Looking for RE adventure bus!

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

not so much. I'd bet they're 444E's.
BUY this one-
https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...=1&acctid=9245

SERIOUSLY! Buy it!

This is a perfect opportunity to pick up a really REALLY great bus!

Yes, looks like an excellent candidate.

[cowlitzcoach]

I would be very wary of the two buses you posted.

First off, the Blue Bird for $3,350.00 sounds like a good price but it couldn't possibly have everything the ad says it has. A new engine installed is going to be north of $5,000.00 by quite a ways. A new transmission installed is going to be north of $3,500.00. A paint job is going to cost north of $5,000.00.

Second, the AmTrans buses have never had a Cat engine put in them from the factory to my knowledge. Back in the day there were some IHC Loadstar, S-series, and 3XXX series chassis that might have had a Cat but none of the RE chassis ever did. So if it has a Cat engine in it, then it has had some serious messing around done to it. If it is a V-8 then it most probably is a T444E which isn't a bad engine but it is a bit on the small size if you plan to spend a lot of time traveling. 60-65 mph is about the best you could expect from a T444E no matter what the rear gearing is. With a certain amount of HP you can push the brick shape through the air only so fast before you run out of HP.

[Scooternj]

Originally Posted by AlleyCat67

There's a thought.... not sure how putting a screen on it would be done but it's something to consider.

Still figuring that one out, but probably the screen frame on the inside, held in by ye olde school screen hardware, like turnbuttons, so you can still open it and then get the screen in place before the flying critters come to visit

[Rameses]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

not so much. I'd bet they're 444E's.
BUY this one-


SERIOUSLY! Buy it!



This is a perfect opportunity to pick up a really REALLY great bus!

Shhhh... I'm hoping to buy that one!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Rameses

Shhhh... I'm hoping to buy that one!

I've put in an early bid myself!

[Rameses]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've put in an early bid myself!

I'll be bidding at the very end of the auction.

I always figure out what the absolute most I'd be willing to pay is, and then drop the bid at the last possible second (with enough time left to prevent the end time from extending, if that's how the auction is set up.)

That way I don't give the next highest bidder any more time than I have to to sit and ponder whether they're willing to bid higher.

Hopefully I'll end up picking it up. We'll see!

[Rameses]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

Yes, looks like an excellent candidate.

Just heard back from the contact listed on the auction page.

He said it has a 5.38 rear end ratio.

That makes for a long drive home from Colorado at 55 mph.

[cadillackid]

what transmission? a 643 or a 2000 series?

[sammy]

something to think about on your floor plans:

wheel arches
You have your table and chairs over where one of the front wheel arches will be on all these layouts except #3, which would be quite annoying. Design #2 & #7 most likely has the shower over where one of the rear arches will be, which won't work. #3 & #4, # have a wheel arch right in front of the entrance to the shower, also pretty annoying.

Unfortunately, there's not a standard place for the rear wheel arch. My bus has a longer wheelbase than most, so my arches are pretty far back. Same fro the front, they vary a bit depending on the model. So you'll need to know your model in order to really plan this out.

Tanks
Having a RE means you have the easiest job here, since you don't have exhaust or driveshaft running down your bus. But still, you'll want to figure out where you can put your tanks underneath, since that could limit where you put your shower/sinks. For instancee, it's highly unlikely that you could get it to work with the shower in the far back, the way you have it in designs #3 and #4 - since you'd have to mount the gray water tank forward of the rear wheels. There's almost no room behind the wheels with the engine there. And it would be difficult to run a drain line past the rear suspension/wheel wells (not impossible, but you'd really want to look at your bus and figure out how you'd run a down-sloping drain line to a tank before you decide on that layout).

And as someone mentioned already, figure out exactly where the emergency side exit is if you're keeping that, so that you don't end up with a wall jutting into the middle of it. Same goes for the roof top emergency exits, if you're keeping those, your layouts #2 & #4 could potentially end up with weird ceiling situation depending on where those two emergency exits are.

All that to say, you've got a great start here, and the next step is to actually get your bus so you can make precise measurements, and see what's going to actually work. Not worth going too much further without those measurements.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by Rameses

Just heard back from the contact listed on the auction page.

He said it has a 5.38 rear end ratio.

That makes for a long drive home from Colorado at 55 mph.

Only if it has no overdrive ... either by transmission lacking it, or being locked out. O/D will give it another 10 MPH or so.

[Rameses]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

Only if it has no overdrive ... either by transmission lacking it, or being locked out. O/D will give it another 10 MPH or so.

Even with a .75 overdrive and 11R22.5's, that gives you 58.14 mph at 1900 rpm.

I wouldn't want to hold an 8.3 at much higher rpm than that for extended periods of time.

[cadillackid]

are the cummins a lot lower RPM than the IHC's?

I know you can run the DT's forever at 2300-2600 with no issues... most of them are redlined at 2700 RPM and make max power at 2300 RPM...

-Christopher

[Rameses]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

are the cummins a lot lower RPM than the IHC's?

I know you can run the DT's forever at 2300-2600 with no issues... most of them are redlined at 2700 RPM and make max power at 2300 RPM...

-Christopher

The Cummins 5.9 is more than happy to run down the road at 2800-3000 rpm.

The 8.3 is a completely different animal, however. Peak power is around 1700 rpm and redline is 2400-2500.

[Domane]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

not so much. I'd bet they're 444E's.
BUY this one-
https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...=1&acctid=9245

SERIOUSLY! Buy it!

https://www.govdeals.com/photos/9245/9245_1_15.JPG



This is a perfect opportunity to pick up a really REALLY great bus!

Wow, that's exactly the type of bus i'm looking for.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Originally Posted by Rameses

The Cummins 5.9 is more than happy to run down the road at 2800-3000 rpm.

The 8.3 is a completely different animal, however. Peak power is around 1700 rpm and redline is 2400-2500.

If its redline is 2400, then I'd have no issue giving it some throttle and getting on down the road with it.

It may very well be governed not by RPM redline, but by computer.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

what transmission? a 643 or a 2000 series?

3060

[Dragonpop]

For reference my bus is equipped with 8.3 Cummins, 3060R transmission,
5.38 differential ratio and 12x22.5 tires. 2000 RPM equates to 65 mph and
2400 RPM gives 85 mph. The R on the transmission denotes a hydraulic
retarder for those with inquiring minds.

[Dragonpop]

The bus looks like a twin to the one Aaron started with on the Brocolli Bus.
Same year same drive train but with fewer miles,

[Bigswervin69]

I have a good starting point, looking to sell.

Magic School Bus/ mobile deer camp - $6850
School Bus/ mobile deer camp

via cPro for Craigslist: http://tinyurl.com/cPro-Android

[TheRoanBus]

Originally Posted by deftone

Great looking floorplans!

Small world, I am actually in Savannah right now for work.

Hi, Deftone,

I would love to meet up with you! I tried to send a private message with my phone number but I'm sure I can just give it to you here. (203) 682-5061.

Thanks!