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 06-03-2019, 02:03 PM   #1
Skoolie
 
Dèsirée's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 171
Seeking the Skoolie Gods, or experts will do!

Hopefully reposting in the right forum!
——
Since February, I’ve been doing research and seeking a “good” bus for conversion. I have not been successful. I’m also not mechanically savvy, I don’t even know how to pump gas in a car.

I have the funds for the project, and unless, I can find a skoolie professional -expert- to consult with, someone who can make decisions and guide me, I will be forced to buy an RV.

I am a 61 year old female, the skoolie will be my home. I don’t have any family, and it will be just my cat and myself going on this journey.

During the last two months, I have gone through some very rough patches just trying to find a bus.

When I put my things in storage in February, I thought by now, the project would have been finished. But, I haven’t even started.

There are other factors of urgency which now, I’m also forced to “deal” with.

The living arrangements I made in February came to an end on Memorial Day weekend. An additional extension ends today.

With no other option, I will be going to a hotel, and unless, I can get a bus, looking for an apartment will be the next step I will be forced to make.

I’m on Long Island, and just to get into anything will be about $10k of upfront fees. I will also need to buy a car, look for employment, and start resettlement. And just to even think about that.... brings tears to my eyes.

So, this is my final approach to the final countdown.

If there’s anyone out there that can work with me, that can help with such an endeavor, someone who can help me jump over this hurdle, I will... I will forever be grateful.

Thank you for reading.

Désirée

Dèsirée is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 03:13 PM   #2
Bus Crazy
 
Sleddgracer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
Posts: 2,265
Year: 1975
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: 8 window
Engine: 454 LS7
Rated Cap: 24,500
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dèsirée View Post
Hopefully reposting in the right forum!
——
Since February, I’ve been doing research and seeking a “good” bus for conversion. I have not been successful. I’m also not mechanically savvy, I don’t even know how to pump gas in a car.

I have the funds for the project, and unless, I can find a skoolie professional -expert- to consult with, someone who can make decisions and guide me, I will be forced to buy an RV.

I am a 61 year old female, the skoolie will be my home. I don’t have any family, and it will be just my cat and myself going on this journey.

During the last two months, I have gone through some very rough patches just trying to find a bus.

When I put my things in storage in February, I thought by now, the project would have been finished. But, I haven’t even started.

There are other factors of urgency which now, I’m also forced to “deal” with.

The living arrangements I made in February came to an end on Memorial Day weekend. An additional extension ends today.

With no other option, I will be going to a hotel, and unless, I can get a bus, looking for an apartment will be the next step I will be forced to make.

I’m on Long Island, and just to get into anything will be about $10k of upfront fees. I will also need to buy a car, look for employment, and start resettlement. And just to even think about that.... brings tears to my eyes.

So, this is my final approach to the final countdown.

If there’s anyone out there that can work with me, that can help with such an endeavor, someone who can help me jump over this hurdle, I will... I will forever be grateful.

Thank you for reading.

Désirée

if I come across something I think might help you, I'll let you know
Sleddgracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 03:58 PM   #3
Bus Crazy
 
david.dgeorge07's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 1,413
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: CAT 3126
Seeking the Skoolie Gods, or experts will do!

I feel for your situation. What is it that makes you want a skoolie vs an RV?

I’ve built a skoolie and love it but it just about killed me!

I don’t know that I would encourage the undertaking of a Skoolie conversion without the necessary resources and expectations for difficulty and expense.

And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, a decent RV could be just what you need. It’s pretty much always a buyers market for RVs and if you choose wisely it will require no work to be done on your part.

Busses are a handful.
__________________
My Build Thread:

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/4-...ner-18205.html
david.dgeorge07 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 04:09 PM   #4
Bus Crazy
 
HazMatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: E Central Tejas
Posts: 2,094
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
Right now, the fine weather with Summer simmering on the back burner, it seems that the increased demand for RVs, much like motorcycles, will result in a seller's market.
Not helpful now, but Winter is the optimal time to purchase either of the aforementioned.
With K-12 letting out presently, there'll soon be a glut of ungutted busses on the market.
'Course, then the problem becomes finding the grunt labor to strip it to the foundations, and then a qualified individual to install all the requisite mods.
Gawd forbid anything worth having be easy...
__________________
Those who say that it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.
HazMatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 04:39 PM   #5
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
Op,


Jesse Lipskin has a coach for sale that she just spent 3 years converting.
That might suit you better than a build but you will need driving lessons I imagine.
Just google her as I did when I noticed a woman did a conversion. Shows what can be accomplished if you like that style as a home.


John
__________________
Question everything!
BlackJohn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 04:59 PM   #6
Bus Crazy
 
Sleddgracer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
Posts: 2,265
Year: 1975
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: 8 window
Engine: 454 LS7
Rated Cap: 24,500
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackJohn View Post
Op,


Jesse Lipskin has a coach for sale that she just spent 3 years converting.
That might suit you better than a build but you will need driving lessons I imagine.
Just google her as I did when I noticed a woman did a conversion. Shows what can be accomplished if you like that style as a home.


