Bus Bought!!!

I am happy to say that I am now a proud owner of an International 1987 Diesel Handicap School Bus! Its just under 30ft long and in great condition for a 1987. All the bells and whistles work except the radio. I think if you are going to buy a bus, you should buy it directly from a school. These buses are kept to high standards. Who knows what the burner did to his bus before selling it to you... Oh and although the speedometer reads over 300,000 miles, it got a new engine recently and is estimated to have around 30,000 miles on it!

It was a toss up between this bus, and a larger newer 2004 bus. All buses after 1997 have been installed with an electric fuel pump, which is easy for mechanics to diagnose problems, but less easy for me to figure out the problem. I guess I have to take my bus to an old-timer mechanic (which I like better anyways. Sleezy jokes and salt-pepper beards please). The 2004 was going for 7,000$ from Oakland, CA. Luckily for me, I was driving home on the back roads one day and saw a bus parked to the side of an elementary school a mere 20min drive from my house. I found the janitor, who turned me to the bus driver who ended up selling it to me for $1,800. Dan, the driver was about to scrap metal the thing for $1,500. So I'm a happy "bus-er" and the school has a couple extra hundred dollars in their pocket.

I've registered at the DMV and got new license plates (another 240$ down the exhaust pipe). But in order for me to legally drive it with airbrakes, I have to first convert it into an RV. Which is to say, it needs to look "habitable" inside. They really need to define these things... In the past few years I have basically lived out of a backpack. What the heck is "habitable"? And I already asked; I cannot just take the seats out because then it could be defined as a "hauling vehicle". Bummer. So before I legally take it for a joy ride, I have to make it somewhat "habitable". I let you know how that goes....

Flooring and sink

I'm attempting to make this bus conversion as economical as possible. So, when I see a good deal, i have to go for it. The Habitat for Humanity Restore is a great place to look for used and donated items from flooring, doors and couches to gardening and housework supplies. Check out the Restore's website to learn more about donating and what they do for the community.

The trick with flooring is finding enough of the same color and brand (but really you could mix up the color...), so its really about finding enough of the same brand. I've gone shopping in the local Restore a few times with no luck. But one-special-floor- quintessential day I walked in to find an entire flat of oakwood vinyl flooring for 25$/pack. I choose vinyl flooring because the bus is a kind of viscus-moving-object. I need to have flooring that adapts to warping, shifting and movement. Now, to be honest you can find flooring for this cheep and cheeper at many places, but it was essentially thrown out by home depot (which by my standards is economical and resourceful enough). I must have looked quite excited and desperate about the flooring so the lovely lady at the checkout gave it to me for 20$/pack. ChaCHING! I bought enough flooring for a 40x7 bus, just in case, as at this point I have not bought a bus. Everything came out to be around 200$.

AND I have a sink. It was pulled out of the house my parents are renting and has been sitting in the yard for the past few years. I am glad to give it new life!

Pictures coming soon!