Rocky Mountain High

[karrlot]

I found a bus on Public Surplus.com:

Year: 1991
Make: Ward
Model: International
Mileage: 314,000
Running Condition: GOOD
Engine: DT466
Transmission: ALLISON MT643
Body Style: LONG/ 65 PAS
Tires: GOOD
Brakes: GOOD/ AIR BRAKES
RUNS GREAT SOLD AS IS!!!!
Condition: GOOD

It was in town, being sold by a school district, so it had been maintained. I got into a bit of a bidding war, but I won the auction for $2650 + 10%. I think that was a little high, compared to what I wanted to spend, but there were reasons I was willing to spend a little more:

It came from a school district, so it has been maintained, not sitting in a field.
It has an engine retarder
The engine is not electronic
The bus is from Colorado (not much mold or rust)
The bus is able to go up and down mountains
To pick up the bus I had to drive across town, not across Kansas or Oklahoma!
The back tires have about 70-75%. The front only have about 30%.
It also has some kind of an engine block heater that you can set a timer for and it heats up the engine in the morning.
It has three batteries.

As a bonus it came with two complete first aid kits, a body fluid clean up kit, and six collapsible road hazard triangles.

The only downside is that the mileage is high.

I am amazed at the records the school keeps. EVERY SINGLE THING that was done was documented, from a new tire to a new bulb.



I am already in love with ol' 49.

The only thing I wanted but did not get was storage under it, but I reckon that can be built later.

I've already taken out six seats and 5/6 of three more.

My dog loves to lay on the brown vinyl seats in the sun.

I have been waiting for this for over 10 years and I've finally done it! I am very stoked!

I tried to upload some pics, but I keep getting an error.

[crazycal]

It sounds like you paid a fair price. You got a retarder and a MT643. The days of $800 buses are gone unless it's a pile of crap.

[The-Breeze]

To download pixs to Skoolies:

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f10/ho...-op-11846.html

[EastCoastCB]

I saw that one!
Nice score, I like my Ward a whole lot.

[Tango]

Sounds like a really sweet combination. Congrats. With that many miles I would have a diesel tech check it out just to be on the safe side but that motor can easily make a half-million miles if well maintained.

[karrlot]

This was the pic I made to motivate me to keep my focus on saving money!

[karrlot]

The view of the Peak on Bus Day!! Ready for the snow to come on down the mountain.




Here she is sitting at the bus yard


Ol' Number 49



Here she is sitting at the bus yard




Title in Hand!



I literally have no clue how to drive a bus!



I made it home in one piece!



She loves the bus! Especially when the sun is shining on the brown seats and she can sleep.



The view out my kitchen window

[karrlot]

I'm pretty stoked that I figured out how to post pictures!

[megapiment]

I hope your fabrication skills are better than your photoshop skills

[crazycal]

Originally Posted by megapiment

I hope your fabrication skills are better than your photoshop skills

Are you saying the pictures aren't real? Say it isn't so.

[karrlot]

Originally Posted by Tango

Sounds like a really sweet combination. Congrats. With that many miles I would have a diesel tech check it out just to be on the safe side but that motor can easily make a half-million miles if well maintained.

I just went through all of the maintenance records and discovered it only has 290,000 not 340,000! I just saved 50K miles!

[EastCoastCB]

I love the roofline of these Ward/AmTran buses!

My 92 has just shy of a quarter mill on the odo and runs like a top. No smoke, easy start ups, pulls really well for only 190 hp and 40 feet of bus.

Looks like you got a pretty good bus to start with, congrats!

[karrlot]

I have a blog where I post updates to my bus. Feel free to browse around...Karr Family Kamping Bus
Karr Family Kamping Bus

[karrlot]

I have decided upon a name: The Honey Badger!

[cadillackid]

the name is the most important part of the bus!! really I swear!!

-Christopher

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by karrlot

I have decided upon a name: The Honey Badger!

I love it!

[Dapplecreek]

Originally Posted by megapiment

I hope your fabrication skills are better than your photoshop skills

Redid it for you:

[cadillackid]

wow thats cool!!! even made tire tracks to back it into the space nice work!

-Christopher

[Dapplecreek]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

wow thats cool!!! even made tire tracks to back it into the space nice work!

-Christopher

Thanks! ...especially for noticing the flattened grass. I was dancing when it came out the way I envisioned.

I restore/retouoch photos as a side business, and can't resist opportunities like this. (See also the dog in the roof exit in my avatar.)

[karrlot]