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Old 01-26-2006, 08:40 AM   #1
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Advice on 4WD skoolie

Greetings to all,

I am interested your thots on a 4WD skoolie. I'd like to convert to an RV, and use for mild off road conditions. Some mud, sand. Not doing any rock crawling!

Currently converting a 75 MC8, which I've dubbed the concrete cadillac.

Really looking for something to access some remote areas to dry camp.

Thanks in advance!

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Old 01-26-2006, 06:20 PM   #2
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Here is one I seen at Silver Lake Dunes in MI 3-4 years ago, it was built for MTV by Michigan Off Road Center, MTV used it to shoot some kind of MTV thing then let the guy that built it keep it after it was all over, the tires he had on it sucked and he was stuck 500' up the entrance ramp.

http://12.215.122.222/koolschool.htm
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Old 01-26-2006, 09:07 PM   #3
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it sure looks mean!
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Old 01-27-2006, 04:45 AM   #4
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These guys did it, no reason why you can't do it too! I'm an off-road enthusiast and if I had the time and were independently wealthy, I'd put FWD on mine! GO FOR IT (but you MUST post pictures )

http://www.skoolie.net/gallery2/SwampBus
http://www.skoolie.net/gallery2/album06
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Old 01-27-2006, 06:03 AM   #5
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HA!

Those guys are over the top! I'm going to try to get one with "stock" 4WD. Too mechanically and financially challenged to do it myself!!
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Old 01-27-2006, 09:36 AM   #6
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I've seen that one and a red one with even bigger tires runnin around up in the Dunes in Silver Lake. Both are custom built. I've seen a coupple of stock 4X4 school buses on Ebay, seems like a very cool bus to start a conversion on to me.

Good luck.
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Old 01-27-2006, 10:59 AM   #7
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I had thought of buying a FWD skoolie too, pretty neat idea, I say go for it.
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Old 01-27-2006, 07:44 PM   #8
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You could email the guy at this site:
http://www.4x4bus.com/
He's got some pretty unique stuff.
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Old 02-15-2006, 03:14 AM   #9
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If it were me, I would look at a mid '80's International diesel bus. Then check the truck salvage yards for an International 4wd service truck like those used by utility companies and the railroad. Take some carefull measurements underneith, and I bet that the front axle, rear axle, transmission, and transfer case could be swapped under the front of a bus. If you went with one ton pickup components, it wouldn't hold up to the stress and weight of a bus.

Just remember that by taking the bus off-road, the further away from the road you get, the more expensive the towing bill when you get stuck. You friend's F-250 won't pull out your bus.
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Old 02-15-2006, 10:14 AM   #10
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Towing

Quote:
the further away from the road you get, the more expensive the towing bill when you get stuck.
Get AAAPlusRV while it is different in different states, the indiana AAA considers a bus conversion to be a valid medium duty tow. Just don't go more than 100 miles off the road....
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Old 02-20-2006, 03:46 PM   #11
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HA!

Well, my farmall pulled out my MC8......
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