# Diesel Bus conversion to RV



## RLwhaler (Sep 10, 2005)

RV enthusiast, 

I came across a really good bus with a great price and service record.

I'm thinking about converting it into an RV. Buying a wrecked 5th wheel or something familiar for parts(beds,sink,cabinets,ect..) to bring over to the bus. 

Have anyone here done such project?


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

I bought a giant international 466 cross country moving box van for same purpose. Largest box they make. I have a queen size bed over the cab, retractable queen bunk beds against the back door, and another single bed against the front bulk head that also acts as a stairway to get up top over the cab. Have a mini fridge, room AC, heater, microwave etc under that single bed area. The rear bunks are the Happijac system. It goes up to the ceiling to allow room for the Bronco rockcrawler in my Avatar. It is my garage RV/toyhauler. I built 10 ft ramps to drive up in there. Underbody ramp slides (10 ft ramps are heavy and unwieldy to mess with). I put some tie downs in the floor. The Happyjac also allows you to pin up the top bunk and the bottom is fold and Tumble couches so we can put a table and eat there if the weather out side is bad or hang out and read on the couches or whatever. 9ft interior height ceiling and 9ft wide inside is nice. The giant swing-out side loading doors I just put a normal glass residential door with the blinds integral inside the glass built inside that door. When you open side doors it looks like the front of a home and the glass let's in a lot of sunlight. Large underbody tool boxes keep all my tools and parts and gear. Still tinkering with the electrical etc but for now project Lighting and a heavy gauge extension cord so well for a weekend. Everywhere we go has showers etc so never needed full water system. I removed the plywood walls and put insulation panels behind and double insulation on the roof. 13,000 btu 120v AC does just fine. Only time it is a little hot is around fathers day on the hottest of hot years with temps over 100 degrees. Otherwise all good all the time. Have camped in the single digits in Wisconsin winter and like I said Texas summer. All good. It is very utilitarian and throw any cheap Craigslist deal to it. We don't RV for more than a day or three max so don't need to be super livable. Hunt/fish/off roading camp is great. And with three queen beds, a single bed, and an additional 22 ft of floor space for whoever wants to throw an airmatress it is popular with friends....also still very functional as moving van.....

Personally I wouldn't mess with a gutted RV....just go get regular parts or build them out of 2x4s etc. RVs are made super lightweight and the materials don't last. All my RV buddies love "Howard" as it is known and are impressed with the big steel ribs with e-track every 16". Lots of strength and options there to be modular.

Was a terrible dog to drive at highway speed. Forget passing anyone....any wind killed the speed big time....would barely get to 65....and any uphill would have you dogged down in the 40's.
Little turbo and injector and programmer work doubled the power and now it will accelerate under its own power to 75 or so...maintains it speed on uphills and will maintain whatever it gets to on the downhills. I get about 10 mpg. 70 gallon diesel tank and I added another 70 gallon diesel tank for lots of range between stops. Also added a third 50 gallon gasoline tank with a pump to fill the toys from for the weekend. Drives the same empty or with two Broncos inside and pulling two on a flatbed behind.

Great deer camp, weekender, Garage RV, fish camp, spare garage, spare bunk house for big gatherings etc....also nice to move with.

We just sleep and change in there....all our activities stay outside so don't need any other niceties. We cook and eat outside. Bathroom outside or in public facilities. We just don't hang out in there....we enjoy the outdoors when we outdoors. I will likely add an outdoor shower head at some point with wrap around shower curtain. Simple. Also picked up an awning somewhere that we need to mount up.

Welcome to come check it out.


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## RLwhaler (Sep 10, 2005)

sgrem said:


