Young man, old bus

[Underwood_chauffeur]

Going up to purchase a 1980 International bus that's going to have to be moved soon.

Engine's stuck.

It was converted long ago to a house & is pretty cute; someone did a bit of a rough-and-ready job but it's nice.

This is going to be an adventure; just making a first post here so I know how to do it. Long time lurker on the forum, read a bunch of cool stuff.

So what kind of bus?
Thomas body
V8 gasoline engine
4spd manual transmission
Takes 2 big batteries
Air brakes(yay!)
20 gallon freshwater tank in the kitchen counter
Double sink
3 burner propane range with oven
Dayton rims (one tire's got a bad bulge but oh well)
2 bullet holes in window
Hole set up for woodstove
Green paint, black trim
Nice bedroom with a bed in it
Couch
Dinette booth

It is a very old hippie bus instead of a modern "skoolie" -- instead of air conditioning & lots of highway mileage, it goes 55mph or at least it did before the engine locked up due to rain in the carburetor. Engine is pickling in penetrating oil & I think I can free it up with a breaker bar & get the valvetrain redone, replace head gaskets, all that.


Basically this is NOT a logical or safe or sane adventure but I love it. I am in college studying English in the Humanities in this economy. Do what you love.

I'm putting it in storage in St Albans, VT so I can catch the train and go fix it up. The plan then is to get the engine turning over and drive it back to Connecticut.
Might take a bit, and I'll be fixing on it for a long time, but I'll at least have a house of my own soon & can figure out where to put it anywhere.

[magnakansas]

i hope you get it running with out a lot of grief. Look for international harvester enthusiasts near you, might find help with the mechanicals. We old farts like to see folks get this old stuff going.

william

[Underwood_chauffeur]

Originally Posted by magnakansas

i hope you get it running with out a lot of grief. Look for international harvester enthusiasts near you, might find help with the mechanicals. We old farts like to see folks get this old stuff going.

william

Thanks much William. Nice to meet you btw; I'm Charles.

I think I can get parts for the engine from a lot of farm suppliers. Grew up down South & there were a lot of these old buses cut off at the window line. Farmers used them all the time to bring in watermelons because you can't have the Carolinas without a watermelon.
Loved the idea of old school buses. I remember the old ones fixed up (still as buses) for river guides, pulling trailers and hauling kayakers. If they were cut down at the windows they were suddenly the perfect watermelon wagon. Old buses were around, and they were cool, then they started to disappear.

It's not a pretty bus at the moment but the price is ridiculously low so I am rather pleased with myself on that regard. They want $1500 for it. I know how much the nicer, newer school buses are selling for; if I can figure out how to get the heads off & do the valves, I'll have a bus of my own for less.

And it looks cool too, with the big high radiator & round headlights.