Need Advice Quickly

[o1marc]

I've worked on all 3 brands and find Thomas to be the lowest quality. They're all about the same though.
Amtrans are my favorite for how they're put together, though.

Everywhere I look on my AmTran I find things that were just done better arnica than any other bus I've seen. Build quality is superb. I didn't check before I bought mine , but assumed all the safety stuff had been deactivated. When I finally found the correct switches, everything still works. Strobe, Stop sign, front arm, and all flashing lights.

 

[Brewerbob]

everything still works. Strobe, Stop sign, front arm, and all flashing lights.

That should NOT be the case. The bus barn is supposed to remove all of that. The module that controls the flashing is completely missing out of my. The air line for the air was disconnected.


Door and window buzzers work tho.

 

[PNW_Steve]

One of mine arrive with all of the safety gear still operational as well.

 

[o1marc]

That should NOT be the case. The bus barn is supposed to remove all of that. The module that controls the flashing is completely missing out of my. The air line for the air was disconnected.


Door and window buzzers work tho.

Believe me, I was very surprised to see they still work as me being the second owner since it was decommissioned.

 

[EastCoastCB]

Flat floor space yes. Usable no.


That's where the bed is going in +90% of floor plans anyway. I don't have a rear door but I have a rear window hatch (which I'm keeping even with the roof raise). Because it isn't a door, it's fine with a bed stuck in the middle of it. A door is useful but only if you don't end up blocking it with cabinets or furniture.

you just proved my points very well!

 

[brokedown-SKO]

My first bus was driving kids around the day before I drove it home. They removed their GPS tracker and license plate and off I went in an otherwise intact school bus.

 

[HappyInTN]

I just subscribed to your channel. If I get a bus I'll be adding videos to my channel as well. Thanks!

Awesome! Thanks so much. Can't wait to see your posts and your progress. If a skoolie is your dream you need to make it happen!:Thanx:

 

[BlackJohn]

While everything is still in working order take some video of what's what and what does what?
Then each step of the dismantaling that stuff for future reference or share it here or wherever.


Not only are you the bus driver, you are now the teacher .


John

 

[Brewerbob]

you just proved my points very well!

A bed in the way of the rear door doesn't increase floor space. If you're putting your bed in the front of the bus, that's just weird. If you want a bus with a garage, then an FE is the only way to go.

 

[EastCoastCB]

A bed in the way of the rear door doesn't increase floor space. If you're putting your bed in the front of the bus, that's just weird. If you want a bus with a garage, then an FE is the only way to go.

The FE doesn't dictate where you have to put a bed.
If you don't count the GIANT hump and intake at the rear then yes FE has the most usable and flexible floor space. That rear door also makes moving things into the bus easier while building.

 

[Brewerbob]

The FE doesn't dictate where you have to put a bed.

No, it doesn't but again almost EVERY rv has the bed in the rear, be it a flat nose, dog nose, or a Sprinter van. There are a few people that buck the system but far and few in between.

If you don't count the GIANT hump and intake at the rear then yes FE has the most usable and flexible floor space. That rear door also makes moving things into the bus easier while building.

The hump is higher than I'd normally make the bed but higher means more storage underneath so it's not all bad.

And my air intake isn't much bigger than a house vent. Seeing some of the pictures on here, ... OMG. They are ginormous and on both sides. Mine is TINY and one sided.

 

[brokedown-SKO]

i've for a FE bus, and I'm using the very back for a garage, then a bathroom with shower, then a bedroom, thena living room+kitchen area. You can work around the wheel humps, you can work around the lump in the back.

if you add up the square footage of the wheel arches and compare it to the square footage of the rear engine hump, the wheel arches probably take up more room.

My bed is roughly at chair rail height, anything higher she'd be likely to fall to her doom in her normal clumsy way. Between that and wanting a garage, there was really no way for me to go with a rear engine bus. I'll be using some shallow baskets under the bed for a little storage but also soft storage above the bed like we had in the short bus.

 

[Brewerbob]

i've for a FE bus, and I'm using the very back for a garage,

Yep, if you gotta have a garage, there's no way around getting an FE. Well, you could spend big money and get a Gillig center engine. Side note, those have to be a beast to work on. Or if you did some ungodly roof raise. There's a guy on here somewhere that went to 13'6" for a loft. Do away with the loft and you could have a garage. Just mind that first step; it's a 6 foot drop to the ground. Without a 37 foot long ramp, it would be useless.

if you add up the square footage of the wheel arches and compare it to the square footage of the rear engine hump, the wheel arches probably take up more room.

I disagree; wheel humps are smaller (I think). I'll see if I can't find my measurements somewhere.

