So there is a school bus sitting in a junkyard – would you look at it and see a fantastic RV conversion opportunity? Would you see a bus that was originally built for 75 passengers with a GVWR 30,000 lbs? Would you notice the 100K miles on it or that originally came from Montrose, NY?
Would you grab the tape measure to find out that the dimensions are 35′ x 7.5′ x 6.5′? What about the fact that it’s worth about $2,000, mostly in scrap I presume. If you’re like me, even with those facts at hand I still would just see an old bus…
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A gentleman by the name of Jake von Slatt saw something completely different and set out on a low-budget, earth-friendly journey to turn this old bus into a fully functional RV. What an RV conversion it is! Aside from the photos here he documented in great detail most of his work throughout the project which you can find at his blog http://www.vonslatt.com/bus-main.shtml.
If you’re interested in trying a school bus RV conversion of your own, Jake has put up a great guide on his site listing the tools you will need, how to prepare, and even a copy of his floor plan.
He also posted additional photos for your viewing pleasure and further documentation at http://steampunkworkshop.com/bus2.shtml
Picture Gallery of the serious Big Yellow Bus RV Conversion.
How would you recommend attaching sleepers to the floor to install plywood and a hard wood floor?
Hi Heather,
Very exciting to hear that you are getting a school bus to convert, otherwise known as a “Skoolies”. For your plumbing and electrical questions I am going to direct you to http://www.skoolie.net/forum/. Register there and ask you questions among seasoned folks who have actually done the work on a school bus.
As for staying the night outside of a campground, that is referred to as Dry Camping or Boondocking. We have an article available covering that topic as well: http://www.doityourselfrv.com/rv-boondocking-tips-go-rving/.
Hope you have a great time! Be sure to keep some before/after photos and send them over to us here: http://www.doityourselfrv.com/submit/
Hello! We are on our way to purchase a school bus and convert it into a home for some upcoming travels. I have some questions in regards to the plumbing and electrical. What did you guys do? Also, aside from campgrounds, do you happen to know of different areas that would allow us to stay the night?
Thanks!
http://www.skoolie.net is a forum for schoolbus conversions. There are a lot of us concerting all types of school buses into all types of “skoolies”. In our case, we have a Bluebird All American FE that we are converting into a fulltime residential vehicle.
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incredible so see what some people can do with a little time and know how.
I wish I had the skills to do something like this. Maybe i will add it to my bucket list.