A hint for those of you still bus-hunting

[yugogypsy]

Make friends with the head maintenance guy at a local private school.

I've had an in with the guy I know since childhood, he's the one giving me the bus I'm getting, but it was one he'd stored for someone else and was glad to get rid of.

However, in his job, he'll be able to tell me what busses are due for replacement and when.

For those of you farming, these guys are also a great source of old bathtubs for water troughs and if you're into comical gardening, they also give away toilets and basins, and sometimes there may be a fridge or something at a low cost.

Lois

[dburt]

You are right Lois! I have several 'school district transportation directors' who I schumzz with from time to time so I will get the early info on the good busses coming up for sale. That is how I steered Granny to the good Ford bus she got from a local school district last year.

You are also correct on getting an in for the school surplus stuff that gets pitched out or sold cheap at auction. They throw away some really good stuff sometimes, I know 'cuz I used to be a high school teacher. Being the natural born packrat that I am, I used to drag alot of stuff home that got pitched out. One school's trash is another person's treasure!

[yugogypsy]

I bet you love "sidewalk shopping" too

I'm not a pack-rat, but I am a scrounger, I scrounged a little cabinet from a boat for my bus already and when I renovate my bathroom, I'm going to use part of the old counter in the bus.

Next thing I need to scrounge up is a small wood heater, as the one I use in the house, originally came out of the bus. (I have a passing acquaintance with my bus's past, my partner lived with an old guy who was a mechanic and used it as a work shed)

I have a plan in mind for new flooring, insulation etc, so I'll gradually get things together. One thing at a time, the first being to rescue the bus from the farm field, getting it home and giving it a good clean out. I even got a bonus, I collect metal framed beds, and there's one in the bus, along with another counter that needs cleaning.

I've got a lot on the go, so my bus project may be a long one. My house needs major help in the wiring dept. first and I just had to pay for a new well pump

Lois

[ezrablu]

Great idea, Lois...in fact, I'm gonna take a day and head over to the school's bus barn where my bus came from and try to get the maintenance records and manual for it. It's only about an hour away from where I live and the bus was just taken out of commission about 2 yrs ago. I got my fingers crossed those mechanics aren't too on top of things when it comes to cleaning their files out and will still have the info on my bus.
I'm a packrat, too. It runs in my family. Sometimes that can be good and many times it can be a burden I've gotten MANY things free from freecycle.org for my bus.
I hope you have lots of fun fixing up yours

[yugogypsy]

Brr, good Morning Ezrablue

That is a super idea, definitely get those records and a manual if you can. I found an online manual for a Toyota 4Runner, but haven't tried for the bus yet.

Cold as the dickens here this morning and I just got up, house isn't warm yet as Rick went to work and stove went out.

One thing about buses-not a winter project unless you have a big garage!

Cheers
Lois