Bookmobile to .... Luxurious money-pit

[Rusty]

Hello !

I bought a shuttle bus to convert last year, but it was much too nice to tear-up. So I am listing the Thor Champion on ebay.

So, Today I bought the Bookmobile !!

She's a 2003 Bluebird Hi-top extended beast with the Cummins 5.9L pushing all that metal down the road. It already has the raised roof and a bathroom installed, so it isn't too far from being an RV in my state. Ad was sparse on details, but I'm sure there is a genset under there somewhere as it has a couple rooftop a/c units.

I added the bus pics to "my Garage", if you want to see it. The ad says it's 25 feet long, but no way is it that short- anybody with a keen eye know the length of this? 71 passenger? 84 passenger?

I should have inspected, but meh, what can go wrong?

No idea what to do with so many bookcases...

here is what the Vin decoder says:

VIN Lookup Results
Manufacturer Blue Bird Body Co.
Make Blue Bird
Model Year 2003
Model TC2000
Engine Manufacturer Cummins
Engine Series ISB
Engine Capacity L6, 5.9L (359 CID)
Fuel Type Diesel
Vehicle Type Incomplete Vehicle
Chassis 3401 - 3502
Brake System -
Series Shell TC2000
GVWR Class 26,001-33,000Lbs
Country United States
Assy. Plant Fort Valley
Body Type FE - Front Engine


Here is link to VinDecoder

[turf]

Nice!!! congrats!!


check out my build thread......another money pit bookie

good liuck!

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by turf

Nice!!! congrats!!


check out my build thread......another money pit bookie

good liuck!

Thanks, turf. Still trying to pay for this thing, seller making me jump through hoops.

I like your bookmobile ! Cool build. It seems like an easier platform to start with than a traditional skoolie - no seats to remove, just bookshelves !

[turf]

its actually a pretty easy demolition.

when i started, i went out there with a sledge hammer and a chain saw. i spent a few hours whacking on the shelves, tried the chain saw to cut the things out. nothing really budged.

my good friend came over that night and showed him all the progress i had not made on the demolition.

he looked at everything for a few minutes, and said "ya know, i betcha with a screw drill and a phillips head, you can probably just disassemble everything."

he was right, the book mobile was made with sections of cabinets, they were all screwed together tight and strong. after i found the screws, undid them all, the bus came out piece by piece, book shelf by book shelf.

my experience with the sledge hammer convinced me of the strength of that construction method. with the exception of my 2x4 bed frame, everything else in the bus is 3/4" plywood fastened together with a kreg jig. cabinet style. i re-used the original siding. i just swapped sides so i had a fresh unfinshed side on the back to finish as i pleased.

enjoy your build - its a great platform to start from. with the generator, electric heat and air, that was 3 of the 4 things it need to be registered as an rv in Colorado. the 4th was a refrigerator. i had a small fridge and put it in for the registration process. everything was simple.

ask questions and post pics - the people here are a wealth of knowledge and most have been through everything you are embarking on.

good luck!