I'm seeking a school bus

[Jiggalo]

Hello. I'm seeking a short to midsize bus

I need ground clearance so please no cutaway van buses
Years 1997-2005
7.3l diesel, prefer turbo but doesn't have to be. No Mercedes or caterpillar engines.
dog nose,
prefer no computer panel outside under driver side window,
No mt643 or at545 transmission.
7-9 windows,
No rust,
Must run and drive.
Around 150k-200k miles max
Prefer:
Wheelchair lift

Budget for bus with seats, nothing touched around 4k to 5k. I know they sell at auctions for around 2k to 3k. But I understand middlemen have to make money too.

I'll pay extra if the seats are torn out, floor is torn out, wall and roof panels removed, floor is sealed, has full size roofdeck. Solar panel system. Has a few 110 outlets. Etc. Depending on what all has been done to bus.

If already converted or partially converted. Send me pictures/videos. I don't need appliances, beds, silverware, fine china, stove, fridge, curtains, furniture, or tvs, so please don't include that in price.

[La Camioneta]

Where are you?

Check out my friend Seth Owens on the facebooks - he's a good egg and bus reseller in west GA.

[Jiggalo]

I'm currently in central Florida.

[DeMac]

GA, AZ & TX are good places to look.

While there are plenty of $2000 buses around Florida. Florida school buses are worn out, abused, & not well maintained.

some of these (non-running) buses sold for only $650!

[Clouse House]

Originally Posted by DeMac

GA, AZ & TX are good places to look.

While there are plenty of $2000 buses around Florida. Florida school buses are worn out, abused, & not well maintained.

some of these (non-running) buses sold for only $650!

Mine was originally a FL bus before it was a TN bus and then mine. Now I'm concerned

[DeMac]

Originally Posted by Clouse House

Mine was originally a FL bus before it was a TN bus and then mine. Now I'm concerned

We have a similar bus, a 42.2ft/90 pax. We paid almost $2000 (after tax & auction fees). Which is less than either of our shipping containers.


Used as a workshop, the bus has much better ventilation.

[cadillackid]

a lot of limits there .. the MT643 was one of the heaviest Lockup mechanical automatics ever.. the allison 1000 / 2000 series in many busses wasnt even released until late 2000 (really not see ni nthe field in high numbers till 01 or 02..


many of the stick shifts 5 speeds if you found one were still 1:1 and of course locked.. same as a 643..


the MD3000 / 3060 was around in 97 but not super common unless you were in a full size FE / RE bus (35-40 feet)..



the 7.3 was see nin busses up through 2004.. the DT466E from 2004 through early 2007 was the same.. EGR but not a maxxforce..



a "holy grail" would probably be a 97 or 98 with a mechanical 466 and 3060 (they existed but are rare now)...



occasionally you see a 7.3 (T444e) with an MD3060.. its rare as the 7.3 was the budget engine and the 3060 was the most expensive automatic transmission..

as you got into 02-04 you see a lot more allison 2000 series automatics.. the 545 / 643 were done after 2003.. and for the most part not many were sold in 03...

[cadillackid]

I should add that all 7.3s in 1997 are turbo.. they are all the T444E in IH busses and Powerstroke 7.3 in the fords... the computers in 94-96 (ford) and part of 97(IH) were all the same.. the later years ford used different computers than IH so be OBD2 compliant for consumer-focused vehicles..