This is thread in which Daylan digs into full time living on a bus. This questionable idea has been stuck in my head for a while now and enough people in my life are bad enough enablers to convince me to pursue it.
Initially this will be a research and planning thread. The physical bus probably won't be purchased for another 3-6 months but I decided the planning stage was worth documenting and this will largely survive as a place for me to compile notes and resources.
I'm looking to do a bus conversion here largely because I really don't like any of the purpose built RVs I've seen or dealt with. The bodies are almost universally wooden and fiberglass on a questionable chassis. Not really built for longevity despite how long some of them seem to stick around.
The next logical option is a school bus, because they are a bit more solid that the normal Class As and are often cheaper. Well these have problems too. They really aren't built for extended interstate use and the bodies usually lack underbody storage, which is pretty important and will definitely be a huge problem to work around. They also tend to get just as expensive as the sort of bus I've chose to go with if you want one new enough to hage a decent drivetrain.
What type of bus? How many people living in it? Too cool of an idea!
Paging John in Kansas!
I'm looking at old interstate passenger buses.
Stuff like this.
These rigs are actually at the bottom of their depreciation curve and despite their age can still be reliable. Service parts are still available and I'm lucky enough to be friends with people that know these things pretty well.
Plus you park that thing outside a club after a show and you're guaranteed to pull some ass! You just need to change "EXPRESS" to "ON TOUR"
I've always wanted to build a murdered out mc5. You buy that and I'll paint it. For the right price I'll even do it sober.
In the current economic climate sone operators are looking to rationalize their fleet, and thus creating interesting asking prices. I've some CL searches price >$500C < $20000C and a bus or two often shows up.
Every old highway bus I looked at 5 to 15 years ago, that was below $10K asking price, was already partially converted, and smelled of mold so bad it would knock ya down when ya open the door! Even when the owners swore the interior was “almost perfect “. Unconverted ones were all rusty at the engine cradle attachment points.
That why we went with a converted semi:
We got ours for $80K (and will be selling) but that’s without having to do any interior work. John in Kansas used a school bus... cheaper start point.
I approve of this idea. Not that I think it's going to end in glory and good times, but Daylan is young and motivated to do something interesting. Some people travel the world. Some start a business, he wants to buy a bus. He'll come out the other side a more interesting person with good stories.
Daylan C (Forum Supporter) said:I'm looking at old interstate passenger buses.
Stuff like this.
These rigs are actually at the bottom of their depreciation curve and despite their age can still be reliable. Service parts are still available and I'm lucky enough to be friends with people that know these things pretty well.
I second this. City buses last decades. I drove a 30+ year old transit bus to and from the state fair grounds as fast as I could. Some of the most intense driving I could do for 10 days. Then they were parked and ignored until next year.
Over the road commercial buses last 50+ years. If you feel you can do a better job at a lower cost that is likely to be the chassis you want
Frenchyd is absolutely correct. The steel and stainless monocoque bodies are the strongest bus or rv ever made. The Driptroit diesels used in almost all of them are as reliable as a hammer... If you can live with their idiosyncrasies. (and lack of transmission options for anything close to modern acceleration) The built in ac and heat systems work fantastic... unless YOU are the one that has to maintain them. That requires an adventurous soul!!! And while the monocoque stainless construction is the best of the best, and the suspension is fantastic, rust in a few small areas can make a beautiful conversion non repairable! Unless you have real deep pockets, or a HUGE shop to do the repairs in.
The air suspension is designed better than almost anything today, but very prone to rust and pinhole leaks. Most parts are made out of unobtainium. There are modern solutions, but again, expensive, or labour of love..
MCI even made one where even the non body structural parts were stainless steel... Rusty important peices make them scrap as well. Very few of them left!
I'm definitely not trying to say don't go that way. But do A LOT of research, and be aware that driving one and owning one are worlds apart. Owning one requires a very industrious, improviseing skilled fabricator and/or a very large investment portfolio.
I went to a church that bought in a lot of Southern Gospel music groups that owned tour buses at the bottom of the spectrum. Most were rough and had a few previous lives driven hard. I agree with others that these gotta be a money pit.
So I'm not going into this completely blind. Spyke383 was sending me videos last week of him and his dad working on a GM 4104. He suggested a 4104 initially but I'm steering away from GM buses because the engine cradle design doesn't really agree with towing a track car on a trailer. (On his recommendation).
