Hi from some Oregonians!

[anajoy15]

My hubby and I are soon to be part of your world. We have made the decision to become skoolies, but haven't yet found a bus. What would you recommend? Type of bus? Year range? Engine type? Partially converted or start brand new?

My husband has been working contracting with his dad for years (yay conversion!), but neither of us know much about cars or engines, so starting on the bus hunt is rather a shot in the dark. HELP!!!

[Tango]

Welcome! --- And I will offer the same basic advice nearly all of us give newbies...

It all comes down to what your expectations, needs and desires are.

There is no one perfect bus or one size fits all plan.

Best beginning is to read as many of the "build threads" here as possible. In the process you will begin to form a picture of what you think will work best for you...what bus best fits that role...and a bunch of construction and finishing ideas.

The great thing about skoolie life is that you can assemble a unit that is absolutely, uniquely your own.

Once again, Welcome and let the fun begin!

[Roadrunner]

Welcome to the site. I went for a long flat nose front engine bus. The reason is that I wanted as much room as possible. I am making a garage area in the rear for compressor, generator etc. The main reason for the garage is to haul my motorcycle. Thus the front engine. Also, it will take up about 8 feet of space.
From the back door to just behind the driver seat is about 35 feet. Take away 8 feet for the garage and I'm down to 27 feet. That's why I wanted a longer bus.
Rear engines are more quiet up front and there is no exhaust or drive shaft running the length of the bus underneath. It would be easier to have under bus or basement storage compartments.
You need to think about what you want to do with the bus before you can determine what to buy. You should also do some engine/transmission research as well as what gear ratio you would like in the rear end. Do you want air brakes or hydraulic? Do you need a bus with a higher roof? The list goes on and on.
The best thing in my opinion is to read as much as you can here and ask lots of questions. Determine what you want and then start looking for it. If you buy the wrong bus and put lots of time and money in it you still won't be happy with it. Hope this helps.