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Old 03-09-2017, 04:44 AM   #21
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Dowdy Lakes, Colorado
Posts: 1,444
Year: 1989
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner ER
Engine: 3208 CAT/MT643 tranny
Rated Cap: 87
Y'all may want to seriously consider the Gillig! Most people here hate Cat engines, but I love them. They can get a bit pricy IF you don't know what you're doing. But with patience, a willingness to learn and turn wrenches, you can save some serious $$$$ with a Cat engine. I have a 3208 engine in my build and LOVE it! Lots of torque, NO glow plugs (VERY important to me), and a ruggedly built engine. I'm a huge fan of diesel pushers for many reasons. The noise, the heat (especially in the summer), working on the engine, et.al. My suggestion is to look at the type of bus you believe will fit your needs best here on the site with those people that have already built their conversion, or are on the middle of doing so. That should give you a ballpark idea of purchase price (roughly), and cost to convert and estimate the needed timeline to complete your project. Now, IF you're looking to do a conversion like Tango...... He's on the extreme of conversions. His build is WILD!!!! Definitely not for the faint-of-heart. However, I suspect you guys are not looking to do something quite so "unique".

Best of fortunes!

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Old 03-09-2017, 07:33 AM   #22
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: St. Petersburg, Fl
Posts: 30
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC 2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
HOW FREAKING AWESOME IS THAT???
My wife and I recently purchased a 32ft Bluebird TC 2000 That we've been working on for the past few weeks. Also we live in St. Pete, so we're just over the bridge from you guys. This has been the most the most fun I've ever had in my life.
Are you planning on having someone do the work for you, or do you plan on doing it all yourself?
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Old 03-09-2017, 07:55 AM   #23
Almost There
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Tampa Fl
Posts: 82
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Custom
Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: International straight six
Rated Cap: Unknown
my wife and i did the same thing we are living in our incomplete skoolie conversion right now near brooksville where you can come see our conversion if you would like
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Old 03-09-2017, 07:58 AM   #24
Almost There
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Tampa Fl
Posts: 82
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Custom
Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: International straight six
Rated Cap: Unknown
there is a govt auction the first saturday of every month in tampa all the bus are usually in decent shape and the are going for 3grand we got lucky on craigslist bought our bus from after school karate for 1500
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Old 03-09-2017, 10:27 AM   #25
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: St. Petersburg, Fl
Posts: 30
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC 2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
Pics of our build

Here's what we've done thus far.
Attached Thumbnails
DSC01786w.JPG   IMG_20170216_145650.jpg   IMG_20170217_131921.jpg   IMG_20170217_190449.jpg   IMG_20170223_122154.jpg  

IMG_20170305_081618.jpg   IMG_20170308_135208.jpg   IMG_20170304_075111.jpg   20170305_1533571.jpg  
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Old 03-09-2017, 03:03 PM   #26
Bus Crazy
 
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Farmington Hills, Mi (Detroit area)
Posts: 1,968
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Eldorado Aerotech 24'
Chassis: Ford E-450 Cutaway Bus
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 19
How you use your bus also influences what you buy. If you'll be traveling a lot you want a good engine, tranny and highway gearing. If you'll be parked on one site most of the time with a move once in a long while then just about any bus that can get out of it's own way will work.

If you'll be full-timing it's best to spend more time (and money, unfortunately) on the stuff that will be difficult to do over like flooring and insulation.

When you're done with the beastie will you have a place to legally park long term with electricity/water/sewer?
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Old 03-09-2017, 04:18 PM   #27
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Birmingham Al
Posts: 602
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Very bold!

