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


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 07-03-2021, 10:17 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Brenner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 11
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Corbeill Grand Quantnum
Chassis: Ford E450
Rated Cap: 21 Passenger Chair lift
Slowly coming along

Hello, I have been lurking for more than half a year and watching what others are building. From this I made a choice on a bus due to price point, condition and availability. Also thanks to those on here who post I have been able to try to make choices on what I would like my build to look like and to be which has the last few months had me plugging away at my personal project.

Brenner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2021, 10:17 PM   #2
Mini-Skoolie
 
Brenner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 11
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Corbeill Grand Quantnum
Chassis: Ford E450
Rated Cap: 21 Passenger Chair lift
I do not have the need to live in my bus as a home, nor do I go camping. I am merely building my project to travel with. I intend to use it to sleep in while traveling and use it take my motorcycle along me on my trips. After seeing what is available for my needs I decided to start this build. I also wanted a different paint scheme than what google images has offered me when I look up school bus conversions. I do not think my project is on the same level as others here on the site but my build is to suit my needs. Again I am sharing so maybe someone may like what I am doing and might choose to take a similar path on their project.
Brenner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2021, 10:18 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
Brenner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 11
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Corbeill Grand Quantnum
Chassis: Ford E450
Rated Cap: 21 Passenger Chair lift
My build consists of a school bus ( for the tube frame) converted into a r/v with a garage built in. I am using the wheelchair lift to load my motorcycle in and out of the rear. I have built in cabinets, drawers, a fridge, sink with freshwater and waste tank, a self contained toilet, bed, and am working on a power system for it.
Brenner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2021, 10:20 PM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
Brenner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 11
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Corbeill Grand Quantnum
Chassis: Ford E450
Rated Cap: 21 Passenger Chair lift
I see lots of buses painting the cab the same as the cabin but to me I wanted a different look so I opted to make it look like a camper on the back of a truck or similar to a box truck look. I am planning on a top deck and a few other exterior mods but right now I am just making it road legal and insurance friendly as it is difficult to get insurance for it where I am.
Brenner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2021, 10:21 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Brenner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 11
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Corbeill Grand Quantnum
Chassis: Ford E450
Rated Cap: 21 Passenger Chair lift
The pics I will post will be of before and after but not yet completed and is still a work in progress so please bear with me. Exterior pics only at this time.
Excuse the paragraphs but I am trying to get to the 5 post limit so I can attach the pics.
Brenner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2021, 10:24 PM   #6
Mini-Skoolie
 
Brenner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 11
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Corbeill Grand Quantnum
Chassis: Ford E450
Rated Cap: 21 Passenger Chair lift
Pics of the before or when I purchased it.....
Attached Thumbnails
IMG_20210320_101802_01.jpg   20210320_102437.jpg   20210320_102545.jpg  
Brenner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2021, 10:35 PM   #7
Mini-Skoolie
 
Brenner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 11
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Corbeill Grand Quantnum
Chassis: Ford E450
Rated Cap: 21 Passenger Chair lift
Wow, not sure how to correct the rotation as they do not look like that on my PC...... Sending these pics and one is rotated? I may not be tech savy enough to correct.

The current statue in the midst of the build, still working on paint etc.....

All new LED lighting, Ontario highway traffic act says bus cannot be yellow for private use, wanted to keep it clean, unassuming, and respectable. Now it looks like a prison bus I am told, lol... I have to install the accessories on it, the stainless hubcaps, running boards, some side graphics, and much to finish in the inside. 3 months of working on it after work and on weekends all by myself. Man the painting went on and on but I feel in the end it looks different and respectable.
Much of this bis has been what I had on hand, what is affordable, and what I am able to pick up reasonable cheap for the build. I will post more pics when I progress further.
Attached Thumbnails
20210703_191923.jpg   20210703_192010.jpg   20210703_192029.jpg  
Brenner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2021, 11:53 PM   #8
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
Everyone has an opinion on paint color and you just can’t win. It looks like you did a good job painting it
Danjo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2021, 01:10 AM   #9
Bus Crazy
 
Rwnielsen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Long Beach, CA
Posts: 1,075
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC2000, 40' MPV
Engine: 5.9 Cummins/B300 trans
Rated Cap: U/K
Not every bus has to be a skoolie. I have a 40' Blue Bird that I'm slowly making into a permanent motor home for when (if) I retire. I'm here to learn tricks and steal ideas in a bus type environment. Plumbing, cabinetry, interior design... not my strong points. I like electrical challenges and I'm learning about diesel engines, air brakes and all the big stuff on a bus. I've worked on motorcycles and cars all my life but busses take it up a notch.
Your paint job looks good and I fully understand your desire to travel around.
Take care
Richard
Rwnielsen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2021, 10:46 AM   #10
Bus Nut
 
