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Old 05-26-2010, 10:46 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Freeloader project

Technically my second bus, but this is my first solo-ownership. I bought this bus from a member here,who had already got me started on the conv. He had already taken the seats out (thank God) and had a small kitchen, dining table, some cabinets, and a set of bunk beds-- Great start, unfortunetly most of it had to go or at least be moved or modified. I've had it almost 2 months and have made pretty decent progress so far. My whole intention here was to have a "motorhome" that would fit my Harley on the inside, as a matter of fact, a buddy of mine and me rode out on our bikes, bought the bus, put the bikes in the back and drove it home! Cool! I kept meaning to post as I went but never had a way to get my pix off my phone....fixed that problem so now I need to figure how to post pix.

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Old 05-28-2010, 11:24 PM   #2
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Re: My bus project

i use irfanview. it is a free download and you just decide what you want to post, do a batchfile conversion on them and then use the upload attachment feature at the bottom of the post page.

Please don't think i thought this up all by myself. when it comes to techie stuff I am dumb as a post, but got a set of pretty good instructions from another member just in time to keep Steve from permanently banning me for posting HUGE pics on my string.. let me know if you want to use this program and I'll shoot the instructions off to you.

Later
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Old 05-29-2010, 06:33 PM   #3
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Re: Freeloader project

Like I mentioned --rode the Harley out to buy the bus, loaded Harley in the bus and drove it all home! My boy always wanted to ride my bike by himself --I figured this was the safest way for now

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Old 05-29-2010, 07:10 PM   #4
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Re: Freeloader project

This was the inside looking fwd when I brought her home (might look familiar to some)

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Third, it is attacked.
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Old 05-29-2010, 07:55 PM   #5
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Re: Freeloader project

And this is the rear looking back. OK so this is what I started with. Looks good, right? Well as I mentioned, it was not going to work this way for my needs, so renovatin' time!



First removed kitchen counter/sink and front bench seat. Installed frame for new couch/pull out bed. Other items placed in there to know how space was to be used



Next framed in bathroom using the old kitchen counter/sink




Placed kitchen cabinets (had to buy new, couldn't wait for the freebie, needed to be a certain size)






Finishing off the bathroom




New cabinets



More pix coming soon
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First, it is ignored.
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Third, it is attacked.
Fourth, it is accepted

"I know a lot of people take the blue pill, but it suprises me how many have a prescription."
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Old 05-29-2010, 08:51 PM   #6
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Re: Freeloader project

this used to belong to phillbus



We put hogfarmers bike inside the bus, and mine on the back porch for the ride home.
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Old 05-29-2010, 09:36 PM   #7
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Re: Freeloader project

What happened to phillbus?
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Old 05-29-2010, 09:54 PM   #8
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Re: Freeloader project

DANG!!!!!!!! You guys didn't waste ANY time! Of course it's easier if you don't have to start from scratch either.....
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Old 05-29-2010, 11:03 PM   #9
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Re: Freeloader project

Quote:
Originally Posted by crazycal
What happened to phillbus?
I'm still around, although I don't frequent skoolie much anymore.. I had that bus for close to 6 years and my goal was to convert it to a motor home, which I sadly never finished enough to suit my needs. I have 2 little girls now, and camping without a toilet, bathroom, furnace ect. just wasn't appealing to me anymore. Yeah I know, I could have put more work into it and got it to where I wanted it, but I had other issues with an old school bus as well. Most importantly (as with any motorhome) when you get to where you're camping you're stuck; where as with a pull behind trailer you have a vehicle to get around in. Yes I know you can tow a car with a bus, I tried that once... didn't work out so well for the car - viewtopic.php?f=9&t=751&hilit=jacuzzi&start=300

We now have a 98 30' Dutchman bunkhouse, has all the typical shortfalls of a used trailer (prev. water leaks - discolored flooring, cheaply built ect...) but it does have A/C, heat, a bathroom, an awning ect. & when I get to where I'm going, I still have a truck to drive.



I'm not gunna lie, this trailer has been rather disappointing, since I bought it I found the furnace didn't work (needed a ckt. board, trip to the dealer to figure that out = $250) the water heater won't stay lit for more than 2 minutes, and the toilet won't fully shut off and keeps running, which would fill my blackwater tank in a hurry, oh and I found out that when the prev. owner winterized it he didn't hook the hose back up to the water tank - I figured this out after I "filled" the water tank and flooded the trailer. I still have some bugs to work out in it, and I might not have got the best deal (spring/early summer is not the best time to buy a trailer) but bunkhouse trailers are in high demand, and I wanted one bad...

Oh and this is what else I've been up too..





We're having a new house built, It's about 1/2 hour out of the city and in a good school district (we have a 5 year old that starts school this fall and currently live in an inner city school district that is... less than desirable) after the tax credit and our down payment, it will cost us about $100 more a month that the house I live in now. And it's on just over an acre in a great neighborhood.

anyway, thought I'd check in to see how my old bus is coming along & I do miss her.. my kids cried for about 1/2 hour after it pulled away - I wasn't very happy either, but I know it was time for me to move on.
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Old 05-29-2010, 11:15 PM   #10
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Re: Freeloader project

Congrats on the new house. Maybe once you get settled in you'll find another bus.
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Old 05-30-2010, 06:21 AM   #11
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Re: Freeloader project

We had two P-71 Interceptors before our M-series trucks. Good cars until they went over 250K miles and the CPUs died within 4K miles of each other. The replacement costs of the brains were more than the cars were worth. Thus the trucks now. Keep the chin up. I'm sure there's another skoolie in your future. Maybe a 30'er you can use to easily tow the travel trailer?!?!?!? Just a thought...... (sounds like something I'm doing......)
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Old 05-31-2010, 01:06 PM   #12
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Re: Freeloader project

