CHEESE_WAGON
Traveling
I haven't been able to find any threads discussing what anyone spent on their conversion (some of us perhaps too embarrassed to say, or hiding the true cost from the wife LOL)...
As I get a little closer to possibly being in a position to make a move, I would be interested in knowing some true numbers as to what others have spent. Long story short, I was in a car accident awhile ago and I may be settling my claim soon. My living arrangements will also be changing in the near future.
I own or have access to a pair of early 80s RVs on GM chassis, one a diesel, the other gas, but neither is worth fixing other than to possibly drop another body on the chassis, which is to say the running gear is low-mileage and in great shape, but they both have severe water damage in the roof and walls. The upshot here is plenty of parts for a conversion.
Of course this all depends on the big question, what do I want? What do I need? What is my budget? In answer, first and foremost, I am a single guy, so I might not need as much space or sleeping accommodations as most. However, I am in my mid 40s with moderate to severe COPD with ridiculous allergies, so I will not be able to do as much (if any) of the work myself as others have. It also makes it necessary to keep as much of the outside air as possible out. And since that little detail pretty much is an early retirement for me from a medical standpoint, what I need ideally is something as close to an apartment on wheels as possible.
My respiratory problems require strong air conditioning in the summer, and also make much of the country miserable for me most of the year. I'm best off in the Midwest / Pacific Northwest, some parts of the SouthWest, which could be a consideration in what my best plan would be. I'm a movie, music and InterNet buff, so some electronics will be necessary. I also am a singer/songwriter, so a basic recording studio setup might be nice. So I will need a strong battery / solar setup, as well as a good generator.
So, pretty much the works. Having all the comforts of home, hopefully to include a washer/dryer.
I have considered the idea of buying a finished / almost finished conversion, which makes this kind of a dual-plane thread. I have also considered alternatives, such as anything from a converted U-Haul truck to a 53-foot reefer trailer (I hold a Class A CDL and drove OTR for a few years, so moving it would not be a problem for me). I happened to be looking at skoolie and larger bus conversions (think MCI, etc), on the InterNet last night. Some were nice for the money, some were not-so-nice, some were owned by people who seemed to think their 90s skoolie was a twenty-year-old MCI in excellent condition with the works.
A few things I noticed. Many of the larger coach conversions I found have 2-stroke Detroit power, an engine I am a huge fan of, but have little to no mechanical knowledge of, and I know it is getting harder to find diesel mechanics that know these engines. So, as much as I would love to jump on one of these, I have to think about availability and cost of repair when it becomes necessary. On the other hand, a 2-stroke Detroit generally will not die unless you are extremely stupid, and even then they can take a **** of a lot more abuse than more modern diesels. So maybe from that perspective, that's what I should be looking at. However, I know they smoke more than most other diesels, which is a consideration with my respiratory issues. Any kind of smoke, (especially cigarette smoke -- I can't be within 200 feet of it), is like Chernobyl to me, which is a point towards gas and propane power.
I found a couple sites that do conversions, and had previously looked at Blue Ridge Conversions, but they don't appear to use insulation or do much in the way of floor prep / repair, which is sort of a deal-breaker for me. One thing I've learned in my experience throughout life, do it right, or do it twice, three times or more. I also know that you get what you pay for. Though I'm not looking for something shiny and beautiful that I could take to a country club, I do want to avoid the typical NIMBY harrassment from others who don't like my 'eyesore' in their neighborhood. I also want something reliable that I don't have to keep fixing. With moderate to severe COPD in my 40s, I need to think of this as my retirement. Though I could buy RVs all day long for half the price, a skoolie's major appeal for me is their metal roofs, that aren't as prone to leakage as standard RVs. However, I have considered the idea of an RV with a metal carport to park it under to keep the weather from getting into the roof if a leak developed. A $5k-$18k RV with a $3k carport may well do the trick, and definitely is easier on the wallet, methinks. But then I have to take the metal structure with me or buy a new one if I move.
Another site I found (skoolie homes) offers buses in various stages, ranging from auction fresh to gutted and ready for DIY'ers up to one or two finished conversions. They also offer roof raise and conversion services. One thing I liked about what I read there was that their basic package included insulation, though it wasn't clear what type of insulation was used. Pricing ranged from a gutted shell for $9500, to a prepped shell ready to be fitted out for $12,500, on up to a full conversion for $35,000. No set price on roof raise, I guess that would depend on the length of bus and the coachwork, I'm sure some are more difficult to do than others.
Here is the site... Think the work is worth the price?
https://skoolie.homes/our-services/diy-skoolies/
The proprietors of Skoolie Homes mention that they have lived the skoolie life, not just done the conversions, and I wonder if they are members of this site, and if they could give some more info. I have enough questions that I don't want to tie them up on the phone all day. I'm sure they would have insight to issues I might not consider. As to budget, well, the claim I hope to settle in the foreseeable future is from neck, spine and shoulder problems arising from a broadside collision. It's anybody's guess as to what my budget will be after paying medical bills (total stands at around $92k), and legal fees.
Whatever I do, I'm seriously thinking of buying my own property to park it on, complete with water, septic and electric. Some might say, "Then why not just convert a shed or build a cabin?" Simple. I want to be able to move easily if I want, and being able to boondock is quite necessary when power is not available. Also, I am not interested in any local governments being able to twist my arm for a couple grand every year because they decide my little bare-bones cabin or singlewide trailer is worth more than I could sell it for.
If anyone cares to disclose their expenditures, what they were converting, maybe some pics to show the final result, I would greatly appreciate it. Am also open to any thoughts on potential problems with the alternatives discussed that I might not have thought of. Would also be nice if the owners of Skoolie Homes are members here and wouldn't mind chiming in.
