Hello Skoolie folks!
This is a much belated introduction as we've been living and moving about in our bus, Ripple, for nearly seven months now...but I'm only now getting around to composing our build story! Where did the time go?
My name is Chris. I've been building since I was fourteen--specialized in field stone masonry, antique log cabin restoration--eventually starting my own custom timber frame company. When a nagging back injury indicated a Plan B would be needed one day, we sold the business and I headed off to an unexpected rollercoaster going to architecture school in my thirties.
Long story short is that by the time the degrees were completed and I'd exhausted my interest in teaching and research my three sons were nearing the end of childhood. My wife and I had had a deal when we started having kids; she'd do the early years and I'd get a few years at the end. Well, she came through, told me to step away from the consulting work I was doing and get a couple years with them...they've always been homeschooled and now was my chance to start building again and pass along a bit of what I know.
I had come across skoolies during my time working with First Nations in Manitoba on housing issues. And the whole family was excited to move on from our time in Iowa. So...why not?
I'll detail our design process, the build, and our early travels in posts where those topics belong. I READ THE RULES!
For now I'll just say:
1) Hi!!
2) THANK YOU!! I have spent untold hours learning from the deep well of knowledge this community makes public and free. It is humbling to follow in the tracks y'all have lain.
3) ...and of course there is a coincident reason for a belated post...we're in a bit of a transmission situation that I look forward to seeking help with, in a different post of course! 
4) and here are some bus details and do KEEP IN MIND--this is a project that was run and built as if it were a college level design studio with a built outcome. For me, I got to prototype some cool things. And for the boys they got to do everything from welding to picking colors for the first time. Which is to say, budget and labor and ideas and solutions were driven by my sons who were constantly challenged to push the limits. They did, we did, and boy was it fun 
1998 Thomas MVP RE
CAT 3126A (round dome HUEI with AdeptApe approved "bullet-proofing")
Allison MD3060 (governed to 64mph by speedometer, sixth locked out)
DANA Spicer 5.38
Height: 12' 8.5"
Length: 41' 6.5"
Bus came from WA where it was an activity bus--literally zero rust. It had been in service for less than a year with a company in Denver that ran a concert shuttle service, this bus was used for weddings.
Engine was rebuilt three years before the district retired it. Currently has ~99K on that build. Blackstone oil analysis confirms "like new" condition.
Transmission was rebuilt at same time as engine, was also serviced at time we took possession with known hard-shift issue.
Chassis, by odometer count, is 276K miles into its life.
A short list of our build features:
- -full underbay
- -double roof raise
- -2000 watt solar system (designed and spec'd by my oldest, Cactus)
- -custom fiberglass potable water (200 gal) and grey water (98 gal)
- -custom vermiculture composting toilet system
- -4 bedrooms--kids are older, they deserve their space!
- -dinette/queen bed for guests
- -full kitchen with gas range and birch strip counters
- -large soaking tub with custom misting shower
- -side entry ramp/stair combo
- -rear bike rack that doubles as a rear deck when lowered
- -roof deck storage for kayaks (and yeah, a sundowner hangout spot for sure)
- -custom roof hatch with smoky moon roof
- -preserved e-doors with folding balconies
- -cat litter access tunnel from living area to underbay
- -full LED exterior lights; drive, running, 360* floods, star gazing red lights for roof deck illumination
- -and a hand done paint job
Lots of stuff to still complete and couple items we're ready to refurb after our shake down cruise. but all in all I couldn't be prouder of the boys and feel confident that three more humans have the skills to take care of themselves and be ready to offer help to others!
Excited to become an active member and maybe even pay forward a little of what we've gotten here over the years.
Be well,
Chris
A few pics...hopefully the captions work? If not you can skate over to the public album I made.
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/membe...cture28002.jpg
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/membe...cture28001.jpg
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/membe...cture27996.jpg
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/membe...cture27995.jpg
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/membe...cture27994.jpg
https://www.skoolie.net/forums/membe...cture28004.jpg
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