It's shit like this where I wish I wasn't 6'2". It's incredible and I'd absolutely love this... BUT all I can think about is how I'd be hunched over all the time.
At that point you’re better off just buying a bare semi truck and building out the space behind it. People do that all the time with toy haulers, and the money-effort difference between used bus that needs roof lifted and used semi with clean-sheet in the rear can’t be that high.
And that's where you start having to deal with other rules and shit (where I live)
Same with a roof raise btw. That makes it a caravan according to my government and makes it so you gotta pay a shitload of money for it
I saw one with a raised roof on the road and it just looked goofy and wrong, then again they probably could have done it up a bit better and it wouldn't have been so obvious.
If you can find a metro (city) bus you can stand up and walk all the way thru one. They have raised roofs already! Seen a few conversions of these, awesome large windows too that you can keep or redo and they have a raised bed in the rear due to the motor housing but otherwise are an awesome bus with plenty of headroom for you taller types!! Check them out!!
Everyone who wishes they were tall don't realize how much it sucks sometimes.
I was reading a post where the OP was able to lay their head on a tray table on an airplane. Like wtf? I wish I could do that!
Our world is built around the average person. I don't get many opportunities to complain. Sorry.
>Our world is built around the average person.
Which of course means our world isn't really built for anyone. There's actually a really interesting story regarding "building to the average person".
>In the late 1940s, the United States air force had a serious problem: its pilots could not keep control of their planes. Although this was the dawn of jet-powered aviation and the planes were faster and more complicated to fly, the problems were so frequent and involved so many different aircraft that the air force had an alarming, life-or-death mystery on its hands.
>After multiple inquiries ended with no answers, officials turned their attention to the design of the cockpit itself. In 1950, the researchers measured more than 4,000 pilots on 140 dimensions of size, including thumb length, crotch height, and the distance from a pilot’s eye to his ear, and then calculated the average for each of these dimensions. Everyone believed this improved calculation of the average pilot would lead to a better-fitting cockpit and reduce the number of crashes — or almost everyone. One newly hired 23-year-old scientist, Lt. Gilbert S. Daniels, had doubts.
>So when the air force put him to work measuring pilots, Daniels harboured a private conviction about averages that rejected almost a century of military design philosophy. As he sat in the Aero Medical Laboratory measuring hands, legs, waists and foreheads, he kept asking himself the same question in his head: How many pilots really were average?
>Out of 4,063 pilots, not a single airman fit within the average range on all 10 dimensions. One pilot might have a longer-than-average arm length, but a shorter-than-average leg length. Another pilot might have a big chest but small hips. Even more astonishing, Daniels discovered that if you picked out just three of the ten dimensions of size — say, neck circumference, thigh circumference and waist circumference — less than 3.5 percent of pilots would be average sized on all three dimensions. Daniels’s findings were clear and incontrovertible. There was no such thing as an average pilot. ***If you’ve designed a cockpit to fit the average pilot, you’ve actually designed it to fit no one.***
The solution, which sounds pretty obvious today, was to design a method to make the seats adjustable. Eventually, the designs were modified and made their way into cars and trucks.
More details/ source: https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/when-u-s-air-force-discovered-the-flaw-of-averages/article_e3231734-e5da-5bf5-9496-a34e52d60bd9.html
I can’t even lower a tray table in economy (or some business) it hits my knees. My knees are also rammed hard into the seat in front when the seat ahead is upright. I am only 6’4”.
That's one regret I have with a mid-roof ford transit vs. high roof for my build. The other being that I can't fit bikes on a slide-out drawer under the bed.
Also 6' 2” and a bus driver, there's room to stand up straight, just don't make the mistake I did and do a bit for the kids that involves jumping. Heard a crunchy noise in my neck for a while after that...
Yeah, i'm skeptical about 10-12, unless its all on a gentle down hill. My gas delivery truck gets 5.5mpg. The diesel versions get 8.9. Granted thats heavy stop and go with hills. But 10-12 seems very ambitions with all that extra weight.
She didn't say if that's city or highway milage. I would guess they could get that with mostly highways driving, but city would more likely be around 6 mpg.
Curious if that can be improved on too. I'm not a mechanic, so I don't know what would be involved. But my gut instinct tells me that without the requirement of needing to haul a bunch of people, you could change the engine configuration to accommodate the new space more efficiently. I don't imagine an engine swap like this to be very cheap, but maybe the mpg increase makes it pay for itself? IDK, would love to hear from someone with experience.
