Might be buying soon...

[ktmossman]

It appears that I might be taking the plunge soon and buying a bus.  After looking hard at the Eagle from Bernie's last week, and finally calling them just a hair too late, I decided to look into another bus I have been watching for some time.

http://www.ktmossman.com/images/bus.jpg

http://www.ktmossman.com/images/bus2.jpg

This bus has been sitting in an RV/truck lot for over 3 years. (The last time the team played was in 2009.)  I don't know how much it has been driven or really anything about it.  My theory is that they have been paying storage fees out the wazoo (not a cheap lot) for several years and they may be getting tired of that.  And it is the model/size I want.  So, I have tracked down the owners and have started a conversation.

So, a couple questions:

1. I will definitely have it inspected professionally before I purchase it.  However, what kinds of things should I be looking for if/when I get the first chance to really look at it? (I'm ignoring interior layout as I am assuming starting from scratch on that.  If there is something there I can salvage, it will be a bonus.)  What are the big things that should set off alarm bells?

2. What ID numbers should I gather (and from where on the bus) to trace whatever history might be available?

TIA,

Kevin

[luvrbus]

Kevin, that looks to be a 45 ft model 15 the vin # will be in the ac compressor compartment at the rear on the passengers side the last door with the screen opening quite a leap going from a 35ft to 45ft.

Best way to check a Eagle for problems look under the drivers window and check the rivets for being loose and for rust stains see how much adjustment is left on the torque tube 2 inches will last you a life time engine and transmission have someone check does it have a 6v92 or 8v92 ?

good luck a Eagle is a fine bus easy to work on and mostly off the shelf parts

[lostagain]

Having driven and maintained the hockey team's bus, I can tell you that it received minimal maintenance before and after I looked after it. Typically, like a church bus, only what is required by the DOT inspection gets done by volunteers. So if you can talk to the team people who looked after it to find out how it was maintained, it would be nice.

JC