Yet another newbie

[Wornout Wrench]

Hi everyone.

Brian here, The Wornout Wrench.
Retired heavy duty mechanic.

I am so disgusted with the RV industry.
I have a travel trailer in my driveway. I missed a water leak on the roof. I now have 22 feet of worthless junk.
Have looked at new RV's and motor homes but they are all built the same. Not going to make that mistake again. Bunch of crap I tell you,

I have always wanted to convert a bus into a motor home, 40 plus years I have been talking about it.

I was sitting in my trailer the other day trying to come up with a plan on how to repair it. I thought that maybe the best thing would be to just gut all the good stuff out and sell it off and scrap the trailer.

And I had one of those "Light Bulb Moments"

Why not strip the trailer, buy a bus and just do it.

I fell in love with the very first Wanderlodge that I saw. Didn't know what it was, but I knew that I wanted one.

Besides being a mechanic I also weld, can do some automotive glass work, tires, I work part time in a radiator repair shop, I do all of my own home renovations. I have a garage full of tooling. I'm retired, I have the time.

The only thing I don't have is a place to do a build.

Looking for something and if I can find something that fits into my budget, I'll get serious about a build.

So for now I'll just settle in and start reading, might pop up now and then to pose a question.

Looking forward to some quality interaction.

Regards

Brian

[o1marc]

Welcome to the addiction. You would be off to a good start by gutting every usable item out of the sticks and staples and make them worthwhile by putting them in a bus that doesn't leak.

[david.dgeorge07]

Welcome! I used a wrecked trailer for appliances in my build.

I didn’t think I had a place, but my back yard turned out to work fine. Saved a ton of time not having to travel and having power, internet, bathroom etc.

Busses have their own challenges, but they are built tough for sure.

[Native]

Pace off your driveway ... you may be surprised how long a vehicle may fit.

[Wornout Wrench]

Thanks for the replies

Unfortunately, my yard and driveway are out of the question. The 22 foot trailer fits with not much room to spare and it is a little steep. Its not possible to get it up beside the house due to trees and the front yard is out.

My crappy little town has too many bylaws trying to get things like busses out of yards, sooooo the hunt is on looking for a spot.

david.dgeorge07, I am right in the middle of reading your build.

[HazMatt]

If the bus were camouflaged with a non-Chromium Yellow paint job, could you get away with it in the dooryard, then?
If not, where will you park it when not on the road..?
Self-storage places often rent space for vehicles. Maybe there's something in the area, preferably gated. Untended school busses are like delinquent bait...
With your professional history, you ought have little difficulty over the crap many of us wear a hole in our scalps over, before crying, "HALP!!!"
Welcome to the asylum.

[Wornout Wrench]

Originally Posted by HazMatt

If the bus were camouflaged with a non-Chromium Yellow paint job, could you get away with it in the dooryard, then?
If not, where will you park it when not on the road..?
Self-storage places often rent space for vehicles. Maybe there's something in the area, preferably gated. Untended school busses are like delinquent bait...
With your professional history, you ought have little difficulty over the crap many of us wear a hole in our scalps over, before crying, "HALP!!!"
Welcome to the asylum.

Well I suppose I could try it, paint it dead grass brown with some yellow spots for the dandelions and see if anyone notices

I have checked with the self storage places. NO WORK ALLOWED!

I can find a place but have to be out by mid-october. That is when people put their toys away in my part of the world.
I want a place I can work in for a year.

I might have a line on a place that would be perfect. In the same building as a friend of mine so I would have access to his welder, torches and such plus a autobody shop next door. It is close to everything in my town, building supply stores, 3 truck shops, parts stores.

But not sure what the rent would be.

I have a RE Bluebird in my sights but the sellers are not answering any of the emails or other contacts.
It has a 8.3 in it (one of my favorite engines) 3060 Allison, would prefer a 4060 but the 3000 series is fine. But the seller needs to respond.

Anyone else from British Columbia on here, any ideas of where to look for a school bus to buy. Internet searches not turning up too much.

[Wornout Wrench]

Originally Posted by david.dgeorge07

Welcome! I used a wrecked trailer for appliances in my build.

I didn’t think I had a place, but my back yard turned out to work fine. Saved a ton of time not having to travel and having power, internet, bathroom etc.

Busses have their own challenges, but they are built tough for sure.

I'm up to post 971 following your build.
Great stuff.
Thanks for posting it.

[HazMatt]

Dead grass & dandelions wasn't the camouflage paint scheme that I had in mind, but I dig your scheme!
Bummer. Hard finding a place that'll let you do more than simply park there. Hope that place in town isn't exorbitant, sounds pretty ideal, unless you have to sell a kidney to make the rent...
That sounds like an awesome platform!!! Best of luck in finding her! 🤞

[Sleddgracer]

Originally Posted by Wornout Wrench

Well I suppose I could try it, paint it dead grass brown with some yellow spots for the dandelions and see if anyone notices

I have checked with the self storage places. NO WORK ALLOWED!

