Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 07-25-2020, 03:18 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
1998 BLUE BIRD 38' 8.3L Cummins Allison B300r transmission

about 80-85% finished. located at 95928 Asking $30k for all, tools supplies etc.

Need to sell ASAP, or find a place to store and work on it. Lost the place to store it and my job of over 10 years also looking for work 3D design, metal fab, electrical pretty much anything mechanical/ electrical I can make or repair. Have "chronic Lyme disease" for about 12 years now but recovering slowly w/ new treatment and natural analgesics. This has put an immense amount of unnecessary stress on me. I have put every bit of savings I had into this and medical and worked every weekend and many weekdays for the last 3-4 years. I’m a month away from being homeless which is pretty much a long painful death sentence having chronic illness.
State medical assistance doesn’t cover anything unless one has positive Lyme markers for their 30% accurate test here on the west coast.


I built everything from scratch including many tools to make things for the bus, die’s, bead rollers etc.

I have pretty much everything needed to finish including the kitchen sink, minus some sheet metal and plywood hardware. All in the photos is included, all the solid bamboo flooring of two types, western red cedar for the closet, bathroom, Diesel generator w/2 hours on it, 23 solar panels and aluminum for the frames to go up top, all the tools needed saws, TIG and MIG welders etc.

It has 2 custom stainless steel freshwater tanks 100 gal each, a 200? Gal graywater tank. I have a 3D CAD model and terabytes of video and pictures of how everything was built for reference I don’t have the internet data to send you or upload video so don’t ask also don’t ask if you have no interest in buying it, I don’t have the time or energy to help you now, but that was my intent upon finishing it to help others that lack the skills or tools.




Just too much to list so ask specific questions.

Some things in the photos are temporary like steps and shelving in the “bathroom” area so ignore the craftsmanship on things like that it was just thrown together.


More images linked here, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s95y0iJ-MwYUtN3zXChKM-YJZrelWUIM?usp=sharing



1998 BLUE BIRD 38' 8.3L Cummins Allison B300r transmission


*GVWR is 36000 current weight is 19400 that leaves a lot additional
weight you can put on
*Currently registered and non-op'ed
*Partially converted to motorcoach, most of the difficult tasks..
*Roof raised 16 in. the goal was to stay under 12 feet with a roof deck.
Roof deck mounts securely installed and sealed to the Hat Channel "ribs"
This is not a school bus so the arch on the ceiling is much flattered so you have more Headroom towards the sides of the bus. The 16in roof raise has head clearance for me to stand up straight with my arm and finger fully extended and just barely touch the roof, I'm 5'-10".


Also the roof was raised done at the floor so the windows aren't at crotch height when standing, Which is what happens when most people do a roof raise they cut at the windows and lift the roof. You're able to see out of the window sitting or standing. I also cut off the front cap and windshield and raise that up I believe 12 in this increases privacy, head clearance any better View.


One very unique thing you will never find on a rear Diesel Pusher is a back door. A custom-built a raised, insulated rear deck over the motor that that has hatches to access the top of 8.3L. I can stand up straight with a few inches of head clearance directly above the motor. This was built for a garage area but would probably be better utilized for someone else as a bedroom.


Floating insulated subfloor, by floating I mean that no wood is actually contact the sheet metal there is an approximate quarter inch air gap between the subfloor and the OEM sheet metal floor. Insulated with 2 in. ISO foam board foil backed both sides all glued screwed and tattooed.. This dose several things 1. adds R value 2. if any moisture where to get between the subfloor and sheet metal it will evaporate and not rot the metal and wood. The underside of the sub floor was painted as well, no mold or rot.. Not a half-ass build.


Floating insulated ceiling buy floating I mean it is only connected at the Hat Channel "ribs" insulated with 2 in. ISO foam board foil backed both sides with an approximate half inch Gap between the tongue and groove 'solid' 5/8 bamboo vertical grain. none of that cheap composite with 1/8 in laminate garbage, all solid. Glued and finish nailed 16ga.


Walls have been completely gutted as well as the ceiling all nasty old insulation torn out and replaced with 2 in.ISO foam board foil backed.
The walls have been fully framed out with welded steel hangers for the two by four studs they are in set to increase interior size. Currently partially covered with tongue and groove solid bamboo horizontal grain.


All new 18ga. sheet metal on the sides, sealed with butyl rubber and riveted every 3-1/2 in. with steel 3/16" Q-rivets 100% mandrel retention i.e. no leaky hole. 'quality rivets made in the US' All rivets were dipped in butyl rubber prior to installation for additional sealant.


