Help Me Find The Right Bus

[1olfart]

Oh well......I better cut myself off, b4 I loose another post.

BUTT..... that Harley seat on that old '75 9/60 was a great ride.
Happy New Years, and keep us posted on what you decide.

 

[Twigg-SKO]

Twigg has this seat:

 

[o1marc]

Twigg has this seat:

View attachment 18171

I'd be taking naps in that seat.

 

[jdawgsworld]

Here ya go

https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/for/d/1991-blue-bird-body-bus/6409401858.html

I love the paint job!!!

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[jdawgsworld]

Mentally I thought my bus was going to be a lot cooler than it really is.

That's what reality does to us...lol

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[EastCoastCB]

I love the paint job!!!

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IDK how that bus hasn't sold yet. If I had the money I'd be all over that.

 

[jdawgsworld]

IDK how that bus hasn't sold yet. If I had the money I'd be all over that.

Me2...just because it's a bluebird and a awesome paint job

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[o1marc]

Well I woke up this morning to a text from my brother informing me my Mother has finally passed away due to complications from pancreatic cancer. I'll use some of my inheritance to purchase a bus. I can't believe how accurately the doctors were on how much time she had left with out doing any procedures to find what stage she was in or do anything to prolong here stay on earth. Dad passed away in Aug. and we were hoping the good Lord would give her a few years to enjoy herself before taking her, but such was not the case. Ironically she was diagnosed after a gall bladder surgery which she was having at the same minute Dad passed away in the same hospital. They wheeled her into his room to say their goodbyes, we knew Dad was on his way out and he passed while Mom was in surgery. When they diagnosed the pancreatic cancer she asked how much time she had and they said they couldn't determine for sure without doing a procedure she didn't want to do. So They told her to get the family together for Christmas as she likely would not see the New Year. Well Mom was a tough old cookie and vibrant and socially active every day until she went in the hospital on 12/28. She hung around till after the new year rang in just to prove to the doctors she was tougher than they thought. She passed at 8:30 this morning.

 

[brokedown-SKO]

Sorry to hear that, best wishes to you and your family in such a monumental time of loss.

 

[Robin97396]

Condolences.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Very sincere condolences. Losing parents is tough at any age.

 

[1olfart]

I feel for you. I too lost both my parents, and a mother-in-law, all within 6 mos. Kinda hard to stay focused. MI hope your build will help some, in some way.

 

[Twigg-SKO]

Would this work for you?

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f14/1998-thomas-sad-t-liner-40-ft-20605.html#post242499

 

[o1marc]

Would this work for you?

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f14/1998-thomas-sad-t-liner-40-ft-20605.html#post242499

Thanks for the link. It might very well, if it's true. Not much info to base a hard decision on. The mileage is suspect, because as far as I'm concerned 35k is a 1 year old bus. If it's true, I'll gladly pay that. But I need to see pics and more details.

Actually now that I looked, it's an RE, which doesn't suit my needs. If I can get the money I would buy it and hang onto it for the next build. My first one must include the motorcycle shop.

 

[Twigg-SKO]

Thanks for the link. It might very well, if it's true. Not much info to base a hard decision on. The mileage is suspect, because as far as I'm concerned 35k is a 1 year old bus. If it's true, I'll gladly pay that. But I need to see pics and more details.

Actually now that I looked, it's an RE, which doesn't suit my needs. If I can get the money I would buy it and hang onto it for the next build. My first one must include the motorcycle shop.

It is very low, and I'd like to know why. School buses typically do not do 35k a year. Most barely do a third of that.

Transit buses with a Cummins 8.3L were mostly trip buses and they didn't often run regular routes.

 

[BlackJohn]

Sorry to hear of your loss bro, hoping time will ease your sorrow. Lost both my parents 9 months apart so I have an idea how you must be taking it.
Mine was 25 yeas ago and seems like yesterday.
You will feel good again, again my condolences.

John

 

[o1marc]

I mentioned in another post that Mom left an IRA that needs to be disbursed right away, so I can actively look for a bus for my first build. I might just buy both buses discussed here. I will name the bus Mother because without her I could not realize this dream.

 

[o1marc]

You have competing requirements, which is not unusual.

For highway driving you want a big engine and decent transmission. They tend to be the province of rear-engined buses, ruling out a rear garage. It's possible to find a conventional with the Cummins 8.3L, but they are rare.

You want 40', but few of them are SPED buses so no lift. Buses with lifts tend not to have the better power-trains as they rarely venture on the highway.

So you have to decide what's most important, and where you can compromise.

A DT466 with a decent transmission would be fine for most purposes, and there are a lot of them around. Avoid the ones with the AT545 transmission. That trans ain't great, and they only go behind the lower-powered DT466 anyway.

If I'm looking for high open road speed what tranny am i wanting? You Say the 466 is low powered, I thought it was the high power as opposed to the 5.9 everyone says has issues. What is the more powerful option with a good tranny?

 

[Twigg-SKO]

If I'm looking for high open road speed what tranny am i wanting? You Say the 466 is low powered, I thought it was the high power as opposed to the 5.9 everyone says has issues. What is the more powerful option with a good tranny?

Speed on the highway isn't entirely dependant on engine and transmission. Final Drive Ratio plays a big role.

It's getting the right combination that allows decent hill-climbing or towing (power), the correct gear ratios to make driving smooth and easy, and the total ratio to allow lower revolution cruising.

So ... Mine is a Cummins 8.3L with MD3060 trans and a final drive of 5.38.

That combination, with 6th gear unlocked, is about as good as it gets.

Many buses that are decent on the highway have FD ratios in the 4's, but they are less good in towns and neighborhoods. They need that higher FD because they don't have the OD gears in the trans.

It's all a balance, but the more power you get from the engine, the more flexibility you have elsewhere. If the engine is, for example, tuned for 180 hp, you might not even be able to pull a 0.65 OD gear.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Speed capability is going to be a product of engine RPM, transmission ratio, rear axle gearing and tire size. Of course horsepower and torque are necessary to spin all that, but you can play with all the numbers using a gearing calculator like the one below. The one at the bottom of the page will tell the tale. Good to know what potentials you are dealing with before you buy. Changing out a ring & pinion set on some of these beasties can get expensive fast.

Engine RPM Calculator