1992 Wheelchair bus

[wmah]

I took my bus out to a campground for the first time today.
Here are the current pictures of the inside as of 8:00 am this morning.

We went west of Minneapolis to visit a grave site of someone who has died last year and we couldn't attend the wake or funeral service so we decided to go out today one year later. And after that we went up to St. Cloud where we are parked at http://www.stcloudcampground.com/ and they also do welcome skoolies. We didn't bring any fire wood so we went over and visited with a couple that lives and works there during the summer and got some heat from their fire, and now we are inside the bus getting ready for a first night sleep. Just coming up here I have allready realized some of the things that I have forgotten about such as a cup holder by the stripper pole for when my friend sits in her chair by the lift and she just told me a coffee maker. Thats all for now, I'll update with outside pictures tomorrow.

 

[the_experience03]

It's probably best that you didn't bring any firewood anyway. I know an awful lot of places up here are banning transporting and importing it after that whole Menards scare.

You ever make it up to Duluth?

 

[wmah]

Two years ago on memorial weekend we went up to Duluth for a weekend and I didn't have the bus yet. And then last year memorial week sunday thru friday we went up there but didn't take the bus since I still didn't have much done on it yet. That week we stayed at the days inn by the mall. I think the next trip thru Duluth will be an extended weekend which we would go across wisconsin to Manitowoc and ride the ferry to Ludington Michigan and then upto the Mackinac Bridge and across upper Michigan to Duluth.

Since things overall went pretty good we will be taking the bus to Milwaukee Wisconsin in two weeks to see the Twins play against the Brewers on Saturday may 19.

I am now back at home folding blankets and putting them away and wouldn't it figure that we went up to St Cloud against the wind and then overnight the wind changed direction and we came back against the wind.

Here is the outside picture taken this morning.

 

[swinada]

really like what you did with the limited amount of space you had. Do you have your step by step conversion pictures somewhere?
what is your inside standing hight?

 

[wmah]

I havn't measured it with the carpet in there but I imagine it is around 6'1" to 6'3". I can walk under the air unit without ducking. I'll have to measure it tonight. I did not write up any walk through on what I did. I did most of it on a think about the way it should be then think about how it will fit. The back corner bed is actually a little be too small across but I had to do it that way for the bathroom to work out. It is a good thing the foam matress from the old trailer. I also didn't use the refrig from the trailer cause its size really won't fit anywhere and I liked the cooler meathod with ice and water which I think works better anyways when going down the road.

Anyone here want a 120volt/propane refrig? You'd have to pick it up.

 

[wmah]

My height inside is 70" and some change under the A/C. And about 73" dead center of the roof. My head does hit the rail along the roof but just barlely. I only put it there cause I tend to reach up grabbing for one when walking through around a wheelchair when working and I figured I'd do the same in here.

 

[Firearm]

Doesn't the noise of that ramp drive you crazy going down the road? Is there a reason you left it in? I agree that you used the space very well and it looks great. Let me know when you come to Duluth or the surrounding area and we can meet up. I have a friend who runs a campground right out of Superior and he drives a bus for a living so I don't think he'd have any probem with a schoolie setting up there. You did a nice job with your schoolie, it looks very sharp. When you're here we could work on some vinyl graphics for it to dress it up

 

[wmah]

Even thought the lift is a ricon it isn't too noisy at all for its age. It isn't even the lift that came with the bus. The lift that came with it was a older braun rail type lift which was a bit more noisy. I wanted the lift in there for my friend so she can run her power chair right on to the lift and then ride up it. I do also drive mini buses too as well as school buses on the weekends for extra money so I guess I am just used to the noises in these things. And overall I am getting more noise from the stepwell area when going down the road. We also can hear each other fine when going down the road and we coulod both hear the tv good too. So I guess I have padding and carpet down to cut down on the noise from the motor.
I have padding first then indoor/outdoor next and then some free throw away carpet from the carpet store dumpster for collecting the heavy dirt and then when it gets disgusting throw it away and get more.

When we run around with the truck I have to lift her up and then use a 8 foot tri fold ramp to get the chair in the back. It isn't too bad to do and I actually get it in there pretty fast too.

As for Duluth I might have to go there during the summer just for fun or to go to the Duluth zoo which we both happen to like compared to the zoos down here.

 

[Firearm]

I kind of figured there was a reason you would keep the lift and comprimise space since you used the rest of the area so efficiently. Just e-mail me before you coe up and I'll check out any deals I can find for the Zoo or other sites to see.

 

[wmah]

It took me a while to realize that I have something that most of those big factory rv's don't have today.
They have slide outs and I have a retractable deck on the bus. The only thing I need now is somekind of awning or make up someway to hang a tarp from the roof.

We left this past tuesday night going to the black hills and we made one stopover at a walmart parking lot where we did see a couple other rvs there doing the samething. We stayed at a few campgrounds already and none of them gave us any trouble. The one guy at koa hot springs sd said it isn't falling apart its ok. As for driving through the hills with the bus even though I have hydrolic brakes it isn't one bit scaring. The only thing that would make it nicer is a turbo on top of the engine. My 7.3 just doesn't quite have enough gut to get up some of the steeper and longer hills much faster that 25 to 45 mph. Coming out here I couldn't get past 59mph with the winds blowing right at me. When I went with the wind I could push right along at 70 to 75 and going to hot springs on a long straight away down hill I was push near 80. It sure was a nice thing I had the gears changed from 5.57 to 4.33 as I think it has helped with the mpg but when I do 70 it doesn't help much. I just need a better tv atenna now or a dish system since I can't get reception inside a bus with out putting rabbit ears outside the window.