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06-07-2018, 10:06 AM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 5
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B600 ready 2 roll
Hi,
I am a newbie to this site. Glad I found it. I have 2 Skoolies. A 1972 B500 Shortie with only 47K actual miles (cool huh?) and a 1968 B600 aka the millennium falcon. The Falcon has been 90% restored interior wise. It has hot water, a kitchen, bathroom,insulation, propane furnace. It is real Koolie! It is a bluebird and has a little rust but it runs great and we just finished replacing the monster double brake booster. There were only 2 left in existence. Gerald my new friend at Southern Truck and Bus in Louisiana said the last one he sold was in 1999. He wouldn’t sell me one until he had them go completely through it new seals and all. So we decided to send our old one to him for all new guts. He was great to work with and he knew our bus like the back of his hand. This was no cheap or easy fix.
My problem is which bus do we keep. I am 5’2” and not a very big person and the Falcon is a beast. It does have power steering where shortie does not. shortie is still just a bunk house. No water or heat, not kitchen but I believe my heart belongs to shortie. He has ZERO rust btw and is totally clean.
So if you have ever chosen one over the other would you pass on your pros and cons. The kids are grown so they aren’t tagging along right now and the dog is large but loves to ride. With my size and strength being the biggest concern I think I can maneuver better in shortie.
I’ll post pictures soon of the Falcon when she gets her final touches inside.
Peace, love and Skoolies.����
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06-07-2018, 10:18 AM
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#2
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Huntington Beach CA
Posts: 40
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: Ford 7.3
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Hello,
I am not exactly in your position but I recently moved from a 27' Winnebago to a 22' shorty.
I lived in the RV for ten years and although I liked the roominess, I could not take it anywhere.
I love the shorty and actually have more room. There are a lot of things you really don't need in a big vehicle.
Parking is a breeze.
It's a tough decision for you.
Good luck.
Please post pics when you can.
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06-07-2018, 10:21 AM
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#3
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New Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 5
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Thanks! Belize would be cool.
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06-07-2018, 02:48 PM
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#4
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Huntington Beach CA
Posts: 40
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: Ford 7.3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shortbusgirl69
Thanks! Belize would be cool.
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It is. I lived there for a little while, years ago.
You have to like mosquitoes!
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06-07-2018, 02:58 PM
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#5
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2018
Location: topeka kansas
Posts: 1,819
Year: 1954
Coachwork: wayne
Chassis: old f500- new 2005 f-450
Engine: cummins 12 valve
Rated Cap: 20? five rows of 4?
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power steering
We should be able to add power steering.......
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06-07-2018, 03:05 PM
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#6
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2018
Location: topeka kansas
Posts: 1,819
Year: 1954
Coachwork: wayne
Chassis: old f500- new 2005 f-450
Engine: cummins 12 valve
Rated Cap: 20? five rows of 4?
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confirmed
I just confirmed that it was available in 1972. The pump should be easy part. finding the a good steering gear, or someone that will rebuild one is going to be the hard part. It is likely that f500 f600 will be the same . shaft diameters, and bolt locations are going to be the stuff to check.
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06-07-2018, 03:18 PM
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#7
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2018
Location: topeka kansas
Posts: 1,819
Year: 1954
Coachwork: wayne
Chassis: old f500- new 2005 f-450
Engine: cummins 12 valve
Rated Cap: 20? five rows of 4?
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might have found one
might have found steering box from 1970 f-600 paola kansas...... let you know if i can confirm.
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06-08-2018, 01:28 PM
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#8
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New Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 5
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That would be awesome but I thought that might be a pretty big upgrade for a bus..
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06-09-2018, 12:35 AM
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#9
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2018
Location: topeka kansas
Posts: 1,819
Year: 1954
Coachwork: wayne
Chassis: old f500- new 2005 f-450
Engine: cummins 12 valve
Rated Cap: 20? five rows of 4?
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steering box...
the one i found, turned out to be manual, sorry.
william
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06-09-2018, 09:50 AM
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#10
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 543
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I have a 1974 Chevrolet c60 bb with power steering. If you need any information I'm here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by magnakansas
We should be able to add power steering.......
