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Old 12-18-2020, 06:52 PM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: maryland
Posts: 3
Year: 2003
Coachwork: international
Chassis: IC3S530
Engine: international 7.3L T444e
Rated Cap: 24+2
Talking Looking for a Skoolie Yoda!

Hi! I'm madmax!
Living in Chicago currently! Going to be converting the bus in Maryland then heading back to Chicago/everywhere. This is something I've dreamed about doing since I was a teenager and I'm excited to finally be doing it!

I've researched and feel like I've found a bus that's just what I want:
2007 International IC CE300
DT466E 7.6L Diesel
Allison Automatic 2500

The asking price is 11k/12k depending on layaway or not. Which I can figure out how to pay as long as I know it's worth it down the road. I'm just trying to avoid overpaying for some lemon bus that breaks down before I even get it back. (As much as I appreciate the mechanics of a bus engine, fixing the engine of a bus is not the specific skill set i'm trying to learn during this process. I basically just want it to work well, be dependable, and someone else can fix it fairly easily if needed.)

any Skoolie Yodas on here that could give me some knowledgeable trustworthy advice on this particular bus?
additionally, anyone have a trustworthy mechanic in Florida that could go check out a bus for me in Hudson FL?

Excited to be joining this community! Looking forward to reading more posts and getting to know the people and skoolie projects on here!
Thanks in advance for any responses!
-madmax

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Old 12-19-2020, 01:03 AM   #2
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,856
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas Built Bus
Chassis: Freightliner FS65
Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
Welcome to the community.


I do not know any mechanics in Florida. There may be some on this forum that are willing to do an inspection for you.
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Old 12-19-2020, 11:28 AM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Posts: 26
If it's a 2007 bus, does that mean the DT-466E is the MaxxForce engine? Or it's a pre-emissions engine?

Still new here but everyone raves about the DT-466 but only before a certain year (I think when it became emissions compliant, around 2006).

And 12k sounds pricey for a bus without any work done on it yet (stripped seats and floor for example), though it depends on how many miles it has and the condition.
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Old 12-19-2020, 11:57 AM   #4
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Swansboro,NC
Posts: 2,989
Year: 86
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Ford B700
Engine: 8.2
Rated Cap: 60 bodies
2004/2005 era was when the emission mess started almost anything before then was good after that it killed any reliability for several years and if it is a maxxforce engine then most owners on here and several trucking companies nationwide wouldnt take it if it was given to them.
do your research on that powertrain because that is alot of money for any bus
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Old 12-19-2020, 12:51 PM   #5
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,264
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: IH
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 14
Price seems *WAY* too high, and the DT466 emissions hardware after 2004(?) made 'em nightmares to own. Hard pass at that price, and pass again unless I didn't intend to drive it (at which point I could buy any dead junker and have it towed locally).
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Old 12-19-2020, 03:15 PM   #6
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Join Date: May 2015
Location: Oklahoma aka "God's blind spot"
Posts: 2,446
Year: 1989
Coachwork: 1853FC International/Navistar
Chassis: 35' Retired Air Force Ambulance
Engine: DT466, MT643
Rated Cap: 6 souls and a driver
As mentioned above, price is too high for what you're getting. And not to burst any bubbles... but there's better deals out there, and worse deals too. Patience is your answer. Took me over a year following my bus to signing the papers, when I felt the time was right, it was right.
And I'm actually a very impatient person!

My current plans are to are to remain static as an adjective
1. lacking in movement, action, or change, especially in a way viewed as undesirable or uninteresting.
So tire maintenance is not an issue in my case.
I'd say AT LEAST 60% of the buses you find will have out of date tires or worn out tires... on my case... mine are great!, but severely out of date. to such severity I won't drive further than to the tire dealer.

Good luck in your search and don't let that shiny yellow paint sway your judgment. Also, be cautious of other people's builds... there is nothing regulating how a bus should be converted... something that looks cool and desirable to you might require a full gut and remodel for someone else.
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Until I met a man with no feet
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Old 12-20-2020, 09:14 AM   #7
Almost There
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Greensboro, NC
Posts: 95
Year: 2008
Coachwork: IC
Chassis: IC CE300
Engine: Maxxforce DT
Bought in June an IC CE300 same specs as teh one you are looking for, but a 2008 model for $3800, 210k miles. Drove it from Washington DC to North Carolina with no issue. Converted it in 3 months. Did not get a chance to do any trip since the : it has been at an International dealership for 3 months due to parking brake issue engaging while driving. Dealer cannot figure out how to fix and me neither. Case opened with Navistar.
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Old 12-23-2020, 07:45 PM   #8
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Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: maryland
Posts: 3
Year: 2003
Coachwork: international
Chassis: IC3S530
Engine: international 7.3L T444e
Rated Cap: 24+2
Talking

Thank you all for the input and advice, I thought that price seemed high from what I had been reading. I knew this SkoolieNet wasn't going to let me down! Attempting to curb my enthusiasm over here and wait until I find this same type of bus at a lower price and/or before 2004.
I appreciate everyone responding!
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Old 12-23-2020, 08:19 PM   #9
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Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 1
By Skoolie Yoda, you mean that you’re looking for a person to give piggy back rides to while they rap you upside the head with a stick and eventually don’t answer most of your questions and just fade away leaving a robe behind - right? If so, I’m in!
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Old 12-25-2020, 01:01 PM   #10
New Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: maryland
Posts: 3
Year: 2003
Coachwork: international
Chassis: IC3S530
Engine: international 7.3L T444e
Rated Cap: 24+2
Quote:
Originally Posted by QuesoGrande View Post
By Skoolie Yoda, you mean that you’re looking for a person to give piggy back rides to while they rap you upside the head with a stick and eventually don’t answer most of your questions and just fade away leaving a robe behind - right? If so, I’m in!
^^EXACTLY - also the ability to occasionally lift large heavy objects (x wings or buses) out of swamps using their mind.
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