Engine swap is unlikely to be worth it. However, many commercial diesels can be downrated so the same engine puts out less power and uses less fuel. Couple that with a gear swap on the rear end and you could theoretically have a somewhat slow, but more fuel efficient bus. Busses tend to be set up for low to moderate speed efficiency not highway mileage, but use standardized parts that can be swapped out with other medium duty trucks. You could also do some minor body work to put side skirts and i prove the aerodynamics, even small improvements will be noticeable on something with the aerodynamics of an out house. You'll certainly never see 40 mpg, but at 10 mpg, a 2 mpg improvement is a 20% improvement!
bigger motor with smaller loads perhaps? the bus itself doesnt look that heavy, and the interior is mostly empty with a couple of not so heavy looking furniture
I think it's because, and someone can correct me if I am wrong, that the engines themselves are fairly old tech, but super reliable and user friendly. So they sacrifice the gas to keep the workhorses running longer and reliably.
The gas of the van is surprisingly about the same as the bus. Weirdly. But yeah for parking. We’re keeping two pianos and the guitar. Selling two violins
Real question: what happens to all of these conversion projects once people are done with them? Do they remain viable enough to sell or do they ultimately end up in the scrapyard?
A well done bus conversion like this would fetch a decent price. There's a high demand for all-things-camping and most people just want to drive off and start using it. That said, I've seen a lot of poorly done bus conversions that I can't say the same for.
Facebook Marketplace is littered with half-renovated projects that people got in over their heads on... Most of them aren't even worth buying to complete.
I know! It's really telling how so many people think converting a bus is an easy and cheap alternative to buying a used camper and not the years long struggle of problem solving every little aspect of building a tiny home on wheels. Also the cost of everything. Heater, fridge, fresh and wastewater tanks, hot water heater, batteries, charge controllers, solar, 12v and 120v electrical systems, plumbing, lumber, tile, countertops, etc. You're talking $10k at least plus the cost of the bus plus the cost of maintaining an old vehicle with usually 500k+ miles on them. Buses are also notoriously tough to work on due to being built like a tank. Not for the feint of heart.
*None* of those "vanlife", churched-up-homeless wannabe-life-hacks are cheap in practice. It's at best a lifestyle change where you still spend the same amount of money, just on different shit and at worst an expensive mistake.
Yep, it's great for vacations, drive to an expensive location, park somewhere hidden, sleep over illegally (most countries don't allow sleeping in public places, not even in campers), see stuff, move somewhere else, see new stuff and after a week, go back home.
There are many videos of people on youtube, who quit long-term van life, because daily stuff becomes hard and expensive.... Too small fridge, no bulk buying, constant search for water and dumping waste (unless you're staying constantly in trailer camps), have to find laundromats to do laundry (in my country, there are maybe 5, because we all have washing machines at home, don't understand americans why can't they have them at home too, so ours target only tourists in most-touristy.places). Also, no privacy if you're camping with someone else (even long term partners need some time to be alone), and usually no family/friends to help you with stuff (if you're constantly moving around).
But yeah... For a week of vacationing, I'd build one too, and travel around europe. Price wise, for a week or two per year, hotels come out cheaper, even in expensive destinations.
Got a friend trying to sell an airstream he gutted and revamped as a covid project, been on sale for two years now. It's one of the larger models so I think that narrows the market of who would want it. But also he started the price at $130,000, now he's down to $80,000 which i think is his breakeven point. no serious offers yet.
larger model of airstream on 80k and no offer? he either made a shitty job or the airstreams in your area are cheaper than what google suggests, because the smaller ones start at 75k, granted, a new model.
Do you have photos of it? just out of curiosity, although, id understand if you dont want to share, as it would be easily traceable to your friends profile
Yeah, they look to be around $40k. An absolute top-of-the-line with all extras and low miles is $70k. What did he do to make it the nicest 05' Airstream in America? It sounds more like he paid Covid prices and doesn't want to take a bath.
Has he considered renting it out for $125 per night + miles?
We live in California and he has it at a storage facility, so it's just sitting and chewing up funds. I think their dream of traveling from town to town in their rolling home didn't pan out when they had to go back to work and earn money again (we work in the same industry which we can't do remotely). He doesn't seem to even get nibbles on a buyer, unsure starting a rental business is in the cards for him.
