.

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