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Old 05-02-2018, 10:36 AM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 10
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: GMC Savana
MovinOn in search of short bus

We are Gordon and Karen.
Tearjerkers ready to move into the skoolie word.
5 years from now when we retire we hope to be traveling around the US semi full time.
For now we are on the look out for a 5 window short bus in the Northern New England area to convert into a tiny home.

We are both former Westfalia owners and now camp with our vintage trailer group in a teardrop trailer we made ourselves with our 2 boys. Her name is Patches Bond and she's a little bit tacky

We are hoping to find advise on were to look for a bus not too far from home. What to look for and what to look out for
Also any skoolie gatherings in the North East that welcome newbies.

looking for information on auctions and how to bring a bus home is we get lucky.
Would love to meet like minded people in the area.

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Old 05-04-2018, 12:32 PM   #2
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Pendleton Indiana
Posts: 348
Year: 2010
Coachwork: IC
Engine: MF DT466
Rated Cap: 81
I think most use govdeals and a purple something site. There are also insurance auctions. But being from a bad salt area with winter you may wanna look further south. Or look any over real well from up that way for rust before purchase.
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Old 05-05-2018, 10:44 AM   #3
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Eastern WA
Posts: 6,401
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American RE (A3RE)
Engine: Cummins ISC (8.3)
Rated Cap: 72
Welcome,

Take a look at the following sites:

Www.govdeals.com

Www.publicsurplus.com

Www.purplewave.com

422 Sales

Good luck with your quest.
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Old 01-10-2019, 12:33 PM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 10
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: GMC Savana


Let me introduce you to Gypsy, our 2007 GMC Savana with a 5-window Bluebird bus body. She was an excursion bus for a private academy in Vermont, and our understanding is that she was used mainly for ski trips and similar field trips.

We bought her in September, but it took us about six weeks to get her home, between a small delay in the delivery due to logistics, and a much longer delay at the mechanics as Gypsy's work kept getting pushed back while we were kept in the dark about costs. An unpleasant affair I won't get too far into, but suffice to say we are looking for another mechanic. I don't think it will be too difficult because Gypsy has a gas engine.

Right now we're still at the seat-removal stage. The first seat came out fairly easily once I figured out how to disengage the rear heater from the seat frame, and that fooled us into thinking the rest would be easy. But between inaccessible bolts and rusted bolts, it looks like it's time to borrow that angle grinder a friend of mine has offered.

Our other major hang-up is the windows, not in the bus portion (although they have their issues) but in the cab. The windshield and driver's window are badly encrusted with hard water stains, and so far neither vinegar nor CLR has had any effect on them.

Weather will be a factor for awhile now as winter has settled into New Hampshire, but we still hope to have her in camping condition for a trip to Massachusetts in the Spring. She'll be mostly camper for the first couple of years, working gradually toward a full RV-style conversion as we prepare to retire, right after our youngest son graduates high school.

We're looking forward to staying connected with our fellows in the skoolie world during this, um, adventure.

- Gordon and Karen
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Old 01-17-2019, 01:13 AM   #5
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Mt Vernon, WA
Posts: 523
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Bluebird, Collins
Chassis: G30 Bluebird Microbird, E350 Shuttle Bus
Engine: 1995 Chevrolet 350, 1992 Ford 460
Hello and I’m impressed how far you plan in advance. You 5 years, me 5 minutes lol. You’re fortunate your bus is already painted. I like shorty buses but not that yellow.
Good luck finding a machanic. By taking your time you may get it right the first time.
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