eissug
Registered User
I have a 1991 Navistar School Bus that has been converted into a wheelchair accessible motorhome. I'll give a little backstory for those who are interested...those not can skip over the section! 
*****
A retired military veteran drove the bus from PA to AK because he needed one with a working wheelchair lift. He spent 2 years working on the bus (2007-2009 I'm guessing based on expired registration). Right before he put finishing touches on it, he died of a heart attack. Cups were left in the sink, a broom in the corner, spare parts in boxes, silverware in the drawer, and blue masking tape holding drawers closed. I'm assuming he was going to put child safe locks on them later.
Do a web search for handicap accessible motorhome! There are no rentals anywhere except one place Canada, and even those are not "accessible" enough. Wheelchair motorhomes are available for sale by people who have bought one and converted them (paid a third party to modify). I've seen them as low as 30k and over 100k depending on how many mods and how big they are.
My dad's dad died in September and I wanted to figure out how to get him to Eureka CA for the funeral. Flying is the last thing he wants to do, so I searched for motorhome rentals out of desperation. I assumed that when we wanted one, one would be waiting us in Anchorage. When I found out there were none ANYWHERE, I was very sad. Just for fun I searched for "wheelchair motorhome" on craigslist and I found this bus! The advertisement was horrible, barely mentioning the wheelchair lift let alone accessibility! No pictures of the inside, and he didn't ever answer any of my e-mails! I visited the address listed in the craigslist ad and rattled the chain link fence, and was given a phone number!
I added up the cost of a bus, fridge, stove, toilet, etc and offered him about $1000 less than the main parts would cost, $7500, since there was remaining work to be done and we don't know what works and what doesn't. Bus has 28,000 miles!!! I later learned that the bus had been parked at a "Park-n-sell" for a year, and then parked at a "Store-n-Sell", although the storage guys didn't really want to sell it... : ) The like the 80/mo storage.
*****
When I drove the bus home on the highway I never went past 55mph, and it took a LONG time to get there. 0-25 was fast, like a loaded pickup. 25-45 was slow, and 45-55 was barely happening. When there were just slight grades on the highway the bus would slow to 45-50.
Someone told me that the injectors on these old engines go bad from not being used. This bus sat for 2-3 years only being started maybe once or twice.
Other than replacing both filters, what should I do to make sure it is running as good as it can? It starts up quickly in the summer but barely in the winter.
I've uploaded two videos to youtube:
Starting in the summer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EUq_Va01VQ
Glow plug sounds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4TrcICt6BI
Whatever advice or suggestions that you guys can provide would be very much appreciated!
*****
A retired military veteran drove the bus from PA to AK because he needed one with a working wheelchair lift. He spent 2 years working on the bus (2007-2009 I'm guessing based on expired registration). Right before he put finishing touches on it, he died of a heart attack. Cups were left in the sink, a broom in the corner, spare parts in boxes, silverware in the drawer, and blue masking tape holding drawers closed. I'm assuming he was going to put child safe locks on them later.
Do a web search for handicap accessible motorhome! There are no rentals anywhere except one place Canada, and even those are not "accessible" enough. Wheelchair motorhomes are available for sale by people who have bought one and converted them (paid a third party to modify). I've seen them as low as 30k and over 100k depending on how many mods and how big they are.
My dad's dad died in September and I wanted to figure out how to get him to Eureka CA for the funeral. Flying is the last thing he wants to do, so I searched for motorhome rentals out of desperation. I assumed that when we wanted one, one would be waiting us in Anchorage. When I found out there were none ANYWHERE, I was very sad. Just for fun I searched for "wheelchair motorhome" on craigslist and I found this bus! The advertisement was horrible, barely mentioning the wheelchair lift let alone accessibility! No pictures of the inside, and he didn't ever answer any of my e-mails! I visited the address listed in the craigslist ad and rattled the chain link fence, and was given a phone number!
I added up the cost of a bus, fridge, stove, toilet, etc and offered him about $1000 less than the main parts would cost, $7500, since there was remaining work to be done and we don't know what works and what doesn't. Bus has 28,000 miles!!! I later learned that the bus had been parked at a "Park-n-sell" for a year, and then parked at a "Store-n-Sell", although the storage guys didn't really want to sell it... : ) The like the 80/mo storage.
*****
When I drove the bus home on the highway I never went past 55mph, and it took a LONG time to get there. 0-25 was fast, like a loaded pickup. 25-45 was slow, and 45-55 was barely happening. When there were just slight grades on the highway the bus would slow to 45-50.
Someone told me that the injectors on these old engines go bad from not being used. This bus sat for 2-3 years only being started maybe once or twice.
Other than replacing both filters, what should I do to make sure it is running as good as it can? It starts up quickly in the summer but barely in the winter.
I've uploaded two videos to youtube:
Starting in the summer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EUq_Va01VQ
Glow plug sounds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4TrcICt6BI
Whatever advice or suggestions that you guys can provide would be very much appreciated!
