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Old 06-22-2017, 12:34 PM   #2501
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Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
That mid size bus is nice. Lots of L-track, if you like that sort of thing. Looks like a TC2000 but has one more window than the usual nine window.

That short seems odd with 19.5s on the front axle and 22.5s on the rear. Like the stick shift, but I don't want a bus with that type of wheel setup (Dayton ?). I grew up calling those California wheels, compared to normal rims. Very clean looking though. Ideal towing rig.
Those aren't Daytons, they're regular ole hub piloted 22.5s. They have super low profile tires on them though.

The bus itself is an All American. I think that's the shortest A3 I've ever seen.

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Old 06-22-2017, 12:43 PM   #2502
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Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
That mid size bus is nice. Lots of L-track, if you like that sort of thing. Looks like a TC2000 but has one more window than the usual nine window.

That short seems odd with 19.5s on the front axle and 22.5s on the rear. Like the stick shift, but I don't want a bus with that type of wheel setup (Dayton ?). I grew up calling those California wheels, compared to normal rims. Very clean looking though. Ideal towing rig.

I also just realized I don't see a stick. Are we talking about the same bus?
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Old 06-22-2017, 01:49 PM   #2503
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On the second bus, the '99 shorty, there was this;
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Old 06-22-2017, 02:06 PM   #2504
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I probably didn't make enough of a distinction between the medium bus and the '99 Int. shorty.

This is from the shorty;
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Old 06-22-2017, 02:53 PM   #2505
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that shorty is the same size as mine.. its a 6 window.. you justy have 4 on the right side because of ther handicap door.. but if you carefully look at the left side it appears to be a 6 window... bluebird did make a 5 window for awhile.. they were somewhat rare.. I had one previously...

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Old 06-22-2017, 02:56 PM   #2506
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Lol.
Well, I'll bring those 2 vans down here. It will be a nice road trip for my dad and I.

If we dont like them, I'm sure we can sell them for what we paid. I've seen worse shape vans go for more.

It is always fun searching for a vehicle.

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only thing will be a tough sell for those vans in florida might be lack of A/C, sell them up north easily though... look for cities with lots of contruction going on up north and those would be gone..

if they are not rusty PA might be a good sell.. thigns rust quick up there and the DMV wont register any vehicle with rust.. well work vans rust out so construction companies always scrambling to find good used vans..
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Old 06-22-2017, 03:18 PM   #2507
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I probably didn't make enough of a distinction between the medium bus and the '99 Int. shorty.
Ahh, got it. I thought the whole post was about one bus.

I'd skipped over the shorty.
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Old 06-22-2017, 03:46 PM   #2508
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That shorty caught my eye with the spicer. If that had a 466 and air I'd be more than interested.
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Old 06-22-2017, 07:04 PM   #2509
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I see a lot of manual trans buses in West Virginia for some reason. Most of them are the cheaper ones with no air brakes, T444 engine, etc.

I did see one mechanical Dt466/manual combo in a WV auction last year but that thing was BEAT. Early 90s International with a Carpenter body. Looked like it had been sitting in a field for years.

The thing still went for $3K probably to some Mexican that was gonna tow it down to the border anyway
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Old 06-22-2017, 07:43 PM   #2510
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On the second bus, the '99 shorty, there was this;
Yeah I lost faith in thos WV buses. They've been relisted over and over for at least a whole year now.
Top speed 55mph on those too.
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Old 06-22-2017, 07:52 PM   #2511
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I'm from WV. Most of the non-air brake bus, if shortie's, where used for head start. They don't maintain the fleet very well at all.

The other buses, well, we run them a long time here. They are very well maintained and have strict inspections from "State Bus Inspectors". Then they turn into subs, sit, or run harder than when on a daily route. Several buses let go from Kingwood WV had freshly rebuilt engines prior to being sold. So they arint all bad. Yes, the have a six speed manuals and 60mph may be the top. Local to me I had the rear redone on an amtran RE for about $1800. Goes 80mph when plenty of rpm's left.