Paint/ primer first primer 2 coats epoxy based with a seal primer of Rust-Oleum professional iron oxide and painted with Rust-Oleum professional oil based paint that I custom mixed. I have the ratio and colors used and about a gallon of leftover. The paint job isn't the best by far, unfortunately I had no choice but to paint it at night time with very poor lighting so every backstroke has orange peel it has two coats of paint so if you wanted to wet sand orange peel out you could.


The bus comes with a diesel generator that has 2 hours on it (HDI700BD Electronically controlled direct injection diesel generator, 10HP w/auto idle control, AVR, Auto Start, and low oil shutdown. 120/240v 30/40 AMP $6,960.00 Retail) More than enough bamboo flooring both vertical and horizontal grain to finish everything, floor cabinets etc. (3) or (4) rolls of bamboo matting for cabinets doors or cabinets its carburized (dark) about (24) packets of Aromatic western red cedar tongue and groove $26 per box, I was planning on using for the bathroom area and walk-in closet. A diesel fired water heater OEM. (23) 130 Watt solar panels used but tested that we're going to be mounted above the roof deck to tilt out. (22) will fit on the roof, A brand new solar charge controller Morningstar TriStar 60 Amp MPPT and remote $700, connectors etc. Hardware, adhesive, sealants pneumatic tools, table saw, miter saw, bandsaw, radial arm saw, another table saw, a humongous stainless steel sink brand new about $300. Metal tubing, sheet metal pieces, etc. Some power tools, sheet metal tools.. Pretty much everything you'll need to finish it minus a MIG welder if you chose to finish it by welding the lower cargo together as well as bumpers etc.


Stuff that needs to be finished;
*Interior minus roof subfloor
*Front and back bumpers or use the original ones.
*5 lower cargo Bays
*Plumbing
*Electrical
*Hinges for back door and furnace door
*Roof deck access
*Roof deck
*Solar panel brackets
*Batteries and tray, I was going to run a 48 volt system..
*Composting system or Blackwater if you want to go that route.
There is a 200? gallon grey water tank installed.












davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-25-2020, 03:23 PM   #2
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
images

images, how do you get them to show? I used the picture icon at the top.

links below to the ones i tried posting above

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VH_...ew?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zDy...ew?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dZ2...ew?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PRE...ew?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19Jc...ew?usp=sharing
davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-26-2020, 10:54 AM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65











davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-28-2020, 06:34 PM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
[IMG][/IMG]
davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-28-2020, 06:35 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
...



...
davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-29-2020, 11:26 AM   #6
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
Anyone confirm this guy isn't a scammer
davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-29-2020, 02:06 PM   #7
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Georgia
Posts: 169
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Tc2000
Engine: 5.9 24v
Rated Cap: 27
I've never seen Kristopher guy around here. So I can't comment.

Amazing rig though. The quality of your work shows. If I know anyone interested I will forward.
Jsneeb is offline  
Old 07-29-2020, 04:27 PM   #8
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
Thank you and thank you It was going to have granite counter tops and all stainless steel kitchen.

I made this bead roller last month to do the stainless, one of many tools i had to make not being able to buy them, the tools i did buy were all used and $200 or under.

The bender has a Parking brake from a UPS truck, garage door opener and bicycle parts
and some scraps from the bus, cost me $10 to make


davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-29-2020, 04:30 PM   #9
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65


Please post below the bus to make it public accept for stuff like addresses.
As of August 31st I will not have a place for it to be stored or worked on. I will have to abandon it and everything, everything I have saved for the last 10 years working at the place and all the work I put in to it for 4 years whilst battling chronic Lyme.
If you want to rent a building or house with garage/ shop for it, I will do more work on it for $25 an hour and pay a portion of rent if house.
I’m currently making it street legal so it can be moved off the lot. It is on none op with no back fees.

If you are not trying to scam me then come get it. Its in Chico CA. Like I said the transfer will be made at a bank and the pink slip will be signed over to the purchaser immediately after.
davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-29-2020, 04:46 PM   #10
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 10
Year: 2009
Engine: 7.6L DT466 International
Rated Cap: 44
Im sorry to hear about your bad run of luck but I do want to take it of your hands and I hope that gets you going again.

Is the owner of your current workshop open to extending your lease? If not I will try and locate some other place nearby.

How many man hours or weeks to complete the front and rear sheet metal and the storage boxes in your opinion?

