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Old 05-01-2019, 02:06 PM   #1
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Join Date: May 2019
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Big dreams, little bus

Hi all!

I'm new here and working my way through the forums while I find and secure a bus.

Looking for a bus about 23' long to work on over the summer and fall. I have some travel planned in the next few months and would love to bring my WIP for its first trip early June 😅

I have two kids (ages 5 and 2) who are great with tools and like to help. I aim to homeschool (and travel full-time) as of summer 2020. I've felt tethered as a parent of young kids living downtown. My dream is to spend as much time outside with them at the beach/in the forest/at the park, and have a spot for lunch, naps, stories close by.

I haven't met a place I didn't love.

Here goes everything! (Everything is all I've got)

J*

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Old 05-01-2019, 02:10 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr . Mom View Post
Hi all!

I'm new here and working my way through the forums while I find and secure a bus.

Looking for a bus about 23' long to work on over the summer and fall. I have some travel planned in the next few months and would love to bring my WIP for its first trip early June 😅

I have two kids (ages 5 and 2) who are great with tools and like to help. I aim to homeschool (and travel full-time) as of summer 2020. I've felt tethered as a parent of young kids living downtown. My dream is to spend as much time outside with them at the beach/in the forest/at the park, and have a spot for lunch, naps, stories close by.

I haven't met a place I didn't love.

Here goes everything! (Everything is all I've got)

J*
good luck with your journey
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Old 05-18-2019, 08:11 PM   #3
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Thanks!

Still no bus..
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Old 05-18-2019, 11:32 PM   #4
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Join Date: Sep 2015
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Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas Built Bus
Chassis: Freightliner FS65
Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
You have made the right first step though. Tell us a few ideas you have for the bus. How long, whay style, preferred engine, etc. There are folks on here that are very good at finding possible busses. Others are good at giving advice.
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Old 05-19-2019, 08:41 AM   #5
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Good luck to you and your children.
You can do this!
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oh yes she did!
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/to...-it-16557.html
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Old 05-19-2019, 12:43 PM   #6
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something my wife and i researched while she homeschooled our children and a bus life was the national parks workcamper program. if your a single parent it might not be that easy but for us it could have worked great but at the time i worked for a great company where the owner was like a dad to all 50 employees making good money and i was mioddle management heading to the top.
now my kids are 18 and 19 and my wife is almost finished with her MT exam so our next dream is she is a traveling lab tech and i get to follow and find the camping spot? if i can find one within an hours drive of where ever she is at. ITS a big task to fill to homechool out of a camper/RV/SKOOLIE because you cant carry every book for every age level. need computer access cause thats what everything has gone to but library access with actual paper books is even more important to me. good luck and i hope you make it work for yall. The national parks work camper program is still an option for income and a place to stay.
free lot and utilities while you work there and when yoou want to move to another park just give them a months notice as to where and they will have you a spot and job set up when you get there or thats how iit was working 15 years ago.?
good luck
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Old 05-22-2019, 11:34 AM   #7
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Wishes/fishes

Quote:
Originally Posted by Native View Post
You have made the right first step though. Tell us a few ideas you have for the bus. How long, whay style, preferred engine, etc. There are folks on here that are very good at finding possible busses. Others are good at giving advice.
Thanks! Don't mind if I do!!
Everybody else I know is tired of hearing about it...

I've got my eyes out for a Ford e350 chassis & 7.3L engine.. I have seen a couple of Chevy g3500s available in the area but haven't learned enough to be as confident about them. Trying to find something with "good gas mileage" but reliable and relatively easy to get back on the road should something fail.

I am hoping for ~15' of length behind the front bench seat I want to put in. Front bench: wide enough for two car seats (airbags disabled if present). What I've gathered is that forward facing in the front without airbags is safer than side facing in the back.. any advice or additional information welcome.

Height shouldn't be much of an issue (I'm 5’9" and the kids are about half that) and I'm not looking for something with a wheelchair lift. Back door: yes!

Want to build a king size bed/couch and leave lots of space open for movement. Have a few rough drawings for things like storage/toilet/etc... That's all at least step 3 though.

If anybody has a lead on a bus they don't want for themselves I'M ALL EARS
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Old 05-25-2019, 10:53 PM   #8
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I found something interesting on Public Surplus that is also within reasonable distance to get it back home (Ottawa, ON)!

Would you (hypothetically) consider this: https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/au...ew?auc=2349529 ?
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Old 05-28-2019, 11:46 PM   #9
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Join Date: Sep 2015
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Year: 2002
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Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr . Mom View Post
I found something interesting on Public Surplus that is also within reasonable distance to get it back home (Ottawa, ON)!

Would you (hypothetically) consider this: https://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/au...ew?auc=2349529 ?

It might be a decent nuy of you can get it for close to the current price.


You might want to know the transmission & rear-end ratio to see if it will work for your needs.


Note that there are signs of rust. The photo of the rear end shows streaks from the lights and at the bottom of the door. You may also want to ask for shots of the underside.
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Old 06-04-2019, 01:57 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Native View Post
It might be a decent nuy of you can get it for close to the current price.


You might want to know the transmission & rear-end ratio to see if it will work for your needs.


Note that there are signs of rust. The photo of the rear end shows streaks from the lights and at the bottom of the door. You may also want to ask for shots of the underside.
Hey,

Thanks for the advice!

The price skyrocketed in the last day so it's on to the next one!
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