Unseasonably Warm Greetings from Texas

[OrionsComfortBus]

How are Yall doin? Ive been providing care for my disabled father who is a Vietnam Vet. He has a 300Lb electric chair that he has wanted to use more often (appointments and such) But I am unwilling to load it into the trunk of our Nissan Altima. So first we tried to go through the VA for help in obtaining a wheelchair van. Nope, doesnt meet the requirements. So a handi-capped mini-van is like $30,000 starting and full size like Transit starts at $60,000. Yikes! Was browsing Craigslist and came across some used bus ads. Who needs a used school bus? Then I saw it, A wheelchair lift equipped bus. I NEED THAT! Called a few of the ads and finally stuck with one after viewing it. $4,200. That we can afford. Split that up into payments and 3 months later, The Comfort Bus is here. Currently trying to make sure it passes inspection. Swapped the upper red and amber light lenses, all red to the rear. Removed the stop sign. Broke the drivers side wind shield washer nozzle, DoH! Going to install 10" x 10" Double Nickel mirrors. A new or used fan to keep me and or the windshield ventilated. A good thing, The seller had the radiator removed and cleaned out then reinstalled. We purchased a new fan clutch, installed that during the rad cleaning. He also flushed out the engine before reconnecting the rad. He cut the wires going to the hood and got them all reconnected properly except the turn signals. That was a easy fix. The seller also rebuilt one of the lift cylinders on the Braun wheelchair lift, Yay! The lift also needs a new electric pump but the manual one works well enough. Id LOVE to have the AMF Bruns Smart floor installed, Still attempting to talk the state side of the company to do a custom install into the bus (fingers crossed). Barring that its going to be gently used Ford Transit seats. All things in time. We have far more room in the bus than any van could offer.

[cadillackid]

super cool!!.. hopefully you got one with Air-Conditioning being down in Texas...



you also going to do some travelling too? or use it mainly around town?
-Christopher

[brokedown]

Good plan, what kind of bus did you get? We love photos btw.

[pbeggs]

i use my 2010 ford e350 paratransit bus (was 9 pass now 7) as my daily driver,. it is great not too hard to park (handicap spots are roomy) post pics !

[OrionsComfortBus]

These photos were taken at the sellers location. All the seats are still inside. still has the hood mounted mirror brackets. I need to load the latest ones onto my desktop. You can see why I called it Comfort Bus in the photos.

Yes, It has Two (2) AC systems, neither of which work. That is on the top of the list to get fixed. Found a good source for bulk insulation (tractorinteriors(dot)com).

Several websites offering bus parts plus local junk yards to pick through.

Edit: Its a 1993 International AmTran 3800 with a DTA 360 and AT 545 trans, standard 10 x 22.5 tires.

[OrionsComfortBus]

Mainly just around town to figure out what needs to be serviced or fixed.

[cadillackid]

thiose A/C units may come to be an issue.. 1993.. is certainly possible they are still R12 units that need converted to R134A.. this was right around the time some of them began switching over.. its a bit more tricky in a bus A/C than a car to convert to 134A because of the amount of oil in the system.. a tag somewhere on one of them or in the battery compartment may give the type of freon it uses..



Love the DTA360...good solid mechanical motor! I have one in my DEV bus.. (that bus had a 545 now is getting a 643 trans as i broke the 545).. would Love to see the underhood pics of how they belted and bracketed up 2 A/C compressors on yours.. mine is tight with just one!
-Christopher

[pbeggs]

nice! pull some of those seats and you will have tonnes of room for your dad and any of his buddies in chairs (I've transported 3 chairs at once in mine) and a load of people, coolers etc. you will find it is a lot easier to take dad and whoever else wants to go on day trips in comfort and style!

[OrionsComfortBus]

The compressors are mounted side by side, to the right of the air compressor. The 2 groove pulleys are staggered, perhaps a single V-belt each.

I'm taking the bus to a local guy that specializes in school bus AC. About $200 to check both systems and then as long as the repair cost isnt too high, Sub $1,000 i'll go ahead and get them fixed. I think/hope they are 134a but could also be r12.

The seats have all been removed except the front 4 benches or two rows. I have 2 wheelchair tie down spots. 1 in the rear and another right behind the 2nd row seat on the right.

[OrionsComfortBus]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

thiose A/C units may come to be an issue.. 1993.. is certainly possible they are still R12 units that need converted to R134A.. this was right around the time some of them began switching over.. its a bit more tricky in a bus A/C than a car to convert to 134A because of the amount of oil in the system.. a tag somewhere on one of them or in the battery compartment may give the type of freon it uses..



Love the DTA360...good solid mechanical motor! I have one in my DEV bus.. (that bus had a 545 now is getting a 643 trans as i broke the 545).. would Love to see the underhood pics of how they belted and bracketed up 2 A/C compressors on yours.. mine is tight with just one!
-Christopher

Here's the picture you requested.

[cadillackid]

good stuff... looks like those havent run in a while... they are R12 units which at some point were converted to R134a.. then im guessing broke - so the belts got yanked..
-Christopher

[OrionsComfortBus]

You are possibly correct. The passenger side is froze up and its mag clutch wire is cut. Its might be the same one thats connected to the empty sight glass. Drivers side will turn.

[reedy]

I bought a 1997 Ford Thomas with a 5.9 and the dreaded Allison 545 six years ago this month when I could no longer get my leg up into a full sized pickup. It has a Ricon lift right behind the front door. We put an electric bed , porta-pot, some upper closet wire shelving all in the back. Two captains chairs from a van and a swiveling base under the drivers chair for easy transfers. I use it for my only means of transport. I was in the same shape of not being able to afford a regular handicapped vehicle. I bought mine from Greg in the Tampa area at Better Buses and they delivered it to me in Tennessee. I have only had to replace one brake drum in six years. When Greg found out that I intended to Drive it my self. he replaced the fan belt and idler pully. It has been trouble free. I had converted a 1964 66 pas. BB GMC conventional bus to a motor home and full time lived and traveled in it for 8 years in the late seventies and early eighties so I knew of the potential a bus could have for me. I've ben in a wheelchair for 11 years now.
P.S. I've not had any trouble with my Tranny and it shifts like butter. the only way you can know when it shifts is when the rpm drops. I would like to change to a six speed if I ever have trouble.

[Meathead]

I have a lift and some of that wheel chair flooring that I will not be using. I should have this bus in New Orleans in a few weeks. I know it’s a loong way down I-10 from you, but if you can think of a way to get it, you can have it.

[magnakansas]

Fittings do not look like the r-12 type, looks to have been converted to a different refrigerant... The fact the compressors do not have belts on them would lead me to believe you are in for more than a leak...

wonder if you can turn the center parts of the pulley smoothly.... indicative of a compressor that, in the least, has not ground it self up.

and if the pulley will also turn smooth.

william

[magnakansas]

missed the discussion on the earlier posts... feelin bit stuoopid bout now.

geeze.

william

[reedy]

If that is a Ricon lift There is a relief valve that is adjustable with an allen wrench right by where the control wire goes into the pump body. These lifts are supposed to be tested once a year at double the rated lift capacity . I replaced the pump impeller on mine and it still wouldn't lift me and my chair. After the owner of World of Independence, in Knoxville TN. or Four Way In TN. turned up the relief valve it lifts me fine. I hope this helped.

[OrionsComfortBus]

Somehow I was not notified of further responses on this.

Reedy, Good luck with you transmission. Thank You for the relief valve tip. I found it in the service manual. Made the adjustments and now it lifts the chair and occupant just fine. Although it did start bleeding fluid last night from somewhere. Need to fix that.

Meathead, Thank You for the offer. I do not think I'll be able to make that trip in the foreseeable future.

Magnakansas, Dont feel bad. On another forum I responded to threads that had been dead for years. I was lucky and the moderator was forgiving since I was so new to forums.

UPDATE: Ive since been told that I will need 2 compressors, ALL new freon lines, 2 new driers, ect. $3800+ materials cost. Basically everything except the condensers and evaporators and the fans on the condensers are still suspected faulty. May need other electrical stuff as well. Ive looked at the parts online and I think I can get it assembled and possibly even vaccumed down. Its gonna end up being a winter project, Hopefully be ready for next summer.

Found a shop that will swap out the trans (at545 to mt643) and the differential to a lower ratio. That might give me a small boost in MPG from (guessing) 9 to 12 perhaps. I really dont know what the MPG is. Had a small fuel leak that just got fixed today.

I also want to remove the roof hatches, Seal it up with sheet metal, apply a 1/2" to 1" thick layer of rubber sheet insulation over entire roof and seal it all up with white flex seal. That should provide a pretty good thermal barrier by itself. Add another 1.5" of same insulation to the inside. More thermal break and noise dampening.

Mainly Get the bus in good mechanical working order. The insulation and external paint last.

[magnakansas]

Try a company called vintage air for parts....you may find them less expensive.

william

[OrionsComfortBus]

Thank You.