To clarify, you said, 'It is on none op with no back fees' Do you mean the bus is non operational at the moment? What needs to be done to get it street legal?
Kristopher is offline  
Old 07-29-2020, 06:01 PM   #11
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kristopher View Post
Im sorry to hear about your bad run of luck but I do want to take it of your hands and I hope that gets you going again.

Is the owner of your current workshop open to extending your lease? If not I will try and locate some other place nearby.

How many man hours or weeks to complete the front and rear sheet metal and the storage boxes in your opinion?

To clarify, you said, 'It is on none op with no back fees' Do you mean the bus is non operational at the moment? What needs to be done to get it street legal?
Oh man my whole life has been sickness or tragedy, stress. This will be the second time since I got Lyme I have lost everything, the first was at the beginning 12 years ago and I’ve been in and out of the hospital most my life severe Asthma, spinal meningitis, septicemia almost died from those. I just want to help people fix or make things for free or trade, live somewhere tropical near the ocean or on a boat, snorkel all day spear or fish for my dinner. That’s all I want I don’t need stuff other than my dive mask and some fins. I don’t need a fancy car or house, been riding a motorcycle for about 10 years now 365 rain sleet and even snow. Its not that bad as long as you are warm and dry.

The owner of the shop is who let me go after making his business profitable. Since I started working for him he as load against the profits and gained about $20M in commercial and residential structures. Giving the business to his useless kids that have never worked a day in their lives, the youngest is so useless 25 he never got a drivers license and still having mommy drive him to the business every day. Been living on these peoples scraps for a decade one kid waists business money more than I make in a year. The owner was so greedy he never even paid into unemployment for me truly screwing me.

I’m one month away from being homeless and can’t even live in the bus I have been building just for that reason to never have to stress about being homeless, the biggest stress I have always had.

So to answer your question no I can’t use the shop, it was part of my pay or lack thereof from this greedy money grubbing dirt bag.

If you can some how prove your are serious I will find a building or something for you to rent, there are lots of empty shops around.

I have no idea how long it will take to make that stuff and its completely dependent on the tools at hand. Big tools like sheet metal benders lathe and mill would be ideal but I will no longer have access to. I can have the parts LASER cut and bent which costs more for labor but the cutting is reasonable. That’s up to you if you want to flip the bill, would make my job much easier than hand cutting everything.

None op means the DMV can’t charge tax on it for sitting on privet property. The transfer fee was paid. After making it livable, sink, toilet, bed etc. The DMV will inspect it and reg. it as an RV and not commercial.

The bus has been driven nearly every day of the last 4 years in and out of the shop, I wasn’t allowed to keep it in the shop and he didn’t even want it in there. So yes it drives, and when I bought it I drove it from Nevada which was several hundred miles and the only issue I had was a fuel line broke but was able to temporary fix it, just a split in the return line. Man that was a smoky mess driving down the road ‘smoke screen’ for miles until I noticed I couldn’t see out the back window.. lol Talk about stressful trip going from riding a motorcycle to driving a 38’ bus.

street legal; I need to wire up some temporary lights which I have already started on in hopes something works out, put the stock bumper back on, put the old seat in and seatbelt all temporary because I wasn’t planning on using this stuff. Pretty much everything I do is custom, no Ikea stuff, solid metal, wood or bamboo, low VOC stuff as much as possible didn’t want a toxic moldy environment I have enough health issues.
davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-31-2020, 12:09 PM   #12
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
I'm asking $30k or best offer so start making offers my time is running out quickly
davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-31-2020, 12:36 PM   #13
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
To make it clear I’m asking $30k or best offer, I have about $10k invested in the bus and about $10k in supplies that were gathered over the years, plus 4 years of work in it.

An option that has been pointed out to me several times is if someone buys it and wants to hire me to finish it for an hourly rate, I’d be interested. However you have to supply the area to work on it and a place for the supplies.
davisdesigns is offline  
Old 07-31-2020, 12:47 PM   #14
Bus Nut
 
Willie_McCoy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 260
Year: 1980
Coachwork: Crown Coach
Chassis: Supercoach
Engine: Detroit 671T
Saw this up on the r/skoolies sub on reddit this week. Real crappy set of circumstances for this guy and I feel bad. Looks like some real skill and real money has gone into this bus and I hope it finds a place to live in the next 30 days.

