The wrong way to do a roof raise...

[rossvtaylor]

I just saw this abandoned conversion project for sale on FB and had to share it. Check out the windshield and imagine how a driver might see out after that's all done. Hopefully someone will learn from this great example of what the front of a raise should not look like...

 

[BeNimble]

The 'wrong way' to build a motorhome is starting with a school bus in the first place...so you can't fault them at all in my opinion. Having to replace the windshield with something bigger might actually be cool, and you can raise the drivers seat, is how a lot of class A motorhomes made, keep away from the front engine noise.

 

[musigenesis]

Parking on pavement might have also been a good plan. That's a limbo job right there.

 

[Mr4btTahoe]

The 'wrong way' to build a motorhome is starting with a school bus in the first place...so you can't fault them at all in my opinion. Having to replace the windshield with something bigger might actually be cool, and you can raise the drivers seat, is how a lot of class A motorhomes made, keep away from the front engine noise.

.....so why are you on a forum dedicated to doing just that?

 

[Mr4btTahoe]

Looks like the windshield is flat glass... wouldn't be bad to stretch the windshield frame and get larger glass cut at any decent glass shop.



I'd say that's why it was abandoned though... they got midway into it and someone asked the question. Lol

 

[cadillackid]

you can get larger glass.. bluebird uses their own custom window seals.. I suppose you could raise the driver seat, pedals, steering wheel a bit and then make a fishbowl style windshield.. I suppose they didnt want a transition but raising above the windhsield mightve suited better.. that said they could buy replacement panels for that bus and rebuild the front putting the windshield lower and then making the spacer up-top..



then again thankfully im 5'9 I will never do a roof raise as at 52 years old im only going to get shorter not taller

 

[BeNimble]

They probably just realized this is a 3 year project that will cost them $30k,
and just bought a van or motorhome and now are traveling in it,
while we are still working on the 3 year plan here..

 

[Mr4btTahoe]

They probably just realized this is a 3 year project that will cost them $30k,
and just bought a van or motorhome and now are traveling in it,
while we are still working on the 3 year plan here..

I mean... if one WANTS to invest 30k in a build... they certainly can but you can have everything you need in a nice rig for far less. I couldn't buy an RV and do what I'm doing for anywhere near what I've got in the build. To each their own though I guess.

 

[Bus'n it]

I’m 51 and although my height hasn’t changed, my midsection did! Went from being extremely overweight to average and feel great. I am also at the financial point in my life where I can afford to do stupid $hit like pour thousands into a bus conversion. Yes, I have to agree that some people get into this on a dream with no income and of those that are successful in building their buses find out soon enough what an expensive experience they have when something let’s go on their trip. I see many go fund me topics on FB from such conversions. Maybe this one figured it out before going all in.

 

[BeNimble]

I mean... if one WANTS to invest 30k in a build... they certainly can but you can have everything you need in a nice rig for far less. I couldn't buy an RV and do what I'm doing for anywhere near what I've got in the build. To each their own though I guess.

Indeed, you can buy a fully functional motorhome for $8k with low miles.

And doing what you are doing can be done with a trailer and it would be done already, towing it with a motorhome. I noticed at the racetrack the people with school buses cut off the back to haul their cars is....zero.

But the world would be boring if everyone just did what was easy.
A big windshield Skoolie would be different.

Glad that only MOST people do what is easy. The thing with skoolies though, is many think they will be cheap and easy, and not true at all.

 

[DeMac]

A raised seat & some lower glass would give it an old Kenworth look.

 

[Bus'n it]

It’s also the natural human tendency to do something different, to set one apart, to make it unique. Throw in economic uncertainties and Covid and bam, the Skoolie revolution really takes off. Not everyone sees a direct path to planning both the time and cost to do one of these. They only focus on the dream of what it can look like after watching those that have done their conversions on YouTube and FB. Some projects sit untouched for years while the owners realize they need help. Hard to even find paid help these days

 

[Mr4btTahoe]

Indeed, you can buy a fully functional motorhome for $8k with low miles.

And doing what you are doing can be done with a trailer and it would be done already, towing it with a motorhome. I noticed at the racetrack the people with school buses cut off the back to haul their cars is....zero.

But the world would be boring if everyone just did what was easy.
A big windshield Skoolie would be different.

Glad that only MOST people do what is easy. The thing with skoolies though, is many think they will be cheap and easy, and not true at all.

Aint nothing easy about it... that's a fact.


However, in my neck of the woods, you wont be finding a medium duty based RV that runs and drives this size for under 20k... then the cost of a decent trailer... plates on both.. maintenance on both...