John
worth looking at

https://www.insider.com/bus-turned-t...e-northeast-20
Sleddgracer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 05:00 PM   #7
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/199...her-5004984228
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 05:15 PM   #8
Bus Crazy
 
HazMatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: E Central Tejas
Posts: 2,094
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
That has piles o' potential for our hostess!
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
Might need a DL upgrade, but that's easy peasie enuf!!!
__________________
Those who say that it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.
HazMatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 05:27 PM   #9
Bus Crazy
 
david.dgeorge07's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 1,413
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Thomas
Engine: CAT 3126
That wonderlodge looks sweet!
__________________
My Build Thread:

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f11/4-...ner-18205.html
david.dgeorge07 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 05:47 PM   #10
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by david.dgeorge07 View Post
That wonderlodge looks sweet!
I always wonder why folks who want a finished unit would want someone's used school bus when factory coaches like this are a relative bargain.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 06:08 PM   #11
Bus Crazy
 
HazMatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: E Central Tejas
Posts: 2,094
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
Masochistic tendencies..? [emoji848]
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
I always wonder why folks who want a finished unit would want someone's used school bus when factory coaches like this are a relative bargain.
__________________
Those who say that it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.
HazMatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 06:20 PM   #12
Skoolie
 
Dèsirée's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 171
Thank you!!!!
Dèsirée is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 06:32 PM   #13
Skoolie
 
Dèsirée's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 171
Something weird is going on with this site... I can’t log in, because i’m logged in... and going through all the gmail notifications, takes me to the postings I sent to you guys!!

Just saw the beautiful coach for $149 ... way out of my budget!
Dèsirée is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 07:01 PM   #14
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dèsirée View Post
Something weird is going on with this site... I can’t log in, because i’m logged in... and going through all the gmail notifications, takes me to the postings I sent to you guys!!

Just saw the beautiful coach for $149 ... way out of my budget!
Both the ones I linked are less than $40k.
One is $29k. About what an un-insulated quickie skoolie job seems to sell for.
All I'm saying is if my 61 year old mother who didn't know how to even pump gas was looking to not live in a motel *tomorrow* I'd tell her to buy a nice rig already built and ready to go rather than see her rough it in someone's failed school bus build. Its personal advice to a stranger from a stranger, so take it for what it is but its my honest advice.
It takes a good long while to build a decent "skoolie". The decent ones for sale seem to go for the same price as a nice converted coach so I just don't see the point of buying a lesser product for more money.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 07:06 PM   #15
Bus Crazy
 
HazMatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: E Central Tejas
Posts: 2,094
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
The link above's asking is $43K, but not seeing a 2nd link for 29 on this thread. Is it on a different one, maybe?
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
Both the ones I linked are less than $40k.
One is $29k. About what an un-insulated quickie skoolie job seems to sell for.
All I'm saying is if my 61 year old mother who didn't know how to even pump gas was looking to not live in a motel I'd tell her to buy a nice rig already built and ready to go rather than see her rough it in someone's failed school bus build. Its personal advice to a stranger from a stranger, so take it for what it is but its my honest advice.
Des~
I'd confirm the lad knows from whence he speaks!
__________________
Those who say that it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.
HazMatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 07:07 PM   #16
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by haz.matt.1960 View Post
The link above's asking is $43K, but not seeing a 2nd link for 29 on this thread. Is it on a different one, maybe?
Yeah on the seperate, duplicate thread.
They're just arbitrary links I pulled in like 15 seconds.
There are plenty of decent coaches for 20-30 grand out there all day.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 07:14 PM   #17
Bus Crazy
 
HazMatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: E Central Tejas
Posts: 2,094
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
OK, cool.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
Yeah on the seperate, duplicate thread.
They're just arbitrary links I pulled in like 15 seconds.
There are plenty of decent coaches for 20-30 grand out there all day.
The lady lacks confidence to do this entirely on her own.
I'll volunteer time to winnow out some of the chaff, but there are others of all y'all a helluva lot more knowledgeable than me out there could direct her towards a good thing!
__________________
Those who say that it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.
HazMatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 07:16 PM   #18
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
They're asking 40k for this one buts a vintage rig with a sweet drivetrain and a very nice interior-
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/196...BUS-5004261816
https://cdn2.rvtrader.com/v1/media/5...768&quality=70
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 07:19 PM   #19
Bus Crazy
 
HazMatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: E Central Tejas
Posts: 2,094
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
I can't remember who coined the term, but it works for that one!
"Bus porn"
That beauty is nearly as old as I am...
Damned sight better shape, mileage and all!
__________________
Those who say that it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.
HazMatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2019, 07:21 PM   #20
Bus Geek
 
musigenesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,995
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dèsirée View Post
Hopefully reposting in the right forum!
——
Since February, I’ve been doing research and seeking a “good” bus for conversion. I have not been successful. I’m also not mechanically savvy, I don’t even know how to pump gas in a car.

I have the funds for the project, and unless, I can find a skoolie professional -expert- to consult with, someone who can make decisions and guide me, I will be forced to buy an RV.

I am a 61 year old female, the skoolie will be my home. I don’t have any family, and it will be just my cat and myself going on this journey.

During the last two months, I have gone through some very rough patches just trying to find a bus.

When I put my things in storage in February, I thought by now, the project would have been finished. But, I haven’t even started.

There are other factors of urgency which now, I’m also forced to “deal” with.

The living arrangements I made in February came to an end on Memorial Day weekend. An additional extension ends today.

With no other option, I will be going to a hotel, and unless, I can get a bus, looking for an apartment will be the next step I will be forced to make.

I’m on Long Island, and just to get into anything will be about $10k of upfront fees. I will also need to buy a car, look for employment, and start resettlement. And just to even think about that.... brings tears to my eyes.

So, this is my final approach to the final countdown.

If there’s anyone out there that can work with me, that can help with such an endeavor, someone who can help me jump over this hurdle, I will... I will forever be grateful.

Thank you for reading.

Désirée
What part of Long Island? And is there any chance you're a nurse or elder-care attendant or something like that?
__________________
Rusty 87 build thread
musigenesis is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
professionals, seeking skoolie experts

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 01:03 PM.


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