Mountain skoolie

[Powderturkey]

I live in the mountains of Colorado and I am just starting to look into models of busses that will do best for mountain passes and a 4x4 conversation.

[CHEESE_WAGON]

Check out the threads linked in my sig... Good luck!

[BeNimble]

My advice is get something lightweight, that would not be a school bus.
A 4x4 truck with a cab over camper is the easy button here.

[rossvtaylor]

What BeNimble said! Trust me...we love buses and just picked up our 6th...but we've also converted ambulances and still have 2 of those. And...we live in the mountains too, near Flagstaff AZ, where it's about 7000' up. So I think we have applicable experience. And based on our experience, for what you describe, you might want to look at a used ambulance. RVs are built for everything except strength, while buses and ambulances are both super strong. Or, like BeNimble suggested, get a truck and a cabover camper. Even our strongest running buses slow to 45-55 up the steep grades and if I was looking for something "for mountain passes and a 4x4 conversion" it wouldn't be a bus...

[CHEESE_WAGON]

No need for a 4x4 'conversion'... Some buses were factory built that way. Rare and hard to find, but I've seen them for sale occasionally. The ones I've seen were International / Navistar.

[Powderturkey]

Where is a good place to look for used ambulances and or converted ambulance how to’s?

[ISAF2009]

Look at my bus. If i decide I love it I will convert it to 4wd using the u-joint kit.

[Powderturkey]

Is there a link didn’t see anything in your profile. Sorry new to the this site.

[ISAF2009]

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/dan-the-1995-collins-bantam-34267.html#post420375

Me too no worries

[Nomadic Spirit]

Originally Posted by Powderturkey

Where is a good place to look for used ambulances and or converted ambulance how to’s?

Check out Govdeals.com and publicsurplus.com and Truckpaper.com, these are great places to get cheap and great ambulances.

[BeNimble]

Ambulances are pretty heavy for their size.
A cutaway fiberglass shuttle bus is lighter and bigger.

[ISAF2009]

My bus weighs 400lbs less than my f-350 according to the scales at the dump.

[Peabus]

Tulsa truck manufacturing
10318 East 52nd St P.O. Box 470321 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74147
Phone: 918-627-5501
Fax: 918-627-8613
Email Us
They do bus 4x4 upgrades I was also looking into this type of conversation

[Gypsy4x4]

I too live in Colorado and bought a 4 window 4x4 bus. Small enough to go anywwhere and though a little slow on the inclines, has been doing the mountains all her life.

[Dan Trott]

Gilligs and Crowns 40' tandems have twin screw rear axels interconected switch operated for low speed snow icy-rough dirt roads or sand. 8 wheel drive is quite impressive. I found mine abandoned in a storage lot, auction $50. It waited 20 years for me, some priming injectors, brakes needed coaxing with spray brake cleen liberally from top back plates mostly to free up, no dismantling. New batteries of course. The finest bus in my opinion Gillig, they've massive frames.