Bruck vs Truck

[kblackav8or]

I am dreaming right now on what I want. I think the wife is going to squash any new aquisitions for now. My "bruck" option I have mentioned on the board before. A 45ft dual drive axle Crown former highway post office. It has almost 7 feet of ceiling space and for the length probably the most living space you could want. Big cam 400 cummins and a 13 speed roadranger and 2 SQ type rockwell drive axles. Mack type air suspension, 24.5 tires on alcoa's. Weighs about 32k. Has a generator, 120 gallons of fresh water, same for black water. All the systems are either modern or easily upgraded if needed. The interior decor is dated and the cabnetry leaves something to be desired in some cases. All that for 30k and the guy will take 9 k off in trade for my Alpenlite. The drivetrain only has something like 80k on it since rebuild. Gets 10mpg and will cruise at 70. Now get a truck. I really like old trucks but I would probably have to buy one converted or do a trailer tractor setup. I am not totally sold on this but I really like it and the concept of such a heavy duty unit compared to most typical buses really appeals to me. What do you guys think.
Kevin

[Jimm]

I investigated using a 35ft Postal Crown.

Postals have a lot going for them. Driveline is compatible with Crown skoolies so parts supplies are VERY good, better than something like a GMC bus of the 50s/60s/70s.

The frame on a Crown tandem 40ft skoolie is deliberately weakened behind the rear axles as a "crumple zone safety feature" - as a result, turning the back wall into a ramp door and adding a rear motorcycle/ATV garage would take some serious engineering. This is NOT the case with Postals, the primary frame rails run right to the back bumper if this is a REAL Crown factory postal. ("Fakes" made by people out of skoolies are out there too and should be avoided unless you're experienced enough to confirm that their engineering was right.)

The downsides as I understand them:

1) Engine access sucks. At a minimum, it's annoying to deal with under there.

2) My possibly limited understanding is that the mid-engine Crowns with Detroit 671/671T two-strokes use the same engine block as the normal upright versions. Only the oilpan and oil pickup change to convert an upright block to layover. This is NOT the case with Cummins Big Cam or Small Cam motors - they have to be built as laydown blocks and may be hard to come by if you have to do a total re-power. As a result, I would pay more attention to the motor's condition than usual for the price range involved...

3) As with ANY old bus, a professional inspection for rust is critical. Crowns aren't bad in this area but many Postals had a lot of steel in them and if you don't know where to look you can get way screwed.

[kblackav8or]

It is a 66 HIPO and I have posted some pictures here. 400 cummins with a 13 speed RR. Upgraded and converted in the 80's. Been in CA it's whole life. They have lots of aluminum. Really like it but the Wife is not going for it.