My bed is roughly at chair rail height,

Chair rail as in house yes? The chair rail in the bus (where the seats mount) are only 10 1/2" (???) high.

anything higher she'd be likely to fall to her doom in her normal clumsy way.

IKR? My gf is 5'4" and a 1/4. You can't forget the 1/4.. Also "vertically challenged". I'll end up with steps on one side or the other but during construction phase, I'll make her get up there without anything just for the show.

 

[EastCoastCB]

No, it doesn't but again almost EVERY rv has the bed in the rear, be it a flat nose, dog nose, or a Sprinter van. There are a few people that buck the system but far and few in between.

The hump is higher than I'd normally make the bed but higher means more storage underneath so it's not all bad.

And my air intake isn't much bigger than a house vent. Seeing some of the pictures on here, ... OMG. They are ginormous and on both sides. Mine is TINY and one sided.

Storage under the bed on a RE?? WHat? store your stuff on the engine itself. Or you talking about sleeping a foot below the ceiling?? I'm confused.

Another consideration is that the bed will have to come out if the engine access panel needs to be uncovered.

 

[Brewerbob]

Storage under the bed on a RE?? WHat? store your stuff on the engine itself. Or you talking about sleeping a foot below the ceiling?? I'm confused.

The "shelf" over the engine is only 3 feet (???) deep. You might be able to get a twin mattress up there without falling off the edge but there's no way in hell a full much less a queen/kind would fit. So, most people make that shelf deeper. Build a bed frame either on top of the existing cover or extend it. What isn't outside becomes storage.

Another consideration is that the bed will have to come out if the engine access panel needs to be uncovered.

Yup, that's why RE guys hinge the bed. 1) to get into the storage they made and 2) get at the turbo, head, or whatever thru the access panel.


I really should go find my dimensions. I think it's something like 34" deep.

 

[Brewerbob]

I was just going to post that I couldn't find any pics. Turns out my dimensions are on graph paper. I really need a CAD kid to follow me around. Get EVERYTHING measured and then drawn into a CAD file.


Meantime, scanner before I lose this or spill coffee on it.


Ignore the layout. The back deck over the engine is 32" deep with the rear bench seat adding another 19". 14 1/2" tall on the bench and 19" deep. Either 30 1/2" tall or 32" with the other being the depth.Hard to tell... Hence the need for a CAD kid tagging along.

 

[EastCoastCB]

I think its funny that RE folks think the doghouse on a FE is so intrusive but don't mind a giant refrigerator sized lump where the rear door could be.

But we all have different wants and needs. At the end of the day I think any bus is capable of being awesome.

 

[Brewerbob]

King » 76" x 80"
Queen » 60" x 80"
Full XL » 53" x 80"
Full » 53" x 75"
Twin XL » 38" x 80"
Twin » 38" x 75"


Anywho, the twin won't fit properly. Assuming you built straight up from the bench, you're looking at 51". You could make due with a full on that. This would leave you storage under the queen mattress that would be 16"x19". This is all assuming your bed is "sideways". Run it the same direction as the bus and you'd have even more.

 

[EastCoastCB]

King » 76" x 80"
Queen » 60" x 80"
Full XL » 53" x 80"
Full » 53" x 75"
Twin XL » 38" x 80"
Twin » 38" x 75"


Anywho, the twin won't fit properly. Assuming you built straight up from the bench, you're looking at 51". You could make due with a full on that. This would leave you storage under the queen mattress that would be 16"x19". This is all assuming your bed is "sideways". Run it the same direction as the bus and you'd have even more.

Or- one could buy a CE or FE and build the bed any way they like. :whistling:

 

[Brewerbob]

I think its funny that RE folks think the doghouse on a FE is so intrusive but don't mind a giant refrigerator sized lump where the rear door could be.

Nah, I don't think it's all that intrusive. Tho I will say I don't like your curved stairs.

But we all have different wants and needs. At the end of the day I think any bus is capable of being awesome.

Yup.



I don't want/need a garage. My bed would be in the back regardless. With a door there I would have to turn the bed sideways (which I may or may not do anyway). It would be nice to have a bigger door. I have been considering paneling over my e-door and moving it one window over to a 32" section. I mean who the hell puts an e-door in a 25" section when there's a 32" right next to it. Hello Blue Bird, are you listening? I need to go junk yard diving and see if I can find a bigger e-door.


So, with your beloved FE and rear door bus--:wink1:, how wide is your rear door? I don't think my ribs are far enough apart for a handicapped door. I brought the sheet metal into the bus using the rear e-window. It measures something like 44" wide. Not quite wide enough for the sheet metal flat but big enough on the diagonal. That was kinda annoying.