My Chive chapter is looking to get an old bus and convert it into more of an RV with sleeping for a few of us so we can roll deep to meetups and charity events.

I don't know where to start with this. I see stuff on Craigslist and eBay but I don't know what is a good deal, what isn't... what to look for, what to not care about. What a good price is?

Any help would be appreciated. I mean, most of it is probably common sense, but we haven't done this before so I figured I'd ask.

Post up on grassrootsmotorsports.com in the $2014 section. Those guys are always on the lookout for odd stuff.

quote Anyone ever buy an old school bus before?

Would have to be, wouldn't it?

www.govdeals.com

Just keep a look out on there.

Kevin

[This message has been edited by ybnormal74 (edited 04-29-2014).]

Do you mean an old school bus, or an "old school" bus..?



Just feeling nerdy today... but this is a new (to me) example of why it's no easy task to program a computer to understand and respond to input, using only conversational human language.

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 04-29-2014).]

I would suggest getting some kind of government bus, school, metro, nursing home etc. I would avoid most private party sales due to the busses tend to sit and that never good. But never hurts to look. A gov. bus is likely to have been well maintained.

Are you after gas or diesel? big block front engine school ones go really cheap. The diesel pushers can cost, and cost to fix. Oh, and some busses have a sped limiter and might be geared soley for city.

Had a friend years ago get a metro diesel pusher from a family member. Thing was pretty sweat all the seats were still in it and we drove it around town, drove really nice, and people would get off the bench thinking we were going to stop

pedo bus

I helped build & grew up in this:





This is what it looks like today:

Just from my point of view from having driven city bus for a short time.
Avoid Gillig and GM city type buses they are geared and limited for city duty, if you find yourself on a freeway you'll be pedal down to hold 55/60 MPH
In short stay away from Transit buses

quote Originally posted by Boondawg: I helped build & grew up in this:

Ok Boonie.. you can't do a hit and run here. What's the deal with that bus? Is it something you went back to visit just to reminisce? Or do you currently own it now?

Are you planning on fixing it up? Are you going to take it for a cross-country vacation?

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: Ok Boonie.. you can't do a hit and run here. What's the deal with that bus? Is it something you went back to visit just to reminisce? Or do you currently own it now?

It's still sitting along side a goldmine in Dawson City, YTC.
It's been long abandoned.
My brother had someone that lives there take pictures of it a couple of years back.

http://www.skoolie.net/forum/

http://www.bargainbusnews.com/schoolbuses.php
I'd go for something like
http://www.bargainbusnews.c...6674-1985CrownCrown/




Scratch that,

http://www.bargainbusnews.c...oolBus/#imgiframediv

[This message has been edited by Gokart Mozart (edited 04-29-2014).]

Perhaps this is what you need?





Seriously, an old Divco milk truck would be way cooler than a school bus.

------------------

I speak English. Sue me.

[This message has been edited by NEPTUNE (edited 04-29-2014).]

quote Originally posted by Boondawg: I helped build & grew up in this:

Related to Chris?

[This message has been edited by dennis_6 (edited 04-29-2014).]

My brother works for a school district in Ark, and he has bought 2 different surplus school buses, did a little work on them and resold both for a profit. He gave less than $1000 for each.
You just have to catch the state or district sale and submit a sealed bid most of the time.

You guys are awesome! I sent this at a busy time at work and couldn't get back to it but I'll get you all tomorrow. For the record, I'm talking "old schoolbus" not "old school bus" I think most of you understood. Thanks again! I think I'll be the facilitator of this project because I've wanted one for so long anyway so now it's a matter of educating myself.

quote Originally posted by theBDub: You guys are awesome! I sent this at a busy time at work and couldn't get back to it but I'll get you all tomorrow. For the record, I'm talking "old schoolbus" not "old school bus" I think most of you understood. Thanks again! I think I'll be the facilitator of this project because I've wanted one for so long anyway so now it's a matter of educating myself.

How old School and how deep you talkin?


http://stockton.craigslist.org/for/4379148469.html
It ain't ol'skool but it is real kewl!

Damn I want to buy that!

[This message has been edited by pokeyfiero (edited 04-30-2014).]

quote Originally posted by rinselberg: Do you mean an old school bus, or an "old school" bus..? Just feeling nerdy today... but this is a new (to me) example of why it's no easy task to program a computer to understand and respond to input, using only conversational human language.

The rear entrance was for colored people.
Back in "the good old days" they had to sit in the back of the bus.

[This message has been edited by NEPTUNE (edited 04-30-2014).]

You could also look into a shuttle bus. They are cheap and very easy to find. I have helped convert two of them and a third is already purchased.
You can get them in just about any size, from 10 people to near city bus size. They are in auctions all the time and also listings.
There are even forums for converting them. I have seen several of them converted into "party busses"

quote Originally posted by NEPTUNE: The rear entrance was for colored people. Back in "the good old days" they had to sit in the back of the bus.

