MountainWanderlust
New Member
Hi all.
I'm currently in my last year as a Power Systems Engineering undergrad student. While I ultimately love the beauty of the mountains here in my home state, I yearn to travel; to see new places, do new things, and make memories I'll always treasure. What easier way to make this happen than to put my schooling know-how, my other hobbies, and a do-it-to-it attitude and build out a skoolie conversion! I'm still six months from graduation and probably a year from finding a bus thats right for me, but I wanted to get planning early and have all the cards on the table before embarking on this never ending journey.
The skoolie will have to meet a few basic purposes. First and foremost, if has to cart me and my 70lb Collie/Lab mix (energetic couch potato) pooch around North America. I love to take my motorcycle for sight seeing adventures, particularly up and down windy mountain roads. So, that being said, the skoolie ultimately has to get my bike around somehow as well. Where I'm really stuck, as of right now, is figuring out the best type of bus to go with to accomplish this.
I've liked the idea of a RE pusher for their overall quietness and usable space ratio. However, using an RE pusher would mean towing an additional trailer or finding a hitch-mount motorcycle rack/lift that would get the job done. I could get a combo trailer that could handle the bike and the SUV if needed. Con to this is putting the bike outside in the weather, catching the road gunk flying off the bus wheels, unless I used an enclosed trailer ($$$ yikes!)
I could go with a FE bus and get an old moving-truck ramp to go straight in the rear of the bus; or an FE bus w/ handicap lift and fab up a modified platform to get the bike in and out that way. Pros of this setup are no need to tow the bike and the ability to tow the SUV along if/when needed. I could set up a nice "garage" in the back with all the tools needed for the bike and any tools for on-the-road repairs of the bus. A con to this is clearly the loss of otherwise usable space. However, if I could get everything else into the bus, I'd be content.
Other things needed in the build: Bed (queen size minimum), Toilet/Shower, Refrigerator, Stove/Oven combo, Microwave, Washer/Dryer combo, possibility of dishwasher if room available. Couch for lounging. Possibility of moving entry door to mid-bus giving ability for passenger air-ride seat up front.
It seems to be the FE is the route to take. If I were to go that route, preferably finding a flat front, FE with basement space already available or with the ground clearance to make basement space for battery bank/electrical system, water tanks, propane, generator, etc.
I've considered a roof raise but the real goal is to find a bus that already has some extended headroom.
In terms of my own abilities, I'm 100% a "If i don't know how to do it, I'll lean" type of person. I have countless hours working with power tools between helping my father with all the house renovations over the years and the numerous pieces of furniture I've build on my own. I don't currently have any welding experience to speak of but that will be tackled shortly after graduation when I have the space to get a welder and get to practicing. My area of emphasis in my education has been Power Systems so running the electrical/solar shouldn't be much of a challenge in terms of skill; just a challenge in terms of how light my wallet will get.
Anywho.. Just wanted to give a little intro on me and my hopeful project. Currently spending countless hours watching videos and reading other threads from other conversion projects.
I'm open to any and all suggestions, questions, comments, concerns, anything you want to throw my way. Hopefully some of you who've completed or are completing builds can throw this young guy some tips and tricks to smooth the build out process over.
I'm currently in my last year as a Power Systems Engineering undergrad student. While I ultimately love the beauty of the mountains here in my home state, I yearn to travel; to see new places, do new things, and make memories I'll always treasure. What easier way to make this happen than to put my schooling know-how, my other hobbies, and a do-it-to-it attitude and build out a skoolie conversion! I'm still six months from graduation and probably a year from finding a bus thats right for me, but I wanted to get planning early and have all the cards on the table before embarking on this never ending journey.
The skoolie will have to meet a few basic purposes. First and foremost, if has to cart me and my 70lb Collie/Lab mix (energetic couch potato) pooch around North America. I love to take my motorcycle for sight seeing adventures, particularly up and down windy mountain roads. So, that being said, the skoolie ultimately has to get my bike around somehow as well. Where I'm really stuck, as of right now, is figuring out the best type of bus to go with to accomplish this.
I've liked the idea of a RE pusher for their overall quietness and usable space ratio. However, using an RE pusher would mean towing an additional trailer or finding a hitch-mount motorcycle rack/lift that would get the job done. I could get a combo trailer that could handle the bike and the SUV if needed. Con to this is putting the bike outside in the weather, catching the road gunk flying off the bus wheels, unless I used an enclosed trailer ($$$ yikes!)
I could go with a FE bus and get an old moving-truck ramp to go straight in the rear of the bus; or an FE bus w/ handicap lift and fab up a modified platform to get the bike in and out that way. Pros of this setup are no need to tow the bike and the ability to tow the SUV along if/when needed. I could set up a nice "garage" in the back with all the tools needed for the bike and any tools for on-the-road repairs of the bus. A con to this is clearly the loss of otherwise usable space. However, if I could get everything else into the bus, I'd be content.
Other things needed in the build: Bed (queen size minimum), Toilet/Shower, Refrigerator, Stove/Oven combo, Microwave, Washer/Dryer combo, possibility of dishwasher if room available. Couch for lounging. Possibility of moving entry door to mid-bus giving ability for passenger air-ride seat up front.
It seems to be the FE is the route to take. If I were to go that route, preferably finding a flat front, FE with basement space already available or with the ground clearance to make basement space for battery bank/electrical system, water tanks, propane, generator, etc.
I've considered a roof raise but the real goal is to find a bus that already has some extended headroom.
In terms of my own abilities, I'm 100% a "If i don't know how to do it, I'll lean" type of person. I have countless hours working with power tools between helping my father with all the house renovations over the years and the numerous pieces of furniture I've build on my own. I don't currently have any welding experience to speak of but that will be tackled shortly after graduation when I have the space to get a welder and get to practicing. My area of emphasis in my education has been Power Systems so running the electrical/solar shouldn't be much of a challenge in terms of skill; just a challenge in terms of how light my wallet will get.
Anywho.. Just wanted to give a little intro on me and my hopeful project. Currently spending countless hours watching videos and reading other threads from other conversion projects.
I'm open to any and all suggestions, questions, comments, concerns, anything you want to throw my way. Hopefully some of you who've completed or are completing builds can throw this young guy some tips and tricks to smooth the build out process over.
Last edited: