Am I Getting a Steal or a Headache?

[bananafanafofantha]

Hello! Looking at a bus to begin the conversion process on, could use some seasoned veteran opinions.

This skoolie is a 2000 7 window chevy 6.6 Diesel engine. 164k miles. Likely needs a new fuel pump and filter as its been sitting for awhile.

I have a plan to have a diesel mechanic meet me out there and take a look at what it needs to get it running. He's asking $1750 and I have budgeted about $3k for the bus itself before cost of conversion. If its less than $1000 to repair, I'm ready to invest.

Here's the thing tho... I'm reading the forums and such and wondering if this bus, even if I get it running in tip top shape, can be what I need it to be.

I'll be taking it on highways and through mountains. I'll likely be living in it short term, doing a traveling project that will take me about a year/year and a half to complete.

Will a 6.6 Diesel engine take me from New Jersey to Oregon in a year without nickel and diming me into the ground?

[peteg59]

Welcome to the site banana...!

Unfortunately there are too many unknown mechanical issues to give you an accurate answer to your question about nickle/diming you.

IF your mechanic can get it running, it should be easier to assess the overall general mechanical condition.

Whether it can motivate down the road reliably, will have to be answered after the bus is up and running.

Another consideration is how much rust the bus has on/in it.
If it was a Boston/New Jersey based bus, you might want to keep looking, as there will most certainly be much rust in the structure/frame etc. that may or may not be visible from the outside. The rust remediation can be a real deal breaker, as it could be fairly costly to fix into a safe road ready state.

IF the bus was from Los Angeles, the rust factor should be a moot point.

Good luck to you if you choose to go forward with this bus...

[Johnny Mullet]

Don't buy a rusty bus.