# My First Skoolie :)



## LeftCoast




----------



## LeftCoast

Sorry for the massive dump of imagery, but there it is folks


----------



## Desert

Well.. There are so many images that it took my shitty laptop about 10 minutes just to start functioning properly lol

But that's a nice ride. What are your plans for it? How much did it cost you?


----------



## LeftCoast

It went for 7 grand. And I am in love. I am gonna convert it to something like this.


----------



## Desert

Fantastic. Keep us updated!


----------



## Matt Derrick

dude, you don't know how lucky you are to have lower storage, especially if you're looking to do veg oil. you just got saved a ridiculous amount of work (gas tanks).


----------



## LeftCoast

I am really glad that I won't have to build entirely new framing underneath for new tanks etc. Also this bad boy has a 1,000 gallon tank for diesel right now


----------



## Matt Derrick

LeftCoast said:


> I am really glad that I won't have to build entirely new framing underneath for new tanks etc. Also this bad boy has a 1,000 gallon tank for diesel right now



haha i think you mean "100" gallons. 1,000 would be absurd. but yeah, one of the compartments could be used to hold at least 50 gallons im guessing, leaving the other free for other storage.

also, i noticed you have the same wall lip my old bus had, which is awesome, it makes it waaaay easier to build the frames for beds, furniture, etc.


----------



## LeftCoast

Matt. Come move in. That is all.


----------



## Beth Rodriguez

Do you have this in Seattle, My hubs and I are on the east coast and we started a refurb on a much smaller skoolie if you need some help 
Cheers


----------



## Hylyx

Damn, that's nice lookin! And is already gutted on the inside, that's a bonus! 
I'm fuckin jealous. 
::golf clap::


----------



## LeftCoast

Yes I rock this bus in Seattle. I love this bus so darn much. I just picked up an angle grinder so I can gut the rest of the seats out. Matt, I did mean to say 100 gallon tank. Shits a TANK. Can't wait to make her out to be some kind of wonderful


----------



## Matt Derrick

sorry if this seems kinda obvious, but when you're cutting those seats out, you only need to grind the head off the screw, it should come straight out after that. also, you might want to save like 4 seats to make a living room area towards the front. you can turn two of the seats around so they're facing each other.

i forgot to mention i have all my old skoolie pics up on here:

http://squattheplanet.com/gallery/albums/thunderhorse-2009-2011.181/

it wasn't the most luxourious setup, but it was pretty good for how broke i was at the time.


----------



## LeftCoast

Matt, i was aware of the heads of the screws. Most of the screws broke somewhere about halfway in their own threading so cutting off the heads will have to be the means of removing them. I was going to get a restaurant booth seat (as they are often free here in Seattle and reupholster them with my Juki. Then put a nice little table inside the booth. Preferably a C shape booth as opposed to the two seats facing one another.


----------



## Matt Derrick

LeftCoast said:


> Matt, i was aware of the heads of the screws. Most of the screws broke somewhere about halfway in their own threading so cutting off the heads will have to be the means of removing them. I was going to get a restaurant booth seat (as they are often free here in Seattle and reupholster them with my Juki. Then put a nice little table inside the booth. Preferably a C shape booth as opposed to the two seats facing one another.



haha yeah, that sounds MUCH nicer


----------



## landpirate

So jealous LeftCoast. The is a beauty already, I can't even imagine it once you've done the conversion.

I'd love something like this, but to be able to drive a vehicle that big here in the UK I'd have to take another driving test on top of my standard licence and that costs loads of money.

What's the deal with what you're allowed to drive in the states on a standard driving licence?



Matt Derrick said:


> http://squattheplanet.com/gallery/albums/thunderhorse-2009-2011.181/



Also Matt, I just noticed...Thunderhorse?


----------



## Deleted member 20

I cant view the pics in leftcoasts posts on tapatalk?


----------



## Matt Derrick

I'm looking at the pictures in tapatalk right now. There's a lot of pictures, so you just have to be patient.