Good Luck
__________________
Supercoach Build Thread
Instagram
Willie_McCoy is offline  
Old 07-31-2020, 01:15 PM   #15
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Smyrna, TN
Posts: 64
Year: 1986
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Engine: Chevrolet 427
Very sorry to hear about your situation. This is a beautiful build and your attention to detail is great. GLWS!
Placeholder Bus Name is offline  
Old 08-02-2020, 08:44 AM   #16
Bus Nut
 
TJones's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Rapid City, SD
Posts: 993
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: CS RE
Engine: ISC 8.3 L 260 hp
Rated Cap: 36
Sorry about the health problems. Nice bus with quality work. Looks like it is the same model as mine and you ended up painting it about the same color.

Ted
TJones is offline  
Old 08-02-2020, 09:55 AM   #17
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
Is your bus one of the Mammoth mountain ski park buses? I remember someone here having the other that was sold at the same auction.

It appears that Kristopher is a legitimate buyer for the bus and has intent to employ me to finish the metal work and cover the shop rental. That is if all goes well the logistics of an overseas buyer is not an easy hurdle to jump.

Real hope this work’s out, it will save me from losing everything. It’s funny my Land cruiser that I lost when I first got sick about 12 years ago was shipped to Hawaii, my vehicle’s seem to like boat rides..

Thanks everyone for you kind comments.
davisdesigns is offline  
Old 08-02-2020, 11:18 AM   #18
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 103
Year: 2004
Coachwork: Freightliner
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 77
I'm sorry to hear about your circumstances, and hope the sale of your beautiful bus works out. What are your plans after the sale? I feel like a person with your skills could make Skoolie flipping into a viable living. You could look for areas that have several decent buses for sale or at auction. Buy, strip, and prep them for conversion. Offer them for sale as a blank starting point, or with the option to have you build them out. There are a lot of aspiring first time Skooliers that are intimidated by those first steps. There are companies that currently do this, but they are aiming at the $50k+ designer bus crowd. If you have lower overhead and could offer a similar product without the massive markup, you could probably find enough of a market to get yourself back on your feet.
MNbusboy is offline  
Old 08-02-2020, 02:22 PM   #19
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
IF a big IF its sells, we are having issue both being secure in the transaction and it didn’t help I had registered it on the coast in my mom’s name like the rest of my vehicle’s ‘smog and taxes’ Pink in had and signed over though..
Part of my intent was after it was finished I would have a traveling shop, 10” lathe and mill to do anything. Traveling to people doing conversions having them set me up with a place to park during and assist in their conversion at a reasonable rate they could afford since I would have no overhead, honestly a roof over my head and food I’d do it for free. I like helping people that really need help and can't afford to pay a “professional”
Do that for a while and take time off between to travel to Central America “the goal” and visit places like Costa Rica, Belize, Panama etc. and find a place to move to, probably sell the bus and not drive it down although that would be interesting but if something went wrong I’d lose everything just like what is happening now…
As for opening a shop and doing conversions, I should have been on disability for the last 12 years from the chronic pain and fatigue. Using a strong natural analgesic Kratom is the only way I have been able to get the bus to the point it is now. I have been slowly getting better trying various treatments over the years with zero help for Dr’s/ quacks. They don’t recognize Lyme as a real disease on the west coast. So I have had no choice to work through the pain or be on the streets. I was so bad off about 7 years ago that I was equivalent to a 90 year old man with Alzheimer’s, I couldn’t remember three digits written on paper in front of me to transfer to the keyboard. I had to do one number at a time. Was down to 140lbs sever food intolerances.
My health was improving and a little less stress then this happened and I’m already seeing a decline, just losing everything all over again like 12 years ago when the autoimmune issues started.
I’m just not in a health enough place to have any overhead and work for myself, living on kratom is just a band-aid getting my by 3 hours at a dose. I’m far from lazy or looking for a free hand out, I just can’t do a lot of work especially if it involves standing.
davisdesigns is offline  
Old 08-05-2020, 11:35 AM   #20
Mini-Skoolie
 
davisdesigns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 65
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S61...ew?usp=sharing

Dropping the price to $20k essentially that means I would break even and lose 4 years of nearly every day / weekends of work I put in to it, all for free. Not like the $10k even covered the amount of hours I have in it anyways. Could have just enjoyed life instead. IT needs to go ASAP this situation is causing me so much stress its making me sicker than I already am.

I have been putting temporary lights, bumpers etc. on it to make it street legal just kills me every day to have to go and even look at it.
davisdesigns is offline  
Closed Thread

Tags
bus, conversion for sale, for sale, motor coach

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 04:52 AM.


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