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02-28-2015, 11:16 AM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Littlefun, CO
Posts: 49
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 66
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Hi from Littlefun, Colorado!
greetings all! My name is Adam and I've been a long time reader but finally decided to join up after buying a 91 international 3800, bluebird body.
First off I'd like to give thanks to everyone on this forum, it is truly a supportive community. Which is huge, because on a lot of other forums as I'm sure some of you have seen, the members are usually set in their own ways and more often than not objective to anything that goes against their grain...and I am the kind of person who will usually find a way to do something that "can't be done". I once had a guy I worked with tell me I couldn't put a Cadillac 500ci motor into my Chevy LUV, 6 months later I was blowing up 9" rear ends and BOPC TH400's left and right!!
Anyways, I live with my wife and 3 dogs(2 saints and an English mastiff) in Littleton, Colorado. I honestly and truly love this state and could stay here the rest of my life, that is why I know I must travel. My wife is my inspiration for this because she has a sort of gypsy soul and traveling to her is important.
We were initially going to build a tiny house, we researched for years but never made the jump. Once though about 6 months ago, whilst researching tiny house "stuff" I stumbled upon Pinterest which had many snips of converted buses...and that door was opened. Our initial search led us to transit and coach buses, after months of searching, nothing fit us. After a depressing look at a 1979 gmc transit bus (this things hay day was looooong over) we decided to take a break in the search, the wallah!!!! We stumbled upon a school bus on CL that was local! We had thought about a school bus because it would fit what we wanted to do perfectly, just at the time we were looking it was a sellers market.
So without much research, just my own mechanical knowledge and our dream we purchased said 91 International! I am an ASE certified master tech with my advanced level specialist, been doing that for 12 years now so I felt confident in my inspection of the bus.
After doing my after-purchase research, as we all do, I discovered I picked up a gem! DT466, MT643, air brakes, driveline retarder, rear air ride, side compartments, and great condition. We are so excited to begin planing for our future home. Our goal is to be as off grid as we can get, which was the plan with the tiny house.
We have it in storage for the time being, it doesn't have to be there, but I need it there because it's all I can think about and if it was in my yard I'd be scratching that itch constantly and not getting anything I need done. Right now we have 16" of snow outside, snowiest February in 100 years and I'm doing an engine for a friend, so until both are gone all we can do right now is plan plan plan.
Thanks for reading!!! I'm looking forward to reading more build threads (Jakes was truly inspirational) and sharing my build one its begun.
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02-28-2015, 11:25 AM
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#2
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,714
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Sounds like an EXCELLENT bus.
PICS!!??
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02-28-2015, 11:30 AM
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#3
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Littlefun, CO
Posts: 49
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 66
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I'll do this one to make sure I'm doing it right.
ie:
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02-28-2015, 12:10 PM
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#4
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MNT CITY TN
Posts: 5,158
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sorry you failed that attempt;)
<Pic moved>
I just right clicked and copy url
and then pasted after hitting picture input
look at edit i did...try again should work great,if not im me
__________________
Our build La Tortuga
Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.
George S. Patton
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02-28-2015, 01:10 PM
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#5
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Littlefun, CO
Posts: 49
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 66
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Ok, let me know if this works, thanks bansil.
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02-28-2015, 02:09 PM
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#6
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,714
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
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Just being honest here-
You got one HELL of a SWEET bus, Im almost jealous!
Pretty much got everything with that one. Great find.
Id actually like to see more conventionals converted. Lots to like abou t that layout IMO.
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02-28-2015, 06:37 PM
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#7
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Denver
Posts: 489
Year: 1982
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: International S1800
Engine: DT466 Trans: MT643
Rated Cap: 65
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Nice bus! I think I saw that listed in the Denver CL. Almost bought it myself but I dont need another bus atm. Was that owned by a college?
Welcome to the forum. Im in Commerce City if you ever wanted to meet up and talk bus!
__________________
Patina enthusiast and professional busman
www.bustoshow.org
Blog: www.lookatthatbus.com
Instragram: @lookatthatbus
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02-28-2015, 09:01 PM
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#8
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MNT CITY TN
Posts: 5,158
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Your welcome, good job and bus looks great
__________________
Our build La Tortuga
Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.
George S. Patton
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02-28-2015, 09:19 PM
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#9
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Florida
Posts: 584
Year: 1988
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: I.H.
Engine: DT360
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Must be nice! What a great find! I have the brother bus, dt360 but no lower storage. I wish I did. Have fun with it and keep us posted.
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02-28-2015, 11:11 PM
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#10
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Littlefun, CO
Posts: 49
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 66
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles_m
Nice bus! I think I saw that listed in the Denver CL. Almost bought it myself but I dont need another bus atm. Was that owned by a college?
Welcome to the forum. Im in Commerce City if you ever wanted to meet up and talk bus!
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Yes, it's was on the denver CL. It was owned by the Rocky Mountain college of Art and Design, pretty well maintained by them too. Would love to meet up and talk bus this spring, I think my wife gets burnt out on me talking about my ideas.
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02-28-2015, 11:16 PM
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#11
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Littlefun, CO
Posts: 49
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 66
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB
Just being honest here-
You got one HELL of a SWEET bus, Im almost jealous!
Pretty much got everything with that one. Great find.
Id actually like to see more conventionals converted. Lots to like abou t that layout IMO.
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I do like the conventional look. Being a mechanic at heart though I saw this design as being easy to maintain, but I've never worked on a cab forward, or the whatever they're called in the bus world, and I've worked on a couple pushers before, RVs and transits and I hated it! Thankful for what i found for sure, thank you!
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03-01-2015, 07:30 AM
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#12
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: southwest lowsyana
Posts: 542
Year: 1988
Coachwork: ward
Chassis: international
Engine: dt360a
Rated Cap: 65
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great score! yall will really appreciate the retarder in those mountains.
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03-02-2015, 07:32 PM
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#13
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Denver
Posts: 489
Year: 1982
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: International S1800
Engine: DT466 Trans: MT643
Rated Cap: 65
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Pretty much the perfect bus. I'd loved to have gotten one of those, but I prefer the older grill look and got mine for a song. It's a bit short though. Yours is about as big as they come!
__________________
Patina enthusiast and professional busman
www.bustoshow.org
Blog: www.lookatthatbus.com
Instragram: @lookatthatbus
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03-03-2015, 09:36 AM
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#14
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Littlefun, CO
Posts: 49
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 66
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Yeah, I do think I was shorted at foot or 2. The public school buses that run around here have 5 or 6 Windows after the rear axle, mine has 4, but that's ok. Thank you all for the compliments. Also I found the build sticker on the air cleaner, it has a 4.10 gear ratio, that willl be great for the highway! I'm so excited to begin!
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03-03-2015, 10:23 AM
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#15
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Denver
Posts: 489
Year: 1982
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: International S1800
Engine: DT466 Trans: MT643
Rated Cap: 65
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Okok now im jealous. Highway speed!
__________________
Patina enthusiast and professional busman
www.bustoshow.org
Blog: www.lookatthatbus.com
Instragram: @lookatthatbus
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