1972 IH Short Bus

[IntHarvey]

Thought you guys might want to check this out

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281576718239

Here's what the description says:

This short bus is a gem. It turns out my neighbor is in an International Scout car group and he was thrilled to tell me all about the bus and the excellent shape it is in. We started it up and he described how he was impressed as it purred with out any ticking at 630 rpms and that the bus should be considered in excellent condition. To be honest, I am bummed I have to sell it, but with a ton of student debt and difficult times, I will not be able to convert this beauty into the RV (Skoolie) I hoped. You will notice the interior has already been partially converted, kind of a minimalist approach that my grandparents thought was pretty cool. So I would consider it done if you add a mattress, or an open floor plan if you want to get crazy with it. The interior space is aprox. 11'9" by 7'6" (rear door to the back of the driver seat). My grandparents hardly drove this machine, but were very conscious about starting it every so often and keeping everything up to date (it is currently registered and insured). It has been garaged for more than 20 years and has recently been handed down to me by my grandfather. The engine stamp is hard to read, but we believe it is a 304, possibly bigger, but definitely one of the 3 larger V8s. Earlier this month I drove it over 550 miles without any problems, cruising a little over 50 mph at around 3k rpms (That should give you a sense of the gear ratio). All in all, I want this to go to a great home where it will be appreciated and taken care of like an heirloom should be. I took a lot of pictures, but can take ones of specific places upon request. Just thought to add, it turns on a dime, you can make u-turns. Also, if you are interested in the rest of the seats, I have them, but they are up north near Lake Tahoe.

- 1972 International Short School Bus
- V8 304? maybe larger.
- Gasoline
- 4 Spd. Manual
- 98,000 original miles
- Coach is made by Superior
- Heavy Duty Tow Hitch
- Minimal to No Rust
- Excellent Mechanical Condition
- Skoolie Candidate
- Tires are in great shape, Dulies in the rear, and comes with a spare.
- Heavy duty jack that is pictured comes with it

Exterior measurements for logistics:
(I took careful measurements, but if it seems like a close fit I can measure again at your request; keep in mind you could reduce the air pressure to decrease the height.)
H: 9'5"
L: 20'
W: 8'

[crowcreekcabin]

Hey! Thats my bus!!...

Awesome.
It got to this site before me. Anyways.. SOLD.. to a very happy new home.
Right on!

[bansil]

welcome to this small world!!

[EastCoastCB]

Congrats on that, I know how it feels!

[mokibrabrant]

No one knows the actual sale price..............Reserve wasn't met.........Bus had a top speed of 55 MPH............had significant oil leaks...........but was a very cool School bus...........So even if it was sold at the reserve price. Is it a good buy?

I don't ask to cast dispersions on that bus in any way. It is a very cool little bus. But Money well spent is my question: Are we so enarmoured of School Buses because they are the perfect platform? Do we like them as a nostalgic platform for our expression. As a vehicle to take us to our imaginings of Freedom? Or do we choose them because they are plentiful and relatively cheap? I can't answer those questions for you.

For myself it was more a matter of money when I began so many years ago: For me it was the availability of a Bargain that could could be built out to my liking and keep me out of the elements and get me to places i believed I wanted to Go.

Now many years later I am not so constrained by the Money. So many years later i recognize the limitations: Under basement holding space. Though some do have it. And medium duty drive trains not ideally equipped for sustained highway travel and efficiency.

So 3500 for this bus if that was in fact the price. Seems like a good deal. The cute factor, quality of the bones are surely present. We all know that the purchase price is only the first step. it doesn't get cheaper from there to actualize our imaginings: Sweat Equity. And of course more cash.

I moved away from school buses: I wanted more. And have managed to do so in many cases spending a bit more money.

Example. I just bought this 80 MCI 5 (c) 6V92 said to be only one of two so equipped from the factory........To me. For my purposes this is a good platform. Though I'm not a believer in extravagant builds this Bus at least gives me inherent highway cruising and allows me the basement space for the ease of installation of systems as needed and desired. Again. This is not to put down the School Bus. It is more intended simply to hear what others have to say. What you have to say. With regard your focus, attraction and decision to go with a school bus.............


Or are we simply in the throes of the romanticized imagery of days gone by? Are we still under the spell of the Kool-Aid acid test? Are we still trying to capture, regain, or express an ideology of another time. Is the School bus more than what appears on its face? Is it more of a Time Machine?

