The Almost Just Right Bus

[twotrek]

We have been looking for a bus. We made a bucket list of what we would like. It goes like this:
1. Air conditioning (can be added)
2. Handicap lift
3. Type D
4. Under 32 feet (needs to fit in backyard)
5. 9 to 10 windows (sort of goes with 4.)
6. Reasonably low miles
7. Inline 6 (wanted a dt466)
8. Overdrive transmission with locking gears for hills and mountains
9. Minimum Rust

Well we found one last weekend and bought it and drove it home. We went to look at another bus, he had several but choose this one.

IC 2004 Genesis 21 passenger handicap with DT466E and I think a 2000 transmission.

Only two areas that didn't meet the bucket list
1. NO Air Conditioning
2. A little more rust than I would have liked but still not bad. So far have only found some surface rust.

Ran great in the test drive, the guy we bought it from took it up to 75 mph with no problem and still had a little more. I am a 60 mph kind of person but the capable speed was good to know.

Drove the it home 618 miles in 90 degree weather 100 percent humidity.

The bus pulled the hills in Missouri with very little drop in speed. Still working on figuring out the horsepower of the DT466E but it was more than enough to ignore the hills. Backed it into the drive and have a couple of problems. One can sqeeze it into the backyard, but the power line to the house is across the drive. The bus is 10' 6" and the line across the drive is slightly less than that.
With it part way getting the trash, motorcycle, lawn mower out is a bit of problem.

Will add before pictures in next post.

Priced the air and an atwood is not too bad. With floor tracks and the seat bolts looking reasonable with very little rust. Will start removing the seats today.

Now the work begins turning a school bus into a 'Hampton Inn' on wheels.

Wish me luck game plan it to finish be spring of 2020.

[Dapplecreek]

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f14/fo...tml#post277321

[twotrek]

Been out of town for amount three weeks. All the kids seats in the bus are going to various kids, relatives and friends. I took some pictures before we headed out of town on the 2nd of July, so it was a pretty easy sale. Having some discussions with the DMV and insurance company( both want to see pictures of more conversion before tax, title, tag from DMV and underwriting by insurance.
Layout is about finished and parts selected.
With heat index over 100 it makes it rough to work on it in all this heat, but trying to put in a couple of hours early as soon as my neighbor goes to the gym in the morning I have a clear shot until my heat alarm goes off.
We got a new sleep by number bed so our old one will grace the MBR. Modified the air pump to work on twelve volts. Fresh water and gray water tanks in workshop.
Found the driver and co-polit chairs, but lots of money so looking for some a little less expensive.
Got the sensor to put in 5 cubic foot chest freezer we have so it can be used aa a chest refrigerator, had something similar in a sailboat years ago, so far it looks like it is going to work. have the sensor set for 38 degrees and stuff below is staying frozen with stuff above a close to refrigerator temp. Also measuring power consumption and looks like 300 watts solar on cloudy day might be enough. Since it will be a while the test can run until I put it in the bus just to make sure. Since this will be the biggest draw not including the air conditioner it is a good test.
Have seen the ductless air conditioners used on buses here and on youtube, capacitor load startup balancers, and small diesel 12 generators. I have some time to play with configurations around that. Going to see a 1 lung small diesel tomorrow, if the price is right will build a 'cheap' diesel generator for 12 volts. this is taking me back to my undergrad in ME and EE from over 40 years ago. When the build gets serious will start including pics.
This is fun. Lots of little projects that are part of the 'GREATER' project.

les