There is hope...

[TheRainbowBoxer]

Hi everyone! I have had the skoolie bug for several years, ever since my friend owned one that was minimally converted, and it has mostly lain dormant (only rearing its head when I am dealing with my class C at camping time).

I have recently begun to seriously look into this. My wife, upon my suggestions that it would be a great project, immediately used her veto power. The answer was "No, No, and most importantly, No". I brought up the various positives, and answered her various criticisms, with little progress.

I then found this website, and began perusing the conversions you guys have done, and are in progress of. Her initial response was a derisive snort and exit from the room. She has since began looking at a few of my ideas and sat to look at photo galleries on here with me. She then began to give her input on the layout of a hypothetical bus that would most likely not happen.

Today, while discussing my dad's RV we are parting/scrapping out soon, I mentioned that a co-worker was in need of a shore power converter for his camper and I told him I would see if I could probably give him a deal on the one in the camper. Her response was "So that isn't something you can use for THE bus?" (as in less hypothetical/unlikely).

And hope springs eternal.

[lornaschinske]

A skoolie is far safer in a crash than a sticks-n-staples RV. I have an older Class C that is built pretty well but I hope to never have it roll on me. Also a skoolie has better road clearance than typical sticks-n-staples RVs. A plus if you boondock or stay in public campgrounds (we prefer a public campground). Also you can build a skoolie to suit you and your needs.

If you will need to stay in private campgrounds then you need to make the exterior as "unnoticeable" and "acceptable" as possible (no "wild" paint jobs). I like BlueBirds because I can make my bus (Flat nosed All American) look pretty close to a Wanderlodge. And as for what kind of RV we have... It's a BlueBird. If a park owner wants to think it's a Wanderlodge... who cares, as long as I can stay. But you will probably only run into the bias for long term parking and not overnighting unless you are trying to get into a "resort". Even the campground we are in now wants to see our bus BEFORE we check in and they allow all kinds of RVs, vans, stealth campers, trailers, even a horse trailer. They have no problem with our food cart being parked here (they even tell customers about it and where we set up to operate during the week). And our Class C is 30+ yo. there are older trailers here in the park. Kinda PO'ed David but I have to wonder if they just want to see it to see it. Not to possibly turn it down. Or it may be because our food cart is... colourful. I wouldn't want a 40 ft bus to be that colourful.

[TheRainbowBoxer]

We generally only camp at a state park nearby, and I have seen at least one skoolie there. We have also tossed around the idea of doing some road trips somewhere down the line, so the safety thing is important. I like the idea of being able to dictate how the camper is laid out, and despise the flat roof of the stick and staple that tends to sink, collect water, and leak.

[dirtygoat]

Persistence pays off...

My wife got on board pretty quickly, but I did take her out and sticker shocked her with new sticks n staple RVs... Then started showing her diesel tow rigs to pull a trailer... When I found our bus and showed her the price, she was sold...


Good luck...

[Diesel Dan]

Yes, many wives, including my own, do not immediately see the merit in a skoolie project. At first it took a lot of persuading, a few arguments, and even now she is somewhat ambivalent. But ultimately, when we are out somewhere in the bus, she can't help but acknowledge how awesome it is! It's been a long road, but I always try to make sure she is around when someone is seeing the bus for the first time and going on and on about how cool it is, and what a great idea, etc.

[TheRainbowBoxer]

My wife has pretty much signed on to us doing this project!
The stance was softened further as we tore apart my dad's old RV and were able to salvage a large amount of stuff (reducing the overall cost of our future conversion), and also (I think) because she really got a good look at how poorly the stick & staple was put together.

[Skunky Bus]

I think I lucked out...

My username is actually the name my girlfriend gave to a fantasy custom bus in which we'd travel each year to Skunk Fest in North Ridgeville, Ohio. I've fantasized about having a skoolie RV since I was a kid, and the concept that exists in my head today is a hybrid between my ideas and hers. She refers to plain, unmodified buses of all types (school, shuttle, tour) as "blank canvases," or says, "All that one needs..."

A side effect of sharing Skoolie.net with her is that she's more leery about my Winnebago.

[Skunky Bus]

Originally Posted by TheRainbowBoxer

My wife has pretty much signed on to us doing this project!

All right! Now you have to delete the "wife doesn't" from your profile entry under Chassis.

[TheRainbowBoxer]

Originally Posted by Skunky Bus

All right! Now you have to delete the "wife doesn't" from your profile entry under Chassis.

HAHA! Thanks... I forgot about that. Fixed!

[Skunky Bus]

Originally Posted by lornaschinske

If you will need to stay in private campgrounds then you need to make the exterior as "unnoticeable" and "acceptable" as possible (no "wild" paint jobs).

Aw, crap. You mean I shouldn't make my bus look like this one?

[lornaschinske]

While I think it looks neat, so many of the sticks-n-staples RV folks would freak over it. I've yet to understand why they will accept some of the really ugly, stomach-turning paint jobs on the upscale RV's yet not a more artistic paint job. Unreal. BUT if you will only be staying in public campgrounds, you can paint your bus anyway you want. I was just pointing out a possible problem if you need to stay in private campgrounds like we do (we need to have the approved commercial sewer and water source for our business).