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Old 07-20-2020, 12:10 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 12
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Collins
Chassis: Chevrolet Express
Engine: 6.0L Gasoline
Starting my first conversion

Hi everyone! My name is Joe, I'm from New Jersey, and I recently took the plunge and bought a 2003 Collins 6-window handicap cutaway for my first skoolie conversion. I have no experience with anything like this, but I'm excited to learn, and to be a part of such a welcoming community.

Because my options and resources were somewhat limited, I ending up going against the conventional wisdom and buying a bus with a gas engine from someone in North Jersey, which is prime road salt country. The gas engine isn't a huge deal for me, since I'm more comfortable working on it, and I don't really plan on hitting the road full time with this thing. My bus does have a decent amount of rust, BUT most of it doesn't seem to be from road salt, but rather from water pooling behind the rub rails, which I guess weren't properly sealed. I'm still figuring out exactly how to deal with it, but I'm up for the challenge and in general I'm happy with my purchase.

I obviously have many, many questions, but at this point I just wanted to introduce myself. In the future, what's the best way to interact with the community? Should I just post questions as new threads as they come up? Or does it make more sense to create my own thread documenting my build and ask my questions there?

Thanks!

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Old 07-20-2020, 06:53 PM   #2
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Location: Stanardsville, Virginia
Posts: 165
Year: 2006
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Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 30
Welcome! I do both. I have my build thread where I post what I have accomplished, post pics and mention issues I gave come across. If I have a specific question and can’t find it by searching through posts I will submit a post with my question in the title. That has seemed to get me faster answers. Maybe cause people might not always read your build thread but if they see a specific question they will get back to you pretty quick.
Enjoy the process!
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Old 07-20-2020, 07:06 PM   #3
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I'd create your build thread now; it's basically so you can document the whole process from start to finish. I started mine about six months after buying the bus, and I wish I'd started from the beginning so I could have a complete record of everything I did, rather than relying on spotty memory.

If you have specific questions about things, see if there are any other threads about the same thing and add a post there if your question hasn't been answered. Otherwise just post it as its own thread.

If you're in Jersey, you may be near one of the two locations of Joseph Fazzio Inc., a great place to get steel and tons of other supplies for a skoolie build (one location is in Glassboro, the other is about an hour NE of there).
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Old 07-22-2020, 09:11 AM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 12
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Collins
Chassis: Chevrolet Express
Engine: 6.0L Gasoline
Quote:
Originally Posted by witchywoman View Post
Welcome! I do both. I have my build thread where I post what I have accomplished, post pics and mention issues I gave come across. If I have a specific question and can’t find it by searching through posts I will submit a post with my question in the title. That has seemed to get me faster answers. Maybe cause people might not always read your build thread but if they see a specific question they will get back to you pretty quick.
Enjoy the process!
Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely be starting a build thread ASAP
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Old 07-22-2020, 09:20 AM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 12
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Collins
Chassis: Chevrolet Express
Engine: 6.0L Gasoline
Quote:
Originally Posted by musigenesis View Post
I'd create your build thread now; it's basically so you can document the whole process from start to finish. I started mine about six months after buying the bus, and I wish I'd started from the beginning so I could have a complete record of everything I did, rather than relying on spotty memory.

If you have specific questions about things, see if there are any other threads about the same thing and add a post there if your question hasn't been answered. Otherwise just post it as its own thread.

If you're in Jersey, you may be near one of the two locations of Joseph Fazzio Inc., a great place to get steel and tons of other supplies for a skoolie build (one location is in Glassboro, the other is about an hour NE of there).
Good advice. I have done a decent amount of demolition already, but I've taken some pictures along the way, so I should be able to more or less document my process from the beginning.

I'm familiar with Fazzio's! I've been there a few times, and its not too far from me. I'll probably be going to them for some sheet metal, since I plan on replacing the floor of my bus.
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Old 07-22-2020, 07:44 PM   #6
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Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Communist State of New Jersey
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Year: 2004
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I'm also in New Jersey and recently bought a bus out of Paterson. I've begun stripping out the seats. Hopefully I'll have them all out before the weekend then I have to take out the floor to see what I have underneath.

I'm out near Washington, NJ.
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Old 07-23-2020, 11:57 AM   #7
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
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Year: 2003
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Chassis: Chevrolet Express
Engine: 6.0L Gasoline
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldyeller View Post
I'm also in New Jersey and recently bought a bus out of Paterson. I've begun stripping out the seats. Hopefully I'll have them all out before the weekend then I have to take out the floor to see what I have underneath.