[EastCoastCB]

LOVE the MC5, that's exactly what I want! When I can afford one, that is also my plan.

You ask some pretty good questions.

For me, the school bus is the cheapest way to build what I want the way I want it.

[HolyBus]

I like the coolness factor and doing what people think can't/shouldn't be done. But the real reason is more sound than that. I prefer a metal body vehicle to a plastic/fiberglass rv. I don't want to recaulk it every year or more. I want to decide what goes where and know the quality of each piece was what I decided on, not some prepackaged design by someone who will not be living in it.

[Hank's P-O-S]

Originally Posted by mokibrabrant

Or are we simply in the throes of the romanticized imagery of days gone by? Are we still under the spell of the Kool-Aid acid test? Are we still trying to capture, regain, or express an ideology of another time. Is the School bus more than what appears on its face? Is it more of a Time Machine?

You nailed it there for me. My bus is slow, underpowered, and she smells kind of funny.
A piece of crap rusty poorly maintained freeway barge. I am hoping for burning man some day but 6000 miles is along way for 4 kids who won't have any sort of money for a long time.Every one says I'm nuts, stupid, and I'm starting to believe them but if some dirty hippie can manage it in a VW then I'm sure as hell that we do it in an international!
(Yeah, it more s*** than spreader)

[EastCoastCB]

The hippies in VW's must have money stuffed into the seats.

[crowcreekcabin]

International will get you there. Oil leaks are good!... that means that it still has some oil... It is when the leaks stop that you need to worry...! ha!... I joke...


Yeah, I noticed the leaks, but after a long relationship with IH... I am not afraid of a little wrench time.... at least somebody cared enough to keep adding fluid... ; )..


Philosophy about a school bus vs. your (totally sweet) MC is kinda like comparing apples and baseball... I appreciate both... don't get me wrong.


I would like to have a spaceship made with all left handed threads...
I would also like to have a cool old International...
(Even if it leaks oil and is over-priced, wink,wink...)


The school bus is doable right now, it brings me pleasure and promises adventure. Does it matter what I paid??.. Nit-picking $3500 completely misses the point.

The main point for me is:
We can't risk waiting for the right time or money to buy a dream space-ship....
and end up DOING NOTHING... .. .. that would be the worst...

[mokibrabrant]

The international was an interesting piece. Body was amazing. It reminded me of a Jeep Wagoneer on Steroids...........the cut at the rear wheel well screamed Jeep. I offered on the 72 and I gave the seller 24 hours to respond.......He failed to respond to the offer within the time line. But did get back to me shortly after to accept my offer. In that 24 hour period I was able to do a great deal of research: I was also able to blow up some photographs and as well get a handle on what I had in front of me and how could I establish a value.

And of course all of this within my context, my end use. I recognize on one hand if this bus got in front of the right person they'd easily pay ten grand for it. And make it into one of the most incredible off-road buses of all time. That requires some deep pockets and time and proximity..........all of which I'm out of. LOL

Had the seller gotten back to me in the 24 hour period I would have proceeded with the sale. Here's what troubled me: One the top speed was 55 mph. And this achieved at running that V8 gasser near red line. RPM's are way up there. Another thing that troubled me is this bus had sat for a very long time. However the Seller took this bus on an extensive trip and maxed out the speed and I'm sure stressed out seals and the engine itself...........hence the free flow of Oil apparent off the bell housing and transfer case.............the oil was the killer for me coupled with establishing a market value. I decided to not re submit my offer and to wait for the auction to end and to see what the "market place had to say".

The market place on that day said that my offer was too high. I have no regrets. But I do wonder what it sold for: Now that bus with a 5.9 or a 360 diesel or DT466 changes the game dramatically................Nice Bus. Hope everyone is satisfied. Both the Buyer and the seller.

[crowcreekcabin]

Turning it into an off-roader is an interesting idea...

I was thinking for the first few years anyway.. to freshen up the original 304 addressing oil leaks along the way and slowly work out any other kinks that become obvious on the ride home.

LoadStar was never a speed demon, but I think parially to lower RPM at speed (but mostly for the novelty of having another tranny to play with) it would be cool to have the driveshaft work done and install an overdrive unit.