Bert06840's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 638
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Gillig
Chassis: G27E102
Engine: Cummins ISL 280
Rated Cap: 26,000 lbs
Yeah I like it too. I would have gone glossy for the hood but the two-tone is definitely nice. A tad darker for the gray part would have made it spot on for me.
Bert06840 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2021, 11:35 AM   #11
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
If you have insurance issues, I would check with them about a roof deck. Most don't like them.
__________________
I Thank God That He Gifted Me with Common Sense
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2021, 12:34 PM   #12
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Central Alabama
Posts: 541
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: TC/2000
Engine: 5.9 Cummins 12-valve
Rated Cap: 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brenner View Post
Man the painting went on and on but I feel in the end it looks different and respectable.
Looks good from here. What brand/type paint and color did you use?
BamaBus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2021, 06:39 PM   #13
Mini-Skoolie
 
Brenner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 11
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Corbeill Grand Quantnum
Chassis: Ford E450
Rated Cap: 21 Passenger Chair lift
Sorry for late reply, have been away from my PC.
The paint I have used is a farm implement paint for the gloss white and ford grey. It was purchase at TSC stores. The twilight blue is from a gallon of Nason automotive paint that I have had for quite a few years with no home for it. The implement paint was rolled and brushed on and the van body received the automotive paint. I am going to give the van body another shot of blue and shoot some clear coat on it afterwards. I have a little work to finish above the windshield before completing this. I chose the implement paint for the bus body so it would be easy to touch up if and when it gets branches rubbed against it while being used. The paint cost total with some primer, tape, and brushes not including what I had for the van body and sandpaper on the shelf was less than $280. I guess I can't complain but man doing it alone only after work and when I could on weekends it took some time.
Brenner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2021, 07:17 PM   #14
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Northern California (Sacramento)
Posts: 1,424
Year: 1999
Coachwork: El Dorado Fiberglass
Chassis: Ford E450
Engine: V10 Gas
All good! Nice work.
Rucker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2021, 09:49 PM   #15
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 167
Year: 2009
Coachwork: Girardin
Chassis: Chevy
Engine: 6.6 turbo diesel
Rated Cap: ?
Really nice job. The paint looks great and the two tone deinitely makes it less school bus like. Congrats.
Buster Junior is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2021, 05:30 PM   #16
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Mt Vernon, WA
Posts: 523
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Bluebird, Collins
Chassis: G30 Bluebird Microbird, E350 Shuttle Bus
Engine: 1995 Chevrolet 350, 1992 Ford 460
Good luck on your travels. Getting the paint done on mine was a huge relief.
Doktari is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2021, 06:51 PM   #17
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Communist State of New Jersey
Posts: 964
Year: 2004
Coachwork: IC
Chassis: CE200
Engine: T444e
Rated Cap: 27,500
Looks good. Painting a bus is not easy, doing it alone is soul eating.
Oldyeller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2021, 08:54 PM   #18
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: NE Oregon
Posts: 148
Year: 1998
Coachwork: Thomas
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Bus looks good.
I've wondered about using a wheelchair lift to get a light motorcycle into a bus. Let us know how it goes.
Mountain Yawp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2021, 07:46 PM   #19
Mini-Skoolie
 
Brenner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 11
Year: 2008
Coachwork: Corbeill Grand Quantnum
Chassis: Ford E450
Rated Cap: 21 Passenger Chair lift
Thanks for the compliments and positive comments. Currently driving it and going over the mechanical. Was super easy to register as motorhome, needed nothing but me saying it was a motorhome. Insurance is cheap and I am told will drop to half once interior and appraisal is done. Unfortunately life has sent me some not so positive concerns and I am dealing with those over being able to work on the bus.

Inquiry of how the lift works with a motorcycle? Well it does it with not a lot of effort. I still have to fabricate a little to make it easier to hold the bike on the lift but that will come in time. I have already lifted a few light bikes and so far my problem is that I had to push the lift closer to the door to try to get more room for the bike. The bus is 7 1/2' wide inside but the lift when folded takes up 6" so the bike cannot be longer than 7'. I am considering a smaller bike but have not considered all my options yet. I will post pics of interior and lift once completed.

The last change that I have done is that I have replaced the steering wheel and spiral cable with those of a speed control equipped van. I need to enable the option in the pcm and I will be able to use that function. Slowly coming along.
Brenner is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

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 12:18 PM.


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