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Old 05-22-2016, 07:41 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Dec 2010
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Year: 90
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Transitliner
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
1990 Thomas RV conversion Extraordinaire!

Somewhat sadly, the time has come to sell my Sistine Chapel of bus conversions. The story of this bus is long and complex, but let it be said that it was a labor of love and was built to satisfy an image I had in my mind of exactly what i thought a bus conversion should be. It's Road Warrior meets Frank Lloyd Wright, it's sustainable energy meets fossil fuel mayhem, it's Burning Man, NASCAR, Luckenbach and Zen and the Art of Bus Conversion all rolled into one. Be forewarned, DO NOT bid on this bus unless you can handle lots of attention, questions and envy. It's more powerful than a puppy on the beach and more intimidating than a Shelby Cobra. I will try to give a condensed outline of the rig, but serious parties should get in touch with me personally. There is a lot to tell....

Asking $49,500. I would consider some trade, but not another bus...

!990 Thomas Transitliner ordered new by Mountain Express of Crested Butte, Colorado. School bus specs, outstanding rollover and safety construction.
8.9L Cummins Engine, propane injection. Will top Monarch Pass at 40 MPH, cruises at 65 (has cruise control)
Allison MT643 Transmission, locking torque converter, approx 8 MPH
Telma electromagnetic driveline retarder
Espar diesel fired hydronic engine heater (will also heat domestic hot water and run interior heaters)
All wheels aluminum, tires are great, spare on an aluminum wheel included
100 gallon main fuel tank with 35 gallon reserve tank. Nearly 1000 mile range.
60 gallon fresh water, 75 gallon gray/black water tanks
Monster roofrack with left, right and rear landing lights
multiple auxiliary front driving lights and SERIOUS bullbar
LED interior house lights
12 gallon stainless steel electric hot water heater with heat exchange coil (makes hot water off of engine heat as you go down the road
(4) 6 volt deep cycle house batteries, (3) 8D bus batteries. Can be used together or separate, manually switched
3 Solar panels (approx 200W overall) with MPPT charge controller
4000W Honda water cooled, 2 cylinder genset
3500W Xantrex Freedon Charger/Inverter. Interior control/monitoring panel
30 AMP shore power cord with extensions
Coleman 13500 BTU Mach One rooftop AC
30K BTU propane forced air heater
Wall mount blue flame 10K BTU blue flame ventless heater (uses no electricity)
NAD receiver/amp running thru Cerwin Vega monitors (plus dash head unit with USB input)
Sharp Convection microwave
2 burner cooktop
All cabinetry steel framed with Baltic birch panels and brushed aluminium laminate
"Coined" rubber flooring
All upholstery Sundura covered with zippers

Many more pics here:

1990 Thomas Built Bus "Thomas"



There is probably more, but you get the idea.
Message me and I can send a link to many more pictures including several during the build.

Thanks for looking. Buy this bus, you won't regret it!











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Old 05-22-2016, 08:33 AM   #2
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Best of luck man, we're all watching. Let us know if/when it sells!
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Old 05-22-2016, 09:48 AM   #3
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Thanks for the props! It's an attention getter for sure!
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Old 05-22-2016, 05:27 PM   #4
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Heck of a deal, was expecting a higher asking price. Should sell immediately.
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Old 05-22-2016, 07:29 PM   #5
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Looks great. I want one of those cow catchers.

How do you get that bike in the bus?
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Old 05-22-2016, 08:16 PM   #6
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!

While most of us probably cringed when we first say your asking price, I can say that after looking at all of your pictures your bus is probably worth about what you are asking for it.

As to whether or not you will get your asking price is another story altogether.

Good luck!
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Old 05-22-2016, 08:17 PM   #7
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Got any build pics?
Whats it insulated with?
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Old 05-22-2016, 10:07 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
Looks great. I want one of those cow catchers.

How do you get that bike in the bus?
I just went really fast!
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Old 05-22-2016, 10:10 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
Got any build pics?
Whats it insulated with?
"More pics" link in original post
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Old 05-28-2016, 01:40 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cowlitzcoach View Post
While most of us probably cringed when we first say your asking price, I can say that after looking at all of your pictures your bus is probably worth about what you are asking for it.

As to whether or not you will get your asking price is another story altogether.

Good luck!
Yep...all you need is a buyer who has 50k cash and wants to buy a school bus. Sounds easy to find.

I knew a guy who spent almost 200k restoring an old dodge pickup 4 dr from the 70's. He loved that thing...poured big money into it...it was like showroom good and somewhat of a restomod...sick truck. What's the problem though? People with 200k don't buy old Dodge's...the truck went for 17k at Barret Jackson.

With this bus you can't finance it, and no one with 50k liquid would pay this on a bus when they could easily finance a diesel pusher at 2-4% with predictable depreciation. This bus won't sell for over 20k....that's the facts.
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Old 05-28-2016, 03:39 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RC000E View Post
Yep...all you need is a buyer who has 50k cash and wants to buy a school bus. Sounds easy to find.

I knew a guy who spent almost 200k restoring an old dodge pickup 4 dr from the 70's. He loved that thing...poured big money into it...it was like showroom good and somewhat of a restomod...sick truck. What's the problem though? People with 200k don't buy old Dodge's...the truck went for 17k at Barret Jackson.

