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Old 02-04-2019, 03:05 PM   #21
Bus Crazy
 
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Location: E Central Tejas
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Year: 1998
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Not bad! I have 160 square feet / 960 cubic feet to play with, and in. More than, since I'm not shy about piling the cockpit full when parked for more than overnight.

Close quarters can be tough- many moons ago, an ex & I went tree planting in a '69 VW Westphalia.

Underlying problems magnify, and I maintain that if Mary & Joseph lived in a MicroBus, they would've trampled the Christ child underfoot, going for one another's throats! (Happy ending: at this late date we remain friends)

All of that, shared with 2 gatos & 1 dawg- thankfully I won the cats! We barely managed a year, so y'all did alright with 3...

Keep the faith, AND truckin'!

(What is this Instagram to which you refer? I frequently forget I needn't rapidly chafe 2 sticks together to light my propane furnace... [emoji848] )

Quote:
Originally Posted by ReconcilingRoamer View Post
I can definitely see that. I lived in a 216 sq ft camper for 3 years with my {soon-to-be} ex-husband and 2 little dogs. I think it was about 27 feet long so I know I could do smaller than 40 feet. I'm an amateur CAD designer and working through the layouts and possibilities of course make me want to go big!

I am going to hit the GA Tiny House Festival in March and hopefully get to walk through a few rigs and see what I actually need vs what I think I want in it.

Realistically, I think something easier to park and maneuver would be a better fit for me but I'm also not afraid to go full size and just adapt to whatever comes with the bigger rig.

I know Mike from Navigation Nowhere is going to be there and his conversion is so nice. Hopefully that walk through will provide a little more clarity!

Are you on Instagram? I'd like to connect with you there if so?!

-RR

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Old 02-04-2019, 03:21 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ReconcilingRoamer View Post
I am thinking a 40 footer is where I would like to go. At the moment I would like to have the ability to boondock for a week at a time. I am excited to go to the GA Tiny House Festival the first weekend in March and actually get to walk through a conversion and get a feel for what I actually need/want!

-RR

If you're coming down I-85, you'll be passing by me. Feel free to stop by if you want to look at/test drive mine.
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Old 02-04-2019, 03:22 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by haz.matt.1960 View Post
Not bad! I have 160 square feet / 960 cubic feet to play with, and in. More than, since I'm not shy about piling the cockpit full when parked for more than overnight.

Close quarters can be tough- many moons ago, an ex & I went tree planting in a '69 VW Westphalia.

Underlying problems magnify, and I maintain that if Mary & Joseph lived in a MicroBus, they would've trampled the Christ child underfoot, going for one another's throats! (Happy ending: at this late date we remain friends)

All of that, shared with 2 gatos & 1 dawg- thankfully I won the cats! We barely managed a year, so y'all did alright with 3...

Keep the faith, AND truckin'!

(What is this Instagram to which you refer? I frequently forget I needn't rapidly chafe 2 sticks together to light my propane furnace... [emoji848] )

HA! Too funny!! I will happily take the wisdom!! Thank you for the encouragement. You are too stinkin funny!!
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Old 02-04-2019, 03:32 PM   #24
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Chassis: IH 3800, 8 window
Engine: T444E w/ Spicer 5-speed MT
Rated Cap: I prefer broad-brims hats
Well... stinkin', anyways...
Quote:
Originally Posted by ReconcilingRoamer View Post
HA! Too funny!! I will happily take the wisdom!! Thank you for the encouragement. You are too stinkin funny!!
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Old 02-04-2019, 08:59 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur View Post
If you're coming down I-85, you'll be passing by me. Feel free to stop by if you want to look at/test drive mine.
Thank you for the offer! I’ll definitely be heading that way! I’ll add you here and I’ll definitely reach out. If anything I’d just love to walk through it!

-RR
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Old 02-05-2019, 10:06 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW_Steve View Post


Yeah, none of the school bus drivers I had as a kid were rocket surgeons.....
Believe me, they've only gotten worse.