Phil, your killin' me! I don't want to be the guy that "stole your babys bus" and made them cry!
My goal was to have it done by planting season, alas it has arrived and I will be a week late (finishing the bus) I have to get the garden in! --plus I have a few trips planned in July. I like to move on projects and just blitz them; its just the way I plan stuff
I'm still have more pix to post but forgot the camera (i do this at work, cable internet)
__________________
The 4 stages of truth:
First, it is ignored.
Second, it is ridiculed.
Third, it is attacked.
Fourth, it is accepted

"I know a lot of people take the blue pill, but it suprises me how many have a prescription."
Me.
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Old 05-31-2010, 04:33 PM   #13
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Re: Freeloader project

Quote:
my kids cried for about 1/2 hour after it pulled away
So hogfarmer, makin's the kiddies cry. I'm sure they'll be scarred for at least a few years. How does that make you feel?
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Old 06-09-2010, 12:41 PM   #14
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Re: Freeloader project

Well it's 99% done (for me) short of some tweeks and stuff I haven't thought of yet. Still considering a fixed toilet, meaning I will have to fit it with a black tank, maybe spring 2011 I can spare some tax refund $. So here is the the finished product.

The new floor



When the Harley garage is open



When its time for bed, just lower the bed



I know she needs some detailed cleaning so I will be taking care of that today, but that aside, we ready for sum campin'!
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The 4 stages of truth:
First, it is ignored.
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Third, it is attacked.
Fourth, it is accepted

"I know a lot of people take the blue pill, but it suprises me how many have a prescription."
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Old 06-12-2010, 01:51 AM   #15
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Re: Freeloader project

wow, looking great. I'd love to see more pictures if you have any.

you take it anywhere yet?
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Old 07-26-2010, 02:31 PM   #16
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Re: Freeloader project

Quote:
Originally Posted by phillbus914
wow, looking great. I'd love to see more pictures if you have any.

you take it anywhere yet?
I just got back from our 1st trip. We went to Silver Lake to play in the sand. The bus drove like a dream w/no problems, except maybe the one thing....I was crusing along using the throttle lock and then the traffic started to back up and when I went to push it in, it was stuck! Well I wasn't about to have a Prius moment w/ 15 tons of steel, so I stood on the brake, had the adrenaline blow through the system, and finally got the plunger back in, while reaching for the pull lever to shut the engine down (hated to have to do that to the turbo, but oh well) so I fly by all these cars in the other lane and finally get it slowed down to merge back in and everyone is staying tight to the car in front. They must be thinking I was waiting to get over at the last second to avoid the traffic, (sarcasm on)they didn't realize all the lives I saved that moment (sarcasm off) anyway the trip was good all around but I am curious about my fuel capacity... my fuel door says 60 gal. tank and the gauge reads near E but when I fill it I can only put in 35 gals. I think maybe the float in the tank must have fuel in it, or the ga. is broke, or the tank is actually smaller than the door sts. I would think a 400 mile round trip could be done w/1 tank full, IDK. Any Ideas? Taking the float out is gonna suck because the best access is through the floor on the inside. LMK THX
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The 4 stages of truth:
First, it is ignored.
Second, it is ridiculed.
Third, it is attacked.
Fourth, it is accepted

"I know a lot of people take the blue pill, but it suprises me how many have a prescription."
Me.
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Old 07-26-2010, 04:04 PM   #17
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Re: Freeloader project

looks nice!

bet your wishing the tank access hole was not covered up
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Old 08-01-2010, 01:13 AM   #18
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Re: Freeloader project

I like the floor...

Where did you get the fold down bed in the "Harley Garage"???
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Old 08-01-2010, 12:46 PM   #19
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Re: Freeloader project

Quote:
Originally Posted by cincinnati_kid
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuff
looks nice!

bet your wishing the tank access hole was not covered up
Whats that hole going to do for him now?
would give him access to top of the tank to replace the float or atleast inspect it.
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Old 11-29-2010, 08:38 PM   #20
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Re: Freeloader project

Quote:
Originally Posted by hogfarmer
....I was crusing along using the throttle lock and then the traffic started to back up and when I went to push it in, it was stuck! Well I wasn't about to have a Prius moment w/ 15 tons of steel, so I stood on the brake, had the adrenaline blow through the system, and finally got the plunger back in, while reaching for the pull lever to shut the engine down (hated to have to do that to the turbo, but oh well) so I fly by all these cars in the other lane and finally get it slowed down to merge back in and everyone is staying tight to the car in front. They must be thinking I was waiting to get over at the last second to avoid the traffic, (sarcasm on)they didn't realize all the lives I saved that moment (sarcasm off) anyway the trip was good all around but I am curious about my fuel capacity... my fuel door says 60 gal. tank and the gauge reads near E but when I fill it I can only put in 35 gals. I think maybe the float in the tank must have fuel in it, or the ga. is broke, or the tank is actually smaller than the door sts. I would think a 400 mile round trip could be done w/1 tank full, IDK. Any Ideas? Taking the float out is gonna suck because the best access is through the floor on the inside. LMK THX
Dang! I never had that happen to me before. I never really used the throttle lock because it seemed to slowly let the throttle out (slowing me down) I bet that was scary.

As for the fuel gauge problem, I noticed that too, seems like 1/4 tank is more like 1/2 + I just used a flash light to check the fuel level through the fuel tank filler hole. When we drove it down to South Padre Island TX and back I think I averaged just over 9mpg. one time I ran it out of fuel and was only to get about 45gal into the tank, so either the fuel tank is smaller than indicated or it was foaming big-time when I filled it...
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