With this bus you can't finance it, and no one with 50k liquid would pay this on a bus when they could easily finance a diesel pusher at 2-4% with predictable depreciation. This bus won't sell for over 20k....that's the facts.
Are you following this forum for something to buy?
Some on this forum put there heart and soul into there skoolie and some put money into there's?
Go buy what you want and in the end I built/worked on every aspect of mine and I know what I have (heart and soul) I know exactly where to look if my fridge don't work? Are you expecting to find an already built (heart and soul) skoolie for cheap?
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Old 05-28-2016, 03:49 PM   #12
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I am sure its a great machine. Looks really well built, well cared for. I am sure reliability is great as well.

Problem is, people who build school buses do it to essentially spread out the cost, as well as build something solid. People dont get 50k and say, I think I am going to buy a converted old school bus though, thats the difference.

Investment doesnt automatically equal resale value. To you it may be worth 50k, but the market has to say its worth 50k. I see fully spec'd out coaches, full rv conversions not pull 50k. They prob have 100k invested but...the market just doesnt pay that because people with 50k in their bank acct to buy a toy dont buy used school buses, they buy something more reflective of their lifestyle.

The people who will appreciate that bus there, will tell you all day its worth the money...problem is they just dont have it. Unless you owner finance it, you wont get 50k.

Why am I here? I like school buses, have built cars professionally for 20 yrs, brokered exotic cars for about 7...I am pretty well versed in these markets.

My post isnt to be a hater, its just to be realistic and say...keep it, because no one is handing 50 on that. Maybe 25k...

Great machine though...one of the nicest I have seen.
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Old 05-28-2016, 05:38 PM   #13
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Different strokes for different folks....
Most members here like Skookies. This isn't the Wanderlodge or Prevost site.
This is a nice conversion one, offered for less than the build would cost at 5 cents an hour labor plus parts.
Some folks who walk to the beat of a different drummer have cash. I see it every day. Parents die and leave money, lotteries are won. I knew a guy who made nearly seven digits a year because his blood had a unique, and valuable aspect to it, and he sold it once a month. Cool guy, had lots of cool stuff and lots of cash. In our community, there are more trust fund play-babies than blue collar workers. Maybe if I told them this was a Sprinter Sportsmobile for $45K they would hop on it....
Point is, as you said, on the day you choose to sell, the market value is what the other guy will pay...but that does not mean that's what it's "worth".
And not to be a hater either, but R000E, show us your bus....
Thanks to all for the input and compliments.
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Old 05-28-2016, 06:45 PM   #14
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Okay, I'm just observing here but did RC000E go off his/her meds between "was expecting a higher price, should sell immediately" on 5/22 and "won't sell for over 20k" on 5/28?

I don't think the asking price will have anything to do with how fast if sells; rather, the whole attraction to this hobby/fascination/sickness/obsession is making something yourself that reflects your personality and suits your lifestyle. If it was just about cost/value analysis then we'd be in the market for an RV.
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Old 05-28-2016, 09:39 PM   #15
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My 5/22 was to test the waters of the forums sanity....being new here and all.

In the world of building anything that isnt in large, finished demand, you never recover your parts investment, and certainly not your labor...even if it is 5 cents an hour. Like the OP stated, a labor of love and a vision of exactly what he wanted. For that reason, its a masterpiece, but that doesnt change reality.

In the end, you have to aim above your target and expect to be chopped down. If you got an offer of 30 you should take it and run. I think a 50%+ recovery is a win when youre talking about a 26 yr old school bus.

I'd strongly consider owner finance 60-84 months, strong down payment, and maybe see 40k. Gonna be a hell of a hard sell though. You gotta trade that for something else thats "worth it" but wont ever carry the value...i.e. boats, rock crawlers, racecars, etc.

Great lookin machine though...def not hatin.
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Old 05-29-2016, 07:16 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RC000E View Post
My 5/22 was to test the waters of the forums sanity....being new here and all.

In the world of building anything that isnt in large, finished demand, you never recover your parts investment, and certainly not your labor...even if it is 5 cents an hour. Like the OP stated, a labor of love and a vision of exactly what he wanted. For that reason, its a masterpiece, but that doesnt change reality.

In the end, you have to aim above your target and expect to be chopped down. If you got an offer of 30 you should take it and run. I think a 50%+ recovery is a win when youre talking about a 26 yr old school bus.

I'd strongly consider owner finance 60-84 months, strong down payment, and maybe see 40k. Gonna be a hell of a hard sell though. You gotta trade that for something else thats "worth it" but wont ever carry the value...i.e. boats, rock crawlers, racecars, etc.

Great lookin machine though...def not hatin.
people round here can't handle the truth!
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Old 05-29-2016, 10:36 AM   #17
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people round here can't handle the truth!
Aint that the truth?!
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Old 05-29-2016, 03:03 PM   #18
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The truth is all I have ever expected from this forum!
I have chewed on quite few of my power train questions but I ain't choking?
I know my build will never sell for what I end up with in it.
Even in the stick box RV world that cost thousands there is never an owner that is happy with what they have and can't work on it there'selves?
I know what I have added to my skoolie platform and can work on everything?
If I ever decided to sell then I would not accept anything less than the money put into it?
Regardless of effort? But effort is why I think so much of mine regardless of money spent.
Maybe it's wrong? Maybe it's right but to me a heart and soul conversion is worth more money than a typical RV? The ones with money only see money the ones without only see how to make a skoolie without money? And most ideas are better than a factory bought camper/rv?
Just my idea and opinion? Good luck with your choice.
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Old 05-29-2016, 03:42 PM   #19
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I'd pay 50k for Aaron's conversion.
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Old 05-31-2016, 11:55 AM   #20
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What is the ceiling height?
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