flatbed schoolbus?

Farmer Rock · Jan 26, 2020

hey guys,so in the near future I am going to buy a truck for hauling on the side.for a long time now I been thinking about buying a cheap schoolbus and hacking away at it to make a good,cheap,reliable flatbed truck.first off I am figuring on adding more leaf springs if necessary.I know I can find a regular truck for $5000 to $10000 with a decent amount of miles on it,but I am thinking if I can buy a bus for a couple grand with hardly any miles on it,and just find an old dovetail trailer bed,and bolt it on.if you guys have any ideas or pictures,i would really appreciate it.

Rock

moresmoke · Jan 26, 2020

You might find a low mile bus, but most have a mountain of hours on them.

Farmer Rock · Jan 26, 2020

I know that can be a concern but I know of a bus that has hardly been used in the past ten years,and always maintained,and I know the owners personaly.

Rock

juniur · Jan 26, 2020

Around here people haul watermelons in old buses. Google watermelon bus.

centash · Jan 26, 2020

That sounds like a plan, but make sure the bus chassis has the GVWR you need for your purposes. As well , most buses do not have a 2 speed rear axle. A bus can make a decent hauler, just don't ask it to do heavy duty jobs.
Ben

55 50 Ron · Jan 26, 2020

I'm aware of a fellow who bought an old school bus for a recreation vehicle. I don't remember the reasons why, but he hasn't been able to license or insure it. So you might want to check this before you buy.

tom upton · Jan 26, 2020

Son turned one in to a snowmobile hauler. Did a real nice job on it for cheap. It has a Cummins 5.9 . I don't think he beefed up springs, but not 100 percent sure. I can get more details on it if you like. The great thing about it is he kept enough space up front for a bunch of people and there gear, and it qualifies for RV so no special licence or safetys to worry about.

RedMF40 · Jan 26, 2020

I been thinking about buying a cheap schoolbus and hacking away at it to make a good,cheap,reliable flatbed truck.

Have you thought about the cab, which is now just a school bus body? What will you put rear of the driver's seat? Plywood wall? Something else? Need some protection at very least from the cargo. Probably lots of hours getting that all straightened out and in the end it'll look pretty home-grown. Maybe not an issue if it's just for personal use.

tom upton · Jan 26, 2020

you just cut whatever you want out of bus and reattach back end. Just looks like a short bus with a flat deck behind it. I will get some better pics, but I don't believe it was that hard to do.

Farmer Rock · Jan 26, 2020

(redmf40:i plan on using the rear wall of bus body and riveting it to the front cab.) (tom upton:thank you for the photo,i would really love to see more info.) (centash and juniur,it is only a 5 speed,and i googled those,and boy talk about a hack job,but it did give me some ideas) thanks guys,rock

jeffcat · Jan 26, 2020

Wellll..ya asked. There are some very clever conversions out there and these are just a few. Very nice show tractor hauler. Like the 30-31 Ford AA bus. Ford didn't make buses. You bought the frame and some body shop locally built the body. That first picture looks as if the price is $2,500.oo.

psimmer · Jan 26, 2020

Lots of them being used in the Cherry Orchards in NW Lower Michigan. They move the back end up behind the cab and haul Cherry Tanks on them.

Rich'sToys · Jan 26, 2020

As mentioned, most move the back section forward. Those bus bodies are usually put together in sections with large rivets. By drilling out the rivets the rear part can be moved forward with minimal damage, and then re-riveted or bolted in place.

SVcummins · Jan 26, 2020

Here you go 😁 luckily for you your not the only one who?s ever had this idea
How to build busses into trucks

SVcummins · Jan 26, 2020

Ultradog MN · Jan 27, 2020

Years ago I was looking for a truck chassis to replace the one in an antique truck and looked at a couple of school busses.
The frames on a bus are not as heavy as a truck of the same size and horsepower.
I'm pulling these numbers out of my ear here but let's say a bus is designed to carry 50 people at 250 lbs/person = 12,500 lbs.
That might work for you but might not.
Also, on a school bus is the body works like a unibody car and carries some of the weight.
If you look into them a bit you'll find the frames on a bus are quite a bit lighter than a truck of the same weight capacity.
Something to think about.