I'm out near Washington, NJ.
My bus also came from Paterson! I'm down in the Cherry Hill area. Good luck!
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Old 07-23-2020, 04:29 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Domino Joe View Post
My bus also came from Paterson! I'm down in the Cherry Hill area. Good luck!
Did you buy it from Sarah Transportation?
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Old 07-28-2020, 09:35 AM   #9
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
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Did you buy it from Sarah Transportation?
I did not. The company was called Atteel Trans I believe.
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Old 07-28-2020, 09:47 AM   #10
Bus Nut
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Domino Joe View Post
I did not. The company was called Atteel Trans I believe.
Yesterday I just finished the stripping of the seats, rubber floor and plywood subfloor. While my bus was well protected underneath and has little rust there, it is obvious at this point that there were leaks that soaked the plywood and the floorboards are pretty rusty. I'm going to be doing sheetmetal work in the coming weeks. Good thing I'd already decided to shorten the bus, I'll have 8' less floor to fix.
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Old 07-28-2020, 09:59 AM   #11
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Yeah the plywood always seems to rust, even in buses from places that don't have rust problems. My texas bus was the only one I've had with plywood flooring and it was a rust free bus except under the ply.
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Old 07-28-2020, 10:28 AM   #12
Bus Nut
 
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Yeah the plywood always seems to rust, even in buses from places that don't have rust problems. My texas bus was the only one I've had with plywood flooring and it was a rust free bus except under the ply.
Thank you for that information. I've been feeling pretty down since I stripped the floor. Believe it or not your comment helped. I'm going to add to my conversion thread with a link to the short video of the floor.
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Old 07-28-2020, 11:39 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldyeller View Post
Thank you for that information. I've been feeling pretty down since I stripped the floor. Believe it or not your comment helped. I'm going to add to my conversion thread with a link to the short video of the floor.
Your floor's not that bad, man. It's not as if your bus has rabies and needs to be put down or anything.
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Old 07-28-2020, 12:36 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldyeller View Post
Thank you for that information. I've been feeling pretty down since I stripped the floor. Believe it or not your comment helped. I'm going to add to my conversion thread with a link to the short video of the floor.
if what's under the plywood is all you got you're fine, man. Even some holes from rust under the floor isn't a huge deal. You got this, man.
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Old 07-28-2020, 06:47 PM   #15
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
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Year: 2004
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Thanks guys for the encouragement. I guess it's good for Domino Joe to see the encouraging words as well. Dealing with rust can be demoralizing.
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Old 08-01-2020, 03:39 PM   #16
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Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 91
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: C1FE 2509
Engine: Cummins ISB 5.9L 24V ~ AT545
Rated Cap: Seats 5. Sleeps 4
Welcome neighbor. This site is a wealth of knowledge and ideas. Depending on your creativity, the sky is the limit! We're right over the bridge not too far from 95! Do you have an idea of your floorplan and what you'd want to put in the bus? We have a medium sized bus. I don't know window count because it has transit style windows but it is 26' long total. We crammed so much in this bus lol. I'd love to chat about ideas you have for your build
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Old 08-03-2020, 09:54 AM   #17
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 12
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Collins
Chassis: Chevrolet Express
Engine: 6.0L Gasoline
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluthebus00 View Post
Welcome neighbor. This site is a wealth of knowledge and ideas. Depending on your creativity, the sky is the limit! We're right over the bridge not too far from 95! Do you have an idea of your floorplan and what you'd want to put in the bus? We have a medium sized bus. I don't know window count because it has transit style windows but it is 26' long total. We crammed so much in this bus lol. I'd love to chat about ideas you have for your build
Thanks for the warm welcome! My bus is 24.5 feet bumper to bumper. I have been working on a layout design which you can check out, but I still have a lot to learn, so I'm sure I'll have to change things as I go.
Attached Thumbnails
layout1.png   layout2.jpg  
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Old 08-03-2020, 10:39 AM   #18
Almost There
 
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Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 91
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: C1FE 2509
Engine: Cummins ISB 5.9L 24V ~ AT545
Rated Cap: Seats 5. Sleeps 4
This looks great!

Curious about that cutout on the floor below the desk area. Is that something permanent already on the bus?

Also what kind of systems are you looking to have/sound nice?
IE> Solar/battery storage, Fresh water, black water tanks/composting toilet+ grey water, air conditioning/heating, looking for full-time or part-time RVing(i don't remember if you mentioned this or not lol)
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Old 08-18-2020, 12:08 PM   #19
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 12
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Collins
Chassis: Chevrolet Express
Engine: 6.0L Gasoline
The cutout under the desk is for the fuel inlet pipe, which comes a little bit above the floor. There's a metal housing that goes over it. There's another hole in the middle of the floor, which was for an access panel for the fuel pump. I'm actually curious how many people work these types of access panels into their final builds. It would certainly be nice to not have to remove the entire fuel tank if the fuel pump goes bad.

I haven't finished my research yet, but I have a couple solar panels, an inverter/charger, and a Fan-Tastic vent fan already. I would like to stick to fresh and gray water only. I'm trying to keep costs down, so here's what I'm thinking so far:
  • DIY composting toilet using a Johnny Compost urine diverter
  • Window AC unit when I have access to shore power, rely on the vent fan when off grid
  • Basic propane camping stove
  • Not sure if I'll be using the bus in winter, but maybe a propane heater
  • Maybe a 12V fridge as my one big purchase
  • Still on the fence about hot water/shower
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Old 08-24-2020, 07:34 AM   #20
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Highlands, NC
Posts: 24
Goodmorning. New to the forum , actually my first posting. I am intrigued with the schoolie prospect. So, like all people, I have been on Youtube ,ALL THE TIME, looking at builds. My big question is, Short bus or Shuttle . In watching one video , the couple bought a shuttle and were cutting out the subfloor (plywood) , and it looked as if there wasn't anything between the plywood and the cross member frame. Is this common? No metal between?
Am I missing something?
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