RE Space Hog - AmTram Air Intake

[melwade]

We are looking at a 2003 AmTram RE school bus. Our biggest concern is the air intake. The upper air intake takes up a lot of space in the cabin. This would prevent a queen size bed from being all the way at the back. I'm interested in how others have adapted to this?

See attached image.

[Iceni John]

Wow, they really do take a lot of space! I wonder why? That window is really small.
My bus has just one air intake plenum on the passenger side, and even that is smaller than each of yours. Are you sure they're air intakes for the engine itself, and not ducts for the cooling system? Does that Amtran have a rear-mounted radiator?

I have a queen-size bed in my bus, but it goes back only as far as the original rear seat's backrest. My bedroom extends forward three windows (but Crown's windows are much wider than other buses'), with plenty of room at the foot of the bed to get out of it easily. Just bear in mind the thickness of a mattress on top of the bed base - with an 8" to 10" mattress on top of the rear shelf's level you may be sleeping uncomfortably close to the ceiling! My bed's base is level with the rear seat bottom, a lot lower than my rear window's shelf.

John

[Flowstatebus]

We took ours out. Sheet metaled over everything inside and out. Cut the intake pipe. We vented our engine bay doors instead. Totally worth it. Pics on IG if you want to see. @theflowstatebus

[ewo1]

I have a 99 Amtran RE, did a roof raise and in the beginning I never considered re-locating the air intakes.

Looking back I wish I would have thought about re-locating the air intakes.
Aside from capturing more space inside the bus, there is still quite a bit of sheet metal work inside the bus in order to properly close in the air intakes on the inside of the bus and then there is the insulating for sound.

It would have been much easier and a whole lot of less work sealing up the original air intakes and opening them back up down at the engine bay doors.

Visually I like the original look but.... I'll live with what I got for now!

[kazetsukai]

Originally Posted by melwade

We are looking at a 2003 AmTram RE school bus. Our biggest concern is the air intake. The upper air intake takes up a lot of space in the cabin. This would prevent a queen size bed from being all the way at the back. I'm interested in how others have adapted to this?

See attached image.

I have the same chassis/engine compartment, see my build thread. I put a kitchen in the rear and a bedroom in the middle.

[melwade]

Thanks for the replies. This gives a lot of ideas to work from. @theflowstatebus, I love your build ideas and your ceiling!

[melwade]

We bought the bus... here we go!

[kazetsukai]

Congrats, and good luck!

[DeMac]

Yay! A longwheelbase RE has sooo much empty space between the wheel wells, underneath. A 36" wide staircase with open drivers area. Being an IC means few rivets on the interior, all #2 Phillips. No grinder or chisel needed. We had stainless floor screws through the plywood that came out easily. I wish you fun & good luck. Demo first?

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/membe...cture24907.jpg

[lexiventure]

I visited your thread and could not find a photo of your kitchen! I am stumped by this rear engine cover and would love to see how you put your kitchen back there.

[DeMac]

i didn't see his kitchen either.
Have you taken the either of the covers off yet?
Our pass side has nothing. Plastic hump in the middle, also empty.

[lexiventure]

WOW! Your photo is SO helpful! Thank you! I just got my bus Saturday and still have seats to remove that were not removed as promised But I took measurements today and just stood there staring at this thing thinking there must be a way to not live with this giant intrusion! I need the space!

[kazetsukai]

Originally Posted by lexiventure

I visited your thread and could not find a photo of your kitchen! I am stumped by this rear engine cover and would love to see how you put your kitchen back there.

Originally Posted by DeMac

i didn't see his kitchen either.

You guys didn't see these posts?
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/k...tml#post380025
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/k...tml#post380557
Sink to the right:

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/k...tml#post381348

Originally Posted by DeMac

Our pass side has nothing. Plastic hump in the middle, also empty.

On top of the "seat" that is the engine compartment rests my six fresh water tanks, three on each side, as to allow access to that turbo hatch in the middle. The kitchen countertop goes over these tanks all the way to the back window.

[melwade]

We are taking out the air intakes and moving them down to the doors, freeing up the space above! Yes, we love that there are screws instead of rivets in most places! This is a huge time savings - not to mention the less jarring of the hands with much less time on the air hammer removing those dang rivets.

https://www.instagram.com/mel.and.lois/

Youtube: http://bit.ly/melandlois

[DeMac]

[QUOTE=kazetsukai;419155]You guys didn't see these posts?
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/k...tml#post380025
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/k...tml#post380557

Wow! Looks terrific.
Thank you, kazetsukai.