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Old 11-07-2013, 11:18 PM   #441
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Re: Day to day bus life

Quote:
Originally Posted by Diesel Dan
At this point my bus has become a sort of mobile outbuilding on my property. I'm gratified to know that I am getting my "money's worth" out of this project even when I'm not out on the road.

The bus also makes a great man-cave!
*Like*

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Old 11-07-2013, 11:29 PM   #442
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Re: Diesel Dan's Skoolie

Sounds like a good plan to park the bus on level ground, and being closer to utilities. I am happy for you.
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Old 03-21-2014, 01:59 PM   #443
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New front curtains

I picked up some insulated curtains on sale recently and used magnets to temporarily hang them behind the cockpit:



The problem is the magnets are not really strong enough, and if someone pulls on them they come down. I have a plan for how I will permanently mount the curtains, hopefully with pivot arms, so that I will not always have to duck under a rod of some sort. The curtains match the grey bus seats, and I will eventually re-cover the couch in a grey material as well. One nice thing about these curtains is they have little magnets in the outer edge so they click together and stay closed. Nice. I've also noticed an improvement in the efficiency of my climate control since I've had the curtains up.

Here is a typical scene on a Wednesday evening in the bus with my daughter. She ended up winning that game, and didn't let me forget it for some time either, the little imp.

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Old 03-21-2014, 05:50 PM   #444
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Re: Diesel Dan's Skoolie

Just be glad you have a place to escape to!
But then at least you know its coming.
One night as a teen I was up late and turning the dial (yes it had 2 knobs on it) on the tv in my room and I suddenly stopped with the thought "Hey, that's a..." Which was rapidly followed by "Oh my God, there's a head coming out of it!!"
I have NEVER been so grateful for black & white tv in my life.
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Old 03-21-2014, 11:13 PM   #445
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Re: Diesel Dan's Skoolie

The more I reflect on it, the more I feel that bus life is good life indeed my friends.

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Old 03-21-2014, 11:24 PM   #446
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Re: Diesel Dan's Skoolie

Quote:
Originally Posted by orangepeel91
Just be glad you have a place to escape to!
But then at least you know its coming.
One night as a teen I was up late and earning the dial (yes it had 2 knobs on it) on the tv in my room and I suddenly stopped with the thought "Hey, that's a..." Which was rapidly followed by "Oh my God, there's a head coming out of it!!"
I have NEVER been so grateful for black & white tv in my life.
Dude, I personally delivered two of my children, one of which is in the picture above. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything!
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Old 03-22-2014, 11:05 AM   #447
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Re: Diesel Dan's Skoolie

Quote:
Originally Posted by Diesel Dan
The more I reflect on it, the more I feel that bus life is good life indeed my friends.

Amen.
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Old 05-19-2014, 10:21 PM   #448
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Re: Diesel Dan's Skoolie

So have you tried Knob Creek or Buffalo Trace and if so should I add them to my liquor cabinet
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Old 05-19-2014, 11:44 PM   #449
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Re: Diesel Dan's Skoolie

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Brothers
So have you tried Knob Creek or Buffalo Trace and if so should I add them to my liquor cabinet
John, see my complete response here: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=467082&start=15

But in a nutshell, IMHO:
Knob Creek = awesome!
Buffalo Trace = meh.
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Old 05-20-2014, 12:06 AM   #450
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Re: Diesel Dan's Skoolie

Dude, I personally delivered two of my children, one of which is in the picture above. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything! [/quote]

Yes but you knew your wife was pregnant. It wasn't exactly a big surprise when she went into labor.
Now picture yourself at around 14. No cable, no remote control and the internet was still experimental between a handful of colleges. Since you're 14 and an only child you have no access to porn.
Now imagine your flipping channels one night and realize that you are looking right at what you spend most of your life (at 14) thinking about. Then with no warning at all the baby is crowning and the birth has begun.

that's a heck of a surprise when you didn't know what show was on.
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Old 05-20-2014, 09:25 AM   #451
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Re: Diesel Dan's Skoolie

