Awesome Project

Serendipity

Check this link out:

http://www.vonslatt.com/bus-main.shtml

Anybody done anything like this before? I'd love to take the g/f camping with one of these... add a 1080p projector in the back and surround sound

MillerLiteScott

My Neighbor has just the bus you need.

zingo

That is a sweet bus scott!

ben62670

I used to live on a bus. The insulation sucks. The tin can effect kills you with heat in the summer, and cold in the winter. If you have power to run a decent AC/heat unit you would be fine. That is a real good deal on a diesel bus.

Face

I'd rather restore a beat up RV than be seen in that.

Serendipity

Face wrote: »

I'd rather restore a beat up RV than be seen in that.

Considering that a full sized Winnebago costs $302k, I can only afford the bus.

Link: http://www.winnebagoind.com/products/winnebago/2009/vectra/

Face

Only $1896.20 a month for 360 months.

Serendipity

Haha... That guy in the link did the whole thing for under $5k.

madmax

If I had a bus I would paint it like the partridge family bus.
madmax

mhardy6647

appadv wrote: »

Considering that a full sized Winnebago costs $302k, I can only afford the bus.

Link: http://www.winnebagoind.com/products/winnebago/2009/vectra/

Youch. You can buy a Rolls-Royce for that (and pocket some change).

nooshinjohn

now here is a bus project for you... this one is worth about 3 million right now.

Serendipity

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Youch. You can buy a Rolls-Royce for that (and pocket some change).

That's why the bus route looks so tempting.

You can buy a used bus for $2-3k like the guy did, spend $2500 or so on the conversion and have a usable full-size RV. Now that's awesome.

Now do you need a CDL to drive a bus like that? Same for an RV?

Face

appadv wrote: »

Now do you need a CDL to drive a bus like that? Same for an RV?

Depends on the weight. http://nysdmv.com/ncdlc.htm

Serendipity

Face wrote: »

Depends on the weight. http://nysdmv.com/ncdlc.htm

Thanks. I looked on Progressive's web site and they don't insure school buses for conversion. However, for some reason they insure Greyhound-style buses?

"A class A non-professional bus conversion has the following characteristics:
* Motor home facilities built into a Greyhound-type bus shell, but does not include changes made to school buses, as these vehicles are unacceptable.
* Conversion is performed by the owner of the vehicle."

Oh well, I guess it's hard to get insurance on one of these.

Ron-P

appadv wrote: »

Check this link out:

http://www.vonslatt.com/bus-main.shtml

Anybody done anything like this before? I'd love to take the g/f camping with one of these... add a 1080p projector in the back and surround sound

Cool bus and I bet a fun project. But, two words that do not go together, bus and camping. If you're not in a tent, it's not camping.

Serendipity

Ron-P wrote: »

Cool bus and I bet a fun project. But, two words that do not go together, bus and camping. If you're not in a tent, it's not camping.

I already have a tent and it's a LOT of fun!!

But I'd like to try out a bus - what's so bad about living in a bus?

Serendipity

So - my school uses these exact same buses - just like the one used for the conversion - and I ride them everyday to get to class due to the distance.

Tonight I was speaking to one of the drivers and she commented on how slow the buses are. For example, there is this long highway stretch between North and South Campus and the buses can only manage 50 miles per hour on this stretch. Completely topped out, they can do around 53 MPH but the engine is literally screaming at that speed.

So, for the car experts here (ATTN: Face) - would different rear end gearing fix this? I want to be able to cruise at 55 MPH all day long on long trips.

everpress

appadv wrote: »

So - my school uses these exact same buses - just like the one used for the conversion - and I ride them everyday to get to class due to the distance.

Tonight I was speaking to one of the drivers and she commented on how slow the buses are. For example, there is this long highway stretch between North and South Campus and the buses can only manage 50 miles per hour on this stretch. Completely topped out, they can do around 53 MPH but the engine is literally screaming at that speed.

So, for the car experts here (ATTN: Face) - would different rear end gearing fix this? I want to be able to cruise at 55 MPH all day long on long trips.

Most of the speed issue is the governor on the engines. I mean, don't get me wrong, these aren't racers, BUT school busses are generally governed to not exceed the state's highest speed (I think governed even lower in states with 70MPH or so).

