Posted by David Jensen on March 08, 1998 at 02:44:31:
In Reply to: 4x4 School Bus Info posted by Todd on March 05, 1998 at 14:39:06:
Wow! If the rig is in good shape, it sounds like a lot of fun at the right price. I'm assuming it's a stubby (30 passenger) or is it longer? I'm fixing up a '66 D400 (stubby) school bus but it's just 2wd. What I like about mine is that the coach part is galvanized. I'd been looking for W500 4wd parts to do a conversion, but the truck yards I talked to say the front end parts are getting hard to find. But if this truck is already 4wd and in decent shape, why not? A couple of things about engines: Your bus probably hangs the engine from a mount up front. Mine still has that type of mount but a '70s small block 318 has been swapped in. Looks like it bolts right up. I like the older wide-block 318s (you can tell the difference by the valve covers, the older 318s have studs coming up through the valve covers) but I think the valve adjustment, and rocker arm set-up is kind of funky. The valve adjustment screws don't have lock nuts and when they get worn they can work loose fast. Usually lock-tite helps. Also the brackets that hold the rocker arm shaft tube are actually cast extensions of the head. If you don't end up buying this rig, be sure and post some info on it, there's sure to be someone who would want it. Good luck! PS Be sure and look at the top of the radiator where the mounting braces are soldered on top. It's real common to see these broken loose, and then your radiator kind of shakes itself apart. If you catch this and get it fixed early, you can often save the radiator.