Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 06-30-2017, 10:07 AM   #1
New Member
 
The big blue bus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 6
So here's the deal

The last three places I've rented have gone up for sale. I have a small fiberglass business and have tried to maintain space to work out of as well as have a place to live.ive been lucky finding houses to rent with good size garages but have zero credit to purchase. Previous to our rental being for sale we were entertaining the idea of a fifth wheel etc to travel in winters as I am in ct. After the landlord told us we would have to move... we just kind of jumped on it.
We bought a 1987 Chevy deisle manual trans 11 window school bus.
For lack of time I went with this because it was already registered it mass as an rv ,had the 50 amp line installed and well.. that's about it. These guys used it for hunting and had installed painters staging for bunks and a fridge from 1932 .the rest is stock with a few seats left facing each other with tables set in Between.
Reminded me of my daughter's 4h cabin.

So .. really.. you guys. What the issue is and my SOLE reason for joining this forum is... I have no clue what I'm doing. I'm about to move my fiance and 2 year old and my business into this thing. In short order.

This is what I DO know.

I drove the bus home about 2 hrs total 55-60 mph .I haven't driven many trucks but generally it seemed to do what it is supposed to.any problem I can certainly attribute to my learning curve.i didn't hit anything or get dirty glances so I figure I did ok.
A pick up with a slide in passed me as I trudged up a severe incline on i-95.the passenger hung out the window and did a motion like a canoe paddle. I waved happily.

We bought the bus for $2200 with 177,000 miles originally from ohio.there is not a lot of rot beyond some old Bondo repairs coming through above the rear wheel wells and the first step. The underside is much cleaner than I expected into be.

As I said I am a fiberglass guy. I rebuilt a Honda prelude engine when I was a kid with a Chilton book and kept an old Beemer running the same way but..that is my mechanical experience and I much prefer it that way when it comes down to it.

I realise ,being That this is an investment in my personal living standard and that my budget in that regard is sparse ,I will indeed be maintaining my new "home" myself . I hope with the help of people who know what they are talking about.

I have what I think is a pretty good design for a floor plan.weve looked at so many.we have two adults a2 yr old and a 9 yr old. I've come up with a plan that allows walking access through the back door. Our California king is smack in the middle.closed in bunk style like the kids.my fiance insists.we don't really have much of a budget for a new one anyway. The walk way around is suffice.weve mapped out the bus in our 24' living room and actually put the bed and our sons crib and mocked up the rest. We figure we can get a good perspective on storage etc by doing this.

First place we are headed is coosbay oregon.about as far as one can test drive a bus. My sister is having a baby and a shower we are trying to make.i have another sister in Portland as well. I have been running adds out that way for a month to try and secure small jobs I can do while there. After we'd like to head south through Cali and eventually into Arizona where yet again I have another sister I have not seen in a good decade.then on to Texas where I have a cousin,Florida where a friend is,sc is my very wonderful aunt and then back up to new England for spring to pick up my daughter who I have for the summers as well as retain the customers I have here,see family etc..

I don't think I've been more enthused and more scared of this plan than anything else in my life.it is most certainly happening though.

The big blue bus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2017, 05:40 PM   #2
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 23
Good luck man, that's really all I can say. I am just getting started with our bus conversion, so I don't think I will be able to technically help you. I do wish you the best of luck with it all.

I see a lot of posts about people doing just what you are doing; buying a bus and moving right in. So I am sure you will be fine.

I honestly couldn't imagine it.

I have too many personal items to fit in my own house, let alone a school bus. Too many hobbies I suppose,

Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
John.Smith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2017, 06:03 PM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Oregon/Philippines
Posts: 1,660
if you go to coos bay, you can park for free at wal mart in north bend. you can also park for a while at the mill casino in the large parking lot, not to mention free orange juice, drinks, coffee, newspaper, etc. you can even park for free at the store in empire, or beside the bus garage of first student for a night or two if you move the bus. Not a great idea to park at fred meyer, but at least they have western union. also there is $1.50 lunch time cafe right at the main intersection in north bend which is about the third stop light from the bridge north of town.. is on the right side next to the old hospital.
__________________
Jesus Christ... Conversion in progress.
chev49 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2017, 07:41 PM   #4
New Member
 
The big blue bus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 6
Quote:
Originally Posted by John.Smith View Post
Good luck man, that's really all I can say. I am just getting started with our bus conversion, so I don't think I will be able to technically help you. I do wish you the best of luck with it all.

I see a lot of posts about people doing just what you are doing; buying a bus and moving right in. So I am sure you will be fine.

I honestly couldn't imagine it.

I have too many personal items to fit in my own house, let alone a school bus. Too many hobbies I suppose,

Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I presently rent a 40x36' bay garage that is fairly stocked. I have personal projects,tools,customer projects ,kids toys ,band equipment,antiques,u name it lol.. getting rid of it all is definitely the bigger chore. One good thing is that before this garage I rented a spot that had no power so I have a full solar array that's decent and easily upgradable,a gas generator for heavier tools etc.. plenth of led bulbs and low amp tools and appliances kicking around. I guess that's half the battle. Maybe a third of the battle. But yah.. some luck ..i could use that lol.. thanks for responding.
The big blue bus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2017, 07:51 PM   #5
New Member
 
The big blue bus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 6
Quote:
Originally Posted by chev49 View Post
if you go to coos bay, you can park for free at wal mart in north bend. you can also park for a while at the mill casino in the large parking lot, not to mention free orange juice, drinks, coffee, newspaper, etc. you can even park for free at the store in empire, or beside the bus garage of first student for a night or two if you move the bus. Not a great idea to park at fred meyer, but at least they have western union. also there is $1.50 lunch time cafe right at the main intersection in north bend which is about the third stop light from the bridge north of town.. is on the right side next to the old hospital.
That is some very useful information,thank you. Have you been in the oregon area very long?I'm definitely trying to gather up as much info as I can.
The big blue bus is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.