> Stephen Keller Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> ^ NICE! Is that an automatic? I would kill to be able to afford a rig
> like that....much less understand an old bus, just wow. There is a guy
> on you tube who rescues those, makes videos,maybe you have seen them? I
> would build in a huge battery pack, solar array and a portable wind
> turbine and go off-grid! :) Love the look, enjoy her! Only bad thing
> about old coaches, and I assume new ones too, is they dislike non paved
> surfaces, get stuck easy in dirt/mud? Any truth to that?
Yeah, it was converted to auto by the PO (they came with a 4-speed manual), upgraded to Sheppard power steering too. They're a lot more affordable than modern rigs if you're willing to invest in some tools and learn to work on them, which is doable, otherwise the maintenance is a bitch, but for 10-20k you can get a decent useable conversion, cheaper if you're willing to take on more of a project.
Of course I've enjoyed Scott's channel, gained a bit of insight from it and appreciate the work he's doing. Some of the the old timer mechanics don't have the best opinion of him though, consider him kind of a photographer-turned-bus mechanic as he's got no formal training, which would be fine by me, but from what I've heard, and now seen, he can be a bit sloppy and not do things by the book, and has refused to take responsibility when the repair fails on the customer as a result, which is a shame cause he seems like a nice guy.
Solar is definitely in the plans, as right now it's dependant on the gas generator for power and propane for heat. I'd convert the generator to propane if I wasn't planning to carry mopeds and tow a car anyway.
As long it's not too loose and muddy or steep it does ok on dirt roads etc. I stuck with open shoulder all terrain drive tires just in case I get rained out while parked on some grass or loose dirt. They were built for intercity highways, and don't have the ground clearance of something like a city school bus, so you have to watch big potholes and bumps not to scrape. The ride is way more comfortable though, and school busses don't have bays unless they are an 'activity' bus (for away games and field trips), which have less clearance anyway. (edited)