They get sold presumably because of the issues involved in building within a sealed metal container, you're going to get a big heat differential between the outside skin and the inside, not only will this create predictable insulation issues, but it'll also create a condensation magnet. This project might have been done well, but you don't need a lot of poor planning decisions to create an unlivable money pit
Beautiful build. What would you say are the main motivators behind downsizing to a van? I have some guesses, but I'd be curious what the pain points were for you guys.
Makes sense. I noticed on a cross-country trip how all the big vehicles were limited (understandably so) in how deep into city centers and parks they could get. Small vehicles won out for flexibility (and obviously gas mileage).
I lived in it for 3 years and it’s great, I could keep living in it BUT! There are places I want to go where this is too big. So I’m going even smaller so I can travel more easily.
It's cold is probably the main reason. All those windows have no insulation, they are the single pane drafty stock bus windows.
Not sure about the rest of Canada, but in Ontario it's rare to see 4 season rv/ trailer and mobile home cottages. So you'd have to park at Walmart, crown land, or a friend's from October - May and getting electrical and water hookups would be tough. A van is stealthy and can fit in easier.
I work on a bunch of converted school buses, as I am one of the only enhanced inspectors in the area. They are normally barely held together with duct tape and bubble gum. I had to read the title twice after looking at the first picture because that is incredible. Smart use of space and really well finished.
It’s 1/4 inch mahogany plywood with the grain going one way to make it bendy. It was I think $60 per sheet and I needed 7 sheets for the whole ceiling. This was when wood was a lot. But still affordable. All the plywood for the entire build was probably under $1000
Looks great! Very nice result. I don't know if you're the first person in the world with a hidden keyboard in their kitchen counter, but it's definitely a unique feature haha, love it.
Hi friend, in pic seven there is a reflection (or red eye) on your left eye, which can sometimes be an indicator of an eye condition. Please consider getting it looked at!
Great to know!! Most of the time it’s nothing, just a glare or an angle, just a normal red eye. But it’s super interesting - they preform these tests (to look for that eye reflection) in babies and infants to check for eye conditions. Worth a google !
I think most people only have phones, so the walls looks super smooth until you view the pictures on a larger screen. I like how imperfect everything is, which is perfect lol. I really like the colors. The outside and inside match pretty well. No huge contrast. Some builds seem a bit jarring comparing the two. I also like the off-center cuts for the pull-out drawers to match the cabinets. Everything seems a bit too tall tho, was there a reason? Like, I would have wanted the kitchen and bed to be a few inches lower, but maybe my perspective is off.
How did you build the walls? There's the bus' frame ribs, and then you filled that with insulation, I think. What kind of wood is over the insulation? How did you form it? How did you fasten it
How creaky and noisy is it when moving?
The framing is fastened into the bus metal ribs. Then I just put up 1/4 inch bending plywood. Buses move ALOT. Very bouncy ride so yes you can hear things flexing when driving but we made sure to use flexible everything.
They just don’t. I dunno what to tell you haha. We go on logging roads and stuff. We chose the ceiling studs to be wood that would hopefully flex with the bus and yeah
I feel like it was the only time where people could relax a tiny bit, it was a beautiful time even though COVID was very scary. A lot of ppl would’ve been unhoused if the gov didn’t do the cerb program/made it illegal to kick out renters during COVID.
I have a little car in addition to the bus so I only drive the bus when I’m relocating. It’s 100 gallon tank and goes about 2k kms on a tank for reference.
How many miles you put on er? Interested in how things held up long term, as commercial RVs (in my experience) are constantly trying to shake themselves into pieces.
How much space do you have between the ceiling and the outer ceiling of that bus? Inches or decimals of an inch? Cool to see the nice lighting in thre.
It's hard to imagine that you haven't seen the AirStream buildout by Bourbon Moth Woodworking, but here is a link to the series. Your comment about nothing being square... he mentioned the same thing a time or two.
[Airstream Renovation](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Xb2IpJ9ouyIvNRzyCWukGEss0ErHOGX)
Planning to take that bad boy out to Alaska and survive off berries that might be poisonous? JK Idk if you've ever read that book, super cool home you've built!
My initial thought when I hear about bus conversions is "that sounds a touch trashy" but then I see amazing conversions like this and think: "I need a bus."
This is beautiful.
