Do's and Don'ts of Bus Conversion Design

[Jim Blackwood]

Fixed I think. It's a car we built as a community project to promote creativity among the youngsters. It's been on tour for over 10 years now.

Jim

[belfert]

Ditto, why do busnuts insist on building the coach electrical where you have to go outside in a storm, to change the configuration, when the campground power goes out???

Start a revolution, put that stuff inside!!!

And, don't disable the coach during the build. Nothing keeps the support for the dream alive better, than using the coach.

I have an automatic transfer switch so I wouldn't have to go outside to switch to generator, but I never park at a campground so that is a moot point.  My power panels were down below for the first dozen plus years I owned my bus.  The only reason breakers ever had to be reset was due to low voltage issues with my previous generator.  I just finished up moving my power panels upstairs.  I hadn't put them upstairs in the first place due to space constraints.

My bus has been in various phases of construction since I got it.  However, other than the first year I owned it the bus has been used every single year.  My bus has never done less than 4,000 miles per year since 2007 and has averaged 5,000 or more miles per year since 2007.

[Tedsoldbus]

Gary Hatt is wise beyond his years grasshoppa....
He will edit out all of the "Don't do it...run for your lives". "Having a bus is expensive and it sucks". I learned that. Still have one. I have fixed a few lights and hoses on the bus, have a fridge problem that won't be cheap to resolve, but every time I walk outside and see it in the driveway, I smile! I Just think "How cool is THAT. A Prevost that is 35 feet! No tag wheel! Didn't even know they made them this little and without mirrors in the ceiling, a fireplace, and a TV that comes up out of the floor. And when I fire up that 6V92 and watch it air up. Feels the same as when I fired up a fighter jet in my very younger years. It is just cool. And it cost less than a new pickup truck!".
I've mentioned I'm planning a trip to Indiana soon to get the Amish fridge. Something will break coming or going. That is what they do. Parts are harder go get, but we work it out.
Our 2 year old Allegro bus in a year of full timer use broke too. Levelers wouldn't go up. Next trip wouldn't go down. Slide wouldn't go in three times. Water heater blew. and, and, and.
 I am probably not very smart because I can't wait to get this 40 year old bus on the road to Indiana. Something will break, slow me down. But not going to sit here at the house and wait to die.

Back to Gary's request: If starting from scratch, try to put in cabinets that can take a full sized plate. Have all doors able to secure so they don't open and if you can, they don't rattle. We put the cool new stuff like our TPMS and Nav aids on Rita's side (passenger). I have to watch temp and oil gauge and thanks to texters, the road so much more in this bus. Let your passenger take that load of the new toys. We just ordered a dash cam to take away the argument on who hit who. Keep all plumbing as close together as you can and try to keep it out of exterior walls. Before you get one, now matter how good the deal...where you gonna park it?
They are expensive to keep, but at age 64 with no kids and no grandkids to worry about, kind of starting to think "We are not rolling in money, but how much money do we need when we are dead?". Life is not a rehearsal. Some people in later years blow a gazillion on lots of cruises. Some save it for the grandkids. To each his own, but I really like working on and just seeing this bus every day. Doing what Jim is doing, if it is fun, does it matter if he never goes full time on the road in his bus? He may look back and find that the journey to getting it road worthy might be the best part of the journey.
I hope there will still be some younger people (that have money) that accept the cost of insurance, tires, gallons of oil changes, rising parts prices etc and for some reason think these old buses are just cool. It fear it may be all that will keep a few of them rolling down the highways...

[peterbylt]

I agree with the keep it useable part.

When we started with a seated coach the overwhelming size of the project was intimidating.
We stuck with the axiom of, how do you eat an Elephant, One bite at a time.
So every project we do is another bite out of the Elephant.

If you focus on the end of the current project and not finishing the entire bus you will be much better off.

Early on the wife set a goal of the minimum function we needed to go camping.

The list: Working Toilet, Sink with running water, Bed, Refrigerator, some electrical outlets and an Air Conditioner (we live in Florida)
That’s what we worked for, the rest was made up with folding tables and chairs.

The first trip it wasn’t pretty, but it was functional, we had a great time, and it keeps getting better with every enhancement added.

The folding tables and chairs have slowly been replaced with Kitchen counters, cabinets, permanent seating, Dining room table, sofa, recliner etc.

My suggestion, get it usable as soon as possible keep it usable and use it as often as possible.

On the design and building aspect, one of the unexpected items was that the design of the entire interior was designed around the toilet, it needing to be directly over the Black tank and the rest took shape around that.

Wire and Plumb everything before the insulation and walls go in.

Because we started using the Bus at such a minimalistic stage we were able to figure out a lot of what would and would not work and where to locate some things and other things that were included in the original design that were not needed.

Peter

[Jim Blackwood]

As much as I do enjoy the design process, it is all about being able to use the bus. Again, there are minimum requirements and they vary from person to person. If a 5 gallon bucket in the bay under the toilet is adequate that will do to begin with. That can very certainly be made to work.

In my case when the bus rolls out for the first time I want it to be capable of making a 3 hr trip and possibly staying on site for 6 months, without hookups but with possible periodic resupply trips and only being occupied occasionally. But that takes a bit more.

Jim

[kyle4501]

Do's & don'ts . . . . .
Do some homework learning
-- what is available & for how much
-- what are your local rules concerning having a RV in the yard
-- what commonly needed repairs cost
-- what "show stopper" repairs cost at home vs on the road

Based on the above -- work out a budget and a plan to decide what you can get and proceed with care.

DON'T get in over your head financially.
Don't let your dream turn into nightmare
Don't forget to have a plan "B" to get home if the bus isn't cooperating. 

Nothing worse than seeing enthusiasm replaced with misery & frustration 

Nothing better than seeing a dream fulfilled with enthusiasm & enjoyment 

[Tedsoldbus]

Good advice Kyle,
And remember, Education is Important, but having a Bus is Importanter....

[TomC]

-As stated before, put all circuit breakers inside the living area where you don't have to go outside to reset something (always cold and raining when that happens).
-Keep your fresh water system above the floor. I have 130gal water, 2-10gal electric water heaters, and 2 water pumps under my queen bed. Then it doesn't freeze when you're using it.
-All my switching is done manually. In 25 years of use, never an electrical problem.
-On air suspension coaches, keep the automatic leveling valves, but add electrical solenoids to manually adjust-makes leveling a snap when stopped for the night. Good Luck, TomC