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Old 06-22-2017, 10:33 PM   #2512
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I'm from WV. Most of the non-air brake bus, if shortie's, where used for head start. They don't maintain the fleet very well at all.

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I didn't realize Head Start was a national program. The school bus contractor I drive for has several Head Start routes here in Wisconsin.

We use older Ford E Series Microbirds with the 7.3 PSD. They have weird requirements such as no age limit but they do require working A/C and seatbelts on ALL the seats not just the first couple rows.
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Old 06-23-2017, 06:10 AM   #2513
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everybody on the west coast called them california wheels. I had them on the second bus i converted - about a 77 international gas powered bus for military transport which had a high ceiling.
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Old 06-23-2017, 06:14 AM   #2514
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Its got 230 hp, and its from CO. I'm sure its better off in the grades than many.
My 5.9 has 260 hp and 440 ftlb of torque. I drove it up the Berkshire mountains (small mountains not the Rockies) to get home. It would have done 70. Yes I would have had to pin it, so I did a respectable 60 uphill with plenty of pedal left.
They aren't as bad as the underpowered versions they used in the Dodge pickup trucks.
Some of it has to do with the rear gears too.

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Old 06-23-2017, 07:27 AM   #2515
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Nice RE 40 footer.
https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/au...01&trackId=102

GVWR is 3,000lb more than mine. Has a higher rear gear ratio.
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Old 06-23-2017, 07:39 AM   #2516
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Nice RE 40 footer.
https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/au...01&trackId=102

GVWR is 3,000lb more than mine. Has a higher rear gear ratio.
Has the 8.3 as well. That is a really nice combo

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Old 06-23-2017, 07:47 AM   #2517
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That 4.78 rear end is the same as what I have, but that 300 hp 8.3 and retarder are making me jealous!
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Old 06-23-2017, 09:02 AM   #2518
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That 4.78 rear end is the same as what I have, but that 300 hp 8.3 and retarder are making me jealous!
My rear is a 4.44. I have the 8.3L as well but only 260hp. All of the online stuff I've seen says the MT643 is limited to 250hp input. Not sure how you go about getting 300 hp out of it. I could definitely use it going uphill.
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Old 06-23-2017, 09:24 AM   #2519
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My rear is a 4.44. I have the 8.3L as well but only 260hp. All of the online stuff I've seen says the MT643 is limited to 250hp input. Not sure how you go about getting 300 hp out of it. I could definitely use it going uphill.

I'm surprised the 643 isn't rated for more than that. Realistically, it can probably handle more than that in a bus since it's only dealing with about 30,000 lbs.

My ISC is a 260 hp version too. That's the most common one in school buses. Going from the 260 hp version to the 300 also takes you from 660 lb-ft of torque to 860. Biggest difference in those engines is the injectors. There're probably some other smaller changes that were made too though. Pump timing, and things like that. The ISC came from the factory as high as 400 hp. Not in school buses though. Those were in dump trucks, fire trucks, etc.
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Old 06-23-2017, 09:52 AM   #2520
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I'm surprised the 643 isn't rated for more than that. Realistically, it can probably handle more than that in a bus since it's only dealing with about 30,000 lbs.
I don't remember if I ever saw that directly from Allison tho. Might have been other sites.

Quote:
My ISC is a 260 hp version too. That's the most common one in school buses. Going from the 260 hp version to the 300 also takes you from 660 lb-ft of torque to 860.
That's a hell of a jump in torque!!

Quote:
Biggest difference in those engines is the injectors. There're probably some other smaller changes that were made too though. Pump timing, and things like that. The ISC came from the factory as high as 400 hp. Not in school buses though. Those were in dump trucks, fire trucks, etc.
Wonder what that does to mpg. Since I'm only at 7 mpg I might be willing to drop to 6 for better uphill climbing. Injectors probably aren't cheap tho. No clue on how to turn up pumps either.
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