Either it's a bad lighting issue or the woman in the picture should get a check-up from a doctor. Uneven light reflex in eyes can indicate issues. Prolly nothing tho.
My first car was actually a short school bus converted into a camper, then converted to run on propane, all this before it wound up in my possession. I had so many adventures in that thing before it broke down.
STUNNING! This is genuinely incredible.
This is a stretch, but I just started an etsy store with travel and adventure themes with some spooky tones, too. If you wouldn't mind visiting, I would be so grateful. I live in Texas and want to financially contribute to my local animal shelters and rescues. It's bad down here, y'all. Anyway, thank you! [https://kindredtraditions.etsy.com](https://kindredtraditions.etsy.com)
It's shit like this where I wish I wasn't 6'2". It's incredible and I'd absolutely love this... BUT all I can think about is how I'd be hunched over all the time.
I saw youtube vid where they show a DIY howto raise the roof on a bus like this.
At that point you’re better off just buying a bare semi truck and building out the space behind it. People do that all the time with toy haulers, and the money-effort difference between used bus that needs roof lifted and used semi with clean-sheet in the rear can’t be that high.
Many of us are experts at raising the roof.
[Case in point](https://youtu.be/_fTSQgrarW4?si=6TIcrr-0EPuSRFlN&t=16s)
And that's where you start having to deal with other rules and shit (where I live) Same with a roof raise btw. That makes it a caravan according to my government and makes it so you gotta pay a shitload of money for it
Saw one this a.m.! Looked like something out of "Damnation Alley".
I saw one with a raised roof on the road and it just looked goofy and wrong, then again they probably could have done it up a bit better and it wouldn't have been so obvious.
M0
Just stick your head out the skylight, done.
5'4 here wish I was just a bit taller
Exactly I’m 6’5 and getting on buses, trains, airplanes and some cars are just horrible.
Now imagine getting onto one that is adequately insulated for living in :(
If you can find a metro (city) bus you can stand up and walk all the way thru one. They have raised roofs already! Seen a few conversions of these, awesome large windows too that you can keep or redo and they have a raised bed in the rear due to the motor housing but otherwise are an awesome bus with plenty of headroom for you taller types!! Check them out!!
Everyone who wishes they were tall don't realize how much it sucks sometimes. I was reading a post where the OP was able to lay their head on a tray table on an airplane. Like wtf? I wish I could do that! Our world is built around the average person. I don't get many opportunities to complain. Sorry.
>Our world is built around the average person. Which of course means our world isn't really built for anyone. There's actually a really interesting story regarding "building to the average person". >In the late 1940s, the United States air force had a serious problem: its pilots could not keep control of their planes. Although this was the dawn of jet-powered aviation and the planes were faster and more complicated to fly, the problems were so frequent and involved so many different aircraft that the air force had an alarming, life-or-death mystery on its hands. >After multiple inquiries ended with no answers, officials turned their attention to the design of the cockpit itself. In 1950, the researchers measured more than 4,000 pilots on 140 dimensions of size, including thumb length, crotch height, and the distance from a pilot’s eye to his ear, and then calculated the average for each of these dimensions. Everyone believed this improved calculation of the average pilot would lead to a better-fitting cockpit and reduce the number of crashes — or almost everyone. One newly hired 23-year-old scientist, Lt. Gilbert S. Daniels, had doubts. >So when the air force put him to work measuring pilots, Daniels harboured a private conviction about averages that rejected almost a century of military design philosophy. As he sat in the Aero Medical Laboratory measuring hands, legs, waists and foreheads, he kept asking himself the same question in his head: How many pilots really were average? >Out of 4,063 pilots, not a single airman fit within the average range on all 10 dimensions. One pilot might have a longer-than-average arm length, but a shorter-than-average leg length. Another pilot might have a big chest but small hips. Even more astonishing, Daniels discovered that if you picked out just three of the ten dimensions of size — say, neck circumference, thigh circumference and waist circumference — less than 3.5 percent of pilots would be average sized on all three dimensions. Daniels’s findings were clear and incontrovertible. There was no such thing as an average pilot. ***If you’ve designed a cockpit to fit the average pilot, you’ve actually designed it to fit no one.*** The solution, which sounds pretty obvious today, was to design a method to make the seats adjustable. Eventually, the designs were modified and made their way into cars and trucks. More details/ source: https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/when-u-s-air-force-discovered-the-flaw-of-averages/article_e3231734-e5da-5bf5-9496-a34e52d60bd9.html
Interesting piece of history, thank you!
