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Old 06-10-2009, 12:06 PM   #1
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Pettytown, Texas, US of A
Posts: 115
Year: 1976
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: International
Engine: 345 IH gas
Rated Cap: 66 passenger
Re: Bus Choice

Greetings,
I have a dog nosed so I can speak a little from that side....
I have a friend who has a flat nosed so can talk a little about those, too....

First, with the engine out front, the heat associated with the engine usually goes under the bus as you drive.
My friend who has the flatnosed bus doesn't like his as much when in traffic but I don't think he has all the insulation intact in the motor department.
Another acquaintance has one partially converted and you can rest your hand on the motor cover and it's barely warm so I think insulation or lack of is the culprit here.

The dog-nosed seems to get between .5 and .8 more mile per gallon than the flatnosed.
I am talking an almost direct comparison gas engine - mine has a 345 international with allison automatic and his has a 360 GMC motor with automatic - .5 to .8 may not sound like much but when you only get 6 MPG on gas......
It's easier to work on the dognosed engine but it was nice to change the oil in the flatnosed bus with the internal AC running! The only downside was still going outside to drain and then reinstall the drain plug!

The flatnosed will also generally have a slightly shorter wheel base but that can be a plus or minus depending on where you plan to go.

I grew up ridding to school in a dognosed so it just seemed natural....

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Old 06-10-2009, 04:04 PM   #2
Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: leadville,colorado
Posts: 208
Year: 86
Coachwork: Thomas saf-t-liner
Chassis: International
Engine: dt466
Rated Cap: 40
Re: Bus Choice

There is a ton of information for almost any question you can come up with on this here site. Dig hard dig deep! Personally I think the dognosed look more styly than the flats. But, I sure would like to have one of each! Flats give you more room and are smoother on the highway unless your talking vintage flat. However, my dognose has a shorter wheelbase and lots of clearance for those forest service roads that i'm so fond of for accessing the great outdoors. You can weigh it alot of ways but it really comes down to your preferences and intentions because your gonna be working on it and your gonna be driving it. Good luck with your hunt for the skoolie of your choice. RECYCLER
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Old 06-12-2009, 08:40 AM   #3
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wimberley, Tx
Posts: 197
Year: 93
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: ?
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Re: Bus Choice

In my most humble opinion...as a flat nose owner. I dig the flat noses, but it is only a preference.

Most important is the drivetrain. I am a cummins 12v fan. I here the DT's are bullet proof as well. You can't go wrong with a diesel. After measuring, planning, measuring, buying, measuring, buying more, looking at the calendar, I would buy a flat nose PUSHER that has the storge underneath already in place. That alone would save me a month and a few hundred dollars.

My particular plan will fill up the entire available space underneath my bus and my problem is eye appealing access. I think I have it figured out but it is gonna take some time and material. I wish it were already done.

Best advice. Make friends with the super at a bus yard that has one of each kind. Preplan...sleep...preplan...sleep somemore...ask questions...change all your plans, measure, decide then buy when the right one at the right price comes available. You may have to travel to get exactly what you want. On the other hand if you are time heavy buy whatever and cut, paste, paint and drive.
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Old 06-12-2009, 10:27 PM   #4
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Posts: 704
Re: Bus Choice

You mention ease of working on a dog nose as opposed to a flat nose, that is not always the case. If you wind up with a front engine flat nose, then yes, you gotta go inside the bus and remove the dog house to service it. If you get a flat nose pusher, the engine is in back, you simply flip the door open and there is the engine... no climbing up and then bending over, most of the engine is acessible as you stand there. Heat & noise are also in the back, so you get a quieter ride. You also get an adantage of NOT having a drive shaft running the lenght of the bus, this provides space to put in a storage bay that runs all the way across underneath the bus. Without an engine in front, the tires can turn a tighter radius too, my bus has an incredible turning radius, I can make a complet 90º turn with less than 15' of space in front of me.

I looked at both extensively, and came close to buying a dog nose DT466, but settled on the Thomas Pusher for additional interior space, as well as the amenities mentioned above (I'm old and have a bad back, I don't want to bend over to work under the hood)...
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Old 06-13-2009, 08:52 AM   #5
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: near flint michigan
Posts: 2,657
Re: Bus Choice

another disadvantage of rear engine bus is trying to drive where there are lots of pedestrians. I had my rear engine bus in a parade last year and had to drive through a parking lot full of people. I'd creep foward until my bumper was literally 1 or 2 feet from a person, and they wouldn't even notice me. I didn't like that! With the diesel engine from a front engine bus clanging away you don't have that problem.
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Old 06-13-2009, 12:04 PM   #6
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 362
Re: Bus Choice

Quote:
Originally Posted by lapeer20m
another disadvantage of rear engine bus is trying to drive where there are lots of pedestrians. I had my rear engine bus in a parade last year and had to drive through a parking lot full of people. I'd creep foward until my bumper was literally 1 or 2 feet from a person, and they wouldn't even notice me. I didn't like that! With the diesel engine from a front engine bus clanging away you don't have that problem.
I have air horns on my rear engine bus. People always notice those.

jim
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