Could a Conversion Be This Immaculate?

Raditude · 05-15-2012, 03:27 AM

I was thinking of doing a conversion (as I have been on and off for the last several years). I got to looking at several people's conversions, as well as actual motorhomes. Many of the conversions and several older motorhomes have this stereotypical look about them. (no offense)

I was wondering if a conversion could be done that looks as immaculate as these motorhomes. Obviously, some of them have slideouts, so you won't be obtain the space that they provide, but the interiors of some of these look like an upscale home, and by looking at the pictures, you probably can't tell they are in a vehicle.

http://www.travelizmo.com/archives/cat_ ... homes.html

I think it would probably require starting with a motor coach.

bansil · 05-15-2012, 06:51 AM

Sure you can,take 1 $3500 bus and put $200,000.00 of crap in and on it...walla

It all depends on cash and your skill level.
If you are a cabinet maker by trade,then you will have awesome cabinets and wood work for a fraction of what it would cost to have it built and installed

Most folks that buy school buses are...ugh..mmm...as Lorna would say "frugal"..I am cheap and poor ...dollar wise

so that is why I chose a bus

gbstewart · 05-15-2012, 07:07 AM

there some fantastic looking buses, with better build cupboards and floors then those $200,000motor homes, it all depends on your budget, and skill , Im building mine so that it will be rugged for boondocking in the back roads, and fishing holes, and to have all the comforts of home including sat tvs so on. most of the those big motor homes never go on back roads etc, they stay in parks with concert pads and never go out side.

like bansil said cash, skill, frugal

gbstewart

lornaschinske · 05-15-2012, 09:53 AM

Wanderlodges used to be built on a Schoolbus chassis. The newer ones look like all the other stick-n-staples. The last year a Wanderlodge looked good to me was around 1985. Around then they got to looking ugly and non-descript.

I don't want a plain vanilla cookie cutter RV. Our conversion will reflect our (my) tastes.

I live in a sea of WHITE AND BEIGE!!! Except for an expensive RV that looks like a painter obsessed with gold & red upchucked on it. (the huge swirly loops of colour). To each his own.

On edit: the gold/red thing that I think looks ugly is the same as the pic in the above link.

ol trunt · 05-15-2012, 11:06 AM

I for one say more power to you! We've all had to take a stab at what to do with a steel box on wheels, 40' long, 8' wide and 10' tall! Sure most of us have come up with very similar looking projects but that is not to say someone else couldn't build a better mouse trap.

Many of us are still in the design and build phase of our projects and check daily here on Skoolie for ideas and materials and we all are unashamedly willing to copy the good stuff we see others doing. Once you get started keep the pics flowing--we all love to watch! Good luck and let'r rip.

lornaschinske · 05-15-2012, 12:50 PM

Personally I think some of the skoolie conversions look better than the stick-n-staples ones. I just love von Slatt's Steampunk bus (I simply LURV what they did with the bedroom. To use an organ for that!). While some of the conversions are little more than metal tents, others are far, far more. Then there is everything in between. That's the deal with self conversions. We all convert to our own needs and tastes. We don't have anyone telling us what our conversion should look like. If you want your conversion to look like a high end sticks-n-staples, then you can do that. If you want it to look like a high end spa/hotel room, city night club, 1950's diner, 1900's private train car, gypsy vardo, Poirot's 1920's London flat, country cottage of any era/location, hunting lodge or something that looks more like it came off of Star Trek, then you can do that. You might need to learn some new skills, but it is doable with enough imagination and $$.

If you don't know what you want.... stop looking at RV's. Go to a thrift store and pick up an armload of magazine showing lots of interior shot of various designs. Find something that speaks to your soul (often seeing a pic or something and involuntarily stating "Oh My God, I JUST LOVE THAT!). Either try to recreate a picture or simply borrow elements to capture the same "feel". Or even use a scene or two from your favourite movie. Inspiration is all around you. No need to follow the boring cookie cutter RV designs. If you are willing to be different enough to convert a school bus, then step out the rest of the way and create something that is really special. Get your basic floor plan down (bathroom/bedroom/ galley or wet bar/living area) and the rest is decor choices.

