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 11-23-2017, 08:33 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 10
Switching Gears Here

Greetings,
We have been looking over trawlers for a few years now but just have not been able to pull the plug on one.

Then I saw a schoolie and next thing I know I am watching school bus conversions daily. Lol Thank you you tube.

Anyway I joined to gain more insight from those who are actually doing it.

Thank you for allowing me to join.
Blessings
FCJ

Fish Catcher Jim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2017, 04:05 AM   #2
Traveling
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,573
Year: 2003
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: '00
Welcome !

Sorry to hear you got bit by the bug.

Really only 1 cure....
Rusty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2017, 10:09 AM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SW New Hampshire
Posts: 1,334
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
Sorry to hear you got bit by the bug.

Really only 1 cure....
From what I can see, it's incurable! Raise your hand if you own or have owned more than one bus!

Welcome to the madness! Read, read, read. Especially the threads that will not die, like "do I really have to pull the old insulation out of the wall and put new in?". (Hint: yes.) There's a whole college degree in bus renovation and restoration here, with minors available in solar electrical systems, plumbing, and obsolete drivetrains.
dan-fox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2017, 11:01 AM   #4
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,762
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Just got bus #4, and I'm sure it won't be my last.

Welcome to the addictive world of bus.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2017, 11:03 AM   #5
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
Just got bus #4, and I'm sure it won't be my last.

Welcome to the addictive world of bus.
There is a 12-Step Program for that!
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2017, 11:05 AM   #6
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,762
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
There is a 12-Step Program for that!
I'm leaning more towards indulging this compulsion, rather than curtailing it.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2017, 11:10 AM   #7
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Owasso, OK
Posts: 2,627
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
Engine: Cummins 6CTA8.3 Mechanical MD3060
Rated Cap: 46 Coach Seats, 40 foot
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
I'm leaning more towards indulging this compulsion, rather than curtailing it.


I now have the money in place, and a great space cleared in front of the house. It's 86' from the garage door to the road, just right to drop a 40' bus into.

Just waiting for the right bus.
__________________
Steve Bracken

Build Thread
Twigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2017, 04:49 PM   #8
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SW New Hampshire
Posts: 1,334
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
There is a 12-Step Program for that!
Y'know, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. I don't think our boy Charles is quite there yet.
dan-fox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2017, 05:06 PM   #9
Traveling
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Midwest
Posts: 2,573
Year: 2003
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: TC2000
Engine: 5.9L Cummins
Rated Cap: '00
Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-fox View Post
Y'know, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. I don't think our boy Charles is quite there yet.
The entire auction process is very addicting.

I enjoy doing the research, seeing an item, googling it, learning about it's strengths and weaknesses.

Doing research, past sales, problems, parts availability.

Adding the item to your watch list and repeatedly checking on it. Thinking about it . Obsessing over it.

Then the bid. When to jump-in. How high to spread each bid. Watching the players and past bids, scrutinizing over them.

Clock ticks down....bidders thin out. And then there were 2. Unless we count that douchebag from outta nowhere with 25 seconds left....

A blur and the auction is closed. You wished you woulda bid more or you are glad you didn't get it and got to run it up a bit.

Rusty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2017, 08:02 PM   #10
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,707
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
ha!! 2 busses in a storage unit near my house as we speak.. was nice,m i could drive one while the other was in pieces.. now they are both rollin.. yep my starbucks runs wouldnt be complete if i didnt park a bus in the lot...

today it was "hey! who's driving the red school bus out there?".. I said "me!" guy introduced himself and said "how neat.. mine is next door at the tire shop getting one fixed..".. sure enough he had been bitten by the bug and bought a blue-bird!

no shame in that bug bite! we are everywhere.. get you a bus and bring it on!!!

welcome!
-Christopher
cadillackid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-24-2017, 10:16 PM   #11
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Picton,Ont, Can.
Posts: 1,956
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: GMC
Engine: Cat 3116
Rated Cap: 72
If skoolies aren't interesting enough to you, maybe a "tugboat"? There are a lot of nice private ones. Trawler life would be great also. Enjoy these folks.

