Wanted: HDX or RE300

[BusGuyWV]

I've been searching Facebook and Craigslist like crazy and every time I find a bus it always seems I find the ads 5 minutes after the bus is sold or the seller just doesn't respond, so I thought maybe you all might have a lead on where I might find one. I am looking for a Thomas HDX or International RE300. Preferably with either a Mercedes, International, or Cummins motor and an MD3060. AC is not necessary but always welcomed. I am open to traveling anywhere in the US for the right deal but would prefer to find something east of the Mississippi or in the Southeast and under $7k. Thanks for all your help!

[rossvtaylor]

Keep in mind...the Mercedes engines are well made and reliable. But, if you have an issue they are much harder to get repaired. There's a bus sitting in my yard right...a Freightliner with a Mercedes engine. The local Freightliner truck center will work on any Freightliner engine except the Mercedes. No other local independent or chain will work on them either. And the one tech who came out with a scan tool found that he couldn't decipher the Mercedes codes and when he called them they refused to help him, since he didn't have the very-expensive Mercedes software.

As it stands right now, the owner is arranging a 5 hour tow from Northern AZ to Las Vegas to get this fixed.

I'm not saying you should remove that from your list. But it would be wise to check and see if there's a shop in your area which can help you out if you need it.

[DeMac]

Thomas HDX were powered by Caterpillar, Cummins, Detroit Diesel & John Deere(CNG).

IC/Navistar RE300 used International & Cummins.

Aforementioned engines also power Blue Bird AAs,
Mercedes is on a different list.

(I hope this helps expand your possible candidates.

[La Camioneta]

Look up 'Seth Owens' Tallapoosa GA on FB/marketplace. Good guy. He resells busses, probably can get you what you want.

PM me for his phone #

[cadillackid]

be careful of which IC RE you choose..



the IC RE's had either DT466 (EGR) or Maxxforce DT engines... be mindful of which it is.. the DT466 is a good engine, even in its EGR variant for the most part.. however if it has a Maxxforce badge on it be Very wary of it... lots of failures.. just google it..



the HDX is a really nice bus.. they even were made in 4 corner air ride... aboiut as close to a coach as a school bus could be.. many of them are powered by CAT motors.. the earlier HDX's typically had CAT 3126's and in 05+ you fin d them with C7. (some hate the C7 but my experience through friends that own them and run them still on routes are not so dire... good runners when yopu take care of them)... HDX's with 3126's were found with allison 2000 transmissions.. dont do it.. yes the 2000 is a great trans but you need a 3000 series in a big heavy bus like that...



in my opinion air conditioning is a MUST in any transit style.. that massive windshield is HOT driving into the summer sun... ive done it and refusee to do it again... so if you dont get A/C, plan on being warm or adding it at least to the front. (bulkhead A/C is a beautiful thing as it doenst take up headroom space).. of course when you are parked you can insulated-curtain off that big window area and heat is a non issue.


the IC RE busses do drive nice and often the engine has great power.. the 7.6 litre 466 has solid torque... the Non-maxxforce version can be upgraded with an Orion tuner if you want to have more power... no such device exists for the CAT motor that I know of.. I also like the heating systems in the IC better than the HDX.. if you plan on a lot of brutal cold travelling you (and esp a co-pilot) will be much warmer in an IC as they have a dedicated driver heater as well as a dedicated stepwell heater to mitigate the door cold.
a 3rd party makes a dashboard A/C evaporator to fit the IC RE front area so adding at least some A/C to the front dash vents is possibe failrly easily (though not cheaply).. I think I have one of those laying around someplace as I almost acquired an IC RE till I found the motor was shot (2nd dead maxxfroce in 2 years.. ).. luckily I insisted on taking that for a long test drive and found it would be wonderful for keeping the summer mosquitos away but not so good as a mobile office.

[eaglespirit]

I have a 2008 Int RE 300 listed on the classifieds below it is for sale, located in Tucson, AZ. It has the DT466e allison trans you are looking for. Check out the photos.

[BusGuyWV]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

....

the IC RE's had either DT466 (EGR) or Maxxforce DT engines... be mindful of which it is.. the DT466 is a good engine, even in its EGR variant for the most part.. however if it has a Maxxforce badge on it be Very wary of it... lots of failures.. just google it..

....
....
....

a 3rd party makes a dashboard A/C evaporator to fit the IC RE front area so adding at least some A/C to the front dash vents is possibe failrly easily (though not cheaply).. I think I have one of those laying around someplace as I almost acquired an IC RE till I found the motor was shot (2nd dead maxxfroce in 2 years.. ).. luckily I insisted on taking that for a long test drive and found it would be wonderful for keeping the summer mosquitos away but not so good as a mobile office.

Thanks for the info! I have definitely been around enough MaxxForces to determine that even with a smokin' hot deal, it will never be good enough to take a risk on a MF.

I haven't seen or heard of the IC dashboard A/C evap, I am going to have to check that option out.

[BusGuyWV]

Originally Posted by eaglespirit

I have a 2008 Int RE 300 listed on the classifieds below it is for sale, located in Tucson, AZ. It has the DT466e allison trans you are looking for. Check out the photos.

I saw that, I am going to send you a DM about it a little bit later today.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by BusGuyWV

Thanks for the info! I have definitely been around enough MaxxForces to determine that even with a smokin' hot deal, it will never be good enough to take a risk on a MF.

I haven't seen or heard of the IC dashboard A/C evap, I am going to have to check that option out.

looks like ProAir LLC who made the larger capacity in dash unit has died.. which SUCKS because all the equipment in my DEV bus is proair.. at least my dash air and mid air is.. luckily i just bought 2 new touch panel controllers last year as spares so Ill be fine for awhile..


anyway transAir is the other one I know of who makes the RE evaporator..



https://www.transairmfg.com/pdfs/RE%20Dash.pdf


transair has been used in all kinds of busses.. for decades.. my redbyrd has transair and they are great to work with..


you would of course need condensor, controller, compressor, brackets, and lines to use this..

[Meathead]

Several of us here got our HDXs at M&M Salvage in Ruckersville,VA. They always list a few busses on Charlottesville Craigslist.

☮️Dave

[BusGuyWV]

Thanks for the info. They did hook me up a few weeks ago with access to their live bus list so I could keep checking but unfortunately they haven’t had any up lately. There was a huge auction of like 30 of them in Richmond in early December that I didn’t find out about until too late. They were selling for $1,500-$2,000. Now those buses are hitting Facebook and Craigslist all over VA, NC and DE with crazy high prices.

[BusGuyWV]

Finally found and just got back from picking up a bus that fits all of our needs. Thank you all for your pointers and connections throughout the hunt!