New/Old Skoolie Guy!

[David Allaband]

Greetings All! Glad to find a forum and friends to talk to about my odd hobbies/habbits!

The Past:
In 1999 I "converted" 56 passenger dognose bus and lived in it a year as I traveled around the US. Kept it as a camper for a few years after but living in NYC it was hard to park so gave it up to a touring rock band from New Orleans. Here is a picture:
http://allaband.com/SitePages/Odyssey.htm

The Present:
I want to do another. This time I want to start with a bus I really like. There are a few things I require.
1) Pusher.
2) Curb side escape or wheelchair door.
3) Under bus storage.
And a few things I really want.
1) 8.3L Cummins Engine
2) Allison MD3000 Transmission
3) A door that opens in, not out (I always drive with the door open)
4) Roof AC.
5) Bells and whistles.
6) Price tag under $5K.

Can anyone help me find places to buy busses? Last bus I just bought from the school yard but now I can't find any yards that sell to the public. I looked on the forum classifieds but found nothing. Google searches got a few things but you guys seem to find all kinds of great busses easily and I'm just lost.

Any advice on my engine or transmission choices is welcome. I only got the ideas I listed from reading this forum.

Thanks for any help! I can't wait to get started and start meeting you guys!

Dave.

[EastCoastCB]

Welcome.
Are you looking to buy one soon?
The 8.3 is definitely the way to go. But I'd much prefer a pre-electronic diesel. around 95/96 they switched everything from good old mechanical to computer controlled. The mechanical stuff is easier and much cheaper to fix if an issue arises.
Underside storage is great.
Rooftop ac's may have to be installed once you find a bus.
Bells and whistles can be nice. I'd LOVE to at least have cruise.
I also wanted a side door. Mine is on the driver side, but I also have a rear door. I like lots of exits on a mobile home.
Pushers have many advantages. I however settled for a front engine transit style school bus because of the wheelbase, handling, and maneuverability. It is so easy to maneuver. I like that as campgrounds can be pretty tight and cramped sometimes. Not trying to talk you out of the pushers, just throwing in my experience for conversational purposes.

[bansil]

Welcome to the madness

[opus]

WELCOME!!!

Like I tell everyone else, come west. You wont be getting that for under $5k though.

[David Allaband]

Thanks for all the ideas and help. I found a 1980 Gillig in Seattle. It has much of what I wanted, door opens in, under bus storage, pusher, Alison Tranny, air breaks, and a Cat engine I'm happy with. I put some pictures on my profile. Now comes the work!

[Jandrew]

That bus has a great look.

[charles_m]

I like your style David! Excellent taste in buses, Gillig's are so awesome. I'd kill for one!

[Sara]

Welcome to the site! You will find a wealth of resources here - and an awful lot of fun people. Good luck on your bus endeavors!

-Sara