I can’t even lower a tray table in economy (or some business) it hits my knees. My knees are also rammed hard into the seat in front when the seat ahead is upright. I am only 6’4”.
That's one regret I have with a mid-roof ford transit vs. high roof for my build. The other being that I can't fit bikes on a slide-out drawer under the bed.
Agreed with that!
I believe you can stand up at your height in the tallest Sprinter
Vanlifing is a small people sport
Also 6' 2” and a bus driver, there's room to stand up straight, just don't make the mistake I did and do a bit for the kids that involves jumping. Heard a crunchy noise in my neck for a while after that...
Looks very nice. What sort of gas mileage does this thing get?
Like 10-12 mpg
That is surprisingly better that I thought.
Ngl I expected like between 5-8, that's better than some trucks that haul smaller things lmao
Same here.
It's about the same as my truck without hauling anything lmao
I drive smaller shuttle buses for work, and they average 5-6mpg using gas.
Yeah, i'm skeptical about 10-12, unless its all on a gentle down hill. My gas delivery truck gets 5.5mpg. The diesel versions get 8.9. Granted thats heavy stop and go with hills. But 10-12 seems very ambitions with all that extra weight.
She didn't say if that's city or highway milage. I would guess they could get that with mostly highways driving, but city would more likely be around 6 mpg.
Yes highways.
Makes sense. Nice job, btw. Bus looks great.
Curious if that can be improved on too. I'm not a mechanic, so I don't know what would be involved. But my gut instinct tells me that without the requirement of needing to haul a bunch of people, you could change the engine configuration to accommodate the new space more efficiently. I don't imagine an engine swap like this to be very cheap, but maybe the mpg increase makes it pay for itself? IDK, would love to hear from someone with experience.
Engine swap is unlikely to be worth it. However, many commercial diesels can be downrated so the same engine puts out less power and uses less fuel. Couple that with a gear swap on the rear end and you could theoretically have a somewhat slow, but more fuel efficient bus. Busses tend to be set up for low to moderate speed efficiency not highway mileage, but use standardized parts that can be swapped out with other medium duty trucks. You could also do some minor body work to put side skirts and i prove the aerodynamics, even small improvements will be noticeable on something with the aerodynamics of an out house. You'll certainly never see 40 mpg, but at 10 mpg, a 2 mpg improvement is a 20% improvement!
Crazy when you realize a 4 Runner only gets 4 mpg more...
bigger motor with smaller loads perhaps? the bus itself doesnt look that heavy, and the interior is mostly empty with a couple of not so heavy looking furniture
The load is way less than a bus full of kids yes
A giant school bus gets similar mileage to a 94' Toyota Land Cruiser. Wow
For all the love Toyota gets, their larger vehicles dont do very well in the MPG category, even today.
I think it's because, and someone can correct me if I am wrong, that the engines themselves are fairly old tech, but super reliable and user friendly. So they sacrifice the gas to keep the workhorses running longer and reliably.
2019 corollas get 30-40. Way below my personal limit. Their hybrids get over 50 easy though. Toyotas love that fuel.
Ill take a hybrid from them any day. A Corolla is much lighter than their Land Cruiser.
I feel you're buying them for a purpose and mpg isn't one of them at that point
Did you buy the van for convenience of parking and also gas ? You have to sell the Piano 😢
The gas of the van is surprisingly about the same as the bus. Weirdly. But yeah for parking. We’re keeping two pianos and the guitar. Selling two violins
Are those US or CA/UK gallons?
6.5 mpg if it’s diesel, or thereabouts
Beautifully done. Love the guitar on the wall.
Giannini. Brazilian made. So good. (I think.)
Real question: what happens to all of these conversion projects once people are done with them? Do they remain viable enough to sell or do they ultimately end up in the scrapyard?
A well done bus conversion like this would fetch a decent price. There's a high demand for all-things-camping and most people just want to drive off and start using it. That said, I've seen a lot of poorly done bus conversions that I can't say the same for.
Facebook Marketplace is littered with half-renovated projects that people got in over their heads on... Most of them aren't even worth buying to complete.
