Colorado Ready

[PoolRoom]

ok... here we go.

I have been looking into the idea of building a Tiny Home for about a year and just could not get excited about it. Not sure why other than thinking about the cost of building and then the additional cost of buying a truck to tow it, the fact that I could not pull a motorcycle trailer, etc, etc, etc.

I have only discovered the whole school bus conversion idea in the past 2 weeks. HOWEVER, I am all-in on this idea. I am COMPLETELY excited about the bus conversion idea!!

I have NO IDEA where to even start, other than buying a bus!! What year of bus, what kind of bus (FE, RE), flat nose, Make/Model, how long of a bus. I need help in every way. Where to find a bus, where to find someone to check it out for me....

I will be on a pretty tight budget but am READY to get started!!

Thanks for any help I can get!!

[sdwarf36]

You can do it on a tight budget-as long as you have time. Time to learn how to do everything yourself-time to find the best deals-time to find the free furniture.

[PoolRoom]

I have ALL the time I need. No rush just anxious to get started. I now feel like I wasted at least a year considering the Tiny House idea!!!

[SassyLass]

Originally Posted by PoolRoom

I have NO IDEA where to even start, other than buying a bus!! What year of bus, what kind of bus (FE, RE), flat nose, Make/Model, how long of a bus. I need help in every way. Where to find a bus, where to find someone to check it out

First you need to start with what you need from your Skoolie. Will it be mostly stationary? Full-time cross country travel? Low speed country roads of are you hoping to get up to highway speeds ? How much space is enough for you?

I don't have time today, but look in my history for other similar answers. The power package/drive train are as important as the engine if you really want to match a bus to your purposes.

I highly recommend reading through cowlitzcoach's comments if you want to learn about pro's and cons and capabilities of your bus options.

Good luck and

[PoolRoom]

I will be living in this thing full time. It will be stationary a big part of the time. I travel between Colorado and California A LOT and am usually in one or the other places for 2 or 3 months at a time. It would be nice to be able to take my house with me so I have the comforts of home. One of the things I haven't decided at this point is just how much space I need but am thinking anywhere between 30' and 40'.

THANK YOU for any and all advice!!

[The-Breeze]

Where in California do you go....I hear that it's not easy to find a place to park there.

[PoolRoom]

I spend a lot of time in the Redondo Beach area but that is without a bus. I am just starting the process of building a bus. However, I know a couple of people in the Los Angeles area that have enough space for me to park on their property for a couple of months at a time.

[crazycal]

In California, the difference between a 30' and 40' bus is night and day. If you are going to be in city traffic a lot, I would lean towards the 30' range.

[charles_m]

Lots of great skoolie action in Colorado! Glad to see another
If you ever want to swing by my bus and take a look, I always love visitors! I buy lots of buses and can help you find them if you like. I recommend the public and government auction websites first. There is also a local auciton place called Roller and Associates that often has buses. If it were me, I would get either a conventional (with a hood and engine in front) or a rear engined bus. If you can find a re bus in the 35' range, you'd be a happy camper I reckon. Search around this site. Most of your questions have already been answered many times. And post lots of pics

[PoolRoom]

I would love to come by and take a look at your bus at your convenience anytime !

[PoolRoom]

Well... I'm on my way. Just picked this up!!

[Dammit]

Congrats! Details?

[PoolRoom]

All I can tell you is that it is a 1998 Thomas flat nose, 132,000 miles, 77 passenger, that seems to be pretty clean. can't tell you much because I am a NOOB!!! I am guessing that most people on the site can tell me more about my bus than I can!!

[The-Breeze]

HEY GUYS.....WE GOT US ANOTHER SUCKER!!!!!!!





In all seriousness......Yahoo for you, can't wait to follow your conversion

[PoolRoom]

ok... you just scared me!!! thought you were going to tell me I bought a HORRIBLE bus!!

[JA Savage]

There is no such thing as a horrible bus. There may be buses that fit your needs better, but most every bus is better than an RV.

[PoolRoom]

THANKS!!! Glad to hear that.

[EastCoastCB]

If its from CO then its probably pretty sweet.

[PoolRoom]

actually, its not. DANG!! it came from Minnesota and it has some rust but not REAL bad. I have a buddy that tells me we can do a "acid power wash" and get most of it off the undercarriage?

[EastCoastCB]

If you use acid on the underside be very careful and deliberate.
It will need to be refinished after that to prevent future rust.