I am excited for you both
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Old 03-09-2017, 06:23 PM   #28
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
We should start having more regular gatherings here in central FL!!!
There are certainly plenty of us here in FL.
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Old 03-09-2017, 08:11 PM   #29
Skoolie
 
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Posts: 138
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cabinbus View Post
my wife and i did the same thing we are living in our incomplete skoolie conversion right now near brooksville where you can come see our conversion if you would like
My cousin & husband are in Hernando Co & thinking of getting a bus.
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Old 03-14-2017, 11:30 AM   #30
Almost There
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Tampa Fl
Posts: 82
Year: 1994
Coachwork: Custom
Chassis: Bluebird
Engine: International straight six
Rated Cap: Unknown
i would love to meet to meet them
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Old 03-14-2017, 04:53 PM   #31
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Posts: 1
Hey there! my name is Trevor. Just recently married (3-5-17) to my wife Leyla and we were curious how your search was going? We're batting around the idea of living the "Skoolie" life lol. We're in the Central Florida area. We like the look of the Blue Bird 1990 with the CAT3208 the other person posted earlier. I've researched a little and the cat3208 engine/dt466 seems to pair well with the Allison transmission. I'm a very "want my stuff as bulletproof as possible" type of guy so that's what we'd be looking for.


Just thought I'd reach out because we also have 2 dogs......and a bunny, lol. Thought it was too coincidental to not message. Good luck on your search!
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Old 03-14-2017, 06:06 PM   #32
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: St. Petersburg, Fl
Posts: 30
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC 2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
walls are closed. time to start building
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Old 03-14-2017, 06:08 PM   #33
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: St. Petersburg, Fl
Posts: 30
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC 2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevlakin View Post
Hey there! my name is Trevor. Just recently married (3-5-17) to my wife Leyla and we were curious how your search was going? We're batting around the idea of living the "Skoolie" life lol. We're in the Central Florida area. We like the look of the Blue Bird 1990 with the CAT3208 the other person posted earlier. I've researched a little and the cat3208 engine/dt466 seems to pair well with the Allison transmission. I'm a very "want my stuff as bulletproof as possible" type of guy so that's what we'd be looking for.


Just thought I'd reach out because we also have 2 dogs......and a bunny, lol. Thought it was too coincidental to not message. Good luck on your search!
Check out the guy we bought our 1990 Bluebird from. He has plenty of busses.
Used School Buses For Sale - Better Buses @ Better Prices - We deliver school buses nation wide
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Old 03-14-2017, 06:37 PM   #34
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 938
Chassis: GMC or Chevrolet, I hope
Engine: gasser probably
Quote:
Originally Posted by JojoBrisk View Post
Check out the guy we bought our 1990 Bluebird from. He has plenty of busses.
Used School Buses For Sale - Better Buses @ Better Prices - We deliver school buses nation wide
Wait what ?
That's BGA bus dealership . . .

Sent from my BLU LIFE ONE X using Tapatalk
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Old 03-14-2017, 08:24 PM   #35
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by oricha1984 View Post
Wait what ?
That's BGA bus dealership . . .

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YEah, the LAST place to go for any kind of "deal".
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Old 03-15-2017, 09:32 AM   #36
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: St. Petersburg, Fl
Posts: 30
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC 2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
I paid $3500 for my bus due to it "losing coolant" which turned out to be a rotting hose clamp that I fixed with one of the clamps from the heaters I removed. Add that to the fact that I drove off with an RV title and I'd say I got a pretty solid deal.
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Old 03-15-2017, 09:35 AM   #37
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,758
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
dang!! you got a good deal id say... dont get me wrong i think the people at BGA are great and fun to talk to.. but usually most people pay high for a bus..

I do know they hate coolant issues up there.. they have been birned on more than one where they had to rebuild the engine or scrap the bus because of issues on their return trips to florida
-Christopher
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Old 03-15-2017, 02:02 PM   #38
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
dang!! you got a good deal id say... dont get me wrong i think the people at BGA are great and fun to talk to.. but usually most people pay high for a bus..

I do know they hate coolant issues up there.. they have been birned on more than one where they had to rebuild the engine or scrap the bus because of issues on their return trips to florida
-Christopher
Good thing for them that for every ten they buy, they could sell one at their prices and still make money.
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Old 03-15-2017, 02:06 PM   #39
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,758
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
Good thing for them that for every ten they buy, they could sell one at their prices and still make money.

I think thats exactly how they do it...
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Old 03-19-2017, 07:21 PM   #40
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Montana
Posts: 581
Year: 2000
I just picked up a nice bus from the Tampa Bus Market. I tried the auction (there will be about 20 Hillsborough Buses in April) - but decided on going with the Tampa Bus Market. If you go - tell him Roger recommended them!
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