Leap of faith

[Zizzer_Zazzer_Zuz]

Well, I did it.

I bought a bus. 

After months of looking I went to a lot, went over the inventory, and found the one.

2006 Ford 6L diesel F450 Super Duty duely. 16 passenger, with a wheel chair lift. Four LOCKING exterior doors and three emergency exits.

She roars!

To be clear, in my search I have test driven 4 vans and as of 2 days ago 9 ... ? buses.

My insurance agent wants pictures. The folks at the MVA were very helpful. For now it will be titled as a bus and insured as an RV. At some point I'll get back in touch with the MVA Inspector and we'll get the title converted to an RV. Or not. It doesn't seem to matter here.

Words of advice: shop for a bus in the rain.

I'm still sort of catching my breath.

Phase one will be pretty simple accommodations for a trip to Arizona in January.

Phase 2 will be the build out in the spring.

The beginning of a great adventure.

 

[mayble]

Congratulations!!
You know we need pictures too

 

[rvpopeye]

Launch the shuttlecraft Mr.Spock

 

[BobBski]

Congratulations. Look forward to watching your conversion. Happy for ya, all the best

 

[AngryVanMan]

6.0 Power Stroke Bulletproofing

If you haven't seen this already, the best time to start addressing the factory systems is before you have a problem. Once bulletproofed, the 6.0 is a beast of a motor and reliable to boot! Congrats on the bus!

 

[#1BonBonQueen]

Well, I did it.

I bought a bus. 


My insurance agent wants pictures. The folks at the MVA were very helpful. For now it will be titled as a bus and insured as an RV. At some point I'll get back in touch with the MVA Inspector and we'll get the title converted to an RV. Or not. It doesn't seem to matter here.



Phase one will be pretty simple accommodations for a trip to Arizona in January.

Phase 2 will be the build out in the spring.

The beginning of a great adventure.

Congratulations on your buying your Bus!!!! Sounds like you are getting ready for a great adventure, please, send pictures to us too?
Glad you found what you were looking for.
Sharon

 

[masterplumber]

Woot woot! time to start building. And times 2 on taking care of the 6.0. They had their problems, but once those are addressed they can be great motors.

 

[rvwandering]

Congratulations! Great base for your build - looking forward to updates!

 

[DannyB1954]

6.0 Power Stroke Bulletproofing

If you haven't seen this already, the best time to start addressing the factory systems is before you have a problem.  Once bulletproofed, the 6.0 is a beast of a motor and reliable to boot!  Congrats on the bus!

 So, congratulations on buying a long lasting economical diesel, now all you need to do is spend another $7,500 on making it long lasting? 
The resale value will not change a whole lot after one makes that kind of investment.

 

[AngryVanMan]

Hey, now - even though the 6.0 has special needs, and some expensive mechanical conditions, doesn't mean we don't love it just as much as our other engines! Don't let it hear you talk like that or you might hurt its feelings!

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Damned Left-Handed, Red-Headed Stepchild . . .

 

[ArtW]

Congratz!

 

[closeanuf]

Whatever you do find someone who knows what they are doing to check out this 6.0.  Everyone telling you things you don't want to hear right now have your best interest in mind.  There are people out there who actually know what to do to this engine.  Don't just let anyone who can turn a wrench work on it.  Whatever you do don't ignore all the warnings.  Get it done right before you spend a lot of time converting it.  If you find someone who specializes in these engines they may find some or all the corrective measures have already been made.  GOOD LUCK.

 

[Zizzer_Zazzer_Zuz]

It was delivered yesterday afternoon. I had a chance to talk to the professional driver that just drove it for 11 hours. He drives random school buses all over the country for a living. After signing the paperwork and taking possession of the bus I drove him to the airport. I made it very clear to him that I understood the nature of as-is sales and that the check had already cleared. This is what he told me.

- I got a hell of a bus for good deal.
- It handled highway speed with no problems at all.
- He had no way to know exact dates of WHEN maintenance was done but the bus was clearly well maintained.
- The tires, suspension, drivability, and brakes work well.
- Before I hit the road I should have an oil change, radiator flush, and have all the filters changed. The rest of the fluids should be checked and I am prepared to change them all out.
- We crawled around underneath and he showed me where rust USUALLY occurs and there was none. He confirmed the lack of salt damage from road salt. This holds with the fact that the county it was used in has concrete roads and so does not use salt.
- There is a small leak in the back left interior. It was dry when he got to me after running the rear radiator for several hours so it is likely the seal around the handicap lift.
- Because the seats are a bracket and rail configuration and modular they are worth selling.
- The wheel chair list is sound and works and is also worth selling. I may donate this and the seats for help removing them.

The County MVA Inspector has worked with other people that have done this and seems pretty willing to let things be pretty loose. As for the sink requirement, "It just has to be there. It's not like I'm going to check to see if it works.".

There are two possibilities for mechanics. A local Off Road / Diesel shop and another that I came across while searching for my rig that has a lift big enough for a Type B Bus, which is bigger than mine.

*IF* I HAVE to do the full bulletproof I could do it but my full time travel budget would be blown. On the other hand I would have one hella rig. The build would still get done and I would have to put off travel for a year.

Worse things have happened.

Time to clean up lunch and start taking the before pics and taking out seats. I'm not sure I have to paint it or not. I think I will need to invest in a heat gun to pull the lettering and stickers.

 

[eDJ_]

On the 6.0 Ford Diesel,  here is a specialty shop that undertakes to refine this particular engine.

http://www.bulletproofdiesel.com/


And here is a fellow with some experience with shuttle Vans/busses

http://www.fatherof11.com/shuttle_bus.html


Here is one guys story of converting a shuttle into a RV

http://www.free-the-memes.net/projects/rv/rv.html


If there is a Harbor Freight store around your area....they have heat guns reasonably priced.

Best of luck with your rig.