Sheeeet.... The back of the bus is where it's at!

Get your poindexter ass up to the front! The back is for da Homies.


I didn't grow up in a secluded environment. Being a homie meant you were down and chill.
Racism was something you feared from the cops not your peers.
That was a mexican indian perspective anyway.

//

[This message has been edited by Gokart Mozart (edited 04-30-2014).]

quote Originally posted by Uaana: Just from my point of view from having driven city bus for a short time. Avoid Gillig and GM city type buses they are geared and limited for city duty, if you find yourself on a freeway you'll be pedal down to hold 55/60 MPH In short stay away from Transit buses

I would not think school buses are geared for continual highway use either.

quote Originally posted by pokeyfiero: How old School and how deep you talkin? http://stockton.craigslist.org/for/4379148469.html It ain't ol'skool but it is real kewl!

A friend near my lake property had one of those (still configured for city mass transit) he got for cheap. He had to buy tires and batteries and they were not cheap. He got it for stupid cheap though so it balanced out. He ended up selling it, which was not easy due to slight demand and he let it go for about what he had into it.
I will try to get the money numbers.

quote Originally posted by pokeyfiero: How old School and how deep you talkin? http://stockton.craigslist.org/for/4379148469.html It ain't ol'skool but it is real kewl! Damn I want to buy that!

Old = cheap. Not so much an age requirement.

That thing is awesome but we aren't looking for a party bus, more a place where a bunch of people can just drink and sleep.

quote Originally posted by theBDub: Old = cheap. Not so much an age requirement..

That is pretty damn cheap!

quote Originally posted by theBDub:That thing is awesome but we aren't looking for a party bus, more a place where a bunch of people can just drink and sleep.

really, Cause that sounds like a party bus to me.

[This message has been edited by pokeyfiero (edited 04-30-2014).]

quote Originally posted by pokeyfiero: really, Cause that sounds like a party bus to me.

Note the word sleep though... so no long and thin bench across the bus lol.

quote Originally posted by NEPTUNE: The rear entrance was for colored people. Back in "the good old days" they had to sit in the back of the bus.

Turn in your remote control. No more NBA for you!

i sort of covet one of these:

http://www.greyhoundcoach.com/gallery.html

[This message has been edited by lurker (edited 04-30-2014).]

Might want to see if Mr. Hall has one in the States, lurker. Shipping may be prohibitive. Not that you care, but BDub might.

quote Originally posted by theBDub: Note the word sleep though... so no long and thin bench across the bus lol.

You're just not drinking enough man.

You might want to look up the "drinking in a motor vehicle, even if its parked" laws where you live, just in case. Thought occurred to me, it may be different where you are, but I know the cops can give me a hard time for drinking while just sitting in a car.

Also, when all expenses are considered, would it just be cheaper to buy a used RV motor home? When you consider repair and conversion costs, it might not be a lot more, and it would be more suited to highway travel.

Unless you're looking for something to just crash in, vomit on, and hose out at the end of a trip.

This makes me wonder what happens to old rock band tour busses when they no longer need them. You never see any advertised for sale. They must wear those suckers out.

I did some generator work on one of those old charter buses. It would be sweet if you could pick up one of those cheap. This thing was wired for sound and satellite. TV's all over. And a john in the back. That could come in handy for the drinking part.

quote Originally posted by lurker: i sort of covet one of these: http://www.greyhoundcoach.com/gallery.html

Id trade my motorhome for one of those in the same condition...then I could build it how I want it. It WOULD be awesome for going to the races. Watch from the top in air conditioning....even put in a walk thru sunroof to go clear up on the roof. Outside storage for a 60" LCD, BBQ grill, ATVs.

[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 04-30-2014).]

quote Originally posted by Cheever3000: This makes me wonder what happens to old rock band tour busses when they no longer need them. You never see any advertised for sale. They must wear those suckers out.

http://www.busforsale.com/buses/index.php?cat=1

quote Originally posted by Zeb: You might want to look up the "drinking in a motor vehicle, even if its parked" laws where you live, just in case. Thought occurred to me, it may be different where you are, but I know the cops can give me a hard time for drinking while just sitting in a car. Also, when all expenses are considered, would it just be cheaper to buy a used RV motor home? When you consider repair and conversion costs, it might not be a lot more, and it would be more suited to highway travel. Unless you're looking for something to just crash in, vomit on, and hose out at the end of a trip.

Good call. I didn't think about that, being from Missouri. You can drink pretty much anywhere there.

But yeah on that last line.

http://www.curbsideclassic....or-greyhound-and-gm/

A cool write-up on the history of Scenicruisers.

I always thought one of these would make a wicked RV.

[This message has been edited by Gokart Mozart (edited 04-30-2014).]

That 1963 Crown School Bus is amazing. I will probably go newer just for reliability but damn it's sweet.