I wish decent class A RVs were cheap around here. Did see one that had been rolled for 8k a few days ago... would have been sweet for parts but there wasn't a straight panel on it.. frame twisted.. it was rough.


Then the whole idea of cruising around with my family in a box of sticks held together with glue and staples doesn't leave a smile on my face like this home brew concoction does.

 

[cadillackid]

LOL my busses cost me a chunk of $$ and they arent even converted!!! im one who when i get tired of staying at hotels during my travels (to be fair i work in the hotel industry so stayingin hotels is as much of observation-time for my business products as it is a place to crash).. I will Buy a motorhome rather than build a skoolie.. sure my DEV bus i can toss an air mattress on the floor and plop a borrowed thetford cassette-toilet in the back surrounded by a shower curtain for those occasional overnights when hotels arent available or im wanting to mobile-office outside of a city.. but in reality I **LOVE** working on vehicles, busses, cars, trucks.. but im *NOT* into building a house.. a bus conversion is much less about the vehicle aspect and much more about house building.. ill either buy a nearly new but used motorhome when people start to get disechanted with RV upkeep or ill just go get a brand new one ..a van cutaway and spend time on the road vs building.. and leave the busses to the fun hobby that they are for me

 

[BeNimble]

Then the whole idea of cruising around with my family in a box of sticks held together with glue and staples doesn't leave a smile on my face like this home brew concoction does.

Most motorhomes built since 1980 have aluminum frames and fiberglass.

If you care about safety, then get a F250 with airbags and seat belts.

So people will fly across the country to get an old school bus, but will they do that to get a cheaper motorhome? Naw, that is too hard.

 

[Mr4btTahoe]

Most motorhomes built since 1980 have aluminum frames and fiberglass.

If you care about safety, then get a F250 with airbags and seat belts.

So people will fly across the country to get an old school bus, but will they do that to get a cheaper motorhome? Naw, that is too hard.

Well I didnt fly... I drove my F350 8 hours... but I would have considered it if I could have purchased a medium duty platform RV with a mechanical engine that is alternative fuel friendly.. that ran and drove in sound mechanical shape and decent condition body wise for under 5k (leaving me 3k to find a trailer). Heck... I would have gone a little higher just to save me the work.


Problem is... within 8 hours of my location, that doesn't exist... nor did it exist when I decided to go the bus route. I was actually just going to get a large truck style camper and pull a trailer... but couldn't find one that I liked for a reasonable price that wasn't completely rotted out from water leaks.


So I ended up with a short bus first... built very similar to how you describe current RVs (but a steel frame). Was a complete rot box but it was free and mechanically sound. Built it.. had fun.. but didn't want to pull a trailer all over or drive a second vehicle... so now I'm building what I want.


Found the all mechanical platform that I wanted for 1500 and drove it home without so much as a hiccup. 8k is getting me new rubber, new transmission, full build out... and if I set back an extra 1k, I can rebuild the engine too (which wont be needed for another 100k or so).



Then again.. I'm not paying myself labor... I like to build things also. Like I said before.. to each their own.. but it seems kinda odd to me that anyone who doesn't like the idea of a "skoolie"... would be on a skoolie forum.

 

[TJones-SKO]

Like I said before.. to each their own.. but it seems kinda odd to me that anyone who doesn't like the idea of a "skoolie"... would be on a skoolie forum.

BeNimble seems to be the local Devil's (or RV's) advocate here on the skoolie.net. His purpose is to encourage would be skoolie owners to contemplate whether or not they really should build a skoolie by discouraging them from building a skoolie.

He may also be an agent of RVIA.



Ted

 

[BeNimble]

The point here is making fun of someone building a Skoolie 'wrong' is the pot calling the kettle black. Having to do a roof raise at all is..."wrong".

FYI many here have Shuttle buses not school buses, and our favorite contributor does not have a Skoolie at all.

Check out the youtube channel Aging Wheels, you might enjoy it.

Here let me embed it..

 

[joeblack5]

.....so why are you on a forum dedicated to doing just that?

Everywhere in the world people are asking other people :" what are you doing in my country"....maybe you should not be here...all funny till more people are joining in.

it never has ended very well.

Besides that the two comments about a taller window and raising the seat were productive and positive.


Johan

j

 

[WIbluebird]

Insurance companies are making it a lot harder to get coverage on roof raised ones.

I can't imagine why, I've seen some VERY sketchy roof raises out there. Saw one on facebook where they used WOOD 2x4s to extend the ribs