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CurtM220
Age: 58 Joined: 21 Sep 2011 Posts: 18 Location: Wasilla, Alaska
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 12:50 am Post subject: Greetings from a new guy... |
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Hi folks, just found this site and have spent a ton of time reading the posts. Just wanted to say thanks and hi. About to be a new bus owner, with plans to do a conversion to a motorhome. Will be using the bus relationally and doing the work as I can. I've been looking for a bus project for about a year now, and this one just popped up on the market. Haven't pulled the trigger yet, but plan to in a couple days. Here's some info:
1972 T8H5307A
39718 original miles
Detroit 8V71N, with spare motor on relatively fresh rebuild
Hydraulic automatic tranny (not sure if it's 2 or 3 speed), with spare tranny rebuilt at the same time as the spare motor.
7 sets of extra windshield glass
Jake brake
Air Conditioning (operational)
Good tires with over half tread
This bus was a tour bus With Princess tours in Skagway Alaska. The current owner got the bus from Grey Lines of Alaska last spring, it had been kept on a fleet maintenance schedule until fall of 2010.
Here;s the kicker: He got it FREE. Grey lines didn't want to maintain it anymore, didn't want to store it, and didn't want to take the time to sell it. They gave away 10 of these buses.
He has no money into it, except for gas to drive from Skagway to Wasilla Alaska. He's willing to let it go for $2500. Said he needs money to work on a house he just bought. I went and looked and it it exceptionally clean. He was not there, but will meet me this weekend to hear it run and see it drive.
I can't figure out how to post pics from my computer on the board however...
Anyway, let me know what you guys think, thanks-
-Curt
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Hart Bus
Age: 75 Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Posts: 1150
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:55 am Post subject: |
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Welcome about. I am sure that you will learn a lot about buses and hopefully will contribute to the board to increase our collective knowledge. |
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee

Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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CurtM220,
I second the hearty welcome by HartBus and say that we look forward to your valued input and contributions.
If your intended bus is anything like the ones that I photographed in Skagway two years ago (see below) then I'd say grab it.
These were a group of 5300's that Holland America completely refurbished for their Alaskan summer tours.
Regards,
Mr. 'L'

Last edited by Mr. Linsky on Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:48 am; edited 1 time in total |
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NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629 BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee

Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 29726 Location: NEW JOISEY
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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Curt......
WELCOME ABOARD, my friend, and just know that you've joined one DANG-FINE bus forum!
You will find quite a few extremely knowledgeable fellows here, and will learn a great deal on the subject of buses, from them!
Again, glad to have you with us!
"NYO"
Sidenote to Mr. "L".......
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That Fishbowl is what a BUS is SUPPOSED to look like!!
Truly a TIMELESS design!! |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2701 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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Curt, let me be among those welcoming you to the board!
That is a fantastically low mileage for any vehicle 39 years old, let alone a commercial bus....if it is anywhere near the condition of the one in Mr. 'L's photo alongside the MS Zuiderdam, I agree, go for it!
Good luck, and once again, welcome! |
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timecruncher
Age: 74 Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 456 Location: Louisville, Kentucky
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 6:34 am Post subject: |
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The great thing about buses that are run in Alaska, weather notwithstanding, is that road salt is not used up there in the winter. This is why Canadian transit systems are usually quick to snatch up transit buses retired by the transit system in Anchorage (mainly). You should have a gem there!
Welcome to the forum as well!
timecruncher
Schedulers give you the runs!
I attended a workshop once where a fellow scheduler from Anchorage explained that road salt just "pisses off" snow and ice at -30 degrees! |
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CurtM220
Age: 58 Joined: 21 Sep 2011 Posts: 18 Location: Wasilla, Alaska
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Mr. Linsky"]CurtM220,
I second the hearty welcome by HartBus and say that we look forward to your valued input and contributions.
If your intended bus is anything like the ones that I photographed in Skagway two years ago (see below) then I'd say grab it.
These were a group of 5300's that Holland America completely refurbished for their Alaskan summer tours.
Regards,
Mr. 'L'
Yep, it's the identical bus...just a different number. I've seen you pics of these buses...very nice. |
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CurtM220
Age: 58 Joined: 21 Sep 2011 Posts: 18 Location: Wasilla, Alaska
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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traildriver wrote: | Curt, let me be among those welcoming you to the board!
That is a fantastically low mileage for any vehicle 39 years old, let alone a commercial bus....if it is anywhere near the condition of the one in Mr. 'L's photo alongside the MS Zuiderdam, I agree, go for it!
Good luck, and once again, welcome! |
If I could figure out how to post a pic from my computer I'd give you guys some. It looks exactly like the one Mr. L posted, just no *quite* as clean, but it'll clean up nicely, it's just been sitting outside for almost a year and not washed... |
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CurtM220
Age: 58 Joined: 21 Sep 2011 Posts: 18 Location: Wasilla, Alaska
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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Working on pics...
Last edited by CurtM220 on Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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CurtM220
Age: 58 Joined: 21 Sep 2011 Posts: 18 Location: Wasilla, Alaska
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by CurtM220 on Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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CurtM220
Age: 58 Joined: 21 Sep 2011 Posts: 18 Location: Wasilla, Alaska
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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CurtM220
Age: 58 Joined: 21 Sep 2011 Posts: 18 Location: Wasilla, Alaska
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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timecruncher
Age: 74 Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 456 Location: Louisville, Kentucky
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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T8H5307A-435 appears to be ex Golden Gate Transit, definitely a suburban.
She's beautiful. I'd have just kept the seats in it, but then, I'm not much on RV conversions other than Flxible Clippers!
The engine looks good too - not too much slobbering around the valve covers. You got a gem there.
timecruncher |
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CurtM220
Age: 58 Joined: 21 Sep 2011 Posts: 18 Location: Wasilla, Alaska
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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timecruncher wrote: | T8H5307A-435 appears to be ex Golden Gate Transit, definitely a suburban.
She's beautiful. I'd have just kept the seats in it, but then, I'm not much on RV conversions other than Flxible Clippers!
The engine looks good too - not too much slobbering around the valve covers. You got a gem there.
timecruncher |
The seats were removed by the previous owner, although I would have pulled them anyway. I found a couple links to buses with this paint scheme on youtube, and they also thought it had been a SF bus, so it's likey that is true. The only real history I know is the bus was operated by Princess tours in Skagway Alaska, then leased (given) to Grey line of Alaska, who GAVE AWAY TEN OF THEM in early 2010. I'm really feeling i lucked into this bus for sure! |
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traildriver
Joined: 26 Mar 2011 Posts: 2701 Location: South Florida
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 11:46 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the photo's. That bus looks great. If they ever need to do some period movie filming in your area, that bus would be a great asset! |
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