I know the rafting company I used to work for had 60's and 70's buses we'd transport our rafts on (not the passengers; they got better treatment) and you could, through some careful revving and a little patience, 'stretch' the governors to open a bit more. we had those three old buses screaming at 70mph through some tight mountain roads...

mhardy6647

Serendipity

everpress wrote: »

Most of the speed issue is the governor on the engines. I mean, don't get me wrong, these aren't racers, BUT school busses are generally governed to not exceed the state's highest speed (I think governed even lower in states with 70MPH or so).

I know the rafting company I used to work for had 60's and 70's buses we'd transport our rafts on (not the passengers; they got better treatment) and you could, through some careful revving and a little patience, 'stretch' the governors to open a bit more. we had those three old buses screaming at 70mph through some tight mountain roads...

So it's just a matter of adjusting the governor? I would think some mechanical changes (different rear end gearing, for example) need to be done instead, but then again I know nothing about buses. I just know at 53MPH they are quite wound out already!!

Serendipity

Here's a nice bus:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-INTERNATIONAL-BLUEBIRD-SCHOOL-BUS-71-PASSENGER_W0QQitemZ160364170263QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBuses?hash=item2556730c17&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

Owner says it will go 67MPH and seems to be in nice condition. Is 112k+ miles for a diesel rig like this considered "high mileage"? How long do these motors last anyways?

Serendipity

So - I've got a midterm to study for and what am I doing? Looking at buses

This one is a beautiful conversion - a lot of work must've gone into it!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PREVOST-BUS-RV-MOTORHOME-86K-MLS-GARAGED-20K-IN-MAINT_W0QQitemZ120471191892QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBuses?hash=item1c0ca48154&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

TNRabbit

appadv wrote: »

So - I've got a midterm to study for and what am I doing? Looking at buses

This one is a beautiful conversion - a lot of work must've gone into it!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PREVOST-BUS-RV-MOTORHOME-86K-MLS-GARAGED-20K-IN-MAINT_W0QQitemZ120471191892QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBuses?hash=item1c0ca48154&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

WOW~

I think I found my next home....

Serendipity

TNRabbit wrote: »

WOW~

I think I found my next home....

Same here. That conversion is unbelievable!

When the budget allows, I'm definitely going to convert a Greyhound-style bus like the one on eBay. Maybe even a hybrid electric bus. First one may be a schoolie, but it definitely won't be the last!!

What do you guys think is the best platform though - school bus, transit bus, tour bus, or shuttle bus?

Serendipity

How can I get a school bus to do this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwg6CYATsWQ

shellyheather

That is so wicked! I love it! My uncle did somewhat of the same thing and had it all set up like a bachelor pad, with a poker table and all. Love it!

Serendipity

This one is even more awesome:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1999-Prevost-Liberty-45XL-Lady-Liberty-Cartier-Edition_W0QQitemZ280401443451QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBuses?hash=item41493a7a7b&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

Serendipity

So - after doing some research I've found a bus that is in decent condition and not too expensive. I've spoken with a few Polkies and I would like to thank you guys for the encouraging words.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1996-Thomas-Built-IH-T444E-3800-School-Bus_W0QQitemZ110437445615QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBuses?hash=item19b695afef&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

So for the car guys/mechanics/diesel experts out there (ben62670, Face) - is this a decent bus or will it have many problems down the road? I don't want to even START thinking about a conversion if the platform the conversion is done on breaks down frequently, etc. I'd rather start with a solid bus and then do the kitchen, bath, bedroom, etc.

Thanks!

Face

I would assume a platform used to deliver children to school every day should be reliable. I think your biggest issue will be finding parking.

Serendipity

Face wrote: »

I would assume a platform used to deliver children to school every day should be reliable. I think your biggest issue will be finding parking.

My aunt owns a 25 acre farm upstate (near Binghamton) and there's plenty of room for parking there. It's got a big barn, huge patch of grass and basically lots of room for a bus conversion.

Serendipity

Been reading this site: http://www.metamorphobus.com/

These guys did the same thing with an old transit bus to travel. I wonder if a transit bus is better than a school bus? Do municipalities usually auction transit buses anyways?

I like the idea of a school bus but considering something nicer with features like underside storage and air conditioning...