Trying to raise money for a bus

[azjohn]

Hi All,
I don't know if this is done, but I figured if I don't try, I will never know. I am trying to raise money to buy a bus so I am selling my skills to do it. I am a museum exhibit designer by trade and live in the Chicago-land area. My career has allowed me to design and build very unconventional things and a school bus build is a very unconventional thing which is why I am confident I can do it well. Please note that I have never converted a school bus, but as I stated, I have the skills to do it and am aware that I don't know everything (who does?), but I am an excellent problem solver and will be fully transparent in all costs and processes. I can provide sketches of what your bus would look like, auto cad drawings for the build, and I have access to a shop and tools for the build.
If you are in the Chicago-land area and want to have you own bus but need help to do it, please feel free to email me at azjohnkelly.com. I will work on only one bus at a time until I have raised enough money for my own bus.
Thanks, John

[Drew Bru]

Good luck, man. That's an awesome idea.

[azjohn]

Thanks man. I am familiar with your build. I have seen that site, lots of good information. If you don't mind, when I start this thing, I might contact you with a question or two.
John

[Drew Bru]

Originally Posted by azjohn

Thanks man. I am familiar with your build. I have seen that site, lots of good information. If you don't mind, when I start this thing, I might contact you with a question or two.
John

Sure thing, shoot me a PM anytime. Happy to help.

[mrpincher]

I've worked as a preparator at the local museum. It's cool work. Am looking forward to seeing your interpretation of skoolie. My bus has been parked at the mechanics shop for about 5 months - only because I'm not in a hurry. Any day now I'm going to get started.

Cheers
Mike

[azjohn]

Nice. I was a preparator once also. I liked that job a a ton. The first super rare/expensive thing I had to handle was a Roman vase that was 2000 plus years old. One mistake and all that history would be gone. I took a breath, put on the white gloves, and moved it with no issues. I just made some Roman guy that lived 2000 years ago happy.

[stever88]

Can you actually perform all the work yourself: carpentry, electric; 12v & 120v - vehicle and accommodations, plumbing (kitchen, bath), etc?

[azjohn]

Yes. The only thing I would not trust myself to do is weld. I haven't welded in years. Any other task that may arise in this context is simple problem solving. A lot of people freak out over electrical but I think it is the components that freak them out. The physics behind it is really simple; A little addition and remembering that they call it a "current" for a reason goes a long way.
I am not a mechanic. If a bus has trouble starting or something, I can't just listen to the engine cranking and say what the problem is. As I said in my original post, I don't know everything but am a good problem solver. Using this forum is a great resource. As a group, this site has it all.

[stever88]

Thanks for reply.
What size bus are you looking for, big or little/shorter?

[azjohn]

3/4 bus. I'm also exploring tiny houses, in fact I'm designing one now. There are lots of off grid systems the cross over to buses.