The WanderLust Bus

WanderWoman · 10-05-2016, 08:48 PM

This will be my thread for updates as I move through the conversion process.

Bid: $2,034.00
Buyer Premium: $193.23 (9.50%$1.00 min..)
Total Paid: $2,227.23

She's a 2003 International with a T444E engine and an Allison automatic transmission. She's got 11 windows.

I picked her up in Culpeper, VA on Monday morning. The mechanics had made sure her fluids were good and had filled the tank! Total trip miles: 963. She rode BEAUTIFULLY! I checked the fluids with each fill up and they were always normal. I felt very comfortable driving her until last night heading out of Jacksonville, FL, when it got dark (no lights on highway) and it was pouring rain, I decided it was safer stopping for the night then pushing through to home. I'm glad I did.

I measured her inside today. 7'6" x 27'6" from the back door to the back of the driver's seat. So a little over 206 sq ft to work with.

We are suppose to begin taking the seats out on Saturday, but I live 40 miles north of West Palm Beach and we're being hit with Hurricane Matthew tomorrow... Jim Cantore is here (never a good sign!)

So hopefully it'll pass quickly and we can get down to business this weekend. I need to move in by October 30th!

Sandi

cadillackid · 10-05-2016, 08:52 PM

us over here on the left coast of florida are rootin for matty to go away for you guys!!

I do have 2 busses and a car here in st pete so if you all need anything over there i can probably get it there!!
-Christopher

WanderWoman · 10-05-2016, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillackid

us over here on the left coast of florida are rootin for matty to go away for you guys!!

I do have 2 busses and a car here in st pete so if you all need anything over there i can probably get it there!!
-Christopher

That's good to know, Christopher!
We're hoping Matty goes away, too, but it looks like the eye is going to come on just 10-20 miles north of me. Wishing I hadn't brought my bus back this week and hoping I find a safe place to park her tomorrow. She's in the open parking lot of my office right now. Any suggestions?

Sandi

cadillackid · 10-05-2016, 09:41 PM

im finding it difficult to gain covered storage in florida... in ohio indoor and covered places are everywhere.. so I have indoor for one bus up there.. but ive been searching down here.. i was told by a lady who does have a small covered area that her insiruance is very high because of hurricanes.. makes sense that roof would just blow down...

one thing to think about is most likely the school in virgina where you got the bus didnt have a covered spot for their bussesi n school service.. your bus is old enough that it did just fine in Sandy in 2012..

as long as your office is high ground and away from projectiles like trees and so it doesnt flood from rain or storm surge.. maybe park as close to the building as you can get to shield from one side at least.
-Christopher

WanderWoman · 10-05-2016, 09:45 PM

I was thinking of pulling it as close to the building as possible. A friend of mine said she'd be worried it would tip over... surely it can't do that, can it!?!?!? My friend manages a storage unit place, I've got a message into him to see if I can bring it there.

cadillackid · 10-05-2016, 09:54 PM

can 120 MPH wind tip a bus over? sure it can but it has to catch it exactly right... and every mile yoy drive it inland is a mile away from the strongest winds looking at the current track.. the eyewall is where the strong winds are.. outward from that the winds go down..its a big one.. right now it has 75 MPH winds 40 miles out from its center which is pretty big.. they should be running a Recon flight now with the next update by midnight if not sooner.. the biggest threat to anything is storm surge and rain-water flooding, along with projectiles.. tree limbs, roofs, unsecured objects etc flying around hitting things...

most windows arent busted from wind they are busted from windblown objects striking a window... thats why Impact windows were developed and are used in all new construction.. my apartment building was built in late 14 / early 15 and has the windows.. and you can tell.. they feel like bank vault doors to open..

parking your bus close to a building at least eliminates projectiles from one side ..

-Christopher

WanderWoman · 10-05-2016, 09:59 PM

I'm 4 miles from the Atlantic, surrounded by water. I live in Stuart, the entire city is surrounded by waterways. If you look at the 8 o'clock advisory, it has it brushing shore just 10-20 miles north of me. I think I'm going to take it out further west in the morning. Better safe than sorry!

cadillackid · 10-05-2016, 10:23 PM

the 11 has it even further inland it looks like... yeah id take it somewhere further in.. I know where stuart is ive been there.. nice area!

WanderWoman · 10-06-2016, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillackid

the 11 has it even further inland it looks like... yeah id take it somewhere further in.. I know where stuart is ive been there.. nice area!