I can find a place but have to be out by mid-october. That is when people put their toys away in my part of the world.
I want a place I can work in for a year.

I might have a line on a place that would be perfect. In the same building as a friend of mine so I would have access to his welder, torches and such plus a autobody shop next door. It is close to everything in my town, building supply stores, 3 truck shops, parts stores.

But not sure what the rent would be.

I have a RE Bluebird in my sights but the sellers are not answering any of the emails or other contacts.
It has a 8.3 in it (one of my favorite engines) 3060 Allison, would prefer a 4060 but the 3000 series is fine. But the seller needs to respond.

Anyone else from British Columbia on here, any ideas of where to look for a school bus to buy. Internet searches not turning up too much.

I've mostly been following kijiji

[david.dgeorge07]

Originally Posted by Wornout Wrench

I'm up to post 971 following your build.

Great stuff.

Thanks for posting it.

Glad it can be of some use!

[Wornout Wrench]

Originally Posted by david.dgeorge07

Glad it can be of some use!

I just finished reading your build story David.
Very well done, thank you.

I think my wife might be starting to have a hate for this forum, every time she looks around, I have my nose stuck in the computer reading something.

This is such a great resource.

Thank you to all the people who take the time to post.

Now its rant time

What is the matter with people that put up a for sale add but refuse to answer it. I have 2 buses that are close to me, I have sent multiple emails and such and all I get back is zero, zip, nada.

Frustrating to say the least.

[HazMatt]

You forgot zilch & bupkes..!
No telling. Some folx have more molars than firing neurons.

[Wornout Wrench]

Originally Posted by HazMatt

You forgot zilch & bupkes..!
No telling. Some folx have more molars than firing neurons.

Ain't that the truth!

[Bon Voyage]

It’s a bit of a headache but I suggest importing a bus, RIV.ca breaks it all down. I couldn’t find any re nearby so I went to Yakima Washington. And you’re closer than I am and the bus has no rust. But your oop might bite you like it did to me.

[Wornout Wrench]

Originally Posted by Bon Voyage

It’s a bit of a headache but I suggest importing a bus, RIV.ca breaks it all down. I couldn’t find any re nearby so I went to Yakima Washington. And you’re closer than I am and the bus has no rust. But your oop might bite you like it did to me.

Not sure what oop means
Could someone enlighten me

Thanks for the post.

I have been looking south of the border, but the $.75 dollar is scaring me.

Will keep looking.

Still haven't heard back from any of the ads that I have responded too.
Frustrating!

[HazMatt]

Definition, "Oop"
A large biped found in a Neanderthal alley.

[Wornout Wrench]

Originally Posted by HazMatt

Definition, "Oop"
A large biped found in a Neanderthal alley.

So, can I now say that I have been Skooled???

[Bon Voyage]

Sorry, oop= out of province (inspection). Mine was $3500 USD right from the school board and it had just passed the Washington state inspection to be a school bus the month before I bought it so I thought hmmm what could possibly be wrong... Unfortunately I had to spend around $6000 CDN to pass the inspection and register it here. Required rear brakes and drums, new ABS module (the school board has put a piece of tape over the ABS light so I had no idea it wasn’t functioning). Front brakes and some other things were borderline but I didn’t have to do. I replaced the charge air cooler too but that wasn’t required.
Well come to think of it maybe you should but local lol.... though I would’ve spent about $8000-$10,000 on auction.

[Wornout Wrench]

Originally Posted by Bon Voyage

Sorry, oop= out of province (inspection). Mine was $3500 USD right from the school board and it had just passed the Washington state inspection to be a school bus the month before I bought it so I thought hmmm what could possibly be wrong... Unfortunately I had to spend around $6000 CDN to pass the inspection and register it here. Required rear brakes and drums, new ABS module (the school board has put a piece of tape over the ABS light so I had no idea it wasn’t functioning). Front brakes and some other things were borderline but I didn’t have to do. I replaced the charge air cooler too but that wasn’t required.
Well come to think of it maybe you should but local lol.... though I would’ve spent about $8000-$10,000 on auction.

Duh, and me being a mechanic. I should have figured this out on my own.

I have checked into importing a vehicle/RV into canada in the past. Not a big deal.
The safety inspection is whole different ball game.
While I do not have my Motor Vehicle Inspection certification, I used to do the pre-inspection inspection so that the trucks would pass.

Working on class 8 trucks, I would shut the truck down before I would let it out the door if there was any kind of a safety issue.

Thanks for the reply.