Jacuzzi Bus

Steve · 11-28-2003, 05:49 PM

I found this site while browsing the web today, these guys put a hot tub in the rear of their bus.

http://www.geocities.com/blackplaguetour/

lapeer20m · 11-29-2003, 03:14 PM

that's my bus ! It's been a lot of work, but worth the effort. Some of the parties we've had are just amazing !

Steve · 11-29-2003, 03:17 PM

The thing I really want to know is how much power does it take to heat the water and where that power coming from?

lapeer20m · 11-30-2003, 11:57 AM

excellent question ! it does take a lot of energy to heat water, especially now that old man winter has arrived here in Michigan. The most efficient way i've found to heat the water is using engine heat from the bus. I removed all the electrical stuff from the rear bus heater, which left me with just a large heater core. I simply place the heater core into the hot tub while i drive, and it heats 400 gallons of water 50 degrees in less than an hour. This engine heat is usually just wasted to the atmosphere, so i'm just harnessing "free" engergy.

I do have a large generator. I use it to run the jets on the hot tub. On occasion i will use it to heat the water also. The hot tub has a built in electric 5000 watt heater. The downside is that the geni is rather noisy. Barely noticable inside the bus however, especially when the stereo is thumpin.

The third option is to just plug the hot tub into the electric grid. It requires 220 volts, making it slightly more difficult to find suitable power when not at home. The only available 220v outlets at peoples houses are usually not accessable, ie behind the stove or dryer. I devised a simple connecter that lets me use two separate 110 volt extention cords plugged into two separate outlets which gives me 220 volts.

To keep the hot tub from freezing, i leave it plugged into the power grid when at home now that it's winter. I have a long super heavy duty cord that plugs into my welder outlet in the barn.

Vern1 · 12-05-2003, 05:48 AM

Greetings,

Porta-party with flames....I LOVE IT!!

lapeer20m · 12-05-2003, 02:18 PM

The party happens wherever the bus goes. I meet people all the time: while fueling, shopping, or just hanging out. Even though it's winter, i'm still getting invited nearly every friday and saturday nite to go somewhere. I love the bus. The idea of a hot tub in a bus is silly,,,,,but i'm astounded at the overwhelmingly positive reaction I get from people the first time they see the inside.

Steve · 12-05-2003, 02:58 PM

I think everyone secretly wants to own a bus. If you ever rode a bus to school when you were a kid you've had a dream about driving the bus and getting to sit in the drivers seat and open that awesome school bus front door. I have found that just about everyone you meet wants to be on the skoolie.

lapeer20m · 12-06-2003, 02:54 PM

not only open the door, but also push all of those buttons ! That's one of the reasons that i didn't convert the door the a standard rv style. People love "old school"

Steve · 12-06-2003, 05:57 PM

Yeah I don't know about your bus but the Wards have a panel with 18 switches on it. Everyone wants to flip them so they can try to figure out what they do.

It was really nice that there were some extra switches there that I could wire in to do other things that I wanted.

lapeer20m · 12-07-2003, 03:01 PM

here is an idea i'm in love with, a bus on top of a bus. not really a double decker, more of a decker and a half. I have a free donor bus available if i want to attempt this conversion, but i'm not sure if i have the desire now that old man winter has set in.

lapeer20m · 12-07-2003, 03:44 PM

here is a great video of my bus doing brodies in the snow. This video was made on or about Christmas day 2002. I only had the bus for about 2 weeks at that time.

http://www.geocities.com/lapeer20m/brod ... ksmall.mpg

EDIT BY ADMIN: I made this post a new topic in the Everything Else forum.

lapeer20m · 12-08-2003, 02:50 PM

ok, i've been thinking.........Here's what i'm gonna do. Within a couple weeks I'm heading off to the junk yard to purchase a full size van body. This van will be brought home, Cut to the proper height, painted black with flames just like the bus. A floor will be installed, the van insulated, finish carpentry done, carpet laid, bed, tv, ect.......then the van will be mounted to the roof of the bus, with a fire pole that can be used to slide down into the bus. All withought going over the max height....which i still think is 13.6. I'll connect all of the lights to work in conjunction with the bus' lights. ie brake lights, turn signals ect.

I'll call this masterpiece

"The Master Suite"

pictures coming soon !

Steve · 12-08-2003, 03:21 PM

How did you get the jacuzzi into the bus, isn't it much larger than the rear door?

lapeer20m · 12-09-2003, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tullamore

How did you get the jacuzzi into the bus, isn't it much larger than the rear door?

Yes, the jacuzzi is much bigger than the 36" rear door. It's actually 93 inches wide, which made for quite a problem.....The bus has an inside width of only 90 inches. Each wall of the bus is nearly 2 inches thick however. I had to modify the walls of the bus to accomidate the extra width of the jacuzzi.

Back to the original question....how did i get the jacazzi in the bus??

First i attended a fire department sponsored vehicle extrication class on schoolbus'. I knew i had to cut a hole in the bus large enough for a the hot tub. Where to cut the hole?? cieling? side? or the rear? I decided this class would be an excellent way to discover the anatamy of a bus, and therefore be able to decide where to make the incision.

I decided that the best place to make my cut was through the wall. i made the cut on the passenger side. 39" tall, and approximately 9 feet long.

The hot tub was such a tight fit, that i coulndn't put the windows back in place, so i manufactured a set of doors that open by remote keyless entry in place of the windows.

lapeer20m · 12-09-2003, 10:00 PM

my bus is currently posted on the Monster Garage Website

http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mo...urmonster.html

i'm pretty excited about that.

Steve · 12-09-2003, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lapeer20m

my bus is currently posted on the Monster Garage Website

http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mo...urmonster.html

i'm pretty excited about that.

Wow, nice job. Too bad they don't show one at the end of the shows anymore.

lapeer20m · 12-13-2003, 10:32 PM

In less than a week, i found a van....cut it in half, installed the new floor, painted the inside. Did i mention i have a full time job and i'm going to school??? I have no life !

there are lots of photo's, but here's a good one of the van just after cutting the body off of the chassis.

I still need to finish painting, install the bed, carpet,mounting brackets, and insulate. That's just the begining, but i plan to have the van mounted on top of the bus before the New Year.

EldoMike · 12-14-2003, 07:08 AM

I need whatever it is you're on...:-)

EldoMike

lapeer20m · 12-15-2003, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EldoMike

I need whatever it is you're on...

EldoMike

it's funny that you mention that.......I do enjoy life! I'm always doing something crazy. A couple summers ago, i left for a month on a motorcycle trip and traveled old route 66 from chicago to santa monica. I've done new years in times square, spring break in panama city, all kinds of wild stuff. Anybody can do that if they put their mind to it. One thing that really makes me different is that I dont drink, smoke, or do any drugs (except mt. dew, that's my one downfall !).

Anyone going with me to Burning Man in 2004??? what's burning man you ask? http://www.burningman.com

lapeer20m · 12-24-2003, 12:08 AM

How do you like the teeth???

They're not real deluxo.....made from cardboard spraypainted silver. the metal version is in the works

You may also like: