Looking for 24 footer

[NWOleman]

Hey guys so I'm looking for a 24 foot school bus. I would like either a 12 valve 5.9 or a dt 644 for a motor and a md3060 for the transmission. If anyone has one or knows where to get one let me know. I want the motor to be mechanically operated not computer controlled so probably a 90's era bus
My current bus is a 33 or 34 footer 1996 Bluebird with the 5.9 12 valve with only 30k on the reman motor, Allison at545 I believe. Brand new tires and aluminum polished wheels too. Freezer ,hide abed, propane heater and frame mounted 25 gallon propane tank, black water tank and toilet included. Conversion started but it is just too big for how I want to use it. Willing to trade or sale. $16000 obo for my Bluebird Tillamook, Oregon

Thanks

[magnakansas]

You did not say what bus you have now. I am going to assume it is a tc2000.

have you considered shortening the bus you have now? I very high effort option and maybe not a good option at that.

william

[NWOleman]

Yeah sorry Im pretty sure its a tc 2000. Yes I have thought about shortening it up. Major job though. Have to roll the axles forward, new wheel wells, driveline, move tank, redo brake lines, air lines, wiring, etc. I have the shop to do it in but I would rather not, plus I want a different trans so I would need to get one, swap it. That alot of work. I think it would be quicker and I know easier to restart with a different bus. I am open to 20' to 25' in length. Probably just going to sell mine and wait till I find what I want.

[Hutchy]

I could be wrong but I don’t think that a bus with a mechanical engine will come with a 3060 transmission. You might be looking for something that doesn’t exist. Most of the buses that short will either have the AT545 or if you’re luckyThe MT643. You might be able to get one with the 1000 series or 2000 series in the early 2000 year range I’m not sure about that

[magnakansas]

I think, I do not know, I think that 8.3 cummins, maybe dt466/dt408, and maybe cat 3116, cat 3208 with turbo.

I my reading is correct the beginning of the Allison 3000 series starts just about the end of the mechanical injection era for Diesel engines. I have a 5.9 Cummins 12 valve mechanical injection engine in my 1994 bluebird tc 2000. I have started the work to install a 2500pts. This will not be a bolt in job. Definitely falls in the CUSTOM category.

William

[Oldyeller]

Can you post a picture of your current bus?

[NWOleman]

I meant dt 466 in the original post. Im not sure how to post pics? Ill try this week to figure it out. I know some md 3060 were mated to dt 466 mechanical motors, looked fast one a month ago, not sure on the 5.9 to md 3060 though. Same era 90's so good chance though.

[cadillackid]

the MD3060 came out in 1995, I never k new IH (Amtran) to make a shorty FE that was any shorter than about 30 feet..



the DT466 Mechanical showed up in the Amtran Line of busses up through the early 1998 model year.. and these were available with MD3060 Transmissions.. they used a mechanical to electronic throttle Converter... Beware though these would be WTEC-II computers.. few if any shops still have the scan tools to work on the WTEC-II stuff.. allison obsoleted it sometime back.

[Oldyeller]

Originally Posted by NWOleman

I meant dt 466 in the original post. Im not sure how to post pics? Ill try this week to figure it out. I know some md 3060 were mated to dt 466 mechanical motors, looked fast one a month ago, not sure on the 5.9 to md 3060 though. Same era 90's so good chance though.

So here's the thing. If you have a front engined bus with an overhang you can shorten it without moving the axle. It's actually pretty easy. I took mine from 35' down to 28 feet pretty much by myself. The real question, is the length your only reason for considering another bus, or the one you're mentioning?

[NWOleman]

Length is a major factor. We like to go to Pikes Peak and the max length is 24 feet. The trans I have now works fine but an overdrive sure would be nice. A mechanical engine is pretty important to me as well, one of the reasons I got the bus I have now.

[magnakansas]

The shortest tc2000/tc1000 that I know of is about 25’ long. That is what I have. My 1954 ford- Wayne is 23’9” bumper to bumper

William

[NWOleman]

Copy that. It doesn't have to be a tc 2000 and it doesn't have to be a flat nose either. Length and mechanical motor tranny combo are the main deciding factors. I suppose a mt643 would work too.

[EastCoastCB]

A 466 or Cummins with 643 is going to be tough to find in a shorty.
Almost all mechanical engine short buses are going to have a 545. Even my electronic 3126 has a 545.
In a shorter bus that's not used in the Rockies the 545 isn't the end of the world. If you run synthetic 295 oil and add a good cooler its not so bad.
Heck even my Colorado 6 window bus had a 444 and 545.
Shorties with 3060's are going to be hard to find. Not saying they aren't out there. I just haven't came across one at least to my memory right now.
Maybe your best bet is find a bus you like with an engine you like and you can swap the trans later if it fails.
I did once have a 2003 chassis with a 2004 body IC CE300 with a DT466E and an allison 2000. That thing had POWER. But unfortunately had too many problems for me so I had to part with it.

[Ronnie]

I have a 6 window shorty, dog nose , and it is 23ft long. Amtran. It had the 444 and the 545, which seems to be the common engine and trans combo for it.

Getting an older bus and repowering it might the best option

[NWOleman]

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=64561&stc=1&d=16490099 06

[NWOleman]

No idea why it loaded upside down?🤔

[EastCoastCB]

Yeah that's an upside down fullsize bus. Substantially longer than 24'.

[NWOleman]

Yeah 25 feet is right at the back of the back tire.

[woodyking]

My 1994 Winnebago Vector has the mechanical 5.9, and 3060 Allison. So the 3060 was out before 1995, at least in motorhomes.