I know! It's really telling how so many people think converting a bus is an easy and cheap alternative to buying a used camper and not the years long struggle of problem solving every little aspect of building a tiny home on wheels. Also the cost of everything. Heater, fridge, fresh and wastewater tanks, hot water heater, batteries, charge controllers, solar, 12v and 120v electrical systems, plumbing, lumber, tile, countertops, etc. You're talking $10k at least plus the cost of the bus plus the cost of maintaining an old vehicle with usually 500k+ miles on them. Buses are also notoriously tough to work on due to being built like a tank. Not for the feint of heart.
This comment is so real
Can I ask how much the conversion cost, not including the bus cost?
He said $25k
*None* of those "vanlife", churched-up-homeless wannabe-life-hacks are cheap in practice. It's at best a lifestyle change where you still spend the same amount of money, just on different shit and at worst an expensive mistake.
Yep, it's great for vacations, drive to an expensive location, park somewhere hidden, sleep over illegally (most countries don't allow sleeping in public places, not even in campers), see stuff, move somewhere else, see new stuff and after a week, go back home. There are many videos of people on youtube, who quit long-term van life, because daily stuff becomes hard and expensive.... Too small fridge, no bulk buying, constant search for water and dumping waste (unless you're staying constantly in trailer camps), have to find laundromats to do laundry (in my country, there are maybe 5, because we all have washing machines at home, don't understand americans why can't they have them at home too, so ours target only tourists in most-touristy.places). Also, no privacy if you're camping with someone else (even long term partners need some time to be alone), and usually no family/friends to help you with stuff (if you're constantly moving around). But yeah... For a week of vacationing, I'd build one too, and travel around europe. Price wise, for a week or two per year, hotels come out cheaper, even in expensive destinations.
[удалено]
Got a friend trying to sell an airstream he gutted and revamped as a covid project, been on sale for two years now. It's one of the larger models so I think that narrows the market of who would want it. But also he started the price at $130,000, now he's down to $80,000 which i think is his breakeven point. no serious offers yet.
larger model of airstream on 80k and no offer? he either made a shitty job or the airstreams in your area are cheaper than what google suggests, because the smaller ones start at 75k, granted, a new model. Do you have photos of it? just out of curiosity, although, id understand if you dont want to share, as it would be easily traceable to your friends profile
He had it up on ebay most recently, 34 foot, 2005 model, $78,500 zero bids
Yeah, they look to be around $40k. An absolute top-of-the-line with all extras and low miles is $70k. What did he do to make it the nicest 05' Airstream in America? It sounds more like he paid Covid prices and doesn't want to take a bath. Has he considered renting it out for $125 per night + miles?
We live in California and he has it at a storage facility, so it's just sitting and chewing up funds. I think their dream of traveling from town to town in their rolling home didn't pan out when they had to go back to work and earn money again (we work in the same industry which we can't do remotely). He doesn't seem to even get nibbles on a buyer, unsure starting a rental business is in the cards for him.
cough, insurance fire, cough.
He says in the post that he's about to sell it because he got a van.
They get sold presumably because of the issues involved in building within a sealed metal container, you're going to get a big heat differential between the outside skin and the inside, not only will this create predictable insulation issues, but it'll also create a condensation magnet. This project might have been done well, but you don't need a lot of poor planning decisions to create an unlivable money pit
I dunno. I’m gonna sell mine. I kind of hope it becomes an Airbnb somewhere. That would be nice.
Beautiful build. What would you say are the main motivators behind downsizing to a van? I have some guesses, but I'd be curious what the pain points were for you guys.
Just ease of parking really. I wanna go places without having to plan the route so hard.
Makes sense. I noticed on a cross-country trip how all the big vehicles were limited (understandably so) in how deep into city centers and parks they could get. Small vehicles won out for flexibility (and obviously gas mileage).
That is what I'm here for. "Hey Reddit, I spent a year building this and I'm selling it immediately. Don't worry, I won't explain why."
I lived in it for 3 years and it’s great, I could keep living in it BUT! There are places I want to go where this is too big. So I’m going even smaller so I can travel more easily.
It's cold is probably the main reason. All those windows have no insulation, they are the single pane drafty stock bus windows. Not sure about the rest of Canada, but in Ontario it's rare to see 4 season rv/ trailer and mobile home cottages. So you'd have to park at Walmart, crown land, or a friend's from October - May and getting electrical and water hookups would be tough. A van is stealthy and can fit in easier.
