So about my bus...

[LoveBusTreatery]

So my bus... is a van.

You guys. I wanted a bus so bad. I actually bought the bus I wanted so bad. Then I realized I couldn't get it insured because it's a "commercial vehicle" and I have a "DUI". So instead of waiting until 2022, I broke down.... and bought a van.

Now, I feel like I've let you and me both down because this is the skoolie community, and I've always loved getting and looked forward to getting more support and advice from you during the course of my build.

My question is, can I still post questions about my "van" here? I call it a bus (the Ladybus), and to be fair, it is THE SAME make and model vehicle as the bus that I bought (e350), just has a different body style (hi top van vs minibus) and a different engine.

If not, does anyone know of a relatively kind of okay forum for van conversions? There just doesn't seem to be a community that rivals the skoolie.net group.

 

[musigenesis]

There is https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/ of course, but they're kind of like /r/skoolies/ in that it's more about pretty pictures than getting answers and help with technical questions. Your van questions wouldn't bother me but I'm not in charge of anything.

 

[LoveBusTreatery]

Thanks! Yeaah, the r/ forums are not really what I'm looking for. I'm more RTR than burning man, if you know what I mean.

 

[cadillackid]

a van is a small bus in my book, I say bring it on, I know there have been members here that were or are van dwellers .. many of the busses here are cutraways which are van-based.. i say go for it and build away!

 

[PNW_Steve]

Http://www.vandweller..com

 

[banman]

Reminds me of my ol' (1972!) Chevy G20 Van. It was an ol' NiMo power company Van for you upstate NYer's!

I did some living in it over the summers...

If you're building it out like a skoolie, the questions/answers are the same, just a smaller short bus...

Heck, you could probably still do a roof raise if you wanted!

So with a dui, I get no commercial drivers licence -- but you can't even get "commercial vehicle for personal use" insurance?

 

[SolomonEagle]

How about re titling it as a motorhome?

 

[TheHubbardBus]

What's the difference? It's a metal shell you're turning into a living space regardless. And if in the future you decide to go the bus route, everything you have learned will transition nicely into your future endeavors.

 

[LoveBusTreatery]

I cannot. I got a second opinion, and a third.

 

[LoveBusTreatery]

Can't retitle as motorhome, as I'm not able to insure RV either. Turns out, the rule is that I can't drive anything other than a personal vehicle for personal use.

 

[LoveBusTreatery]

this link doesn't work.

Http://www.vandweller..com

 

[PNW_Steve]

I have run across a few people that have managed to title and register their cutaways as vans. Perhaps that would let you get into something with a little more space.

 

[LoveBusTreatery]

I appreciate your optimism. I looked through options relentlessly for about 12 nights and days before I came to the conclusion there weren't any. And anyways, the point is moot because as stated above, I relinquished the bus and have already purchased a van, pictures included. I've made peace with the space I have and I'm incredibly happy with my vehicle, even though it's a superminibus.

I have run across a few people that have managed to title and register their cutaways as vans. Perhaps that would let you get into something with a little more space.

 

[PNW_Steve]

I appreciate your optimism. I looked through options relentlessly for about 12 nights and days before I came to the conclusion there weren't any. And anyways, the point is moot because as stated above, I relinquished the bus and have already purchased a van, pictures included. I've made peace with the space I have and I'm incredibly happy with my vehicle, even though it's a superminibus.

I met a couple in Mexico a few years ago that had started traveling in their converted van in Toronto two years previous and had been all over Canada and the US. They were heading for Central America.

They told me that the "key" to being comfortable in a rig that size was to make a comfortable, covered space outside when they stop. They had it down to a science.