New to the skoolie life and would love some advice!

[yeahthiggz]

Hello all!

My wife and I are just getting into the skoolie world and I’ve been doing a ton of research/planning and I think we’re just about ready to finally buy, once we find what we’re looking for. Figure it wouldn’t hurt to get some extra opinions…

Hoping to find a bus around 30’-32’ long (would love to go full length but wouldn’t have enough space for the build), looking for a dog nose shape to help mpg, and we’d like to find one with a wheelchair door in the back passenger side (not a necessity but definitely preferred).
Looking for a DT466 engine, or a Cummins 5.9 or 8.3... Also want it to have an Allison MD3060 or 2000 series transmission.
I’m also 6’3, so planning to raise the roof by probably 12”

We will be towing a car behind it, and lots of highway driving and in mountains and such. Planning to hopefully tour all the national parks and live in it full time with our two pups for at least a couple years or so.

So my main question to the experts out there is do you have any advice on what I’m thinking so far? Would love to hear if I’m missing anything before I really start searching hard.

Is this a configuration that might be easy to find or am I looking for a unicorn?

If I’m on the right track, are there any specific years or bus companies I should be looking for or avoiding?

Thanks in advance and hope I’m not annoying anyone as a newbie! We’re very excited to join such a helpful and inviting community

 

[nikitis]

Hello all!

My wife and I are just getting into the skoolie world and I’ve been doing a ton of research/planning and I think we’re just about ready to finally buy, once we find what we’re looking for. Figure it wouldn’t hurt to get some extra opinions…

Hoping to find a bus around 30’-32’ long (would love to go full length but wouldn’t have enough space for the build), looking for a dog nose shape to help mpg, and we’d like to find one with a wheelchair door in the back passenger side (not a necessity but definitely preferred).
Looking for a DT466 engine, or a Cummins 5.9 or 8.3... Also want it to have an Allison MD3060 or 2000 series transmission.
I’m also 6’3, so planning to raise the roof by probably 12”

We will be towing a car behind it, and lots of highway driving and in mountains and such. Planning to hopefully tour all the national parks and live in it full time with our two pups for at least a couple years or so.

So my main question to the experts out there is do you have any advice on what I’m thinking so far? Would love to hear if I’m missing anything before I really start searching hard.

Is this a configuration that might be easy to find or am I looking for a unicorn?

If I’m on the right track, are there any specific years or bus companies I should be looking for or avoiding?

Thanks in advance and hope I’m not annoying anyone as a newbie! We’re very excited to join such a helpful and inviting community

What you want is a good combination. Finding it will be a little more difficult but not impossible.

A 30' ft bus will be the larger of the shorties. Shorties are getting harder to find in any combination as time goes on.

On a full sized bus you can easily find those combinations. I wouldn't discourage you from looking but you'll likely need to road trip to pick one up.

As far as the height goes. You'll need at minimum 7' inches taller than you are if you plan to do a proper insulation job, (4 inches on floor, 2-3 on ceiling) If you are 6'3, and your average bus that size is going to be 6'0, 12 inches will do you just right, Your head will be right up there but shouldn't hit or have to crouch after a roof raise and should be fine at 12 inches.

I would expect to pay around 6-8k for one of those combinations unless someone selling has no idea what he has for 3-4k.