Come on people. I know it's scary to be different. But when you chose a bus, you laid the foundation to become ostentatious! Embrace it! You will never be the same again.

Skunky Bus · 05-21-2012, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

I live in a sea of WHITE AND BEIGE!!! Except for an expensive RV that looks like a painter obsessed with gold & red upchucked on it. (the huge swirly loops of colour). To each his own.

On edit: the gold/red thing that I think looks ugly is the same as the pic in the above link.

Hey, if Monaco, Winnebago, etc., can have paint schemes like that, I can have my girlfriend's skunk silhouette.

I like the classic Winnebagos of the 1970s with the simple horizontal stripe and the W logo. Even Mr. Magoo could distinguish one of those from something else. Unfortunately, even a 1995 Carpenter with defective roof welds is more structurally sound than plywood and Styrofoam (See CARPENTER BUS ROOF COLLAPSE ISSUES).

The current color scheme names for the newest Winnie Adventurer are "Travertine," "Provence" and "Hawthorne." I'm thinking of choosing an interior color pattern with practical value and call it, "Dropped Pizza and Spilled Beer with Smeared Peanut Butter and Chocolate."

ol trunt · 05-21-2012, 11:05 AM

Honey! Gotta have some HONEY--That s--- 'll get everywhere so might as well include it in your paint scheme from the get go

lornaschinske · 05-21-2012, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skunky Bus

... Hey, if Monaco, Winnebago, etc., can have paint schemes like that, I can have my girlfriend's skunk silhouette.

You know if you really stretched the skunk out (length & height) And painted the back ground a bright colour (like Red Delicious apple red) with the really over-large (mostly black/white stripe on back) swooshing across the sides and up in the roof, You would look like one of the "fancy" coach/RV paint jobs. Do a "mirror" image of the head on the hood then tilt the stripes to run down each side and up the last 6 ft section to the roof....

ol trunt · 05-21-2012, 09:05 PM

I think you need to include a "mace" sprayer at the rear of the bus--I mean what good is a skunk with no authority!

Skunky Bus · 05-21-2012, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ol trunt

I think you need to include a "mace" sprayer at the rear of the bus--I mean what good is a skunk with no authority!

I've thought about installing a "jet" above the end of the tailpipe - and repurposing one of the buttons in the driver's panel - to shoot synthetic skunk scent into the exhaust stream when tailgated!

Addendum: my gf just concurred "good idea!"

bansil · 05-22-2012, 07:08 AM

I love that idea

chev49 · 05-22-2012, 02:41 PM

when the cop is behind ya, it'll make his donut taste funny...

lornaschinske · 05-22-2012, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skunky Bus

... I've thought about installing a "jet" above the end of the tailpipe - and repurposing one of the buttons in the driver's panel - to shoot synthetic skunk scent into the exhaust stream when tailgated!

Or use any musk. They sell it at hunting supply store. I think it's often called "deer rut"? What a wonderful tailgater deterrent!

I think, they think they are "drafting" and saving on their fuel costs. Good thing our bus goes so slowly... not many want to follow behind for very long.

Skunky Bus · 08-20-2013, 10:00 PM

I like this one!

As if I had to explain why, given the white swirls on black. Other than that, it's a lot less busy than many new rigs like the one in the photo Lorna posted.

bansil · 08-21-2013, 05:24 AM

http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/in...?topic=24881.0

check out this link

outside

inside

wmkbailey · 08-21-2013, 08:42 AM

Wow

Redbear · 08-21-2013, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raditude

. . . I was wondering if a conversion could be done that looks as immaculate as these motorhomes. . .

"Mirrors on the ceiling,
Pink champagne on ice . . ."

Das Mel · 08-21-2013, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbear

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raditude

. . . I was wondering if a conversion could be done that looks as immaculate as these motorhomes. . .

"Mirrors on the ceiling,
Pink champagne on ice . . ."

It does occur to me that we are all just prisoners here of our own device.

roach711 · 08-22-2013, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Das Mel

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbear

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raditude

. . . I was wondering if a conversion could be done that looks as immaculate as these motorhomes. . .

"Mirrors on the ceiling,
Pink champagne on ice . . ."

It does occur to me that we are all just prisoners here of our own device.

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