New in Skoolie.net from Germany

[Brix]

Hi,


my name is Brix, sorry for my bad english. I live in Bremen, a city in northern Germany. In March 2021 I bought a GMC Vandura 3500, 5.7L V8 from 1993 Police Skoolie (STURDiCORP). It was used by the Hoboken Police Department and imported in 2016. It was standing for some years. Iam the second owner now.

I have not received any further information about this.
We want to build it as a mobile home.

I hope that someone could help me to get information about the bus.
best regards to all

[musigenesis]

Welcome to the site! Your English is perfect. I don't know anything about your bus' mechanicals, but if possible I think you should leave it painted as it is, including the "HOBOKEN POLICE" stuff - it's a marvelous thing to have on a skoolie. Hoboken is actually now a nice little town in New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from Greenwich Village in New York City, but for a long time it had a reputation as a somewhat seedy suburb of the Big Apple. I'd say most Americans have heard of it.

Edit: after reading up on Hoboken, it seems the town was dominated in the late 1800s/early 1900s by German-speaking immigrants, who sometimes called it "Little Bremen".

[Timeline]

Wow nice bus!
Your English is fine.

I'd buy a spare fuel pump to keep along as you travel.
Have Fun!
John

[Brix]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

but if possible I think you should leave it painted as it is, including the "HOBOKEN POLICE" stuff - it's a marvelous thing to have on a skoolie..

Thank you. Yes we want to have it on original as possible.
I didn'nt found some with a one llike this in europe until now.

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Edit: after reading up on Hoboken, it seems the town was dominated in the late 1800s/early 1900s by German-speaking immigrants, who sometimes called it "Little Bremen".

Very funny, never heard about this

[Oldyeller]

Aaaahhhhh Hoboken!

I once waded through ankle deep, frigid, Hudson river flood water during a winter Nor'easter when I deboarded a train that terminated in the Hoboken NJ Transit station. One of my most treasured memories! NOT!

Congratulations on your purchase, welcome to the forum and I agree with Musigenesis, if it's legal in Germany you should keep the lettering . . . at least the Hoboken even if you have to paint over "Police".

The Vandura is a pretty common chassis with a very common GM corporate drivetrain. You should have no trouble finding information just by searching on Google for, "1993 GMC Vandura 3500"

[Brix]

Originally Posted by Oldyeller

Aaaahhhhh Hoboken!

...

Congratulations on your purchase, welcome to the forum and I agree with Musigenesis, if it's legal in Germany you should keep the lettering . . . at least the Hoboken even if you have to paint over "Police".

The Vandura is a pretty common chassis with a very common GM corporate drivetrain. You should have no trouble finding information just by searching on Google for, "1993 GMC Vandura 3500"

Thank you!

It's allowed to use ist as you see on the picture. We must only have somethink to cover the red light at the top in the front.
The police in Germany looks totaly different so that' no problem. Thats nice.
I tryed to find somethink about STURDiCORB, where an how it's build. It should come from Kanada I find it out with the carnumber. But the the german google it themes there is not much information to find.

[Brix]

The only Infomation i found in the car is these:

[Brix]

I have only this Informaiton at the door of the car.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

try STURDI CORP.
according my google sturdi cord changed to US bus in 1995.
welcome

[CritiqueThisBus]

Originally Posted by Brix

Hi,


my name is Brix, sorry for my bad english. I live in Bremen, a city in northern Germany. In March 2021 I bought a GMC Vandura 3500, 5.7L V8 from 1993 Police Skoolie (STURDiCORP). It was used by the Hoboken Police Department and imported in 2016. It was standing for some years. Iam the second owner now.

I have not received any further information about this.
We want to build it as a mobile home.

I hope that someone could help me to get information about the bus.
best regards to all

Aloha!

Nice to see Germany getting in on the Skoolie crazy and you picked a great bus to start.
As far as the company goes, the only thing I could find was a couple of recall notices on buses from 1984 that had issues with people getting their clothes stuck on the hand rails and the bus taking off and dragging the passenger until the driver noticed.

Other than that...it's a 3500 Chevy Van so its at least a 3/4 ton to 1 ton chassis. Some were dually tires on the rear axle and some were single wheel but really heavy duty tires and axles.

The engine will last a life time so long as you do regular oil changes.

Parts are becoming a little hard to find as companies stop making the old replacement parts and everyone is moving to electric.

So my advice is...even if it ain't broke...buy any replacement part you can find while you still can and stock-pile it. Because in about 4 to 5 years, all old stock and used parts are going to dry up and there won't be any more.
Oil Filters, Engine Parts, Transmission Parts, Fuel Pumps...everything.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

nah the chevy 350 will have parts for days in the states.
almost guaranteed for a while.
they aint out yet
my 77 motor is getting tough to find parts ford but not the 80s yet.
i am almost positive that jegs and summitt supports the older stuff with no question asked.
the older stuff was the best to upgrade

[EastCoastCB]

Hallo!
Nice lil mini bus.
Mechanically its as generic as can be. Its a chevy van. Very common and very simple.

[Brix]

Thanks for beeing welcome!
and for the infomations.
In the moment it's not so bad with parts but I agree, thet it would get worster every year...
The engine had only 33000 miles as I bought it. This is the only sign and Information I have.

[EastCoastCB]

That engine is THE most generic engine in America. The van its built on was mass produced for decades.

You may have to pay a lot for shipping but the parts should be around pretty much as long as petroleum is being sold.

[Kentucky Dreaming]

Brix, I found this photo of your bus:



This was in 2013 when the Hoboken Police were taking donations of gifts for Christmas for underprivileged kids. They filled the bus with gifts every year.


I'm sooo glad that you got such a great bus...

[Kentucky Dreaming]

I had a 350 ci/5.7L in a '72 Monte Carlo, and my dad and all of my maternal uncles had 350 V-8's in Novas, Chevelles, pick ups, and lawn mowers & houseboats.

I almost got excommunicated from the hillbilly family when I got a Chevelle with a big block...

That engine is immemorial.


You have a great bus, Brix,

Marty

[Brix]

Originally Posted by Kentucky Dreaming

Brix, I found this photo of your bus:
..
This was in 2013 when the Hoboken Police were taking donations of gifts for Christmas for underprivileged kids. They filled the bus with gifts every year.


I'm sooo glad that you got such a great bus...

Thankyou so much for finding this picture.

I find another one. Must be the bus too, I think.

[Brix]

I wrote a letter with a picture to hoboken police and ask for Information about the bus, but I didn't get an answer until now. That was in the middle of last year. I think at this time there are more important things for them....

[Joerg]

Brix,
great idea converting it into a mobile home. Did it almost completely by myself during the last years - a Freightliner FS65 schoolbus shipped from US to Germany in 2017. Spend about 4 Weeks in the bus on holiday every year either in the Alps or Sweden; my familiy loves it too. If you are once in Spreewald area please let me know....

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

if there comes a time for a motor replacement then the long block and short block motors or on the shelf items around here.
even upgraded ones are on the shelf for a little more money.
anything about that powertrain is in stock here.
if you ever have questions or need help with it let us know.
i and probably several others here could fix and or rebuild that in our sleep.
keep it simple and it will always be simple when there is an issue.
make it complicated then it is complicated and no longer simple which takes from as simple as an issue to a complicated problem.