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Old 11-16-2015, 07:31 AM   #1
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1
Year: 1974
Engine: Cat 3208
Rated Cap: 52
A Large Family Adventure

Allow me to introduce us. We are a family of 8, 3 girls and 3 boys. We have driven cross country, Oregon to Mississippi, as a family 3 times. We have used two different trailers and three different tow vehicles. The last trip had some complications that made me think there had to be a better way. Years ago we talked about getting a bus, but my wife so opposed the idea that I forgotten I even had it. In 2006 we purchased our first RV, a 1978 26ft Winnebago, to see if we would like RVing. We were hooked. Later we upgraded to a 1993 26ft Kit travel trailer. We out grew this and tried out a 16ft 1961 Terry travel trailer that I modified with more beds. It was a bunkhouse on wheels. A closet, enough beds for us all, and nothing else. On our way back from Mississippi, I was thinking that there had to be a better, more comfortable way to travel. A motor home would allow more comforts, but we are a family of 8. The motor home that would work for us would be some type of tour bus that a sports team used. Price check... lots of money, so the search continued. Then the idea of a conversion came up. It was the only way to get what we wanted, a nice motor home with a workable floor plan. We need to sleep 8 comfortably, and be able to have kids sleep while I drive. So, last night I drove home our 1974 Blue Bird All American. It is 35ft long, seats 52, has a Cat 3208 and a blank canvas for us to make what we want/need for all our traveling adventures. I seem to be having difficulties uploading pictures. Until the problem is solved, check out www.yoswasmith.wordpress.com.

I know most conversions that get started never get finished. And although this project will probably last the rest of my life, we have a goal to get it useable by summer. We have adventures planned. We also want to go cross country in 2016 or 2017 at the latest.

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Old 11-16-2015, 11:13 AM   #2
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Stony Plain Alberta Canada
Posts: 2,937
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: TC2000 FE
Engine: 190hp 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 72
Welcome.

Glad to see you got a bus.

Hope you have money. You got a Cat engine, not a Cummins, or a DT engine.

Nat
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Old 11-16-2015, 12:44 PM   #3
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Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Spring Valley AZ
Posts: 1,343
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: 5.9 Cummins
Rated Cap: 2 elderly children, 1 cat
Welcome, looking forward to following your progress.
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Old 11-16-2015, 01:11 PM   #4
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Newberry, MI
Posts: 18
Year: 1989
Coachwork: Bluebird
Rated Cap: 12
Welcome! Sounds like you have a leg up on the whole traveling/camping thing. I hope to be able to do that with my bus one day!
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Old 11-16-2015, 07:21 PM   #5
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Gonvick MN
Posts: 339
Year: 1975
Chassis: Gillig
Engine: Cat 3208t/10 speed transmission
Welcome!
If I can post pictures so can you.
Attached Thumbnails
IMG_20150717_120717.jpg   IMG_20150722_184502_1.jpg   IMG_20150830_145109.jpg  
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