To Skoolie or not to Skoolie....

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by somewhereinusa

When I built my first skoolie the back room was a kennel. It had room for 12 dogs. I was field trialing Border Collies.

are you still training dogs?

[BlackHeart]

ok - so its not the last question...
Anyone know what transmission type 2000 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner EF has? Thanks!!

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by BlackHeart

Probably my last question - do you need to have a CDL to drive a bus that only has seats for 6-9 passengers? The way I am reading stuff - you need a CDL for any vehicle over 26k lbs or if it is designed to carry more than 16 people. But if you take the seats out???? Thanks!

If you have seating for less then 16, and the rest of the space is being used for bunks, and your band stuff then it should not need a cdl. At least I would think so.

Putting in at least the minimum stuff to call it a motor home also gets you away from cdl requirements, including the max weight of 26,000. An rv/ motor home can weigh more then 26,000 without cdl. Some states might require air brake endorsement though.

[somewhereinusa]

Originally Posted by Sleddgracer

are you still training dogs?

No, it's been quite a while since I did it for a living. We just lost our last one last year.

Did you know a lady named Judith? She raced about 30 to 40 years ago. She held some records I believe with a three dog team. She lived in Iowa. I don't remember her last name, she divorced the sled dog guy. She and I field trialed together.

[Mountain Gnome]

Box truck speed:
My sister bought a Chevy box-truck and it maxxed out at 55. Her hubby drove it home, and truckers were honking angrily at him as he drove it home. He asked me to remove the governor. I told him NO. It is there for a reason.


My bus cruises at 70MPH all day with an AT545 (the worst tranny) using 3.56 gears in the rear end. Tops off just above 80MPH.



And I LOVE my TC1000. Still waiting to magnetize the chicks, though. Hopefully this summer

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by somewhereinusa

No, it's been quite a while since I did it for a living. We just lost our last one last year.

Did you know a lady named Judith? She raced about 30 to 40 years ago. She held some records I believe with a three dog team. She lived in Iowa. I don't remember her last name, she divorced the sled dog guy. She and I field trialed together.

I know/knew several Judith's that raced sleddogs, and I know a woman that set records in the 3 dog class running my bloodlines, but her name isn't Judith - if I heard 'your' Judith's last name I'd most likely recognise it if I didn't know her in person - I've been into sled dogs just over 40 years now - seems there are a lot of divorces among the addicted - I've been told, 'it's the dogs or me' several times now and still have my dogs - lol

[BlackHeart]

Ok, I am feeling more and more that something like a TC1000 may be the direction I'd like to go.
I have found another similar model - THOMAS SAF-T-LINER MVP EF.
Can you guys help with other similar models?
I only want to be looking for a front engine, 8 row bus with the wheelchair lift, 'short' wheelbase style bus.
I thought these would be difficult to insure - that doesn't seem to be an issue. I thought tires would be crazy expensive - not bad at about $200 each.
Every road block I've thought of ends up coming back not so bad. But I need to find some other models similar to the TC1000 bc there just doesn't seem to be many up for sale.
Thanks!!!

[Mekanic]

Most step vans are on a 1 ton chassis.
Sad truth is most of them like the ( 1 Ton chassis) Short buses that are at their max weight almost 100% of the time.
Bigger buses are much better on fuel efficiency than the smaller ones.
Also many of the larger buses will have air ride rear axles .
I’d go the bigger vehicles rather than smaller

[BlackHeart]

Originally Posted by Mekanic

Most step vans are on a 1 ton chassis.
Sad truth is most of them like the ( 1 Ton chassis) Short buses that are at their max weight almost 100% of the time.
Bigger buses are much better on fuel efficiency than the smaller ones.
Also many of the larger buses will have air ride rear axles .
I’d go the bigger vehicles rather than smaller

I do need to consider that it will be getting driven into small parking lots and driving in cities, with few people and not much gear. The main reason I am thinking of a bus is to get the bunk berths and adding a possible bathroom. But I am concerned about their ability to do 65-70 mph all day.
Decisions decisions....
Oh, and the fact that I am an urban dweller and I would probably need to rent an RV parking place for it!!

[Mekanic]

Originally Posted by BlackHeart

....... But I am concerned about their ability to do 65-70 mph all day.
Decisions decisions....
.........

One thing about that steady speed. Most buses have a FAR greater cooling capacity than needed for non bus use.
In the winter a regular bus will sometimes not even get up to where the thermostats
Would open.

Stop and go is harder to collect than a steady 65MPH. (Fan needed much less)

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Mekanic

One thing about that steady speed. Most buses have a FAR greater cooling capacity than needed for non bus use.
In the winter a regular bus will sometimes not even get up to where the thermostats
Would open.

Stop and go is harder to collect than a steady 65MPH. (Fan needed much less)

Some buses have woeful cooling systems.
Like the split radiator/cac on so many Navistars.
Some RE buses have a real hard time keeping the engines cool, too.
MANY buses are also spec'd with the 545 creating lots of heat at anything more than stop and go type driving. One of these with a split rad and its really hard to keep temps down at highway speeds.
Idling won't ever get a bus up to operating temps, but a few miles on the interstate will bring out any cooling gremlins that stop and go traffic don't.