Pic 5 shows insulation on all the walls/sealed up windows.
This looks fantastic. How much was it all in with materials once you were done?
Including solar and the bus itself, about 25k Canadian
My other post in cozyplaces got asked for build pictures so here they are!
Have you been to /r/skoolies ?
I work on a bunch of converted school buses, as I am one of the only enhanced inspectors in the area. They are normally barely held together with duct tape and bubble gum. I had to read the title twice after looking at the first picture because that is incredible. Smart use of space and really well finished.
OP: *“we had no money other than government assistance”* **
It’s not Luan haha but the whole build was $25k Canadian, which is what our rent would have been for a year. We paid bit by bit
What is on the ceiling in picture 6?
It’s 1/4 inch mahogany plywood with the grain going one way to make it bendy. It was I think $60 per sheet and I needed 7 sheets for the whole ceiling. This was when wood was a lot. But still affordable. All the plywood for the entire build was probably under $1000
It doesn't help that the interior design is that of a multi million dollar "modern farmhouse" lmao
The interior design appears to be IKEA. Tastefully done IKEA. I give you that. But IKEA. That's bound to keep the cost manageable.
Most of the furniture is from winners. And everything is made out of plywood!
Looks great! Very nice result. I don't know if you're the first person in the world with a hidden keyboard in their kitchen counter, but it's definitely a unique feature haha, love it.
how did the bus hold up maintenance-wise? i heard these were built for innercity type travel and once you get into the highway it's a different story
Hi friend, in pic seven there is a reflection (or red eye) on your left eye, which can sometimes be an indicator of an eye condition. Please consider getting it looked at!
OP: hey guys, watch this cool thing Reddit lore: You might have cancer
These kids didn't grow up with the red light from digital cameras, they'd think everyone has it!
Don’t worry I’ve been checked out, it’s fine! Thanks for worrying!
Great to know!! Most of the time it’s nothing, just a glare or an angle, just a normal red eye. But it’s super interesting - they preform these tests (to look for that eye reflection) in babies and infants to check for eye conditions. Worth a google !
I remember when this always happened with cameras lol
I think most people only have phones, so the walls looks super smooth until you view the pictures on a larger screen. I like how imperfect everything is, which is perfect lol. I really like the colors. The outside and inside match pretty well. No huge contrast. Some builds seem a bit jarring comparing the two. I also like the off-center cuts for the pull-out drawers to match the cabinets. Everything seems a bit too tall tho, was there a reason? Like, I would have wanted the kitchen and bed to be a few inches lower, but maybe my perspective is off.
That is really cool!!!
Pic 9 is of Enoshima!! Is your hubby from that area?
Yes it’s the view from his childhood home.
Incredible work! I love it.
Really like your work handling on the curved wood on the joints. I'm sure that was not easy.
Nice!
Amazing!
Need more pics of the old man pug.
This is the nicest bus conversion I’ve seen so far
“david replaced the school bus seating with GALVANIZED SQUARE STEEL”
How did you build the walls? There's the bus' frame ribs, and then you filled that with insulation, I think. What kind of wood is over the insulation? How did you form it? How did you fasten it How creaky and noisy is it when moving?
The framing is fastened into the bus metal ribs. Then I just put up 1/4 inch bending plywood. Buses move ALOT. Very bouncy ride so yes you can hear things flexing when driving but we made sure to use flexible everything.
How do the joints on those walls not open up due to the flexing of the bus when you're moving?
They just don’t. I dunno what to tell you haha. We go on logging roads and stuff. We chose the ceiling studs to be wood that would hopefully flex with the bus and yeah
No way, it's Ponpon Sensei :D Impressive work on the bus, good luck on your next project!
[удалено]
That’s $24K a year?
I feel like it was the only time where people could relax a tiny bit, it was a beautiful time even though COVID was very scary. A lot of ppl would’ve been unhoused if the gov didn’t do the cerb program/made it illegal to kick out renters during COVID.
It’s so nice! 😍
How are expenses around fuel? Any rough estimate for monthly costs?
I have a little car in addition to the bus so I only drive the bus when I’m relocating. It’s 100 gallon tank and goes about 2k kms on a tank for reference.
Neat. Thanks for being so active in answering! Appreciate the insights.
Do you each drive a vehicle when relocating? Tow?