I got her parked a couple of blocks from me in a little space surrounded by 2 walls and a 4-story building. Only exposed on one side, but not really, as she's tucked back and the entrance was only 20 feet wide. I'm praying the hurricane stays a wee bit off shore and doesn't slam up with 140 mph winds. We're gusting up to 40 right now.

Sandi

ckcorder · 10-07-2016, 12:09 AM

Can't wait to see the progress!

WanderWoman · 10-07-2016, 10:19 AM

We really lucked out with Hurricane Matthew. Yesterday around 2 pm the Gov of our state was telling us if we didn't move inland we would die. I was desperately trying to find a place to park the bus and my 2015 Ford Escape. I found a place and hunkered down in my office (others in my office building stayed in their offices, too).

By 9 pm it was apparent that we had dodged a bullet. As the storm ravaged Freeport, it took a bobble to the North and slightly east and we ended up with Cat 1 storm winds versus 140+ mph Cat 4 winds. I am a happy CAMPER (pun intended!).

Here's WanderLust this morning, none the worse for wear! Nothing broken that I can see, just covered in leafy debris! Fingers crossed my first attempt at posting a photo works... here we go...

Tango · 10-07-2016, 10:22 AM

Excellent! Glad to hear you made it through OK.

cadillackid · 10-07-2016, 10:56 AM

I was relieved when I awoke at 3am to see virtually no wind over here in st pete.. i knew that the storm had likely tracekd a few miles east of the coast... my friends on deltona were doing Ok also.. and friends in lauderdale said it was more tropical storm than anything..

you found a good spot to park the bus.. !

-Christopher

1olfart · 10-07-2016, 11:25 AM

I thought about ya'll, and actually said a little prayer. Glad all is well, and hope that those up the coastline have the same results.

Keep us posted on all the progress on the buses.

WanderWoman · 10-07-2016, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I was relieved when I awoke at 3am to see virtually no wind over here in st pete.. i knew that the storm had likely tracekd a few miles east of the coast... my friends on deltona were doing Ok also.. and friends in lauderdale said it was more tropical storm than anything..

you found a good spot to park the bus.. !

-Christopher

The storm shifted to the east by just 15 miles while going over Freeport and it made a HUGE difference to those of us on the coast and to you guys on the west coast. Keeping fingers crossed for the northern part of the state!

I found the perfect spot. Just brought her back over to my office and in the morning she'll go down to my friend's house where we begin taking out the seats! EXCITED!!!

Sandi

WanderWoman · 10-07-2016, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1olfart

I thought about ya'll, and actually said a little prayer. Glad all is well, and hope that those up the coastline have the same results.

Keep us posted on all the progress on the buses.

Thank you, 1olfart! We're hoping the rest of the coastline fares well, too.

I'll have pics on Sunday of the seats out

Sandi

EastCoastCB · 10-07-2016, 07:22 PM

I lost half my garage roof but everything else seems ok. Never even lost power.

WanderWoman · 10-07-2016, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I lost half my garage roof but everything else seems ok. Never even lost power.

Sorry to hear about your garage roof, but glad y'all are OK!

WanderWoman · 10-10-2016, 11:05 PM

So seat pull out has commenced and I'm working like a maniac to get the floor plan done (I know, flexibility, I'm learning from y'all).
So a specific question I have is if I want a toilet and a shower in the same room how long should it be? I am already purchasing a 32x32 shower pan and the 3 accompanying walls. I will have a shower current.
So two questions:
How long should the bathroom be to accomodate a toilet on the other end. I am not doing a "wet" bathroom. Nor am I wasting space with a sink. You can wash at the kitchen sink.
Thanks!

milkmania · 10-10-2016, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WanderWoman

So seat pull out has commenced and I'm working like a maniac to get the floor plan done (I know, flexibility, I'm learning from y'all).
So a specific question I have is if I want a toilet and a shower in the same room how long should it be? I am already purchasing a 32x32 shower pan and the 3 accompanying walls. I will have a shower current.
So two questions:
How long should the bathroom be to accomodate a toilet on the other end. I am not doing a "wet" bathroom. Nor am I wasting space with a sink. You can wash at the kitchen sink.
Thanks!

Doing the same with mine, but with a 30"x60" steel shower pan... I'm allowing roughly 88" to 90" length overall. And that's with utilizing the bedroom outer wall as one of the shower walls.

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