Driving one isn't hard. It's just larger then anything you've ever controlled before. That's what makes it intimidating. Go slow, and take your time. When backing up, get out and check your progress, there is more shame in backing into something then by being over cautious with it.
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Old 02-05-2019, 10:16 AM   #27
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Originally Posted by Booyah45828 View Post
Believe me, they've only gotten worse.

Driving one isn't hard. It's just larger then anything you've ever controlled before. That's what makes it intimidating. Go slow, and take your time. When backing up, get out and check your progress, there is more shame in backing into something then by being over cautious with it.
That is my only kicker at the moment...It IS the biggest thing I've ever controlled. But I aint Skeered! lol I am excited to learn though. Will probably have to put in quiet a few "parking lot" hours before I get super comfortable.

Looking forward to the new lessons and growth!
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Old 02-09-2019, 05:10 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ReconcilingRoamer View Post
Thank you for the encouragement!!! That is a great idea to go and test drive some buses while I'm "in the wait". A good friend and I are going to the GA Tiny House festival the first weekend in March and I am excited about getting to walk through some conversions and see what it is like!
You might want to consider getting your Class B CDL while you're at it; it's a great way to get in some test drive miles, get used to backing and turning, get familiar with the mechanical parts of the bus, and then you don't have to worry about your state's GVW requirements, 'cause you'll be liscensed to drive a mammoth vehicle with air brakes. You might also get a chance to home in a little on exatcly what kind of bus does it for you.

...And it opens the door to jobs (summer, side, main, whatever). Schools, national parks, and all kinds of institutions need bus drivers.
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Old 02-09-2019, 06:13 PM   #29
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Welcome! and this sounds like a perfect way to go concerning the situation you're going through. Getting out on an adventure and having the peace of mind that you have a comfy place to lay your head down at night makes things peaceful.

Lots of good advice so far. It doesn't take long for bus driving to become second nature.

Good to see you're into CAD. Dreaming up the layout and what you need/want is a lot of fun. My advice is not to let it overwhelm you. I've taken my family cross country in a bus that was "converted" in a week and it was the most fun adventure we've ever been on. There was just something special about the spontaneity and "wind in your hair" of it all. That said, doing a nice conversion is really fun too....
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Old 02-09-2019, 06:25 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by ReconcilingRoamer View Post

Also, thank you for the big bus sentiment. It is a concern of mine and I am thinking I would like a 40 footer but I was a little intimidated about it. That plan might change but I really appreciate hearing that from someone in the community! Gave me a little more confidence to just go for it when the time comes around!

-RR
I am also going to be a solo female on the road with skoolie.

One of the things I did was go out to a used bus Sales place and test-drove a ton of different buses at different lengths to decide which size I felt comfortable driving and which would work for my vision. I was quite surprised that I fell in love with the Shorties. I expected to fall in love with the 26-ish footers.

Welcome!
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Old 02-09-2019, 06:32 PM   #31
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The TC1000 and short TC2000 seem to be pretty universal chick magnets. 26-ish foot transit style, the tend to sell for a premium over longer TC2000 buses even.
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Old 02-09-2019, 06:59 PM   #32
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I agree with most of what’s said in this thread, but I have found that my 35 foot bus is about all I would ever want... seems like it’s about the limit to fit into two parking spaces end to end, making it wildly more convenient than having to take up 5 spaces the other direction... just my little input. Good luck!
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Old 02-09-2019, 07:28 PM   #33
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Welcome on this amazing journey. I look forward to seeing your new life, dream, home come to life on this forum. I have been lurking for awhile since purchasing my shorty, and I hope to begin my own build soon as well.
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Old 02-09-2019, 09:10 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzz Nichols View Post
You might want to consider getting your Class B CDL while you're at it;

If you go this route, please understand what you are getting yourself into. Every vehicle you control will have to be by the CDL regulations, not just when you're behind the wheel of a large vehicle. If you have a CDL and get into a fender-bender while in a sedan, you will be required to follow all regulations as if you were in a fender-bender with a truck (such as mandatory drug-tests, etc.).