Quote:
Originally Posted by orangepeel91
that's a heck of a surprise when you didn't know what show was on.
I can totally see that scene - here you are thinking you've stumbled across the holy grail of adolescent fantasy, then all of a sudden... wha?!!
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Old 05-22-2014, 11:34 PM   #452
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Re: Diesel Dan's Skoolie

I said it before , I'll say it again.
I've never been so grateful for black and white tv in my life.
The miracle of birth doesn't faze me in the least-- when I know it's coming.
I see far more blood and guts than that at work fairly regularly.
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Old 09-11-2015, 11:01 PM   #453
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Well, it's been over a year since I posted anything here. I've been busy with other projects and life in general, and my bus has just been sitting in the driveway. I've toyed with the idea of selling it, but haven't had the heart to do it. My current plan is to try renting it out on "AirB&B" and see if people are interested in hanging out in it for a weekend, perhaps during one of the big festivals/events that happen several times a year here in Austin, TX. The bus is a cool asset to have, and as long as I can put it to work somehow, I'd like to hang on to it. My family has had many good times in the bus, and even though I'm thinking of downsizing my camping apparatus to a small trailer I can pull behind my minivan, the bus is still something I want to hang on to.
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Old 09-11-2015, 11:16 PM   #454
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You don't hang out with your little girl in it anymore?

It moving for me would not be a reason to let it go. As long as your still enjoying it inside.

Glad to hear from you.

Nat
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Old 09-12-2015, 12:18 AM   #455
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My family has not been camping in the bus lately. We've reverted back to tent camping. Also, I renovated my 2-car garage and made it into 1/2 office/hangout zone, 1/2 shop. So now I have a new and improved man-cave, and the bus no longer serves that purpose. The idea now is to use the bus as a sort of out-building/cottage that can be rented out on the weekends. And then of course if I keep it running, it is also useful for hauling stuff and just being a fun vehicle to take out to the local park on a weekend. But it has to earn it's keep! Occasional fun is not a good enough reason to maintain a huge machine like that, and have it taking up space on my property. If we aren't using it much, then it needs to at least be making some money!
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Old 09-13-2015, 04:17 PM   #456
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Dan,

Either way you decide on the issue of keeping or selling the Magic Bus, it has been a pleasure reading about your adventure. I am impressed with your skills with woodworking, even if you are not too sure about them. As many have commented in the past, your stairs (prior to their resurface with bed liner) were a piece of art ... simply beautiful.

Perhaps, you could use the Magic Bus as a learning tool for youths in the area. There are a lot of skills that you could impart which would be useful for their entire life. Maybe a project for a Scouting Troop. Heck, you might like it enough to start from scratch with such a group, teaching them how to use the resources they can gather and work within the constraints the bus enforces. It would make a fantastic Eagle Scout project.

By the way, did you get the plumbing and WVO systems installed?

Native P-)
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Old 03-05-2017, 01:57 PM   #457
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A quick question!

Hello Diesel Dan!

My girlfriend and I are planning to make a trip around the US and Canada in a Skoolie, and since we know at least some people there, we were thinking of buying and registering our bus in Texas
I read your thread on how easy it was for you to pass inspection and such, so I was wondering if you could give me the details of this wonderful mechanic ;)
Thank you very much!

Laura (from Australia) & Jannes (from Belgium)
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Old 03-05-2017, 02:46 PM   #458
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Laura & Jannes
That post from Diesel Dan was from 2015, so you may not get an answer from him. Hopefully someone else will view this link, and be able to hook ya'll up with answers that will help you in your quest. IF you do make the tour of Canada ant the US we will expect lots of picture.
(BTW Ya'll is a Texan term for You All)

Good Luck on you plans
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Old 03-05-2017, 03:13 PM   #459
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Hehe, thanks for the quick reply 1olfart ;)
We'll certainly be posting pics if we can bring this crazy dream to a good end...
As a fan of Townes Van Zandt and Blaze Foley, I am keenly aware of how Texans talk ( some of 'em at least ;) )
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Old 03-05-2017, 06:16 PM   #460
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Y'all is spelled like this. The apostrophe eliminates "ou".
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