Meet Edison - 1979 GMC/Blue Bird shortbus

[insouciant]

Hello,

I just joined your group as Skoolie.net keep showing up in my 'BlueBird' Google searches.
seems like alot of good info here.

Last week, I had an 'out of the blue' thought: wouldn't it be cool to make a cabin out of a schoolbus? Hmm.. but before I Googled 'Cabin School Bus', I checked out Craigslist Vancouver and found this:

1979 GMC Blue Bird Schoolbus
36 pax (shortbus)
350 ci /5spd manual
94,000km
rust-free
running excellent
all original condition
every single switch and light functions.
$2500

Hmm..

had a look.. and it started, was totally clean inside and out, cheap enough for a gamble. why not?
picked it up for $1600 and drove it 90km to home. nice.

from whim to ownership in less than a week; or maybe: a Fool and his Money are soon parted.. we'll see.

I intend to strip out the interior and style it as a non-mobile cabin using home furnishings and no custom built-ins.
no-fridge. no-stove. no-comode.

If the board allows, I'll post photo of my progress and let you know how I go.

[GreyEagle]

We likes pixz........ and welcome aboard the bus...

[insouciant]

[img]

















[/img]

[Tango]

Hey insouciant --- Great idea! And roger the pix. We all love watching other people work. And there are some great resources online for the approach you are taking. Check out "Vardos"...the Gypsy wagons...and a site called "Carter's Steam Fair"...an English traveling fair with a bunch of fantastic "Living Vans". And, if you can find a copy of "Houses on Wheels" you'll be blown away by the rustic cabins built on everything from old pickups to buses to logging trucks. Great resource. Have a ball and do it your way.

http://www.visit.carters-steamfair.c...ivingvans.html

[crazycal]

Congrats on the purchase of the nice looking bus. I think I just found my new signature line in your post. LOL.

a Fool and his Money are soon parted

[insouciant]

*click on Image to start Video screen*

I have never tried to drive anything bigger than a car, not even a pickup truck.
"I can Drive this" I respond to the GF "You don't even know how to drive it", vote of confidence.

[roach711]

You have a good eye for photography. I particularly like the "shoes" shot.

[insouciant]

Road Testing Obstacle course slalom section:


backed her up a slope through an obstacle course of lawn tractor, garbage wheelie bins and other trucks. Through the narrow gate opening and into the residential roadway.. phew!

Two blocks on, I was satisfied by negotiating a traffic circle.

next block, This!
my Driver side wheel was almost touching the Left hand kerb.. and I was hoping that Hitachi doesn't swing out any further!

I like how the first flag-girl starts bobbing her SLOW sign on my approach, she was unsure as well.

here goes on someone else's insurance tag and one km into test drive.

*Click on Image to start video window pop-up*

[insouciant]

OK, videos seem to work..

click on the Image and a video window will pop-up

[bansil]

welcome!

[insouciant]

The Drive home from Vancouver to Victoria ran about 85km according to the odometer, and that doesn't include a 95 min. ferry ride.
Edison runs flawlessly.. took the back roads then highway, she runs at 90km/h (55mph) easily. The engine speed govenor is still connected.
Detoured to a truck wash and gave it a good clean-up. No Leaks!
Treated us to $91 CAD for 75ltrs of 87 Octane gasoline.. guage reads full (for now) then continued final 25km to home.
Only slightly alarmed that the guage now reads less than 7/8.. yikes.

go home.
login Skoolie.net
search 'Mileage on buses'
sweat.

I guess 8MPG is an average: bad for a car but pretty good for a cabin.

[Tango]

If you decide to get really serious about all this, you could always transplant a Cummins 6BT diesel into that puppy. Your mileage could be more like 15-17 if tuned right and the 6's are cheap and plentiful. Good for a solid 500K miles as well. Just a thought.

[insouciant]

Originally Posted by Tango

If you decide to get really serious about all this, you could always transplant a Cummins 6BT diesel into that puppy. Your mileage could be more like 15-17 if tuned right and the 6's are cheap and plentiful. Good for a solid 500K miles as well. Just a thought.

I see.
I see also that you have a 350 Chev (for now)
guessing at what my MPG is until I actually venture forth for a drive. maybe I'll get better than 8MPG?
94,000km on the engine should mean alot of life so I don't forsee a repower.. service label says: 250 hour service due @ 99,000kms
basically, I plan to make a summer cabin that is able to change venue occasionally.. if I really feel the urge to roam, I have a 1968 VW bus for that.

[insouciant]

Progress report:

Lovely Green Seats, no wear or tear
GOING!



GOING!!



GONE!

now the dreaming begins..

[insouciant]

Destination, Nowhere.

rear window 'curtain' made from an original 1940's Tram destination Blind from Adelaide, Australia.

[bansil]

Originally Posted by insouciant

I see.
I see also that you have a 350 Chev (for now)

Tango's will fit inside your bus tho'

[Tango]

Actually, it's a 350 Chevy that I am replacing in mine as well. About the same at 6-8 mpg. In my rig I'm looking at dang near 30 mpg with the 4BTAA hooked to a six-speed Allison. That was my goal/motivation on the transplant.

[insouciant]

update:

click link to view the finished interior:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60137763/the%20 ... 0riley.pdf

[roach711]

Very homey interior and excellent photography.