Interior height?

[pengyou]

Do all busses of the same model have the same interior height? I.e. all Bluebird xyz are 6'5' and all Thomas 123 are 6'7". Or is it possible for different busses of the same model to have different interior heights?

[Brad_SwiftFur]

"Choice B", ceiling height is optional on pretty much most school bus models. The typical "standard" (or minimum) is about 6', with 6'6" being optional.

[pengyou]

Are the 6'6" busses easy to find?

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by pengyou

Are the 6'6" busses easy to find?

Not too hard. I have a shorty with high headroom.
I just can't deal with a low ceiling. My fullsize bus now has 85" of headroom!

Just watch the window heights and rooflines and you'll start to see the difference immediately.

[Spencer]

Sorry for reviving the old post. I am just curious. Since most school buses have a slightly arched ceiling, is 6'6" the mean height, the height at the centre-line, or the height at the walls?

[2martins]

Originally Posted by Spencer

Sorry for reviving the old post. I am just curious. Since most school buses have a slightly arched ceiling, is 6'6" the mean height, the height at the centre-line, or the height at the walls?

Highest point in center.

[Spencer]

Originally Posted by 2martins

Highest point in center.

Great! And how tall are the interior walls?

[dbhost]

That is going to vary by MFG. For example the newer Thomas Built Busses roofs are almost flat, probably only 2" radius across the entire thing, whereas a traditional bus has typically 6 - 8" of radius, thus if your center height is 6' 6", your wall height might be 5' 10". Maybe...

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by dbhost

That is going to vary by MFG. For example the newer Thomas Built Busses roofs are almost flat, probably only 2" radius across the entire thing, whereas a traditional bus has typically 6 - 8" of radius, thusif your center height is 6' 6", your wall height might be 5' 10". Maybe...

My International, when gutted, has a 6'-6.5" peak and the walls are only 5'-2.5"

[dbhost]

Originally Posted by o1marc

My International, when gutted, has a 6'-6.5" peak and the walls are only 5'-2.5"

There you go!

[EastCoastCB]

After just a 10" raise this 6'3" fellow could stand on the wheel wells on this 92 Ward/AmTran.


I kinda miss that old bus!

[Spencer]

thank you both!! Very appreciated

[2martins]

Originally Posted by Spencer

Great! And how tall are the interior walls?

I don't have any walls yet. But the lowest part of my ceiling curve is about 62" because I have 2" rigid foam under my 1/2" plywood floor. I wanted to use 1.5" but couldn't find it locally. I'm 5'3, my son is less than 5'9", and my husband is under 5'11" (and my husband doesn't plan on using it much anyway) so it will be fine for us anyway. I think the short side of the walls will end up being a bit higher than 62" to cover the lower part of the ceiling support wood. The high side will go to the ceiling wherever it hits, which will be 78" minus
2" insulation,
1/2" plywood,
1/8" underlayment,
under 1/4" luxury vinyl flooring planks, 1/2" furring strip
and 1/4" ceiling plywood.

My furring strips on the sides are thicker than the one in the center. Maybe 3/4". I did my furring strips the length of the bus and am doing the ceiling with 4x8 sheets of thin birch plywood across the bus. I will sprayfoam the ceiling and walls before installing the ceiling. I plan to pressure fitting the ceiling in place and do not plan to screw it to the furring strips. The ceiling plywood is currently cut to size and laying over wood stacks close to the curve that the bus has with the furring straps. Ack! I just realized I measured the wood stacks off the bus curve and didn't account for the furring strip difference. This is a small amount so it probably doesn't matter, but if I work on finishing the wood and can re-do the stack I will do that. I'm hoping this will make it easier to install the ceiling when it comes time for that because it will not be easy.

[mikeypj]

Mine 89 International has 6'5" roof and thats with the original bus floor then some vinyl boards..adding an extra inch of insulation to the ceiling.

[AlishaLynn]

Originally Posted by o1marc

My International, when gutted, has a 6'-6.5" peak and the walls are only 5'-2.5"

Is this to the metal centre beam??

[DeMac]

The ceiling heights vary a bit between year, make & model.

Some Internationals are 6'7" to the bottom of the rib, 6'8"+ to the roof skin.


Measuring center of the side-hall there's 6'3" below this fur strip.

Higher resolution photos in my ↖Registry file.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Alisha,Lynn

Is this to the metal centre beam??

There is no center beam, but I have 1-1/2" insulation on the floor, and 5/16" of flooring and I have 76.5" (6'-4.5') of ceiling height at the bottom at the cross beam in the center of the bus.