co-pilot up close and personal

[Megabea]

As we design our skoolie , my wife is very concerned that when we travel she will be a long way away from the driver, (we are very close and we both like it)
we have discussed a captains chair right beside the drivers seat, but we have also discussed a shorter 3rd row bench seat so she can have a place to put things beside her.
I realize this will cause interference with the doors, which I am cool with relocation, I can cut, weld, glue hammer and nail anything i need to.
Has anyone ever moved the doors to mid way down the bus? I think this would look very cool and let me install a different style door too.
I would really like to install a shoulder harness rather than just a lap belt for her in advance

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Megabea

Has anyone ever moved the doors to mid way down the bus? I think this would look very cool and let me install a different style door too.

It has been done before. A very clever mod is to move the door mid-ship and install a RV door. A generator fits nicely where the old stairs up-front were where it won't be as loud in the back, where bedrooms usually are located.

My bus has the door mid-ship and it is very nice.

The other mod is to install a platform that slides-out over the front located stairs and allows a seat to be next to driver. OneNationUnderGoat did just such a mod very nicely- they have Youtube videos.

Make it how you want ! and Welcome !

[Jacob]

On my last bus we moved the steps up one to make more space beside the driver seat and put an electric step under the door. This allows a bench to be installed for a driver/passenger leaving enough room to get around it

[Megabea]

I like that very much, this pilot/copilot is exactly what we are looking for. The layout is perfect.

[Jacob]

Thanks If you decide to go this route and have questions let me know

[DreamWeaverBus]

I also thank you! I've been considering using the back bench seat of my van, but didn't think how to get around the vanishing stairwell space!

[Jacob]

Any time, that's why this community is such a great resource lots of different folks doing the same crazy thing

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Jacob

Any time, that's why this community is such a great resource lots of different folks doing the same crazy thing

Sorry, can't help myself.

I would get more "stuff" done on my bus without this Community as I spend too much time reading other peoples builds.

The "stuff" I did get done would be crap without seeing the other ideas, however.

What vehicle is the bench seat out of? Does it work with us Husky fellows? Or will I need to get skinnier copilot ?

[Jacob]

I agree completely if I didn't spend time seeing how others accomplished similar tasks I would get it done faster but I have gotten so many good ideas here it's worth it!

The seat is out of a newer Mercedes transit van I used it because of the built in belts. A bigger couple would be a bit crowded, they measured about an inch or so narrower than the buckets in my 2010 ram but they are next to each other.

[Jacob]

I do think a seat 3-4" wider would fit without making the walkway to narrow

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Jacob

I do think a seat 3-4" wider would fit without making the walkway to narrow

Just stop it.







Hold your phone the other way until someone fixes the broken script.

[Jacob]

I'm sorry haven't figured out how to turn them someone told me then I forgot lol. I am only on here with my phone. I will make an effort to fix them in the future i can see how it would be really annoying

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Jacob

I'm sorry haven't figured out how to turn them someone told me then I forgot lol. I am only on here with my phone. I will make an effort to fix them in the future i can see how it would be really annoying

no, in your hand-when you click the shutter-- just for bus pictures, hold the phone the other way.

Should work??? It will be our experiment.

Your layout looks good- i like the spray on the floor- remove the tape and lines are crisp. Idea stolen.

[Jacob]

I put the tape on once and left my two year old in the bus for about two minutes and he had most of it up it also works good if your moving stuff around or just working in there.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by Jacob

I put the tape on once and left my two year old in the bus for about two minutes and he had most of it up it also works good if your moving stuff around or just working in there.

Tape the kid down next time.

[Jacob]

My boys are now 3 and 4 and sometimes I wish I could just tape them down but they are getting more helpful all the time

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Jacob

My boys are now 3 and 4 and sometimes I wish I could just tape them down but they are getting more helpful all the time

Training them early is the key. I used to take my kids grocery shopping at very early age- I showed them how to pick the fruit, read the dates, look at prices. They are actually help me now, we get home they unload everything and put it in the cupboards by themselves.

They are 34 and 36 years old.

[plfking]

Originally Posted by Rusty

They are 34 and 36 years old.

There was my 'best medicine' for the day.


Don

[gbstewart]

Originally Posted by Jacob

On my last bus we moved the steps up one to make more space beside the driver seat and put an electric step under the door. This allows a bench to be installed for a driver/passenger leaving enough room to get around it

looks great , I like the set up, here's how I did mine
http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/sk...ys-5325-6.html
its nice to have a passenger beside you. look at post 57
gbstewart

[Jacob]

Originally Posted by gbstewart

looks great , I like the set up, here's how I did mine
http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/sk...ys-5325-6.html
its nice to have a passenger beside you. look at post 57
gbstewart

I like that set up, those seats look plush