I definitely don't expect these old things to be trouble free but I have help and am doing plenty of my own research before I throw money at something.
In reply to Daylan C (Forum Supporter) :
Trailer hitch attachment was one more think I was going to point out, so glad to hear you know that one!
Like I said, not trying to steer ya away from one, just pointing out the "other side"
A guy like you that is ambitious enough to learn 'em, does have the best option on doing one without breaking the bank!
I learned a lot about them over a several year aggressive search, but a slide out was a big need for the traveling/living we did, so that was really the last factor to swing the search away from them.
In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :
Somewhat cryptic eh? Growth by "what doesn't kill you"
I honestly like the idea. Will it go perfectly?
This is 2020, does any of us expect anything to go perfectly anymore?
But that doesn't make it a horrible idea. If I were single, I would totally give it a shot myself.
I would love to be going full nomad with this but that really isn't reasonable. I have a job that has me at the same place every day. So the idea is setting up a home base roughly near work. I'm starting from 0 on that point as well, part of why the timeline is so far out on actually buying the bus. As far as travel the bus will probably see slightly above average RV usage while I have a car I use like a normal person most days of the week.
Essentially this is me taking the old "you can live in a car but can't drive a house" joke to it's extreme.
03Panther said:In reply to Daylan C (Forum Supporter) :
Trailer hitch attachment was one more think I was going to point out, so glad to hear you know that one!
You technically can tow with them but I was told more than about 500lbs tongue weight puts too much stress on the tail of the bus. So probably fine for a small enclosed utility trailer or pulling a small car as a toad, but one of the biggest uses this rig will see as far as travel is going to track weekends, and I would really prefer that car to be on a trailer if it's being towed.
Daylan C (Forum Supporter) said:I would love to be going full nomad with this but that really isn't reasonable. I have a job that has me at the same place every day. So the idea is setting up a home base roughly near work. I'm starting from 0 on that point as well, part of why the timeline is so far out on actually buying the bus. As far as travel the bus will probably see slightly above average RV usage while I have a car I use like a normal person most days of the week.
Essentially this is me taking the old "you can live in a car but can't drive a house" joke to it's extreme.
If your goal is to stay in one place for a while and then move on a regular RV is good for that. If your goal is to live on the road a motor coach is best for that.
Every single option has its costs. Advantages and disadvantages.
If your goal is comfort at a race track, then start looking at trucks and trailers. A pickup with a small pop up camper can be a workable solution a few hours from home and the occasional event. Racing a series around the country calls for a Semi and trailer. Older Featherlite trailers often have crew quarters with all the comforts of home. Plus plenty of room for spares, tools, and equipment. Not to mention storage of a pair of cars.
I am trying to wrap my head around this, are you planning on living on this full time? What are your plans for winter. My wife and I are in the place where we are hating home maintenance. I swear, if mobile homes came with garages big enough for a lift, I'd buy one. We looked at a travel trailer a few years back. (when I had the '89 buick wagon). The thing was pristine because it was used as a mobile office at a warehouse, and had never seen rain or had anyone sleep in it. So, I was wondering if you had some spot to park this thing in the winter. Or, do you have your own land to keep this on? How are the fees for dumping the waste tank, where do you fill up with water? We have people in Maine that winter in their boats, but they are hooked up to services at the dock.
This could be a great youtube adventure.
In reply to John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) :
Thanks. Saved for later.
So I was looking at S1 Lotus Elans the other day, bear with me, this is gong to come back to the bus. I was looking at them and it looks like you can get a nice driver quality S1 for under $30k if you shop around. Not a show car, but one that doesn't need much and probably won't light on fire. Or...... $30k buys a whole lot of C6 corvette. Two seat fiberglass bodied sports cars, basically the same, right? Except I don't really want a C6, and I kind of want an Elan.
Wanting a thing is an important part of being happy with it regardless of function.
So a box van or a regular motor home or any of a number of things might be alternate choices, but I don't think Daylan wants to live in a regular motorhome, and certainly not in a box van. He wants an old bus because he wants one. Arguably because they're cool but the why isn't actually that important. You can be very happy with something terrible if it's a thing that you love.
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