bought a short bus. let's do this thang!

[KerryBeth1985]

whelp, here we go! actually, me and my daughter are doing "Hers n' Hers" short bus conversions. mine is on the lot, her's is coming on 5/3. we've been waiting and designing off and on for over a year! here's what's coming...

Full Solar: 600 watts on the roof, 1800w inverter, 4 12v sealed battery array
Kitchen: Mini fridge, vessel sink with hand pump (water storage below). counter height at 31" (below window line) but we are both very short. Portable double burner. Sun oven, but also a wood burning stove (12" cubic mini).
Bathroom: YES a full bathroom! what? 3'x2' galvanized horse trough for tub. Shower loop system (water drains from tub into self-priming pump, through water filtration system with UV, and back out the shower head). it's way more complex than this. probably do a separate thread on my water system. Composting toilet. I can't wait to pee off the bus.
Windows: removing and replacing with custom vinyl sliders
Insulation: recycled denim insulation in walls and subfloor.
Framing: all wood used on the bus is sustainable, chemical free

I'm including a picture of my floor plan / schematic. If you can understand it, feel free to steal whatever you like.

SO EXCITED!

[Robin97396]

I think everybody here loves enthusiasm. It's really a fun process and you'll learn so much about your vehicle.

So side by side builds huh? That's very energetic. You've already got me very curious.

[cadillackid]

too cool!! two builds!!..

so im a Bus Geek, im interested to hear what kind of busses you guys got!
-Christopher

[KerryBeth1985]

WORD! we are two cool for skool LOL. side by side builds. we will definitely post pics when we actually get started. Bus #1 is a Thomas Built Mini(taur), Bus #2 is a Micro Bird. However, same engines, etc., just different chassis. Which meant different framing schematics (grrrrr). but yes, we stoked! always exciting when your plans start to become realities and the bus is actually parked.

[cadillackid]

It's an amazing thing when things start to come together ..when you go from that " wow that's cool" stage to the " omg I just got groceries in a school bus for fun" stage yeah it's kickin!!
Christopher

[Robin97396]

I'll say this, people remember you when you grocery shop in a school bus.

[Rengald]

I would love to hear more about the shower system. Please do share. Seems like you've already got it figured out.

[KerryBeth1985]

Made a new thread for how i set up the shower loop. http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/sh...tml#post200555

I hope just copying the URL works to give you think. If not, it's under "shower loop"
I don't understand why more conversions don't have full bathrooms but i guess it's just a matter of what's important to the people living there. Me? i wanted a full tub and hot showers.

[Peach Camp]

I have a Chevy Micro Bird. I am not planning on any power or water hook-ups until I have a little more experience with it.
My son and I are also working side by side. His is 40 foot long and he gutted his and is doing a real make-over.
Sounds like you are having fun with it!

[KerryBeth1985]

I understand! some folks really gut the things and go all out. we're not removing the interior metal. also, the one thing we're paying for labor on is installation of the solar power. i've got a great guy on it but still $20 an hour for labor. I'm doing the plumbing though. easy peasy. i hate to say this but if i wear a low cut shirt to Home Depot, i can get just about any help I need. LOL

[KerryBeth1985]

Second bus arrived yesterday for our side-by-side short bus build!

[Robin97396]

Oh, you have twins. Not the monozygotic identical twins. These are the dizzyzygotic twins that look different, like the "Twins" movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.

Now, which one is the Arnold bus?

[KerryBeth1985]

Ha! yes, they are fraternal twins. but not quite arnold and danny LOL. they have the same engine and basically same everything, just different chassis. one is a Micro Bird, the other a Thomas Built but they are actually about the same. only 2" of difference in interior space.

[Robin97396]

So who has more expensive tastes? Which one would make the best B&B? We got to get some competition going on here.

[KerryBeth1985]

that's funnie. we're both pretty granola, minimalist types. all organic and such. our builds are totally "green" as it were. materialism isn't really in our vocabulary. i guess if it were, we wouldn't be doing this. we are both planning to live on the buses full time. we are going to travel some the first year, definitely spend the winter someplace warmer than here. we're going to LA first as there's some thing we want to do there. not a fan of LA so won't stay long but may turn south and spend the winter near san diego. we'll just have to see. then, i just plan to stay home through the year, winter in the south. i can permanently park my bus at my other daughter's or any number of places. we're planning a very Zen build so competition probably isn't in the cards for us! ;) in fact, there will probably be much saging and chanting around our construction site. ya, we're like that....

[mysty]

Mother/daughter bus builds? Awwww!!! I LOVE this!

I tried to convince my daughters to work on their own bus to stay in instead of dorms for college, but they too busy to realistically pull it off. My oldest has been super incredible helping me on the big bus, though, squeezing in hours between band practice and finals- she is dedicated!

Can't wait to see updates!

[Robin97396]

I offered a 5 window shorty gasser to my son and he didn't think it was a good idea. Meanwhile he still stays with friends.

I'm in a "VAN" state. Can't insure a self built motorhome in this state, so it's a van. You want to talk about minimalist... but it's a well insulated van.

I'm hoping to see some new ideas in your dual builds. Your enthusiasm still hasn't been crushed by hours of unending labor.

Seriously yours is an special build. Best of luck. This is going to cost twice as much.