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05-10-2015, 05:16 PM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 3
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Buying an already converted bus
So we went and looked at a bus that had already been converted today. They used the interior of an RV to convert it. Issue is I am not sure how much of a hassle it is going to be for us to make it four seasons. It has air conditioners (2) but no heat. We live in Michigan and intend on living in it. I'm thinking I could skirt it and somehow insulate it underneath when it's parked but we don't want it parked all the time. It has a small black water tank hooked up to the toilet but no shower. The gray water goes into a barrel that they use when parked but isn't attached. They also have a fresh water tank (about 15 gallons inside the cabin) but the area would fit maybe a 50 gallon tank. It has a hot water heater as well. I'm thinking we can use a ventless propane heater for the cabin area but how would I insulate the underbelly to allow for travel in winter? They only want 5k for it and it is probably worth 8 or 9k. Thanks for any advice!
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05-10-2015, 05:47 PM
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#2
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Skoolie
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 172
Year: 1993
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: GMC
Engine: GMC
Rated Cap: 42
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Things are worth what people are willing to pay for them. If somebody had offered 8 or 9k for the bus conversion then he would have sold it and it would not be available now. If you want to fulltime in a bus conversion and it has no heat or insulation then it may not be worth very much to you. You might take a look at the Big Bertha thread on this site. At the end of the thread he talks about some things he would change in the build (they have been living in it for awhile) and if I remember right fresh water storage was an issue.
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05-10-2015, 05:59 PM
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#3
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New Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 3
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I appreciate your opinion- the bus isn't publicly for sale- they are offering it to us cheap because they want a family to have it and so after meeting us said 5k. We expected them to ask 10k because of the condition. My question is more how do I insulate the underbelly.
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05-10-2015, 06:57 PM
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#4
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Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 231
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We looked at a bunch of buses other people had built, we found that to get what we wanted we would either rip out what they did and start over or buy a bus and built it from scratch.
Insulation was the big deal for us, along with not knowing for sure how the electrical was actually done.
usually a lot of these we looked at had 15 gallon of fresh water but huge balck and grey tanks, one did not have a shower, we found that out after driving all the way to the west coast.
just my experience.
good luck
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05-10-2015, 10:45 PM
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#5
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Snowflake, Arizona
Posts: 343
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American Rear Engine
Engine: C-8.3-300 Cummins MD3060
Rated Cap: 40 Prisoners
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As I recall the wanderlodge motorhomes had a sprayed on insulation under the floors.
I remember in my younger years driving potato trucks that had a sprayed on insulation
in the beds to keep the potatoes from damage of being dropped on a hard surface and
it held up for many years but it was in a dry climate.
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05-11-2015, 04:52 AM
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#6
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: EHT New Jersey
Posts: 1,134
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTran
Chassis: International 3000RE
Engine: T444E/AT545
Rated Cap: 75
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Quote:
Originally Posted by c_hasbeen
We looked at a bunch of buses other people had built, we found that to get what we wanted we would either rip out what they did and start over or buy a bus and built it from scratch.
Insulation was the big deal for us, along with not knowing for sure how the electrical was actually done.
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I was looking at a bunch pre-converted buses too, and after some research felt that while the difficult parts were already done, I'd basically wind up tearing out and rebuilding to what I wanted in it.
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05-11-2015, 05:19 AM
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#7
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: hills of sw virginia
Posts: 889
Year: 1996
Chassis: thomas
Engine: 8.3 cummins
Rated Cap: 11 window
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start over, what model bus, engine, tranny, date code on tires,new windows, has the ceiling been pulled or is it still metal?
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05-12-2015, 03:54 PM
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#8
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New Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 3
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After consideration we decided to pass on the bus....seemed like we would have to redo most of it to make it four seasons for Michigan weather.
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05-12-2015, 04:49 PM
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#9
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: EHT New Jersey
Posts: 1,134
Year: 2003
Coachwork: AmTran
Chassis: International 3000RE
Engine: T444E/AT545
Rated Cap: 75
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Quote:
Originally Posted by raerocks
After consideration we decided to pass on the bus....seemed like we would have to redo most of it to make it four seasons for Michigan weather.
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Good choice. Sometimes its best to find a decent bus, just out of service, and use it as a clean palette.
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05-12-2015, 07:50 PM
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#10
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,937
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: 190hp 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
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You made the right choice.
A build from scratch is the only way if you need insulation.
Adding insulation outside of the steel has vary little benefit. Insulation needs to be between you and the metal.
Nat
__________________
"Don't argue with stupid people. They will just drag you down to their level, and beat you up with experience."
Patently waiting for the apocalypses to level the playing field in this physiological game of life commonly known as Civilization
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