This rig (to me anyway) will always be strictly a two-lane cruiser... Even with the overdrive... but wouldn't it be fun to have a few more gears to play with on the slow climb up to 55 mph?... and not be flogging it quite so hard in the process?

Part of the charm for me is that this bus is what it is... old and slow.

3 or 4 grand for overdrive and associated install would pay off eventually, in reduced RPM and might even help on fuel consumption, but mostly I always wanted one in a truck.... ; )

Diesel conversion and 4 wheel drive conversion... wow cool, but I will at least wait until I work my way through my collection of IH V8's first... Another 304 is waiting on the stand if this one can limp home...

Cute factor is big for me on this one... and IH of course!!!

[nat_ster]

4x4 bus is a nice dream, but few have any clue of the cost and work needed to make it happen.

Just converting it to 4x4 would cost twice what you paid for the bus.

Nat

[crowcreekcabin]

Yeah... 4X4...

Interesting idea is as far as that will ever go for me.

I have had buddys do a 4X4 swap on light line IH trucks before, no easy task.... and that is when they have 3 or 4 parts trucks in the back 40..

Even the OD I mentioned is still way out there in dream land....

The clean original look was part of what drew me to the rig... so... any visual changes will most likely take place "inside"...

Small simple kitchen, dual benches on the wheel wells, with room for M.C. inbetween, bed that can extend between benches for full width...

Then see how it works out!

[mokibrabrant]

Well I hope you know CrowCreekCabin in no way am I slamming that IH........It has "the Look"........and an International of that era was built. I had a Western Flyer with the IH Red Diamond 501 in line six and a two barrel carb. and that engine was amazing as long as it wasn't over-revved. I have a little purchase coming up on the dark side in about 3 weeks and truly special..............

I know it was mentioned that making this thing a 4X4 would be really expensive I kind of disagree with that..........there are a lot of jeeps laying around rolled over, and if you or a friend have welding skills it's not that big a deal in my view................a transfer case and an axle on the front is how I see it If you ask someone else to do it. Different Deal and if you ask someone else to do it Right even a bigger deal.

Back to your Bus. My intentions were much like yours. I never had any idea of it ever being more than a cool little day camper and a sweet little surf mobile: Kick back and let the admirers give me a thumbs up at my local surf spot..........SWEET. But I couldn't Justify it. I already have a sweet little cabover Command Module that sits over a 3208 with 22,000 actual miles waiting to come over here with a 6K Diesel Gen on Board and Trace inverters etc and thought I'd save money on another purchase and use it for shipping............So cool factor vs cool factor with one invariably sure to leave me horizontal looking up with stuff dripping in my face and a split knuckle or two. So I let go on the IH and I hope it becomes everything you envision.

Here are a couple shots of my 1980 Ford D8000 Command Module with the Marion Body.

[mokibrabrant]

Sorry...............had to start another reply

[crowcreekcabin]

WOW...

That thing is AAwwwesome!!!

Nice choice!...

[mokibrabrant]

Thanks: Yeah it's a Tractor for sure. Probably a one off. And it is mint. Problem. LOL.........it has a 7.17 rear end. So it makes your IH seem like a rocket ship at 55. I drove this rig from Belvue Washington to Gresham Oregon at 45 miles an hour and right at 2400 RPM.........Though that CAT is ungoverned and would go to 3400 RPM it was just ridiculous. Just for fun I took it up there to see what my "top end" would be. A thousand more RPM and a net gain of 5 mph. Not worth it. Really don't want to throw a rod or spin a bearing on a CAT with just over 20K on the clock. So stayed closet to 2400 and as they say enjoyed the ride.

Has a five speed Spicer. But with the rear end so Low, numerically high, it in effect becomes a two speed transmission. Start off in third and shift right into 5th. LOL.................But it a solid, solid, solid, machine..........bud cab is classic and the engine is as bright and clean as the day it came off the line..........As I said this tilted the balance away from the IH.............having a bird in the hand as it were.

[crowcreekcabin]

Geared lower than an IH???.... AWESOME... the real deal!

With a CAT DIESEL BURNER??.... that thing is dripping with character.

And O-so-clean!!.

It takes a loooong time to rack up 20K miles at 45....
Too cool...

Cab-Over envy... even if it is the dark side ; )

[mokibrabrant]

Too Funny...............here's the one I'm working on now............no brakes and batteries but runs and shifts like it should. 71 Flxible.