> I bought a giant international 466 cross country moving box van for same purpose. Largest box they make. I have a queen size bed over the cab, retractable queen bunk beds against the back door, and another single bed against the front bulk head that also acts as a stairway to get up top over the cab. Have a mini fridge, room AC, heater, microwave etc under that single bed area. The rear bunks are the Happijac system. It goes up to the ceiling to allow room for the Bronco rockcrawler in my Avatar. It is my garage RV/toyhauler. I built 10 ft ramps to drive up in there. Underbody ramp slides (10 ft ramps are heavy and unwieldy to mess with). I put some tie downs in the floor. The Happyjac also allows you to pin up the top bunk and the bottom is fold and Tumble couches so we can put a table and eat there if the weather out side is bad or hang out and read on the couches or whatever. 9ft interior height ceiling and 9ft wide inside is nice. The giant swing-out side loading doors I just put a normal glass residential door with the blinds integral inside the glass built inside that door. When you open side doors it looks like the front of a home and the glass let's in a lot of sunlight. Large underbody tool boxes keep all my tools and parts and gear. Still tinkering with the electrical etc but for now project Lighting and a heavy gauge extension cord so well for a weekend. Everywhere we go has showers etc so never needed full water system. I removed the plywood walls and put insulation panels behind and double insulation on the roof. 13,000 btu 120v AC does just fine. Only time it is a little hot is around fathers day on the hottest of hot years with temps over 100 degrees. Otherwise all good all the time. Have camped in the single digits in Wisconsin winter and like I said Texas summer. All good. It is very utilitarian and throw any cheap Craigslist deal to it. We don't RV for more than a day or three max so don't need to be super livable. Hunt/fish/off roading camp is great. And with three queen beds, a single bed, and an additional 22 ft of floor space for whoever wants to throw an airmatress it is popular with friends....also still very functional as moving van.....
> 
> Personally I wouldn't mess with a gutted RV....just go get regular parts or build them out of 2x4s etc. RVs are made super lightweight and the materials don't last. All my RV buddies love "Howard" as it is known and are impressed with the big steel ribs with e-track every 16". Lots of strength and options there to be modular.
> 
> ...


That is exactly the truck /bus i'am looking at! I'm also entertaining a Ford F-450 // 7.3 shorter bus version.

It sound's like you got a nice rig there Sgrem!


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## fy0834 (Jan 18, 2011)

One can get into a diesel pretty cheap... usually they are maintained decent by the shop personnel (if a school bus).
I recently purchased one for storing feed at the deer lease...
Great running machine.
There are lots of conversions on youtube.









Placing a side door for loading.


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## trodery (Sep 13, 2006)

sgrem said:


> I bought a giant international 466 cross country moving box van for same purpose. Largest box they make. I have a queen size bed over the cab, retractable queen bunk beds against the back door, and another single bed against the front bulk head that also acts as a stairway to get up top over the cab. Have a mini fridge, room AC, heater, microwave etc under that single bed area. The rear bunks are the Happijac system. It goes up to the ceiling to allow room for the Bronco rockcrawler in my Avatar. It is my garage RV/toyhauler. I built 10 ft ramps to drive up in there. Underbody ramp slides (10 ft ramps are heavy and unwieldy to mess with). I put some tie downs in the floor. The Happyjac also allows you to pin up the top bunk and the bottom is fold and Tumble couches so we can put a table and eat there if the weather out side is bad or hang out and read on the couches or whatever. 9ft interior height ceiling and 9ft wide inside is nice. The giant swing-out side loading doors I just put a normal glass residential door with the blinds integral inside the glass built inside that door. When you open side doors it looks like the front of a home and the glass let's in a lot of sunlight. Large underbody tool boxes keep all my tools and parts and gear. Still tinkering with the electrical etc but for now project Lighting and a heavy gauge extension cord so well for a weekend. Everywhere we go has showers etc so never needed full water system. I removed the plywood walls and put insulation panels behind and double insulation on the roof. 13,000 btu 120v AC does just fine. Only time it is a little hot is around fathers day on the hottest of hot years with temps over 100 degrees. Otherwise all good all the time. Have camped in the single digits in Wisconsin winter and like I said Texas summer. All good. It is very utilitarian and throw any cheap Craigslist deal to it. We don't RV for more than a day or three max so don't need to be super livable. Hunt/fish/off roading camp is great. And with three queen beds, a single bed, and an additional 22 ft of floor space for whoever wants to throw an airmatress it is popular with friends....also still very functional as moving van.....
> 
> Personally I wouldn't mess with a gutted RV....just go get regular parts or build them out of 2x4s etc. RVs are made super lightweight and the materials don't last. All my RV buddies love "Howard" as it is known and are impressed with the big steel ribs with e-track every 16". Lots of strength and options there to be modular.
> 
> ...


Let's see a picture of Howard!


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## RLwhaler (Sep 10, 2005)

trodery said:


> Let's see a picture of Howard!


X2! I would love to see Howard as well. :camera::camera:


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## Hooked (Oct 15, 2004)

Marshjr. (Brete) on here did a school bus conversion a few years back.

