Total Newbie to buses.

[GoobTheGreat]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Second hand buses in CO can be a bit pricey and hard to find, but start looking. Their mountain buses have retarders, high hp, and usually come with all the bells and whistles.
Oregon and Washington also have excellent buses.

The buses out west are so much better its honestly not worth buying the "swill" here in the southeast.

Sounds like I will be looking for a while. Would one of those massive almost greyhound type coach buses be good? Obviously it wouldn't look nearly as nice as a true skoolie but I see them around for sale quite often. I feel like those are made for highway travel by default.

[Rovobay]

Originally Posted by GoobTheGreat

Sounds like I will be looking for a while.

for what its worth. I looked for 8 months until I found my bus....

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by GoobTheGreat

Sounds like I will be looking for a while. Would one of those massive almost greyhound type coach buses be good? Obviously it wouldn't look nearly as nice as a true skoolie but I see them around for sale quite often. I feel like those are made for highway travel by default.

A real coach bus is vastly superior for eating up huge chunks of interstate.
You'll realize this once you're driving along at 55 in a school bus

If cross country travel were my plan I'd want a HIGH END school bus of a coach. Hard to beat an MCI.

[Twigg]

Standard tune of a Cummins 8.3L in a school bus is 250 hp. I believe the CAT 3126 is 230 hp.

WIth the mechanical Cummins, it's pretty easy to liberate another 50 hp for very little money. Adjusting the fuel-plate (and maybe the smoke screw), or replacing the fuel plate will get you a long way. Shimming the governor springs will release about 400 rpm more. Advancing the timing will help too.

The same engine left the factory for fitting in RVs with around 300 hp as standard.

If you want to go higher you can, but then you have to change injectors, valve springs ...

Again, the same engine in marine form left the factory with 450 hp, but it has a bigger cooling system too

There is a wealth of info on this just a Google away.

[GoobTheGreat]

Originally Posted by Twigg

Standard tune of a Cummins 8.3L in a school bus is 250 hp. I believe the CAT 3126 is 230 hp.

WIth the mechanical Cummins, it's pretty easy to liberate another 50 hp for very little money. Adjusting the fuel-plate (and maybe the smoke screw), or replacing the fuel plate will get you a long way. Shimming the governor springs will release about 400 rpm more. Advancing the timing will help too.

The same engine left the factory for fitting in RVs with around 300 hp as standard.

If you want to go higher you can, but then you have to change injectors, valve springs ...

Again, the same engine in marine form left the factory with 450 hp, but it has a bigger cooling system too

There is a wealth of info on this just a Google away.

That sounds a bit out of my skill range for the foreseeable future. I can disassemble and fix 2 cycles and little riding mower engines in my sleep but once you get into big diesel engines and anything transmission related its far out of my league. I suppose google and youtube it is if I go that route. There isn't much you cant learn using the ol' YouTube and Google combo.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by GoobTheGreat

That sounds a bit out of my skill range for the foreseeable future. I can disassemble and fix 2 cycles and little riding mower engines in my sleep but once you get into big diesel engines and anything transmission related its far out of my league. I suppose google and youtube it is if I go that route. There isn't much you cant learn using the ol' YouTube and Google combo.

On the mechanical engine, the changes to the fuel-plate and governor springs is a simple operation with very little to dismantle. Full step-by-steps are available.

[GoobTheGreat]

https://orlando.craigslist.org/rvs/d...588434699.html
This is a coach style bus. It looks like, and the gauges confirm that, it has been to hell and back a few times. As a tiny house it would look uglier than a Prius with a lift kit but it seems like its fitted for highway and interstate driving to a certain extent.

[EastCoastCB]

This is what I'm talking about-


Used 1975 MCI MC-5B Conversion Coach - C11426-Used1975MCIMC 5B

Bus Body Manufacturer and Model: MCI MC-5
Chassis Manufacturer: MCI
Year: 1975
GVWR: 30,500 lbs
Mileage: 20K on Rebuilt Engine
Engine: Detroit Diesel 8V-71
Transmission: Allison 4-Speed Automatic
Brakes: Air Brakes
Passenger Entry Door: Manuel
Passenger Capacity: RV Conversion
Heat: Driver and Passenger
A/C: Passenger & Driver A/C
Mirrors: Large Exterior Mirrors w/ Convex
Options:
Trailer Hitch
Huge Propane Tank
On-board Generator (operates on propane)
Side Sliding Windows Throughout
Breaker Panel above Driver
Full Size Refridgerator
Rooftop Air Conditioning
Kitchen w/ Stove and Microwave
Restroom with Sink and Corner Shower
Two Couches - One is Hide-a-Bed
Rear Queen Size Bed
Two Fresh Water Holding Tanks
End Tables
Back Up Camera
Extensive Underfloor Storage
Engine Fast Idle
Front Mount TV
Roof Top Vents with Fans
Great Tire Tread Depth!