John-MI · Jan 27, 2020

This book canbepurchased at TractorSupply stores also.

SVcummins · Jan 27, 2020

I get farm show books at tractor supply when I see them I?d forgot about them

Traditional Farmer · Jan 27, 2020

You folks grow school kids big in your area.(LOL).The longer buses in my area are 66 passenger X 100 lbs average for school kids and that's a 6600 lb load.

Farmer Rock · Jan 27, 2020

thank you guys for all the help,and thanks sv and Jeffcat for the info and pictures,they really helped me put this together in my mind.

I guess I did not think about what Ultradog said,but I will be sure to check the gvw, and hopefully it is at least 6 or 7 tons.do you think the frame is much smaller,or just weaker suspension.

do you guys think it is worth it?

thanks,Rock

Ultradog MN · Jan 27, 2020

It's been 30 years since I fixed up an old Diamond T I had and was looking for a 2 ton chassis.
What I found was busses of that size had a single C channel frame. Trucks of the same GVW had the same inner C frame but also had an L shaped frame added along the length of the C. Hope that makes sense.
I ended up buying about a 1973 IH Loadstar 1600 and set my cab and flat bed on it.
It took some thinking to do but worked out real good and with the IH 345, 5 SP and 2 sp rear axle it would not only haul but would get right up and go too.
Here's a photo of the old truck before I modernized it. I owned it for nearly 20 years but sold it as new laws made me start putting commercial plates and insurance on it and it became too expensive to drive just for fun.
I bought this truck in Utah and drove it up the AlCan to Alaska, stayed there 2 1/2 years then drove it home to MN.
It was still the old 98 hp Hercules JXB, Clark 5 speed tranny and 2 sp Eaton rear end. Would go about 50 if you flat footed it.
Fun adventure when I was younger. Hope I'm not hijacking your thread too badly here.

showcrop · Jan 27, 2020

(quoted from post at 07:40:17 01/27/20) thank you guys for all the help,and thanks sv and Jeffcat for the info and pictures,they really helped me put this together in my mind.

I guess I did not think about what Ultradog said,but I will be sure to check the gvw, and hopefully it is at least 6 or 7 tons.do you think the frame is much smaller,or just weaker suspension.

do you guys think it is worth it?

thanks,Rock

Farmer Rock, it sounds like you are basically planning to put a load on a truck designed for hauling air. The manufacturers have never built any trucks heavier than a modest percentage heavier than what they are going to be certified to carry. The most basic part is the frame rail which is certain thickness material and a certain cross-section.

ss55 · Jan 27, 2020

Most converted buses are used as RVs or are kept out in the boonies for farm work. If you haul commercial loads with it over the road you will be very obvious and might attract attention from every DOT and cop you meet. Check if you can license and insure it for commercial trucking before investing much time or money.

How will customers react if they hire a truck and a converted school bus shows up?

Farmer Rock · Jan 27, 2020

the more I hear the worse it sounds,maybe this was a terrible idea,i didn't think of what customers would say,and that would be a problem.i was just looking for a start up truck,but It don't seem worth it now,but hey,thats why I am glad I asked you guys,and listening to you guys,i will just have to sring for the $5000,but I guess it will be worth it.i am going to look for another ih truck,do you guys think I should look for anything particular on the truck (brakes,engine,gearing,etc),thanks,
Rock

INCase · Jan 27, 2020

that is cool.....

how did he rig up the upper deck for the sleds? how does it lift?

showcrop · Jan 27, 2020

(quoted from post at 09:51:47 01/27/20) the more I hear the worse it sounds,maybe this was a terrible idea,i didn't think of what customers would say,and that would be a problem.i was just looking for a start up truck,but It don't seem worth it now,but hey,thats why I am glad I asked you guys,and listening to you guys,i will just have to sring for the $5000,but I guess it will be worth it.i am going to look for another ih truck,do you guys think I should look for anything particular on the truck (brakes,engine,gearing,etc),thanks,
Rock

Farmer Rock, I suggest that you find out what your insurance will run you to "haul on the side for hire". Whenever this topic comes up the cost of insurance makes the whole idea impossible.

flatbed schoolbus?

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