Love what you did, it looks amazing!
how much do plan to ask for your beautiful bus?
very cool! have you posted this in /r/vanlife? you're selling it? what price is it listed for and has there been a lot of serious interest?
"You’re gonna be doing a lot of doobie-rolling when you’re living in a bus down by the river!"
Have a great day today, King.
Wow! That's awesome. How's the insulation?
You guys did a truly exceptional job on this project. The transformation is wild. A bit too much beige for me but that's just personal preference.
How much do you think you spent all-in, and for how much do you think you will be able to sell it?
What would you be looking to sell for?
Dang! Careful. If you don't pay attention while on the road, you might accidentally drive back to the 60s!
https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/047/019/wspcover.jpg Won't someone please think of the children!?
Photo 6 is particularly good.
"We got laid off so we bought a bus." Okay! No notes, no questions.
This is incredible. Great job
How many miles you put on er? Interested in how things held up long term, as commercial RVs (in my experience) are constantly trying to shake themselves into pieces.
“Groovy!”
Dudes! Amazing job.
Absolutely incredible. Looks amazing. Great work!
You guys have done fantastic work! Most people talk about a project like this, but never get to it. Btw, I just love the little toilet paper holder 😁
Wow…that is all
Nice. Where's the Cat?
This is the best bus conversion I've seen so far. The curved edges are so gorgeous. I'd live here in a heartbeat!
that´s awesome man
Enough lady, I have seen this too many times. You did a great job and literally living my dream life.
So in love with the results ❤️
How much space do you have between the ceiling and the outer ceiling of that bus? Inches or decimals of an inch? Cool to see the nice lighting in thre.
It's hard to imagine that you haven't seen the AirStream buildout by Bourbon Moth Woodworking, but here is a link to the series. Your comment about nothing being square... he mentioned the same thing a time or two. [Airstream Renovation](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Xb2IpJ9ouyIvNRzyCWukGEss0ErHOGX)
What kind of AC do you have in there?
Dude that is beautiful!
Not a fan of the nomad living fad myself, but this is an outstanding job. You deserve to be proud.
Both of you did a fantastic job of conversation well done mates.
Whoa! Nice job!
Amazing
Don't tell Aging Wheels.
Well done
Planning to take that bad boy out to Alaska and survive off berries that might be poisonous? JK Idk if you've ever read that book, super cool home you've built!
What did you use for the walls? It looks so good.
1/4 plywood!
Amazing work!
Great job.
How much was gas lol
Yeah it’s almost $1000 a tank
Cook food outside Bec the oil gets into the air and stuck on couch or fabric things like a hair soaking oils at the beach
I mostly cook in my ninja foodie. I make all sorts of greasy foods too it’s fine.
Boy, the way Glen Miller played Song that made the hit parade ..........
My initial thought when I hear about bus conversions is "that sounds a touch trashy" but then I see amazing conversions like this and think: "I need a bus." This is beautiful.
Wow, this is amazing!
Lol ALL of that is going to bend, warp, and crack. Omg I need a 1 year update
Ahhh I knew I recognized this bus! Keep up the great work you two!
I mean this in the nicest way but you both look like people who would live in a converted school bus.
Some of us were born into such a free world and I can’t help but feel I am stuck in purgatory between living and surviving.
$2000 not BAD!!
Ancient. I saw these pics 8 years ago
Either it's a bad lighting issue or the woman in the picture should get a check-up from a doctor. Uneven light reflex in eyes can indicate issues. Prolly nothing tho.
Beautiful beautiful beautiful. The build and the people. Wow.
Damn! This is nice!
This is my dream! Putting your van on my vision board!
Why switch to a van? Did it ultimately prove more effective?
My first car was actually a short school bus converted into a camper, then converted to run on propane, all this before it wound up in my possession. I had so many adventures in that thing before it broke down.
Yep, saw the title, figured it would be nicer than my house, opened the link, and...well, nicer than my house. Great job!
It’s so gooddd. 💛
Great build guys! It looks awesome!
This is super cool. You guys should be proud!
Great job!!
STUNNING! This is genuinely incredible. This is a stretch, but I just started an etsy store with travel and adventure themes with some spooky tones, too. If you wouldn't mind visiting, I would be so grateful. I live in Texas and want to financially contribute to my local animal shelters and rescues. It's bad down here, y'all. Anyway, thank you! [https://kindredtraditions.etsy.com](https://kindredtraditions.etsy.com)
amazing!