Just getting started! Does this sound like a good idea?

[little busito]

Hi from up North

We are very likely purchasing a 1990 International/Wayne 3000 8-window tomorrow morning. We drove it today and loooooved it.

So far we know this about it:
- 1990 International School Bus (3000 Series, Short Bus)
- Wayne Body
- 7.3L International Diesel Engine
- Allison AT545 4-Speed Automatic Transmission
- 14,750 miles odometer (estimated 76,000 actual from maintenance records)
- 6 Window Bays
- Custom hitch installed with 7-pin wiring and electronic brake controller

It has already been somewhat roughly converted inside, and we plan to spruce it up and reconfigure the beds, etc.

I realize this isn't much info to go on, but does this sound like a good one? Anyone have anything comparable, and do you have any tips for us? Would it be ok for me to post the craigslist ad for it, or is that not kosher?

We have dreamed of owning a skoolie for years now, and just now came in to the money to get ourselves one.

Thanks for taking the time to help out a noob

[crazycal]

Go ahead and post the ad. A 1990 7.3 is going to be a slug. It is an IDI motor, no turbo, no computer and cheap for parts. That engine was slow in the Ford pickumup. I can imagine it is any faster in the bus.

[little busito]

Thank you! Heres the link. Whatcha think? Please feel free to weigh in on the price as well

http://anchorage.craigslist.org/clt/5226456756.html

Slow as beans is fine with us. This is the size we have been looking for, and its super hard to find *anything* considering how far North we live, without having to drive a few thousand miles to pick something up.

Any and all tips and thoughts welcome. Thanks guys!

[little busito]

Heres the link:

1990 School Bus, RV, Roadmachine

Thoughts?

[crazycal]

I think it's priced too high but I have heard that a gallon of milk costs $76.99 in Alaska.

[little busito]

Yeah, it's pricey. But unless we fly down to Seattle or somewhere, this is what we can get here. Do you see anything that looks like a red flag to you in it? (Other than the price )

And yeah, life's not cheap up here. The scenery and all the places you can go in a skoolie make up for it though!

[crazycal]

Full tune-up, all new fluids, belts, hoses, filters, fuel flow transmitter, and muffler in Jan. 2015.
Ready for oil change, and a coolant drain/fill.

All new fluids but ready for an oil change. That's a little odd.

[ol trunt]

Ask for cross country trip records and try to determine if they had any bus trouble on the trip. Check all tires for condition and production date (learn how to check on Google)--they should be replaced if over 7-8 years old or show sidewall cracking. ask why they are selling it and see if they get caught up in their story. Offer LESS money. Jack

[Hank's P-O-S]

Originally Posted by crazycal

Go ahead and post the ad. A 1990 7.3 is going to be a slug. It is an IDI motor, no turbo, no computer and cheap for parts. That engine was slow in the Ford pickumup. I can imagine it is any faster in the bus.

We have a 6.9idi in a uhaul, it's brutally slow AND I live in the prairies. It's even got a 5 speed manual behind it and there is NO way id want to take it cross country. It's slow by canadian standards, and the highest speed limit is 65mph (110kmh)

[Stu & Filo. T]

Just getting started! Does this sound like a good idea?

All depends, did it start with "Here hold my Beer"?

[Tango]

And...the AT545 is way outdated. Getting hard to find anyone who wants to service them here. No lockup and fuel guzzlers. I have one I have offered for free and no takers. Personally I'd offer less or head south for a better deal.

[ol trunt]

Originally Posted by Stu & Filo. T

Just getting started! Does this sound like a good idea?

All depends, did it start with "Here hold my Beer"?

Now thats funny -- but with me its always a martini

[little busito]

Thanks everyone! We are totally down with a molasses engine and so we bought it for considerably less than what they were asking.

Thank you all for your input; it was much appreciated. Now, off to see everyones floor plans, see how you all do bunks, and what you've done for a kitchenette area. We're really excited! thanks for being patient with our newbie-ness; we're really glad we've found this resource.

[Bumper]

Looks like we, here in Kodiak are doing this skoolie thing with you. Where are you in AK? Do you have any updates or pics to share?

[little busito]

Originally Posted by Bumper

Looks like we, here in Kodiak are doing this skoolie thing with you. Where are you in AK? Do you have any updates or pics to share?

Hi! We're in the big town up here

We are headed down to Homer tomorrow for a week of working on the bus in my inlaws workshop there. Just picked up our flooring and are headed to pick up a few more bus seats from a junkyard this afternoon. The bus we have was fairly well converted when we bought it. They laid a good subfloor but put the wrong kind of flooring in it for he level of moisture and cold we deal with here, so we'll be ripping that out and laying down some sheet vinyl flooring. The seat, table and shelving configuration was awkward for us, so we'll be reconfiguring everything too, adding a sink and countertop area and building a storage area we can access from the back door that will fit a queen mattress and some custom shelves on top of it. We are very fortunate that my father in law is a woodworker and lives for projects like this. I have some pics of what it looks like inside for now and I'll post those shortly, probably in the official build-out thread I'll start this weekend.

The boys also just decided to change her name --- she is now (and has been for some time, actually) .......'Bus'ter Brown

[Docsgsxr]

Let's see some pics!!!!!

[Bumper]

Sounds like fun!