Shuttle Bus Shell Modification

[FishBum]

Hello all. New to the forum and to Bus conversions.

I'm considering buying a used shuttle bus but as is with all the windows it really doesn't suit my purpose. I need to be able to remove some of the windows and replace with a solid wall. But the walls look like they're made of fiberglass. I don't think I could just cut out the windows and weld in sheet metal.

I'd also like to be able to install a roof rack. But again with the fiberglass, I'm not sure it would work.

I'm trying to figure out if I can make the changes I want so I can decide to buy/not buy the bus.

Any one have experience with making these types of changes to a shuttle bus?

[1olfart]

Welcome to the bus world. As far as a fiberglass bus, I will leave it to others, that have them, to answer. I would suggest that you look at cutaway school busses. There are several manufactures that have steel coachwork, that would solve all of your needs. (Just my 2 cents.)

Good luck on you search

Let us know what you end up doing.

[sdwarf36]

Fiberglass works just fine. Depending on the brand of bus, there is most likely a steel space frame up top.

[Rusty]

I had a Champion e350 v10 shuttle bus and was unimpressed with the quality of construction. It felt too close to sticks and staples motor home for me to put my family in.

Schoolbuses are built to a different standard--and are a bit more difficult to convert, but the truck chassis, suspension, motor and trans are usually much more robust.

Shuttle bus drove and handled like a dream, tho. I got mine from Texas, land of good vehicles.

[leadsled01]

You could pop rivet sheet metal over the window cutouts. My shuttle has a steel framework behind the fiberglass walls and roof , pretty good construction IMO. Way better than RV sticks and staples.

[roach711]

My Eldorado Aerotech has a fiberglass body that's pretty solid. I wouldn't hesitate to put a roof rack on mine but I don't know much about the other shuttle body manufacturer's construction.