The Harmony Express Bus - Build Thread
Hi all! Wanted to officially start our Build Thread for our Skoolie since we finally have a BUS at home!!!
Meet "Harmony Express Bus". He is a 2008 Thomas HDX, 72 passenger (due to handicapped access) rear engine high headroom bus. Power plant is a MBE 900 mated to an Allison 3060 transmission.
We bought the bus through 422 Auctions from R.E. Wilson and Son's in Crownsville, MD. Paid just a little more than I originally wanted to, but after going down to look at the bus during the auction and seeing just how clean it really was inside, I couldn't pass it up.
My wife and I went down to Crownsville on Sunday Night, January 26 and to the bus barn early in the morning on 1-27 to pick up Harmony Express. The folks at Wilson were REALLY accommodating and friendly. (of course they were... they got my money!). Had a nice uneventful drive home (about 5 hours). The bus drives extremely well.
I've sent off the title, paperwork and money to the Vermont DMV on Tuesday, and now will await my Vermont plates.
The bus will need new shoes soon, but for now, we'll be driving it only very short distances as we perform the build. We'll be scheduling time with a mechanic soon just to give it a once-over once we have the plates on it.
We are just SO excited to start tearing out seats, floor, ceiling, walls, and every other non-essential thing during the cold weather up north so that we can get ready for when it warms up enough to allow us to seal and paint so it lasts.
I've been reading this forum and the Facebook forums voraciously, and feel that I'm in good shape to at least get started. It feels good knowing that we have such a supportive community here to come to for help when we get stumped. I hope that I can impart some knowledge to others after I learn it from the gurus here!!
For now, here are some pics of "The Harmony Express" formerly known as "Bus 743" of Crownsville, MD.
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