As I get a little closer to possibly being in a position to make a move, I would be interested in knowing some true numbers as to what others have spent. Long story short, I was in a car accident awhile ago and I may be settling my claim soon. My living arrangements will also be changing in the near future.
I own or have access to a pair of early 80s RVs on GM chassis, one a diesel, the other gas, but neither is worth fixing other than to possibly drop another body on the chassis, which is to say the running gear is low-mileage and in great shape, but they both have severe water damage in the roof and walls. The upshot here is plenty of parts for a conversion.
Of course this all depends on the big question, what do I want? What do I need? What is my budget? In answer, first and foremost, I am a single guy, so I might not need as much space or sleeping accommodations as most. However, I am in my mid 40s with moderate to severe COPD with ridiculous allergies, so I will not be able to do as much (if any) of the work myself as others have. It also makes it necessary to keep as much of the outside air as possible out. And since that little detail pretty much is an early retirement for me from a medical standpoint, what I need ideally is something as close to an apartment on wheels as possible.
My respiratory problems require strong air conditioning in the summer, and also make much of the country miserable for me most of the year. I'm best off in the Midwest / Pacific Northwest, some parts of the SouthWest, which could be a consideration in what my best plan would be. I'm a movie, music and InterNet buff, so some electronics will be necessary. I also am a singer/songwriter, so a basic recording studio setup might be nice. So I will need a strong battery / solar setup, as well as a good generator.
So, pretty much the works. Having all the comforts of home, hopefully to include a washer/dryer.
I have considered the idea of buying a finished / almost finished conversion, which makes this kind of a dual-plane thread. I have also considered alternatives, such as anything from a converted U-Haul truck to a 53-foot reefer trailer (I hold a Class A CDL and drove OTR for a few years, so moving it would not be a problem for me). I happened to be looking at skoolie and larger bus conversions (think MCI, etc), on the InterNet last night. Some were nice for the money, some were not-so-nice, some were owned by people who seemed to think their 90s skoolie was a twenty-year-old MCI in excellent condition with the works.
A few things I noticed. Many of the larger coach conversions I found have 2-stroke Detroit power, an engine I am a huge fan of, but have little to no mechanical knowledge of, and I know it is getting harder to find diesel mechanics that know these engines. So, as much as I would love to jump on one of these, I have to think about availability and cost of repair when it becomes necessary. On the other hand, a 2-stroke Detroit generally will not die unless you are extremely stupid, and even then they can take a **** of a lot more abuse than more modern diesels. So maybe from that perspective, that's what I should be looking at. However, I know they smoke more than most other diesels, which is a consideration with my respiratory issues. Any kind of smoke, (especially cigarette smoke -- I can't be within 200 feet of it), is like Chernobyl to me, which is a point towards gas and propane power.
I found a couple sites that do conversions, and had previously looked at Blue Ridge Conversions, but they don't appear to use insulation or do much in the way of floor prep / repair, which is sort of a deal-breaker for me. One thing I've learned in my experience throughout life, do it right, or do it twice, three times or more. I also know that you get what you pay for. Though I'm not looking for something shiny and beautiful that I could take to a country club, I do want to avoid the typical NIMBY harrassment from others who don't like my 'eyesore' in their neighborhood. I also want something reliable that I don't have to keep fixing. With moderate to severe COPD in my 40s, I need to think of this as my retirement. Though I could buy RVs all day long for half the price, a skoolie's major appeal for me is their metal roofs, that aren't as prone to leakage as standard RVs. However, I have considered the idea of an RV with a metal carport to park it under to keep the weather from getting into the roof if a leak developed. A $5k-$18k RV with a $3k carport may well do the trick, and definitely is easier on the wallet, methinks. But then I have to take the metal structure with me or buy a new one if I move.
Another site I found (skoolie homes) offers buses in various stages, ranging from auction fresh to gutted and ready for DIY'ers up to one or two finished conversions. They also offer roof raise and conversion services. One thing I liked about what I read there was that their basic package included insulation, though it wasn't clear what type of insulation was used. Pricing ranged from a gutted shell for $9500, to a prepped shell ready to be fitted out for $12,500, on up to a full conversion for $35,000. No set price on roof raise, I guess that would depend on the length of bus and the coachwork, I'm sure some are more difficult to do than others.
Here is the site... Think the work is worth the price?
https://skoolie.homes/our-services/diy-skoolies/
The proprietors of Skoolie Homes mention that they have lived the skoolie life, not just done the conversions, and I wonder if they are members of this site, and if they could give some more info. I have enough questions that I don't want to tie them up on the phone all day. I'm sure they would have insight to issues I might not consider. As to budget, well, the claim I hope to settle in the foreseeable future is from neck, spine and shoulder problems arising from a broadside collision. It's anybody's guess as to what my budget will be after paying medical bills (total stands at around $92k), and legal fees.
Whatever I do, I'm seriously thinking of buying my own property to park it on, complete with water, septic and electric. Some might say, "Then why not just convert a shed or build a cabin?" Simple. I want to be able to move easily if I want, and being able to boondock is quite necessary when power is not available. Also, I am not interested in any local governments being able to twist my arm for a couple grand every year because they decide my little bare-bones cabin or singlewide trailer is worth more than I could sell it for.
If anyone cares to disclose their expenditures, what they were converting, maybe some pics to show the final result, I would greatly appreciate it. Am also open to any thoughts on potential problems with the alternatives discussed that I might not have thought of. Would also be nice if the owners of Skoolie Homes are members here and wouldn't mind chiming in.
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