Our New Prison Bus, Blue Bird, International 9.0l

[letz4wheel]

That all could be normal or it could not. I would assume the engine is original so all is probably well. The year on the chassis is the year the chassis was built. The year on the bus is the year the bus was built...sound good Now to realize what is happening you have to realize how busses are built. The chassis is built and assembled by International. The chassis is then shipped to bluebird. When bluebird gets around to it they put a body on it.
The chassis year is when international assembled the chassis and shipped it to BB. The body year is the year the BB got around to building the body. Make sense?

 

[Griff-SKO]

Whatever year is shown on the title being transferred should clear the matter.

My bus is registered as a 1982, but the mfg plate says 1983. I got mine from a "no-title" state, but found a previous registration card from another state in the debris stating it was a 1982. My local DMV accepted that. (The VIN also codes to 1982.)

Since the VIN is what is will be shown on the title, I'd say to register it as a 1985.

Sorry, no help on the motor.

 

[zamfir]

The chassis year is when international assembled the chassis and shipped it to BB. The body year is the year the BB got around to building the body. Make sense?

And the year on the engine tag is when International built the engine, before they got around to putting it in a chassis.

FWIW, here's a forum discussion on the International 9.0 liter engine. http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/f33/1987-international-9-0l-q-81318/ Your mileage may vary.

 

[Zcommanager]

Welcome to the forum. Good luck with the registration year on your bus!!

 

[Redbear]

In some states you can register it as the year the conversion was/is done. What that means is that, in some states, you could take your 1984-85-86 bus and, if you did the conversion in 2008, it could be registered as a 2008 model!

I would think many states would just accept the year off of a previous title or registration document, unless they have the rebuild rule and it affects the initial body conversion. I think here, rebuilds go by the frame year, but a camper conversion isn't considered a rebuild. I'll have to confirm that with my contact in DMV. I've heard If you wreck your 2008 pick-up, and rebuild it on a 1985 frame, you now have a 1985 truck, despite the appearance.

On the minus side, an older designation negatively affects resale and insurance values. On the plus side, being older may reduce excise or luxury tax assessments, and avoid raised sales tax minimums. Also, most safety and emission rules are added on based on the year of manufacture. The latest emissions requirements might make a rebuilt 'new' old bus inoperable without an engine swap.

In building an old bus to be like new, I would prefer to have the choice to meet all the modern requirements I thought were important, rather than having every single one forced on me. For example, I would never drive away without putting on my seatbelt, but I don't appreciate a buzzer telling me I started the engine first while I settle in, as is my practice.

 

[dlor1]

Good luck on the veggie conversion. Let me know if you need any help.

 

[bbbrt76]

from the pics that rust looks minor to me and I wouldn't be concerned, but then I live in an area of major rust so it takes a lot to worry me, paint it with a rust converter/encapsulator and then build your new floor over it