John
__________________
Question everything!
BlackJohn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2017, 03:40 PM   #12
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 10
Yea!! Get me one.... lol
Fish Catcher Jim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2017, 04:09 PM   #13
Bus Geek
 
Robin97396's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Willamina, Oregon
Posts: 6,409
Coachwork: 97 Bluebird TC1000 5.9
Have you seen that 58' wood boat on public surplus? Not a trawler.
__________________
Robin
Nobody's Business
Robin97396 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2017, 06:46 PM   #14
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
Sorry to hear you got bit by the bug.

Really only 1 cure....
Lol So I guess thee only known cure for this would be to get me one !!
These days I can tell you if a city or schoolie is coming many blocks away.

Yea I be enjoying it too.
Jim
Fish Catcher Jim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2017, 06:51 PM   #15
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-fox View Post
From what I can see, it's incurable! Raise your hand if you own or have owned more than one bus!

Welcome to the madness! Read, read, read. Especially the threads that will not die, like "do I really have to pull the old insulation out of the wall and put new in?". (Hint: yes.) There's a whole college degree in bus renovation and restoration here, with minors available in solar electrical systems, plumbing, and obsolete drivetrains.
Thanks and glad to be a part of it all.
Funny you mention owned one or more then one bus.
Thinking about getting one that is already converted and licensed as motor home and then build one as we enjoy the other.

Grew up with the van craze in the 70's and dreamed of a bus then.
Thanks again
Jim
Fish Catcher Jim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2017, 06:54 PM   #16
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,762
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fish Catcher Jim View Post
Thanks and glad to be a part of it all.
Funny you mention owned one or more then one bus.
Thinking about getting one that is already converted and licensed as motor home and then build one as we enjoy the other.

Grew up with the van craze in the 70's and dreamed of a bus then.
Thanks again
Jim
I've always loved classic vans.
I have a dodge work van that I love, but I want a classic Tradesman or GM van from 96 or older GM to replace my pos 2013 Subaru.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2017, 06:54 PM   #17
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
Just got bus #4, and I'm sure it won't be my last.

Welcome to the addictive world of bus.
Thank you and we are already thinking about the second one and we have yet to get the first one .
Really looking at acreage to where we can create a special place for others as well.
Thanks again
Jim
Fish Catcher Jim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2017, 06:59 PM   #18
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twigg View Post
There is a 12-Step Program for that!
Yea it's great too.
1 find bus
2 buy bus
3 strip out bus
4 let the imagination stroll
5 start preparing
6 begin to build
7 accept you want more
8 get more
9 continue building
10 stand back and take it all in
11 enjoy it and look for next bus
12 start all over again.

That about right?
Lol
Jim
Fish Catcher Jim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2017, 07:02 PM   #19
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
ha!! 2 busses in a storage unit near my house as we speak.. was nice,m i could drive one while the other was in pieces.. now they are both rollin.. yep my starbucks runs wouldnt be complete if i didnt park a bus in the lot...

today it was "hey! who's driving the red school bus out there?".. I said "me!" guy introduced himself and said "how neat.. mine is next door at the tire shop getting one fixed..".. sure enough he had been bitten by the bug and bought a blue-bird!

no shame in that bug bite! we are everywhere.. get you a bus and bring it on!!!

welcome!
-Christopher
Too funny as I was just sitting in a Starbucks looking for some one to show up in a bus.
Nice job
Fish Catcher Jim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2017, 07:17 PM   #20
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackJohn View Post
If skoolies aren't interesting enough to you, maybe a "tugboat"? There are a lot of nice private ones. Trawler life would be great also. Enjoy these folks.

John
Not all tugs are created equal for many draft to deep and many are not in there element away from near shore.

The day of just picking a boat and going anywhere you want is drawing to a close. With the government these days not honoring their agreement to keep the waterways dredged, the safe draft gets smaller and smaller.

We had a 37 footer in sight which the build and layout made it more like a 57 footer. Full Galley down with full size appliances and huge master with guest / office and STAND UP Engine Room with genset and water maker and twins with sea chest and less then 3 foot draft with full keel protected running gear.

Lol, I came to talk about buses! !
Have a great day
Jim
Fish Catcher Jim 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 12:09 AM.


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