DoggHouse.....

[Doggbone]

Hello ...... I am new to the Skoolie forum and wanted to share my story, my plans and get input from other Skoolies on my new project.....The DoggHouse ..... For over a year now I've been talking about purchasing a school bus and converting to a toy/camper hauler....(wife thinks I'm crazy.... my 9 & 6 year old love it) I was looking for something large enough to pull my Jeep and the family on our out of state trips with our friends and local Jeep club. I had a buddy inform me a few months back that his church was selling their bus. Now the fun has started....

Picked up a 1981 Bluebird FE 40ft flat nose from a local Church to start a Toy Hauler/Camper project....

Bus includes....
3208 non-turbo Caterpillar diesel remanufactured < than 100,000 miles
Onan 5500 propane generator
RV propane setup
RV ac x 2
New tires all the way around .... no retreads

Let the fun begin......




Little work has been done....
Converted title to Motor Home here in Florida ..... (way easier than I thought)
Tax title and call Mr Insurance..... (not bad... $312 a year)
Fixed the hinge on the air door...(my little girls think that is so cool...opening the door with a push button)
Scrubbed the bus top to bottom....(without slipping off the top)
Removed all but 4 seats....

Working on a game plan now......
idea.... shorten it by 8 ft or so .... ( so I am able to pull a 2 car hauler and still stay within 65ft... rig and trailer) or
Keep it full 40ft and just pull my Jeep .....

Any information i.e. on the bus would be greatly appreciated...... am in need of some general wiring information and I need a wiper motor ...... thanks again

David
New Port Richey, Florida

[yankeflyer]

Wow what a great starting point for a skoolie project.

[somewhereinusa]

Welcome, looks like a good starting point

Not sure of your ability,time,working space, but a shorten will be a major project. Is there room behind rear spring shackles to remove 8 feet? Others have modified to haul on/in the rear of the bus.

What kind of info do you need about wiring/bus? A lot of good info is already here.

Dick.

[lornaschinske]

Towing a dolly/car trailer is a PITA, based on what I have read on the RV forums. You can back a car up on a trailer, a dolly you can back up a few feet and to tow 4 down... you can back it up a few inches. We tow my Jeep Grand Cherokee 4 down. Most campgrounds really don't have room for the dollys and car trailers. Generally towing 4 down is the easiest way to tow. And is easier to get in/out of places. Go to Escapees or other RV forum and ask about it there.... or do a search. This is a very popular subject and is well -discussed.

[Doggbone]

Thanks for the responses..... I will do more research on Skoolie to get more information on my bus...... as for towing..... I will be trailer towing my Jeep.... if I don't shorten the bus I can tow up to a 25ft car trailer (1 jeep and gear).... If I shorten my bus 8 feet ( will only include body work, not touching the rear axle)I will be about to two a 33ft car trailer ( 2 Jeeps and gear) and still stay within my legal 65ft total length. My Jeep is a rock crawler and we travel to GA, TN, AL off road parks.... thanks again for all your input

David

[Six Four]

bigger the better,lol looks like a nice start

[Hvbuzz]

Welcome to the board. There is a couple of us right now in a build, for the same reason as you. Good tow rig for our toys. Here's my thread. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6481&hilit=hvbuzz

Also there is a thread on 4x4toys.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6611

Anyway, can't wait to see what you do with your build.

Nate

[browncrown]

Welcome aboard!!!!

[dirtygoat]

Right on...

I'm building mine to be used as a tow rig/camper... I've got a lot of buddies that are wheelers that have been watching me build the bus to show their wifes how cool it could be... I think they're all chickens and want to see what their wifes reaction is when they see our bus at camp...

Post up lots of pics along the way and drop by the 4x4 thread and show us your Jeep...

[swhite832]

Im not sure that it matters but arent those a/c units on backwards?

[putterspitt]

first thing I noticed too, looks bassackards to me.

[Doggbone]

DoggHouse is coming along slowly......

Repaired wiper motor
Turned around air units (as many of you noticed they were install backward)
Rebuilt my governor body (as it was leaking fuel in the valley of my Cat 320
Removed all seats but 5 (let the kids and doggs go for rides time to time)
Installed a trailer hitch.... (hardly notice my 18ft car hauler with jeep on it)
Tuned up Onan generator
Put a Tachometer on (running off alternator)

Will be moving the propane tank and generator .... have desided to shorten rear of bus by 7 feet.... will start that next long weekend off
Found a donor RV for supplies..... ie awning, switches, inverter/convert, door, gray/fresh/dirty tanks

will post pics and keep updates coming

thanks for all the input and suggestions

[Doggbone]

A couple of weeks from now I will be shortening my bus by 7ft in the rear. Could use suggestions/do's/don'ts from people who have done panel work/shortening before. Are blind rivets vs. solid rivets any better or worse? Suggestions would be greatly appreciated....

Thanks...
Doggbone

[nat_ster]

Originally Posted by Doggbone

A couple of weeks from now I will be shortening my bus by 7ft in the rear. Could use suggestions/do's/don'ts from people who have done panel work/shortening before. Are blind rivets vs. solid rivets any better or worse? Suggestions would be greatly appreciated....

Thanks...
Doggbone

Take the back clip off as a whole. Then remove a section, put the rear clip back on. Use the proper size rivets. The bus uses three different sizes. If you do it that way, the only place you will have to cut is the floor.

From my thread, Nat_sters Haulall

I used a peace of bed frame angle iron as a guide to run the John Deer steel cutting circular saw along. This will get a far better cut then free hand.





The floor cut worked out well. In the pic I have the floor a inch apart already.




The flloor staring to separate.



A friend and I lifted the rear of the cab down. We pulled it out from the bottom, as the seem sealer in the top seem would not allow the top to move first.






Nat

Posted for educational purposes only.

[Tango]

Howdy & Welcome! --- Looks like an interesting project and you have a great starter platform. I have to second reattaching the original rear cap. after the cutaway. Having raised the roof on a 40' BB, I did a lot of research including chats with factory engineers. The end caps on Birds are a critical element in the structural integrity of the whole unit.

Have fun and please do post lots of pix. We love watching other people work!