1986 Neoplan AN 408
I won this bus on Ebay while I was looking for a pop-up camper. I have owned actual motorhomes in the past, so I thought this would be nice. And it is partially started on the conversion!
And, IT RUNS!
I have many plans in mind for it, and so does my son, and a few others.
It is a 1986 model, formerly a Parkersburg, West Virginia transit bus. It has a 8.2 Detroit Diesel “Fuel Pincher” engine, and a Allison 4 speed transmission controlled by a Stone-Bennett air shifter. Fuel capacity is 55 gallons, I understand it is very costly to run one out. This bus has a fuel gauge in it, and it works now that I replaced the float.
Here are some initial pictures…The bus was photographed in Long Island, NY, where I purchased it from, and these pictures are from the E-Bay site. I can’t wait to get it home so I can literally spend the day(s) cleaning it…
This is the general view of the outside. The roof was in DESPERATE need of a good power wash. The number “24” will not be there too long either… Maybe that will power wash off too!
The drivers side…looking at the ugly metal plates between the destination sign, I am assuming that it was used a a school vehicle.
The engine… Detroit Power! A 8.2 Fuel Pincher resides in the engine bay, coupled to a Allison 4 speed. The new hood hinges are in the bus, I just need to get the time to install them.
My dash, and that seat is the FIRST thing out of it when I get it home. I have a line on a nice conversion van seat. And it will have to be moved back a little bit.
The interior. I want to remove the big bed from the back , and make a “bunkhouse” back there and have a storage area behind that, as there is a flip up lid back there to get to the engine from the inside, and I can’t block that.
I painted the wheels and the centers and washed off the top (needs done again) and took those awful metal plates from around the destination sign. I have no idea why they were there. They were horrible! The only thing I could even figure that they were there for was to prevent the destination sign light from shining through…
I installed replacement lenses for the turn signals and the clearance lights. I think it looks better without the plates at the headsign.
It’s now May 19th, 2006, and a few things have happened to the Lil bus…
Check out the back end…Nice new chrome tailpipe! It needs to be re-worked a little bit as you can see the black soot all over the right side lights and screen. Apparently smoke is coming between the pipes and blowing back into the back side storage area. Should not be too hard to fix.
I also re-painted the bezels around the headlights… Made them a nice black… Also discovered a leaky windshield wiper air line… More work…LOL
The new drivers seat sitting in place, not yet bolted down. I like this one a WHOLE lot better than that red thing that was in there before… This ones very comfortable. I am also thinking about repainting all that bright red into something a little more subtle…like tan or black..
The rear of the bus, with the stuff from the interior shot above all removed. Obviously I haven’t SWEPT it yet, but thats this Sundays project. The plan is to add a set of double bunks back there. I did also find out something about the little bus… The sides and the roof are all HEAVILY insulated. To me, thats a bonus in case I ever use it in colder weather. The wheel wells are not too high either. I am probably going to carpet the floor.
More on the way!!!
New Update!
As of October, 2008, the lil Neoplan has gone to the cutter…The engines was shot, and 8.2 Detroits are not easy to find, and a repower was out of the question.
My dream of my own conversion is over…for now…