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06-09-2018, 10:24 AM
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#11
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2018
Location: topeka kansas
Posts: 1,819
Year: 1954
Coachwork: wayne
Chassis: old f500- new 2005 f-450
Engine: cummins 12 valve
Rated Cap: 20? five rows of 4?
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pointing out
Trying to illustrate that adding power steering is not a super big deal. Hoping to show that She could add the power steering to the short bus to make living with the short bus more ejoyable. I think she could do this her self with our help.Old farm trucks, or buses are probably the most common way of finding a power steering boxes on the cheap.
william
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06-09-2018, 11:02 AM
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#12
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 543
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If I understand power steering / hydraulics you need a pump, steering box (control valve), and a hydraulic ram to move the steering linkage. The suspension under vehicles all pretty much the same. Would a suspension shop be able to put a system together?
In my area there is a hi way tractor trailer wrecker that has parts and does repairs. Maybe there is such a place near you.
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06-09-2018, 08:00 PM
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#13
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: So Cal
Posts: 3,245
Year: 1935
Coachwork: Superior
Chassis: Chevy
Engine: 317 ci/tid / Isuzu
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Most power steering set ups from the 70's were of the integral type so no ram needed. Ford might be an exception to this as they hung on to the ram after others went integral. Jack
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06-09-2018, 09:33 PM
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#14
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 543
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06-13-2018, 04:43 PM
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#15
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 26
Year: 1968
Coachwork: superior/wayne
Chassis: b500 ford/chevy?
Engine: ford 330 MD / chevy 327
Rated Cap: 36
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68' b500
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shortbusgirl69
Hi,
I am a newbie to this site. Glad I found it. I have 2 Skoolies. A 1972 B500 Shortie with only 47K actual miles (cool huh?) and a 1968 B600 aka the millennium falcon. The Falcon has been 90% restored interior wise. It has hot water, a kitchen, bathroom,insulation, propane furnace. It is real Koolie! It is a bluebird and has a little rust but it runs great and we just finished replacing the monster double brake booster. There were only 2 left in existence. Gerald my new friend at Southern Truck and Bus in Louisiana said the last one he sold was in 1999. He wouldn’t sell me one until he had them go completely through it new seals and all. So we decided to send our old one to him for all new guts. He was great to work with and he knew our bus like the back of his hand. This was no cheap or easy fix.
My problem is which bus do we keep. I am 5’2” and not a very big person and the Falcon is a beast. It does have power steering where shortie does not. shortie is still just a bunk house. No water or heat, not kitchen but I believe my heart belongs to shortie. He has ZERO rust btw and is totally clean.
So if you have ever chosen one over the other would you pass on your pros and cons. The kids are grown so they aren’t tagging along right now and the dog is large but loves to ride. With my size and strength being the biggest concern I think I can maneuver better in shortie.
I’ll post pictures soon of the Falcon when she gets her final touches inside.
Peace, love and Skoolies.����
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Check out my 68' B500. All original, untouched. Still cruising with it's 330MD and 4-speed. I rebuilt the dual booster, brake system about 8 yrs ago. A local, industrial clutch/brake shop had all parts in stock. But you're correct in that the guys working there had never seen one of these dual booster/master units. Super rare!! My bus is a 24' footer and a little on the long side (no P/S as well, but manageable for me). I picked up another 21', 1961 bus a few years ago, which I plan on building a camper out of. Good luck with your build!!!
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06-13-2018, 04:55 PM
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#16
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 8,462
Year: 1946
Coachwork: Chevrolet/Wayne
Chassis: 1- 1/2 ton
Engine: Cummins 4BT
Rated Cap: 15
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What an old sweetheart!
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06-14-2018, 12:16 PM
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#17
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SW New Hampshire
Posts: 1,334
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jibronee
Check out my 68' B500. All original, untouched. Still cruising with it's 330MD and 4-speed.
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That's an awesome bus!
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01-27-2024, 02:25 PM
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#18
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New Member
Join Date: Jan 2024
Posts: 2
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Jibronee, what kind of wheels are those? Cool bus btw!
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