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=228763&highlight=school+bus


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## RLwhaler (Sep 10, 2005)

Hooked said:


> Marshjr. (Brete) on here did a school bus conversion a few years back.
> 
> http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=228763&highlight=school+bus


Wow!! Thank ya Sir!


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## BretE (Jan 24, 2008)

Hooked said:


> Marshjr. (Brete) on here did a school bus conversion a few years back.
> 
> http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=228763&highlight=school+bus


Wasn't me.....I'm probly the least handy person around here.....

My philosophy is you can fix or make anything if you throw enough money at it.....


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## BUDA (Sep 3, 2004)

*buy old rv*

i converted a school bus, turned out fine, bought cabinets ,sinks, tanks ect,ac, heater .10.000.00 $ using a old rv would have saved a lot,, get 2 air conditioners you will need them they are hard to cool,,electrical. 12 volt and 120 volt ect, took 7 months


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## RLwhaler (Sep 10, 2005)

BUDA said:


> i converted a school bus, turned out fine, bought cabinets ,sinks, tanks ect,ac, heater .10.000.00 $ using a old rv would have saved a lot,, get 2 air conditioners you will need them they are hard to cool,,electrical. 12 volt and 120 volt ect, took 7 months


Thanks for the advice! :brew2:


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## captMike (Jan 30, 2006)

We just bought class A, diesel pusher, super clean, 71k miles, 35'. for a bargain, compared to what you will spend converting a bus over. The market is loaded with older (ours is 2000 model ) newmar. I have converted van into campers and the cost and time, I suggest checking and see what is out there. But if you do it good luck, did construction work for 25+ years and loved the challenges.


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## BobBobber (Aug 29, 2015)

fy0834 said:


> One can get into a diesel pretty cheap... usually they are maintained decent by the shop personnel (if a school bus).


School bus garage supervisor told me the busses get average of 1 mile per gallon. That's probably too expensive for RVers. Plus, you have glass windows all around to deal with.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

trodery said:


> Let's see a picture of Howard!


Here is some pics for yall. 
Closed up its just a regular box truck. You can see extra fuel tank.
Then opened up its a glass door with slide out steps....and dart board.
Front of box has a queen over the cab and a single. Under single is AC, fridge etc.
Rear is two bunk queen beds tucked up high against the ceiling with clearance for the crawler in my avatar. They drop down nicely with a 12v motor on that chain tracking.
I get about 7-10 mpg depending on how fast I push it and the headwind.
It's a very inexpensive garage RV. Being that we only use it as an RV a few times a year and then for moving or hauling a load of something a few times a year we have left it very basic. And I throw Craigslist deals and junk in there whenever those deals pop up. Passenger side has giant underbody tool boxes for our camping stuff and spare crawler parts. And then a spot for two propane bottles.


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## fy0834 (Jan 18, 2011)

:mpd:


BobBobber said:


> School bus garage supervisor told me the busses get average of 1 mile per gallon. That's probably too expensive for RVers. Plus, you have glass windows all around to deal with.


I would be surprised if that were the case... I drove mine 150 miles and used 30 gal.

But, what does a big RV use/ burn ... prob about the same.

Will set out again this Thursday for deer camp... 130 miles...will do an accurate mileage test for sure.


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## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

RLwhaler said:


> RV enthusiast,
> 
> I came across a really good bus with a great price and service record.
> 
> ...


You would need the biggest bus for your whaler and a nuke power generator for your bus' AC/Heater!


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## dbarham (Aug 13, 2005)

Marsh jr had a bus have not seen him post in awhile


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## Fishtexx (Jun 29, 2004)

BobBobber said:


> School bus garage supervisor told me the busses get average of 1 mile per gallon. That's probably too expensive for RVers. Plus, you have glass windows all around to deal with.


Real mileage is 6-8 mpg on route picking up and dropping kids. A little better on the highway doing field trips (55-60 mph). That's with a diesel engine auto trans (cummins and International in line 6 cyls)


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## homebrew (Jun 14, 2011)

would be cheaper to buy this ...a true do all

https://houston.craigslist.org/rvs/6086754614.html


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## RLwhaler (Sep 10, 2005)

BullyARed said:


> You would need the biggest bus for your whaler and a nuke power generator for your bus' AC/Heater!


LMAO!! Told ya not to take my gal out in public like that BullyRed! Hope you let her grazed before returning her back to me. :brew:


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