Welcome to Project Kyna!

[kelseyhuksy]

Hello Skoolie.net!


My name's Kelsey. My partner and I have set the goal for ourselves to buy and build/convert a Gilig LowFloor into our new home before we both turn 40!


This is the biggest project we've taken on together, we have a lot to learn, and even more problems to solve.


I hope you can be patient with us, cause we'll probably have a lot of questions for this awesome community.


Thanks a bunch for being around!

[HazMatt]

Howdy all y'all!
Awesome to have a plan, tho you've set yourself a tough row to hoe.
Gilligs are highly desirable busses, so finding a pre-'94 in your price range for yourselves may be tantamount to a Grail Quest.
Yea verily sally forth, and welcome to the asylum!

[kelseyhuksy]

Are the pre-94 ones superior than newer ones? I've found some early 2000s models that were pretty good matches for us, though they were the shorter wheelbases, and we want the longer one.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by kelseyhuksy

Are the pre-94 ones superior than newer ones? I've found some early 2000s models that were pretty good matches for us, though they were the shorter wheelbases, and we want the longer one.

I would opt for the newest deal you can. Up to 2004, before the installed all the mandatory EPA crap on them. The older they are, the more wear and tear there will be.

[HazMatt]

Size queens, I hear ya... [emoji57]
It's a crap shoot either way, buying a second-, or more-, hand bus.
I mentioned looking for a pre-emissions model because the later thus-modified engines run less well (from a non-environmental perspective), they also break down more readily and cost mucho mas dinero to repairo.
By all means not meant to utterly limit you to that era, my intent is to broaden your awareness, so's to make an informed decision. Most who are new to Skool are unaware of those potentially costly repercussions 'down the road...'
Y'all're fortunate to be in a part of the world where some truly awesome busses may be readily had.

[Gustav]

When the OP said 'low floor' I think they are looking for a 40' city bus. Could be wrong.

[kelseyhuksy]

Originally Posted by Gustav

When the OP said 'low floor' I think they are looking for a 40' city bus. Could be wrong.

Yup! that's correct! Basically this one:



https://nwbus.com/inventory/transit-...it-bus-t90538/


But the model with an extra window between the front and rear doors.

[cadillackid]

remember that previous city busses have often been run hard.. so if you can find service records of when its last over-haul was done that helps greatly.. many city busses have their drivetrains overhauled a couple times throughout their lifetime.. here in my city every bus runs continuously for about 20 hours.. some cities they run 24/7..

-Christopher

[HappyInTN]

Originally Posted by kelseyhuksy

Hello Skoolie.net!


My name's Kelsey. My partner and I have set the goal for ourselves to buy and build/convert a Gilig LowFloor into our new home before we both turn 40!


This is the biggest project we've taken on together, we have a lot to learn, and even more problems to solve.


I hope you can be patient with us, cause we'll probably have a lot of questions for this awesome community.


Thanks a bunch for being around!

Good luck! Lots of good and helpful members on this forum... Hazmat is very correct. the Gillig is a tall order.. its like finding 60's Crown. They are out there but rare.. Good luck

[HazMatt]

Originally Posted by HappyInTN

Good luck! Lots of good and helpful members on this forum... Hazmat is very correct. the Gillig is a tall order.. its like finding 60's Crown. They are out there but rare.. Good luck

Thanx for the pimpage! [emoji111]

[HappyInTN]

Originally Posted by HazMatt

Thanx for the pimpage! [emoji111]

I do what I can!

[kelseyhuksy]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

remember that previous city busses have often been run hard.. so if you can find service records of when its last over-haul was done that helps greatly.. many city busses have their drivetrains overhauled a couple times throughout their lifetime.. here in my city every bus runs continuously for about 20 hours.. some cities they run 24/7..