If I had the cash I'd be on my way to get that sucker!

[GoobTheGreat]

Oh I see. My mistake. But ouch. 30k and sale pending. 30k is a bit more than my 15k target for an entire skoolie finished out. But now I understand what you mean. I actually have one that parks up the road from my house.

https://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/d...571192095.html
This is a similar one that someone was turning into an RV but quit halfway through because of "lack of time". Not sure why it says J E S U S on the front in wooden letters. That's the least odd thing I've seen a bus on craigslist.

PS. Yes 15k might seem a bit low but I would LIKE it to be 15k. Knowing construction it will probably be 20k or more.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by GoobTheGreat

Oh I see. My mistake. But ouch. 30k and sale pending. 30k is a bit more than my 15k target for an entire skoolie finished out. But now I understand what you mean. I actually have one that parks up the road from my house.

https://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/d...571192095.html
This is a similar one that someone was turning into an RV but quit halfway through because of "lack of time". Not sure why it says J E S U S on the front in wooden letters. That's the least odd thing I've seen a bus on craigslist.

PS. Yes 15k might seem a bit low but I would LIKE it to be 15k. Knowing construction it will probably be 20k or more.

You can get a nice coach for 15k, but it may not be converted. Shop around a bit, that's a dealer's ad at full retail price. It does have a fully rebuilt Detroit 2 stroke in it though.
Also- some folks have gotten some really good deals on Wanderlodges. Wanderlodge would be my choice if buying one already converted.
They're factory converted Bluebirds-

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

You can get a nice coach for 15k, but it may not be converted. Shop around a bit, that's a dealer's ad at full retail price. It does have a fully rebuilt Detroit 2 stroke in it though.
Also- some folks have gotten some really good deals on Wanderlodges. Wanderlodge would be my choice if buying one already converted.
They're factory converted Bluebirds-

A WanderLodge was recently advertised for around $5k.

Quite honestly, if it wasn't rotted out and the big bits worked okay, it was an absolute steal at that price even if the interior needed a full re-fit.

[GoobTheGreat]

I saw a Wanderlodge for sale and loved it but it was in absolutely terrible shape and they still wanted 40k. I assumed it was just like a Prevost and just held its value but I will keep my eye out for them.

[brokedown]

Wanderlodge is pretty awesome. I probably saw the same one others mentioned and as interested as I might be I can't have 3 buses... Can i???

[Tango]

Just for the record...the older WanderLodges (like the ones shown) are actually FE BB All Americans converted at the factory.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by brokedown

Wanderlodge is pretty awesome. I probably saw the same one others mentioned and as interested as I might be I can't have 3 buses... Can i???

You can do it!

[GoobTheGreat]

I found a 2003 bluebird d class/class d/transit bus but it has the Caterpillar 3126 that I have heard mixed reviews on. I'm on mobile so I can't find the bookmark from my PC. They want 7800 which seems reasonable for a bus in pristine condition. I can post the link when I get back to my computer this evening.
Any opinions? I can't find the transmission info but I havent looked up the VIN or the model number yet because I found it right before I went to bed.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by GoobTheGreat

I found a 2003 bluebird d class/class d/transit bus but it has the Caterpillar 3126 that I have heard mixed reviews on. I'm on mobile so I can't find the bookmark from my PC. They want 7800 which seems reasonable for a bus in pristine condition. I can post the link when I get back to my computer this evening.
Any opinions? I can't find the transmission info but I havent looked up the VIN or the model number yet because I found it right before I went to bed.

If it's still just a bus, then $7800 is unreasonable. That's a $3K bus to most of us. I'm only paying $3500 for a DT466/3060. Your seller probably only paid $2k for the bus.

[GoobTheGreat]

Ok then. So basically Houston it is. It's like 700 USD maximum to get a bus to Orlando from Houston from my calculations. (Plane ticket and diesel at 8.5 mpg average) They aren't very accurate but it turns a 2k bus into an almost 3.5k bus at max with titling and transport correct? Still waaaaaaayyyyy better than 8k.

[slammer]

Try Interstate Bus in Wallisville Texas,,, they u a website

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by brokedown

Wanderlodge is pretty awesome. I probably saw the same one others mentioned and as interested as I might be I can't have 3 buses... Can i???

you can have 3 busses.. im looking at possibly having found one to be my 3rd...

-Christopher