The Daily Driver Bus

[toplessartist]

Thomas… I have a '91 with the 350… No AC, no throttle body… I was getting 13mpg with a slightly leaky head gasket (being repaired as we speak!) and expect the full 15mpg when he returns it to me! I consider it an "every other day driver" just because I can! My wife prefers her air-conditioned asian-made shiny electric-windowed heated-seated wifi connected quiet-ride thing for local trips, but my dog LOVES jumping into the bus for air around town trips, so it's usually a 2-1 vote and we bus to the pool or Wallmert or the park. You may have been fooled on the year and info but if the bus your friend shows up with is as fun as mine… well you will love it!

[Thomas1985]

You put my mind at ease! I'm really looking forward to the gas mileage. My V10 E450 gets 6.

[cadillackid]

being carbed means it will be nice N easy to work on too!!
-Christopher

[Thomas1985]

Allright,
I found out that the transmission is the GM 4L80E the overdrive version of the TH400. Sounds good to me!
The Novak Guide to the GM 4L80E Automatic Transmission

[cadillackid]

im a huge 4L80E fan. ive BEAT on a few over the years and never broke one. also be real surprised then if you arent also fuel injected.. I didnt think they put the 80E behind a carbed engine. that together should give you decent mileage too.
-Christopher

[Thomas1985]

It turns out I'm glad it's not the 2002. It's all going to be metal. No plastic air intake or other parts!

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

Allright,
I found out that the transmission is the GM 4L80E the overdrive version of the TH400. Sounds good to me!
The Novak Guide to the GM 4L80E Automatic Transmission

Man, did I mention how much I LOVE those classic GM vans? The 350 with that od trans would be the setup I'd be after!

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Man, did I mention how much I LOVE those classic GM vans? The 350 with that od trans would be the setup I'd be after!

THIS!!!
-Christopher

[Charlies.Contingency]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

Allright,
I found out that the transmission is the GM 4L80E the overdrive version of the TH400. Sounds good to me!
The Novak Guide to the GM 4L80E Automatic Transmission

That is great. You have one of the most rock solid GM drive train available. A 350 V8 powering a 4L80E with what looked like a GM 14bolt full floating rear end. Say geared somewhere around 4.10 or 4.56 maybe? I'd be game for it at a good price.

Congradulations. You now have overdrive as well. Only better tranny would be a manual, which has its own perks and flaws.

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[Thomas1985]

It turns out my friend in Houston is willing to go get it but doesn't have anywhere to park it for about a month before driving to me. Are any of you guys in the area??

[Charlies.Contingency]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

It turns out my friend in Houston is willing to go get it but doesn't have anywhere to park it for about a month before driving to me. Are any of you guys in the area??

I am a bit out of the way. And if it's raining around the time of pickup or drop off, we risk getting stuck. [emoji12]

Just east of San Antonio.

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[Skoolydoo]

You know just saying now, that is a flat land bus so it may not make it up the hill to
Fayetteville.. may need to stop here in ft smith...lol

[Thomas1985]

Originally Posted by Skoolydoo

You know just saying now, that is a flat land bus so it may not make it up the hill to
Fayetteville.. may need to stop here in ft smith...lol

I make my way through there from time to time. So you're not in Oklahoma?

[Thomas1985]

SO.. over the last 3 1/2 years I have put over 45,000 miles on my V10 E450 shuttle bus that gets 6 miles to the gallon highway.. Let's say $2.80 a gallon averaged..
45,000/6 = 7500 gallons * 2.8 = $21,000...
Oh my god. I've never done the math on how much gas my bus has cost me so far.
I'm going to try to forget now.
This new short bus is really going to save my life!

** UPDATE **

Today I spent all day calling storage facilities in Houston trying to find anywhere that would be willing to take it for a month or less. What I found out was pretty much all of them require it to be registered to the same person renting the spot.
So finally I found a place a little bit north called Four Girls RV Ranch. They understood my situation and will happily let me park there for only $50.00 a month!
The seller was busy tonight when I tried to call so I will speak with him tomorrow. If he really can't hold onto it for a couple more weeks I found a solution only 5 miles away from his house.
I'm on top of it!

[Skoolydoo]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

I make my way through there from time to time. So you're not in Oklahoma?

I guess I should change that location, no I live in ft smith now. I am an old guy
And we just had to much land to care for. Everything was over here Dr. Shopping
You know.

Don

[Thomas1985]

Originally Posted by Skoolydoo

I guess I should change that location, no I live in ft smith now. I am an old guy
And we just had to much land to care for. Everything was over here Dr. Shopping
You know.

Don

I'd like to have some land one day with a spring fed pond. I've still got some years of traveling the country ahead of me first though. Gotta travel and party while we still have the energy you know? Can't settle down yet!

[Skoolydoo]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

I'd like to have some land one day with a spring fed pond. I've still got some years of traveling the country ahead of me first though. Gotta travel and party while we still have the energy you know? Can't settle down yet!

Lol...lol...lol.. to be young again

The wife and I have seen all the lower 48, been coast to coast in Canada
And been to 17 countries in Europe ...lol like I said old real old but still not dead
We are looking for that special skoolie to start again.. I am real sure we missed something along the way

Don

[dopamine16]

6 miles to the gallon highway I don't know how you do it. I wouldn't be able to.

The youngness goes by fast enjoy it..

[cadillackid]

I just ran 1100 miles yesterday in redbyrd and got 12.2 mpg at 65 o the highway in 5th gear. Tallest mountains was just. 2500 feet .. doesn't seem too bad for a school bus, a good portion was in the rain once I got to tn,. The air was running mid setting the whole trip. It was in the mid 80s or higher whennot raining, so I had a fair amount of engine fan use. Winds were mainly a light headwind att most except in thunderstorms .i stop frequently and usually idle except I stop engine to check oil when fueling
I ran from St. Petersburg Florida to Columbus Ohio

Christopher

[Tango]

12.2 @ 65?...in a school bus?...sounds excellent to me!