I am all about the easy. I try very hard to avoid ghetto and dangerous, but I am all about the easy. This wont be some showcase conversion, it is just for me to kick around in for a while. If I am still in love with it all in a couple years, I might get another bus and spend more time making it a dreamliner, but right now I am a poor hippy with just a little time to get things situated.
After a bunch of measuring and thinking, I am going to keep it simple, and go with a classic floor plan.
As it turns out, the rectangle space between the back of the bus and the wheel wells is just the right width for a double mattress, and the width of the bus of course matches the length of a mattress. The resulting neat square of space under it is much easier to think about for storage.
From the farthest back the driver seat will go to one window space in front of the bed is a neat six feet, a very convenient counter length. Under the left end is the wheel well, a perfect platform for a fridge. That leaves about four feet of counter to install a cooktop and a sink. The coach batteries are in a box under this side, but routing a drain past it should be easy, and there is a little room next to it for a small grey tank later. The remaining one window space over the wheel well between the bed and the counter is going to be a closet.
The largest underbus space is in the back on the drivers side, and this is where I would like to put a propane tank eventually, but for now I can strap a standard tank in that space under the bed (is this a terrible idea?), and the plumbing wont have to change much later. I also want to put the freshwater tank under the bed when I get one.
I am keeping the groovy metal frame futon that came with the bus as seating on the passenger side for now. It seems pretty versatile, really. The space over the passenger side wheel well has not found its use yet.
So, about the floor. I am going to be easy and not tear up the rubber, but I need something to seal the seat bolt holes. Suggestions? Really, for my intended usage I think this rubber floor will have its advantages, so I am ok with it, I just need to plug the leaks.
I took a bunch of pictures, todays set is here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/starlilyth ... 049549842/The limited bits of wiring that previous people had done were so poor I tore them out before they caused a fire. The inverter was wired to the coach batteries with some giant gauge wire threaded through the dash and firewall, bare wire under the battery post on one end, and taped to a clamp on the other.
This is why bus conversion insurance is what it is:
Old CB radio wire inside the switchpanel
Speaking of insurance, I have had State Farm for my truck for long enough they finally put me on the national carrier instead of the regional (however that works), so I called my agent and told him I bought a short bus, but it was an RV (it says RV on the old title). He spoke with his underwriter, who told him it had to have a bed, a stove, a fridge and plumbing to be an RV. I said it had all of those (it will, anyway) and he said ok, it'll be $209 for six months. I ran down and gave him money today, so we'll see if the policy actually arrives. He wrote it for more than the minimums because I was getting such a good rate, which I though was good of him, because it is still very affordable.
Lily
by lily » Tue May 04, 2010 9:12 pm 
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