If you want to go to school, my suggestion would be to attend class B "truck school" but do not take the final tests.


BTW, the whole "do I need a CDL?" question has been beaten to death on here. I would highly recommend reading those threads as well as doing your own research (talk to a truck driver about getting into an accident and what they have to do, etc.) - before you decide to go for a CDL.
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Old 02-09-2019, 09:10 PM   #35
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Oh, and welcome!!!
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Old 02-10-2019, 09:36 AM   #36
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Location: Upstate South Carolina
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzz Nichols View Post
You might want to consider getting your Class B CDL while you're at it; it's a great way to get in some test drive miles, get used to backing and turning, get familiar with the mechanical parts of the bus, and then you don't have to worry about your state's GVW requirements, 'cause you'll be liscensed to drive a mammoth vehicle with air brakes. You might also get a chance to home in a little on exatcly what kind of bus does it for you.

...And it opens the door to jobs (summer, side, main, whatever). Schools, national parks, and all kinds of institutions need bus drivers.
Okay this is definitely an advice goldmine and I appreciate it so much. That does sound like a good idea for this situation so I will check that out and see what is required to get into that licensing process. Thank you 🙏
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Old 02-10-2019, 10:18 AM   #37
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Location: Upstate South Carolina
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boojiewoojie View Post
Welcome! and this sounds like a perfect way to go concerning the situation you're going through. Getting out on an adventure and having the peace of mind that you have a comfy place to lay your head down at night makes things peaceful.

Lots of good advice so far. It doesn't take long for bus driving to become second nature.

Good to see you're into CAD. Dreaming up the layout and what you need/want is a lot of fun. My advice is not to let it overwhelm you. I've taken my family cross country in a bus that was "converted" in a week and it was the most fun adventure we've ever been on. There was just something special about the spontaneity and "wind in your hair" of it all. That said, doing a nice conversion is really fun too....

Thank you for the encouragement! I have been really excited to build and tweak my “bus” in CAD. It has been fun to see what everyone is doing and then pull and tweak different pieces to make something that works for me. I’m excited to get to the building part and bringing it to life but I agree with you...I think the wind in your hair and a safe place that is mine will help on this journey!
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Old 02-10-2019, 10:23 AM   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheatricalKate View Post
I am also going to be a solo female on the road with skoolie.

One of the things I did was go out to a used bus Sales place and test-drove a ton of different buses at different lengths to decide which size I felt comfortable driving and which would work for my vision. I was quite surprised that I fell in love with the Shorties. I expected to fall in love with the 26-ish footers.

Welcome!
That is really cool! Hopefully I will be able to do this soon and really get and idea of what is going to work for me! So glad to see another chica flying solo! 🤓🤓🤓
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Old 02-10-2019, 12:33 PM   #39
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Engine: 11.1L Detroit Diesel S60
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ReconcilingRoamer View Post
Okay this is definitely an advice goldmine and I appreciate it so much. That does sound like a good idea for this situation so I will check that out and see what is required to get into that licensing process. Thank you 🙏

Please be very careful in getting a CDL. You will be under the CDL regulations regardless of the vehicle you are controlling (and that includes cars). Please research what has been said elsewhere on this board about CDLs. Please understand what you will be getting into with a CDL!
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Old 02-11-2019, 08:28 AM   #40
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Join Date: Apr 2017
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Year: 1993
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Chassis: Ford
Engine: 5.9
I started my conversion about a year ago with a bus i bought on auction from Chester County S. C. . A little over half way through with it. My wife had never driven anything bigger than our mini van lol but now she does most of the driving . her and grandkids will leave me in heart beat to go camping. I think the festival you mentioned is in Macon GA.? We live about 2 miles from Macon. Feel free to hit us up if you would like and we will drive into Macon and you can check out "Lucile".
Plumbing and electrical is complete and i'm removing 112 year old wood from my Great Grandfathers house to complete the insides with .
good luck
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