Firstly...We've been lurking and pinching information here and there so thanks for all the previously helpful posts/advice/inspiration, it's a great forum.
And secondly...You're all partly to blame for us leaving jobs and coming for a risky adventure. ;)
The plan in short...4 of us coming over from the UK in June picking up a bus and converting it in Maine in 3 weeks. Eek. Then setting off on a 3 month coast(ish) trip all the way down across and up round to Oregon.
I'm a carpenter so the woody bits are no issues and the conversion's the bit Im actually most excited about although there's def some scary unknowns.
We've found a guy that can help us get a bus pretty much as soon as we land so hopefully we have 2.5ish weeks and 4 people to make a bus a home!
If I wasnt a stickler for aesthetics I'd be slightly less worried.
Our next step is to decide and commit to what type of bus. Could someone explain in general terms what the biggest difference between normal and flat nosed buses are? Turning circle/noise/reliability/living space?We've been looking at 72 seater 2001/2s mainly. Baring in mind none of us have driven anything bigger than a VW T25. Ha.
Thanks for getting to the end of my ramblings.
Actually very quickly, I can just screw the studs/furniture/units to the inner bus wall right? What brand of screws are decent? Not familiar with any of the brands I'm seeing, there's a vast range in quality I'm sure.
This rapidly became much more than just a quick hello. Sorry about that.
Converting a bus is doable in 3 weeks, heck you could do it in 1.
It's all a mater of what you want. Do you want crown moulding or 2x4's?
I did a really fast "conversion" with probably 30 hours of work into it but we don't have any systems. We don't have water, electric, heat.... It's just what there was time for. It's almost an hour drive each way so that's part if the problem.
Welcome and best of luck --- I agree...doable as long as you keep it simple. Screw things down with self-tapping sheet metal screws (no particular brand...just use plenty)...invest in a Port-O-Potty (screw it down too). No need for installing tanks and such. Plumbing straps are rolls of galvanized, light weight metal that comes with holes every inch or so and can be wrapped around things then screwed to the floor or walls. You will want on board water...Google "portable sink with pump" and you'll see hundreds of simple, clever, self contained ideas. Forget aesthetics and stick with the simplest form of functionality and you just might pull it off.
Whatever else you do...please... record and share your adventures here!
As far as fasteners go the easiest to attach wood to metal is the Tek screw with
wings and a good screw gun. The Tek screws are designed with a drill point and
behind that are two wings that open up the wood for the screw to pass easily.
Once the wings hit the metal they shear off which allows the self tapping machine
screw to thread into the metal all in one simple operation.
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