New 4x4 shortie from NM!

Mudbuscamper · 09-04-2016, 04:11 PM

Hey there everyone! Just want to introduce myself and my new 4x4 shortie. This has been a long time dream of my wife and i finally comming true. So a little backstory, friends of mine owned the local school bus company and they had this little 4x4 winter bus that i have been trying to get from them for the last 7 years. Long story short, they decided it was time to retire and shut the company down. As soon as they told me, i was over there working a deal with them for it. It is a 2000 chevy g30 with a mid bus body, 4x4 conversion and the 6.5l turbo diesel. I have only taken all but 2 seats out and got rid of the lettering and stop sign. The bus is registered and insured and i have been driving it ALL over the place. My 2 little girls absolutely love it and always ask to take it when we go places. We have plans to turn it into a very primitave camper (no running water, bathroom etc.) Basically just bunk beds, dinette, and cabinets for storage. We want to be able to pull the trailer with the dirt bikes, quads etc. up to the mountains for the weekend. I have already gotten multiple ideas from this site and decided to join to show everyone our idea of a bus conversion. It will be a slow going process since we are still new to this whole thing and our pockets arent very deep. For some reason it wont let me post pictures, but as soon as i can get it to work, i will put them up.

Mudbuscamper · 09-04-2016, 04:48 PM

20160217_170306_zps5guanxsc.jpg Photo by Mudbuscamper | Photobucket

Mudbuscamper · 09-04-2016, 04:50 PM

20160217_170331_zps6cwd3zgn.jpg Photo by Mudbuscamper | Photobucket

20160217_170441_zpsqxzcmru1.jpg Photo by Mudbuscamper | Photobucket

20160521_112507_zpsmm4h3zez.jpg Photo by Mudbuscamper | Photobucket

Mudbuscamper · 09-04-2016, 04:52 PM

20160521_112522_zpsjqqrdkbo.jpg Photo by Mudbuscamper | Photobucket

Mudbuscamper · 09-04-2016, 05:18 PM

http://s1383.photobucket.com/user/Mudbuscamper/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160521_112522_zpsjqqrdkbo.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

Carytowncat · 09-04-2016, 08:40 PM

Welcome!

She is a beauty! and 4X4 too? wow!
I often say i never met a perso from New Mexico that i didn't like

My cousin Jason lives out there.

I too went the no running water route. Not for me. However i did fashion a board with a toilet seat that fits between two bus benches and acts as a toilet, so ling as the trash can underneath with sawdust and a trash bag.... "Poop is funny."- Frank. Always Sunny in Philly. Anyway...

So glad to read the bus finally escaped the work camp and ran away to be with you and the girls.

Btw i been here awhile and never got the picture thing to work, so we just upload to a image hosting site and post the url.

Mudbuscamper · 09-04-2016, 10:33 PM

Before kids, the wife and i were tent campers taking as little with us as possible. As we started having kids, our needs grew. We got a pop up camper when our first daughter was born, and upgraded to a 22' full on camper when our second daughter was born. While up in the mountains one day, sitting in our camper, my wife looked at me and said "what are we doing? This isn't camping, this is Glamping!" Plus i couldnt haul my toy trailer because i was pulling the camper. So now were looking at this like its a big metal tent on wheels. And for the toilet situation for the girls, we have a shower tent we set up with a 5 gallon bucket and a toilet seat, with the "poop eating bio bags" as my oldest calls them.

Tango · 09-05-2016, 08:05 AM

Sweet little 4x4! I can see that puppy going places the rest of us can't. Congrats.

Goatherder · 09-05-2016, 10:02 AM

I really like that bus. Looks like it's in really nice condition. Not a big fan of the 6.5L Diesel...but I guess if it runs OK you can probably keep it going with good maintenance.

I have a Ford E-450 6.0L 6-window and plan to eventually add 4wd using UJOR conversion parts.

What size are your tires?

Mudbuscamper · 09-05-2016, 11:18 AM

It has 235/85-16 firestine destination mt. My family are gm people all the way lol. Not a fan of the ford 6.0 too many problems with them (at least in the trucks, i have ford friends who wont even own one) now the 7.3 is a different story, that motor is a beast! This bus has 297,000 miles and still rung great. But in the event it goes south, i have a brand new crate 6.5 ready to go in i got as part of the deal.

Goatherder · 09-05-2016, 12:02 PM

That's good. I had a Chevy van with the 6.2, which was the predecessor to the 6.5. Best thing I ever did was rip that greasy old POS out and replace it with a 454 . 454 is the same external dimensions as 6.2/6.5. Slides right in and bolts down on the mounts . When Jim got Mitsubishi to build them a diesel, it was a huge leap forward .

Yeah, the 6.0 Ford engine definitely has its problems, but I have an EGR delete with new oil cooler on order. That will be next week's project, and I am really looking forward to it. Ugh.

Goatherder · 09-06-2016, 11:37 AM

Also, FYI - if you click on the "Direct" choice on the right side of the photobucket screen, and then paste in THAT link...your pictures will come up right in your post.

leadsled01 · 09-06-2016, 12:49 PM

Look into "bunk bed futons" for sleeping and lounging. I love them in my shorty. Had to cut one down alittle to fit across the back.

pepepito · 09-06-2016, 06:50 PM

Awesome BUS!!!!

I have exactly the same bus 2002 but not 4x4, I will love to hear more about the 4x4 details, like trans, converter, suspension, type of axles etc, maybe some more pictures of front and rear axles ?

Thanks and good luck.

SDR76 · 09-07-2016, 08:21 PM

Welcome! I'm a dirtbike guy from out west too! My build has a minimalist feel too. I am very anti-GLAMP. I wan t a Big metal tent, that rolls. I however am currently working on a water system. Just a sink and outdoor shower.. My bus CAN pull a toy trailer, but i made the back 8ft a garage with the wheelchair/bike lift! Im jealous of the 4x4 though!!!

Mudbuscamper · 06-24-2017, 11:05 PM

So i know it has been quite a while since i have posted any updates on the bus. For the last almost year, i havent really done anything with it other than using it for a moto hauler. We just put a blow up mattress in the back and called it good for a while. Over the last few days, we have been going through the mechanicals before we start the inside. I did however find out that the motor was replaced less than 70k miles ago, so it doesnt have almost 300k like i origionally thought. Once i am done going through everything mechanically, the bodywork will start and then on to the inside. Heres a few pics of what has been happening lately.

Found a pretty bad oil leak from the turbo oil feed and a bad valve cover. Took everythi g apart and inspected, replaced all gaskets and o-rings. Turbo luckily checked out ok so i dodged a bullet there.

Got the new exhaust for the bus put on. 4" straight pipe.

Mudbuscamper · 06-24-2017, 11:08 PM

And here is a picture of my daughter (on the yamaha) and one of her riding buddies at the track. This was the first time we used the bus as a moto hauler.