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Old 05-15-2015, 04:41 PM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cowlitzcoach View Post
You will find very few dealers will allow people to test drive their inventory.

Private owners may let you drive. I know I never let anyone drive any buses I owned that I was trying to sell.

I seriously doubt any school would let you test drive a bus.

Most of it has to do with insurance and liability.
I lucked out then, The District I bought from let me test drive it before I bought it.

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Old 05-15-2015, 09:32 PM   #42
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Originally Posted by themoreweexplore View Post
That's a great idea, but what's the best way to test drive a variety of busses? I've never driven one, and enterprise doesn't rent them. ;)
The dealers I have dealt with have been happy to give a test drive.
School districts likewise.
Maybe it's a regional thing?
I would be slow to buy something that I couldn't drive.
Have fun looking.
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Old 05-16-2015, 12:55 AM   #43
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I may have missed it along the way, but where are you in Utah? We're in So Utah! Would be nice to connect with others close by on this journey.
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Old 05-16-2015, 07:53 AM   #44
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I test drove mine, actually did it on the city/county route they use for finally bus driver test, about 45 min total drive they actually were impressed and offered me a job afterwards
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Old 05-18-2015, 03:51 PM   #45
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nat_ster View Post


We have several dog nose 96 international 38 footers with mechanical DT466's, 5 and 6 speed standard transmissions, and best of all, air ride. The rear caps are rusted on them all, preventing them from being used as a bus anymore. Most of them have just over 100,000km on them. One tenth of the life of the engine.

Nat

I just called on a short dog nose, dt408 with 4 speed allison. I'm interested in finding available 5 speed manual. Prefer dt466. Where do schools buy standards? When you say rear caps, your referring to ?
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Old 05-18-2015, 03:54 PM   #46
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I may have missed it along the way, but where are you in Utah? We're in So Utah! Would be nice to connect with others close by on this journey.
We're near Draper, UT, but we seem to spend more time camping in southern utah than we do living in northern utah. We'd love to connect sometime.
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Old 05-20-2015, 01:28 AM   #47
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When you say rear caps, your referring to?
The back wall has rotted out on both sides of the emergency exit door.

It's from running dirt roads. The dirt finds it's way into the void between the two panels, hold moisture and rusts the outer panel out from the inside.

It would be a simple reskin job on the back if someone ever bought one in this shape.

They all got stuck permanently on dirt road runs due to the air ride rear axles. Unreal difference on rough roads.

Nat
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Old 05-20-2015, 10:35 AM   #48
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Can you get skin without buying a parts bus?
Any of these in eastern side of country?
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Old 05-20-2015, 11:07 AM   #49
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I had another question about the "garage" area I want in the back. On a dognose diesel with a rear emergency exit, how much room is there between the floor and the bottom of the body in the back? I wonder if I could drop the floor a few feet to get more garage space that isn't 5' off the ground. I realize I'll have the frame rails sticking out, but that can be worked around. Are there any tanks or important components down there?
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Old 05-20-2015, 11:21 AM   #50
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Themoreweexplore- there is a huge build thread that included a toy garage and a full height, drop-down ramp with a floor-drop and a two-foot roof raise. I'm not sure how structurally sound it all is, but you can at least get some ideas of what you're up against.

The build is titled Millicent...(and something about a two foot roof raise and ramp) by Elliot Naess
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Old 05-20-2015, 11:24 AM   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave588 View Post
Can you get skin without buying a parts bus?
Any of these in eastern side of country?
Yes

new sheet steel is available everywhere around the country.

Nat
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Old 05-21-2015, 12:19 AM   #52
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Themoreweexplore- there is a huge build thread that included a toy garage and a full height, drop-down ramp with a floor-drop and a two-foot roof raise. I'm not sure how structurally sound it all is, but you can at least get some ideas of what you're up against.

The build is titled Millicent...(and something about a two foot roof raise and ramp) by Elliot Naess


Thanks Pamela. Funny story, I just read through that entire thread earlier this week. Very entertaining and very informative. I need to go back and see how much room there was below the frame rails.
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Old 05-28-2015, 09:18 AM   #53
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lately I've really been digging the handicapped models with the rear side-entry. I don't need the lift, but the side door would really come in handy for loading the bikes.
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Old 05-28-2015, 01:48 PM   #54
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Something like this would be ideal, except for the price tag.

1999 INTERNATIONAL THOMAS - USED BUS
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Old 05-28-2015, 03:58 PM   #55
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Boy that's in the nose bleed section for price. I'd say keep on looking. You should
check publicsurplus.com and governmentdeals.com there seems to be some fresh
buses coming up for sale recently. For the miles on the bus your looking at it
looks like it's been rode hard and put away wet. Also check with cowlitz and see
what he's got for sale.
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Old 05-28-2015, 05:44 PM   #56
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yeah, i'm not gonig to get it, but I love the combo of the front engine, dt466, 7 speed manual trans, and rear air suspension. But I agree, that's a spendy unit.

I didn't know cowlitz was a dealer, I'll get in touch with him, thanks.
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Old 06-01-2015, 06:55 PM   #57
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Try to find one of those special transport buses with a rear wheelchair lift and the normal floor height. That way you'd have a large space in the back without the need to cut into the rear emergency exit area to create a garage entrance.
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Old 06-01-2015, 10:09 PM   #58
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that's a fantastic idea.
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