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Old 10-11-2020, 01:49 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 27
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: Cummins ISB
Just jumped in

Found a deal on a 2008 Bluebird AA, Cummins ISB with 70k. Yes, I know I will get flamed b/c it has some emission equipment. I find it interesting that folks will ramble on about the environment, and efficiency. However, it isn’t desired if it MAY cost THEM money.
Bought it sight unseen, and think I came out pretty good @ $3100. Nearly new Goodyear RSA all around with spare. Having it flatbedded to the house next week. I didn’t want to make the maiden voyage 300+ miles in a school bus I have not yet gained confidence in. Anyone on here have any pointers for a 30’ flat front build?

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Old 10-11-2020, 02:31 PM   #2
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 27
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: Cummins ISB
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Old 10-11-2020, 05:07 PM   #3
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Ohio
Posts: 224
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: 0908S
Engine: Cummins 5.9
Rated Cap: 28' 9 window
Plan plan plan before you start building. For example, if you plan on bolting anything to the walls mark your wiring and plumbing well.

Plan on removing floor before you ask here if you should.

Run 12v dc wiring with your 110 wiring because you will probably decide to go all 12 or 24 volt later.

Recaulk windows and roof seams just because.

If you plan on installing anything on the ceiling that require drilling or cutting do it now because the metal shaving get everywhere.

If you decide to build a false wall at the rear for tool, solar, anything else make it at least 2 ft wide. Mine about 16 inches and I can’t hardly fit in there to work.

Save everything you remove until you really know you won’t use it again
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Old 10-11-2020, 05:12 PM   #4
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
The ride home would have been a great time to familiarize yourself with the bus. Most of it would be highway miles where you can get comfortable with all the operation without worry of home traffic congestion.
Thousands of ideas here on the forum. Start allotting time to read all you can here.
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Old 10-11-2020, 06:06 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 27
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: Cummins ISB
Biggest worries

Plan to do the gut first. Seats etc.... Not really looking to do a roof raise, so floor,ceiling, insulation will need to be carefully planned to maintain what vertical space I have. Do not plan to live in the bus, so heating and cooling efficiency are not a high priority, as long as it CAN be heated and cooled. 90% of the time it will be weekends plugged into shore power. Thinking that running some 1 1/2” conduit down both sides with some pull boxes will be good insurance for the future. However, lots of planning and research before much more than demo.
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Old 10-11-2020, 06:55 PM   #6
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: May 2017
Location: Athens, TN
Posts: 1,573
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: International RE
Engine: International T444e
Rated Cap: 76
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bpike View Post
I find it interesting that folks will ramble on about the environment, and efficiency. However, it isn’t desired if it MAY cost THEM money.
I have a 2008 F350, which came with some of the feared emissions equipment. I paid $6000 in a single service due to emissions equipment _defects_ that would have blown up the engine otherwise. That's more than I paid for my whole bus. And in about three years I'll have to do it again.

Pre-emissions diesels do not have these _defects_ that can and will cost as much as the vehicle itself to rectify, and are guaranteed to reoccur after some time.

This is not me flaming you for having an emissions equipped rig. This is me trying to put things in perspective for you- you who seem eager to attack people (many of whom are not financially all that well off) who don't want to pay thousands of dollars to patch _defects_. The newer you get than the 06-08 years, the less catastrophically bad the emissions equipment gets.

I hope in the next 20 years electric is a viable alternative for bus conversions. Looks like we are heading there.

Welcome to skoolie.net!
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Old 10-11-2020, 11:25 PM   #7
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,860
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas Built Bus
Chassis: Freightliner FS65
Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dwood443 View Post
Save everything you remove until you really know you won’t use it again

This is ULTRA-important. The one item I did not save, one ... I ended up needing. I was lucky 'cause I helped another Skoolie demo and they said they ABSOLUTELY did not want the part ... yes!
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Old 10-12-2020, 12:47 AM   #8
Almost There
 
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Location: S.E Missouri
Posts: 81
Year: 2000
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: All American
Engine: Cummins 5.9L 24 valve
Rated Cap: 78
Quote:
Originally Posted by dwood443 View Post
Plan plan plan before you start building. For example, if you plan on bolting anything to the walls mark your wiring and plumbing well.

Plan on removing floor before you ask here if you should.

Run 12v dc wiring with your 110 wiring because you will probably decide to go all 12 or 24 volt later.

Recaulk windows and roof seams just because.

If you plan on installing anything on the ceiling that require drilling or cutting do it now because the metal shaving get everywhere.

If you decide to build a false wall at the rear for tool, solar, anything else make it at least 2 ft wide. Mine about 16 inches and I can’t hardly fit in there to work.

Save everything you remove until you really know you won’t use it again
Sage advice.
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Old 10-12-2020, 06:46 AM   #9
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2,399
Year: 1971
Coachwork: Wayne
Chassis: International Loadstar 1600
Engine: 6v-53n detroit
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bpike View Post
Plan to do the gut first. Seats etc.... Not really looking to do a roof raise, so floor,ceiling, insulation will need to be carefully planned to maintain what vertical space I have. Do not plan to live in the bus, so heating and cooling efficiency are not a high priority, as long as it CAN be heated and cooled. 90% of the time it will be weekends plugged into shore power. Thinking that running some 1 1/2” conduit down both sides with some pull boxes will be good insurance for the future. However, lots of planning and research before much more than demo.

Conduit is a really good thing to do. Separate conduit for different voltages though.



Biggest heat loss/gain is windows, curtains on ones you keep, removing and insulating where you take any out. Don't forget to cover the windshield when parked, again curtain or the foam stuff for windshields. If it were not for the door curtain off the front driving area altogether.
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Old 10-12-2020, 11:24 AM   #10
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,259
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American
Engine: 8.3 Cummins ISC
Rated Cap: 75
2008 Cummins wouldn't be that bad, imho. Might even be able to do an EGR delete fairly easily.

Nice bus. Hopefully it is geared right for highway driving. I wouldn't have been scared of driving it home, the maiden voyage can be some of the most fun you can have.
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Old 10-12-2020, 06:54 PM   #11
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 27
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: Cummins ISB
Maybe less adventurous in my old age.

At 25, I would have checked the fluid, turned the key and had my wife follow me home. These days, too many thoughts of a broke down bus clogging up a single lane construction zone and the highway patrol asking me for my class C license. I know it isn’t required if not transporting passengers, but I learned after 25, it never pays to quote the law to a man of the law. Plus the cost to transport is worth my wife not freaking out for 6 hours.
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