Christmas brought a Shuttle bus project

[ReleaseTheKraken]

Happy to find this forum as we are the proud new owners of a 2000 Ford E450 shuttle bus....destined to become an adventure vehicle. So the planning begins and drafting the interior conversion starts.

Eager to learn so much from all of you

 

[bansil]

welcome, better gift than I got

 

[schoolmarm-SKO]

Better than the gift I got, my gift was a ukulele . But that is OK, I already had the school bus .

 

[headinthetrees]

gas or diesel? pics? grats on your find, I'm looking for something similar.

 

[ReleaseTheKraken]

It's diesel, 7.3L.

We are a family of 6, and this year the 13yo asked for a bus conversion. This is the kid who repeatedly only ever asks for books and more books. We were thrilled to hear she came up with an idea, and so found a way to gift it to the whole family. Better yet, the kids don't know yet!!! We are a blended family, and the entire group isn't home until Monday, so hopefully that's when the BIG REVEAL happens. I'm not sure who will be more excited...us or the kids!!!

Someone point me in the right direction for posting pics...I upload to a host site and link here?

 

[ReleaseTheKraken]

Knowing how to even play a ukelele is a gift!!!

 

[ReleaseTheKraken]

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[gbstewart]

welcome, nice looking bus, let us know your plans and we need pictures.
gbstewart

 

[ReleaseTheKraken]

@GBS You are also in Ontario, correct? We need to share some notes...I want to be able to modify this with minimum requirements at this point to get it up and going, as a "motorhome" in Ontario. I understand this allows me to work with a G license. Do you have any insight on this? How many seats can a motorhome contain in Ontario without being a bus? I am able to pull up a checklist requiring 4 of the 6 things, but I get stuck on what the minimum will be:
There are 6 criteria out of which at least 4 must be met for it to qualify:
1). Cooking facilities
2). Refrigerator/ice box
3). Self contained toilet
4). Heating/air conditioning system
5). Portable water facilities
6). Independant electrical supply.

Could someone comment on what could get me "by" at this point? We would love to have an adventure in place for March...

I need to harvest all your communal knowledge, dear Skoolies!

 

[ReleaseTheKraken]

How many seats could I leave in?

Thoughts behind this...we want to travel with our 4 kids, and gear. If we were going skiing/snowboarding and they each brought a friend, we need 9 seats MINIMUM, but of course we would all prefer a double seat to stretch out in...but clearly 18 would surely make it a bus. How can we pair down the necessities for a legal motorhome, to qualify, and keep seats?

I'm good with (in this order)
- seating
- bunks/trundle/ etc to sleep 6
- bathroom without shower
- kitchen

The latter 2 really are for the benefit of the Ministry of Transportation and not my priority. We want a bigger vehicle to load up and take off on adventure...not a device to primarily live out of. Help me see my vision

 

[gbstewart]

yes I'm in Ontario, I'll try to answer you as best as I can, first you figure out which 4 things you want to make it a motor home, as for seats,that might be tricky to leave a bunch of seats in, one thing for sure is they will need seat belts because its a motor home, MTO should be able answer you, just don't ask the insurance company. I would think that you should be able to have as many seats as you want as long its a rv,maybe research new rvs and see if any have room to sit 10 people. Your G license is good for 11000kgs, if you haul more then 8 people you need a F license , but thats only for commercial work.
gbstewart

 

[ReleaseTheKraken]

Thanks Yes, you would think finding answers with the MTO would have been simple. It's been multiple visits and calls to many offices, and I am left with going back to the first number now after the office I visited couldn't get the answers either. I see this will be a bit of work to dig up.

Let's talk about those 4 things: There are 6 criteria out of which at least 4 must be met for it to qualify:
1). Cooking facilities
The clamp on bbq from the boat won't work...I assume. What are the requirements, that it needs to be bolted into the vehicle?
2). Refrigerator/ice box
I understand my cooler that plugs into the lighter won't be sufficient...?
3). Self contained toilet
This one I do think will work with the boat version moved to the bus, however it has to be in a vented space, correct?
4). Heating/air conditioning system
This is the one that boggles us all a bit...the bus comes with heat and AC. Is that sufficient?
5). Portable water facilities
Would it work to have a water cooler tank installed with a spigot into a sink?
6). Independant electrical supply.
We have a generator for the bus...what needs to be altered or configured to meet this requirement?

Clearly I need a set of regulations to follow in order to determine which of these will be best...?

 

[gbstewart]

For cooking you can use a propane camp stove, as long as you can set it up on a counter, u don't have to have A/C, but for the heat source it has to be separate system from the bus IE; a propane heater, for water a 2 jugs will work one for a fresh water holding tank, other for grey water tank, your generator will work for a alternate power source. you will have to wire it into the bus. In a nut shell, all this means is that the RV part of the bus is its own set up, make a kitchen,a bathroom with a portapoty(all in one toilet) Put in a electrical box with a few breakers and some outlets hook it to you generator, or a cord and plug in somewhere.Your 12v cooler will work as a fridge. You will see lots on the this site for ways to set up, just dont over think things, do some reading and it will come together for you. Use the MTO web site for the info you need, print it off and bring it with you when you go to get your registration.
gbstewart

 

[ReleaseTheKraken]

You just made this much easier Thank you!!!!

 

[ReleaseTheKraken]

And we are done! Put a fork in her and start her up!! Convert a washed up shuttle bus into the ultimate Family Adventure Mobile