-Christopher

We certainly will be making sure our bus has as much documentation as possible. One thing we have going for us is the plan to do a full tear-out of all mechanical (engine, transmission, suspension) and electrical so we can do a full rebuild to my partner's extremely demanding standards. I mean, like, they want to run all new wires for everything! Fabricating wiring harnesses for the whole bus from scratch. This also means tearing the engine down to the block and rebuilding. I'm thinking that we should probably just take it to an engine servicer for that instead of trying to do it all ourselves. There's only so many hours in a day!



We're looking forward to the challenge.

[HazMatt]

I'm thinking, "challenge," isn't nearly a large enough word...

[kelseyhuksy]

Originally Posted by HazMatt

I'm thinking, "challenge," isn't nearly a large enough word...

Yeah, but if I call it "Insanity." it gets too overwhelming to think about!

[HazMatt]

Take your 'scripts, drink a lot of water, and try not to think too hard on it.
Ooo, Look! A squirrel...

[kelseyhuksy]

One of the biggest hurdles to clear is finding space for a 40' vehicle that has enough power for us to bring our tools to get this thing built. My partner wants to buy some land of our own, and I'm not opposed to the idea, since I want to keep a home parking area we don't have to be worried about being run off off. We live in the Seattle, WA area, and would welcome recommendations for build spaces, though, since my googling skills have decided to fail me today.

[M1031A1]

Kelsey;

A word of warning about those buses.

I drove one of them when I was living in Houston during my training. Unless you guys are planning on parking it and using it as a tiny home, I would avoid them at all costs. They are VERY expensive to own and run. In addition, they have a VERY hard ride. You will feel every bump, let alone pot-hole, when driving those things. Houston dumped them a while back, scrapped them, for many good reasons. We drove one while in training just for the experience of what a full day driving felt like in the span of less than an hour.

I admire your willingness to take on such a project. However, you guys may be very well disappointed in the ability to drive for any time without feeling like you've been in a boxing match, kidney punched, and lost by a KO.

If you guys read the different threads on the site there are very few (if any) builders using this platform for a bunch of good reasons. Besides the ride, they have very low ground clearance and cannot go off-road. In a heavy downpour the intake can suck up water and create hydrostatic lock in the engine. LOTS of modifications will be required to make it drivable in adverse weather conditions. I remember a bunch of these buses were totaled due to flooding in five inches of water in Houston back in the 2000's. All were scrapped. They were less than 10 years old and cost the city $500,000 each more-or-less when new.

I just want you guys to approach this as an eyes-wide-open awareness these buses are not the easiest to convert or to drive comfortably.

If you do find one and still believe in your plan, best of luck!

M

[alpine44]

Originally Posted by M1031A1

Kelsey;

A word of warning about those buses.

I drove one of them when I was living in Houston during my training. Unless you guys are planning on parking it and using it as a tiny home, I would avoid them at all costs. They are VERY expensive to own and run. In addition, they have a VERY hard ride. You will feel every bump, let alone pot-hole, when driving those things. Houston dumped them a while back, scrapped them, for many good reasons. We drove one while in training just for the experience of what a full day driving felt like in the span of less than an hour.

I admire your willingness to take on such a project. However, you guys may be very well disappointed in the ability to drive for any time without feeling like you've been in a boxing match, kidney punched, and lost by a KO.

If you guys read the different threads on the site there are very few (if any) builders using this platform for a bunch of good reasons. Besides the ride, they have very low ground clearance and cannot go off-road. In a heavy downpour the intake can suck up water and create hydrostatic lock in the engine. LOTS of modifications will be required to make it drivable in adverse weather conditions. I remember a bunch of these buses were totaled due to flooding in five inches of water in Houston back in the 2000's. All were scrapped. They were less than 10 years old and cost the city $500,000 each more-or-less when new.

I just want you guys to approach this as an eyes-wide-open awareness these buses are not the easiest to convert or to drive comfortably.

If you do find one and still believe in your plan, best of luck!

M

What specific model and year are you referring to?

[M1031A1]

Originally Posted by alpine44

What specific model and year are you referring to?

I couldn't tell the year, but it looks like this:



Different paint scheme, but otherwise identical.

[HazMatt]

So yours is, "Not in service," too..?