Introduction

[Webbed]

Hello everyone. I don't have a bus yet. I'm conducting a major amount of research before making the plunge. The goal is to purchase a 40 foot bus that I will gut and turn into a worthy home on wheels.
I am a retired Navy guy, former electrician and journalist. I currently work in condo maintenance, thus I feel confident in my ability to turn a ride for children into something very cool.
The destinations are many, but the ultimate goal is to drive through South America and perhaps across the northern coastal highway of Australia. Before that however, there will be many shakedown cruises across the country, to Alaska, across Canada(my wife is Canadian), and all around the rest of the country to places I have not seen yet.
I've spoken briefly with a school bus maintenance foreman near me in the Seattle area, and he has given me opinions about which buses I should consider. I'm hoping to do most of my own maintenance if I can and get a diesel. I'll be reading all the posts, questions, answers, conversion threads before asking too many of my own questions.
It looks like this is a good group of people to get to know.

[LincolnEcho]

Welcome Webbed,

First off thank you for your service. I'm also looking for my first bus. I have been doing a lot of research in respect to bus choice and have come up with a spreadsheet that might help your search. Who knows??? if enough of us get together maybe we can do a group buy from one of the dealers.

[Carytowncat]

Welcome! Sounds like a good plan. Btw i worked maintenance for my last job too. It was good work and all the skillset a skoolie could ever need.