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Old 12-28-2018, 12:52 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 28
New build - Looking for ideas for garage (in bus)

Hello folks, i've been contemplating life on the road for quite some time and have decided to start planning for a skoolie conversion.

I'm looking at larger buses, or the largest I can find. I know there are different seating numbers and bus lengths and unfortunately I have not got my head wrapped around what all is available.

Some of my requirements are:
- Room for skirt storage, or ideally already has skirt storage.
-Bus with a/c already, or room for an a/c condenser either under skirt, or roof top to be added. (more on that in a separate idea thread)

- one of the larger engines- Cat 3126 or DT466 or Cummins 8.3 with a lockup trans, ideally MD3060. I plan on dinghy towing a vehicle especially on longer trips so I want the power and trans to back it up when hitting mountains.

- Air brakes.

With all that being said, I want to be able to haul my dirt bike in a small "garage" area in the back of the bus. I've been trying to come up with some floor plans to best utilize space and limit waste area. One of my thoughts was with a front engine flat nose, they have a rear door. I could build a garage that covers approx 2/3 of the back of the bus. Say the garage space spans from the left edge, to the right edge of the rear door, and extends approx 6-7 ft foward to allow me to pull my bike into that rectangular area. (viewed from rear)

This would leave some space on the right side of the bus potentially for a bathroom, or storage, etc. I had considered blocking off the full width of the bus approx 5 ft forward of the rear and placing a wall, but this would make it harder to load a bike from the rear because I would need to shimmy it in every time, and not be able to pull straight in.

This all but eliminates the thought of a rear engine bus, because no door, and the big bump in the back where the top of the engine is. Unless I can think of a creative idea to maybe load a bike from a side door and use the rear 5' of the bus strictly as "garage" space.

At the end of the day I would really prefer a rear engine bus though because of the larger choice of engines, and also reduced noise, and most importantly, all the extra space under the bus and between frame rails.

Has anyone built a garage into the rear of their bus?

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Old 12-28-2018, 05:34 PM   #2
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcarsey View Post
Hello folks, i've been contemplating life on the road for quite some time and have decided to start planning for a skoolie conversion.

I'm looking at larger buses, or the largest I can find. I know there are different seating numbers and bus lengths and unfortunately I have not got my head wrapped around what all is available.

Some of my requirements are:
- Room for skirt storage, or ideally already has skirt storage.
-Bus with a/c already, or room for an a/c condenser either under skirt, or roof top to be added. (more on that in a separate idea thread)

- one of the larger engines- Cat 3126 or DT466 or Cummins 8.3 with a lockup trans, ideally MD3060. I plan on dinghy towing a vehicle especially on longer trips so I want the power and trans to back it up when hitting mountains.

- Air brakes.

With all that being said, I want to be able to haul my dirt bike in a small "garage" area in the back of the bus. I've been trying to come up with some floor plans to best utilize space and limit waste area. One of my thoughts was with a front engine flat nose, they have a rear door. I could build a garage that covers approx 2/3 of the back of the bus. Say the garage space spans from the left edge, to the right edge of the rear door, and extends approx 6-7 ft foward to allow me to pull my bike into that rectangular area. (viewed from rear)

This would leave some space on the right side of the bus potentially for a bathroom, or storage, etc. I had considered blocking off the full width of the bus approx 5 ft forward of the rear and placing a wall, but this would make it harder to load a bike from the rear because I would need to shimmy it in every time, and not be able to pull straight in.

This all but eliminates the thought of a rear engine bus, because no door, and the big bump in the back where the top of the engine is. Unless I can think of a creative idea to maybe load a bike from a side door and use the rear 5' of the bus strictly as "garage" space.

At the end of the day I would really prefer a rear engine bus though because of the larger choice of engines, and also reduced noise, and most importantly, all the extra space under the bus and between frame rails.

Has anyone built a garage into the rear of their bus?
I'm adding an 8' garage for my 2 bikes. I'm moving the existing door over and adding a second so I have Van style doors.
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Old 08-12-2019, 05:15 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Willow Grove PA, Suburbs of Philadelphia
Posts: 17
Any updates on these 2 projects?
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Old 08-12-2019, 06:08 PM   #4
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brain's 97 Diesel View Post
Any updates on these 2 projects?
Mine is here:

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/th...ist-22665.html
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Old 08-12-2019, 11:18 PM   #5
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: mid Mo.
Posts: 869
Year: 1976
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: F33695
Engine: 427 chevy converted to 466
Rated Cap: 84
sportyricks universal hauler has a rear garage and I recently added a 3000# lift gate and an extra door to make the intrance 5 foot wide, I can fit 4 full size bikes, a canoe, kayaks, bicycles, or all the drunks you can haul. go find my pictures there in the gallery somewhere.
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