Greetings from New York

Tekmbster · 01-26-2016, 10:33 AM

Greetings folks,

My name is John and I'm from Lewis, New York. Lewis it about 45 minutes outside of Lake Placid (1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics). I am a School Bus Driver for a local school district but have been interested in becoming a Skoolie for a long time.

The bus on my profile is my daily driver, but currently in the process of buying an International 3800 42 passenger (Handicap Bus) to convert into an RV. I have a friend that bought a 3800 65 passenger that has already started his conversion.

Thanks for having me, I look forward to the ride!

-John

BeverlyTheBus · 01-26-2016, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tekmbster

Greetings folks,

My name is John and I'm from Lewis, New York. Lewis it about 45 minutes outside of Lake Placid (1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics). I am a School Bus Driver for a local school district but have been interested in becoming a Skoolie for a long time.

The bus on my profile is my daily driver, but currently in the process of buying an International 3800 42 passenger (Handicap Bus) to convert into an RV. I have a friend that bought a 3800 65 passenger that has already started his conversion.

Thanks for having me, I look forward to the ride!

-John

Welcome fellow New Yorker and soon to be Skoolie!

We are in central NY between Rochester and Syracuse. We went for the 72 passenger international 3800. So much space, but hard to find places to park her sometimes. Not to mention city driving

We bought ours early December and did a makeshift quick conversion (glorified tent) lol, we've been on the road for a month and now have a better idea of what lay out would work for us. My recommendation is before you cement your plans get out on the road a bit, what looks good on paper may not be functional for you. Happy planning!!!!

Tekmbster · 01-26-2016, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeverlyTheBus

Welcome fellow New Yorker and soon to be Skoolie!

We are in central NY between Rochester and Syracuse. We went for the 72 passenger international 3800. So much space, but hard to find places to park her sometimes. Not to mention city driving

We bought ours early December and did a makeshift quick conversion (glorified tent) lol, we've been on the road for a month and now have a better idea of what lay out would work for us. My recommendation is before you cement your plans get out on the road a bit, what looks good on paper may not be functional for you. Happy planning!!!!

A fellow New Yorker! I've already got a rough sketch in my mind, I deal with school buses everyday, so I'm always looking at the space and what not when I'm doing my checks. It just needs to be large enough to hold the five of us and mainly be used for camping or when I don't want to sleep in the house! LOL

Thank you for the advice! Glorified Tent works!

BeverlyTheBus · 01-26-2016, 11:09 AM

Awesome! Can't wait to see what you decide on! This site is the best source of information I've found from friendly banter to full on engine rebuild advice! Welcome aboard and if you're ever in our neck of the woods we'd be more than happy to have you park your sweet Skoolie at our place for a stay!

jtfrow · 04-22-2016, 01:14 PM

Hi,

I am about to purchase my first bus to be turned into a skoolie. I know Good sam will insure once converted but how did you all handle the title change/reclassification?

From what I have read New York DMV does not encourage reclassifying a bus to an rv unless it was professionally converted.

Robin97396 · 04-22-2016, 02:06 PM

Good Sam just turned me down cold. I thought that was one of the last bastions for insurance.

jtfrow · 04-22-2016, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robin97396

Good Sam just turned me down cold. I thought that was one of the last bastions for insurance.

What was their reasoning behind that?

Robin97396 · 04-22-2016, 03:36 PM

Well, I'm one of those with what I call a big "van". To early to call it a conversion yet.

They will do RVs and apparently conversions too, but not a van/bus. They don't say it but it has been implied that they think we might be hauling freight in an empty bus.

I was dropped by nationwide ten days after buying a policy, then dropped by State Farm a month into another new policy. This is getting pathetic.

Tekmbster · 04-24-2016, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robin97396

Well, I'm one of those with what I call a big "van". To early to call it a conversion yet.

They will do RVs and apparently conversions too, but not a van/bus. They don't say it but it has been implied that they think we might be hauling freight in an empty bus.

I was dropped by nationwide ten days after buying a policy, then dropped by State Farm a month into another new policy. This is getting pathetic.

There's an insurance company in Ithaca that will insure. I'll have to get the link for them again. My friend is in the process of converting his over to a Personal Passenger vehicle, he just had to have clear, detailed photos showing seat removal for the title to be changed.

I'm still working on getting my bus, got a 1978 RV right now that I may use as a donor for the inside of a bus when I get it.

-John

Robin97396 · 04-24-2016, 02:48 PM

John, that RV would take you a very long way toward completing your bus as compared to finding all the individual items like most of us do. that's a big head start to have all those systems already there, even if you have to modify and repair them.
It's a marvelous thing to have a good running bus and to actually have what you need to live in it as desired.

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