----------



## Deleted member 20

My phone must suck cause i waited 5 minutes & nada. Ill view them with a computer.


----------



## LeftCoast

Well this bus is already coming out quite well. I have been doing work trades for tools and have accumulated an awful good load of tools that will save me hundreds here in the future. I cant wait to start building AND MOVING IN MY BUDDY MATT [come over and get your ass in my bus motherfucker].


----------



## landpirate

just found this link for unusual motorhome interiors:
http://www.motorhomegroup.com/news/?p=5586

perhaps it'll give you some inspiration. 
I think the green ones is pretty fantastic


----------



## LeftCoast

landpirate said:


> just found this link for unusual motorhome interiors:
> http://www.motorhomegroup.com/news/?p=5586
> 
> perhaps it'll give you some inspiration.
> I think the green ones is pretty fantastic




I liked the cabin looking one. I think i'm gonna either go Balkan or Cabin style. Thanks for sharing


----------



## Haley

She's... BIG!!! I'd call that sucker "Big Bertha"! hahaha


----------



## Elliska

Jeezus this is incredible. Are you going to leave the exterior as is?


----------



## Deleted member 20

Im know that in some places it isn't legal to keep buses used as motorhomes painted "national school bus chrome" i.e. yellow. Unsure what leftcoast is gonna do, just throwing my 2 cents in.


----------



## Matt Derrick

highwayman said:


> Im know that in some places it isn't legal to keep buses used as motorhomes painted "national school bus chrome" i.e. yellow. Unsure what leftcoast is gonna do, just throwing my 2 cents in.



as a former bus owner myself, i can tell you that it is not illegal to privately own a school bus in 'regulation' school bus yellow in washington state. i was registered in washington as a motorhome just like leftcoast's bus.

the only issue i ever had driving it around the country was one time i got pulled over in oaklahoma because i forgot to turn on my headlights as i was leaving the gas station i just filled up at.

he said it was illegal to have a school bus in the original yellow in all states in the usa, but he also said that i needed a CDL to drive it and CDL insurance.

all of which was bullshit, and i (nicely) told him so. i don't think he could back up what he was saying which is why he only gave me a warning ticket and let me go on my way.

for those that are curious, you do not need a CDL (commercial driver's license) to drive a vehicle under 40 feet long, unless it has air brakes.


----------



## Deleted member 20

This is a federal regulation found here so illegal in all states. If it is enforced is has nothing to do with it.
http://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/whatsup/tea21/tea21programs/402guide.html#g6
Please use keywords school bus to find it quick.

Below with a quick search I have found NJ, Illinois, Massachusetts laws based off of this federal regulation.
http://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2013/title-39/section-39-3-77.1
http://law.onecle.com/illinois/625ilcs5/12-804.html
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter90/Section7B

Its a no brainer, Remove the words "School & bus", the traffic arm & paint it another color. I like gallons of rustoleum, or two part epoxy marine paints applied with thin rollers if you don't have an autobody sprayer. Ownership isn't the question its the operating of the bus as an RV that will most likely take the bus into various states & jurisdictions.


----------



## Deleted member 20

Seat belt laws are another way for leo to harrass you & or your passengers. Im not one of these everything by the book kinda guys but.. if you are gonna invest thousands of dollars & hundreds of hours of labor its wise to protect your investment.


----------



## Matt Derrick

i have not read the links you posted, and i'm not doubting you, but everything ive read from other school bus owners on 'skoolie' websites said it generally isn't an issue (the color of the bus) so i'm guessing it's something that isn't enforced.

now, that said, i _did _forget to mention that you MUST take the words 'school bus' and the name of the school off the front and sides of the bus. that _is _required and something you could get in trouble for.

i was able to easily remove the letters on the side with a plastic putty knife, and i just used black spray paint to get rid of the 'school bus' on the front and back:







man, i miss that beast.


----------



## LeftCoast

There are some states that will hassle you about the color of the bus. Also, my bus has air brakes and I was told that since my bus is 38 feet long, and has air brakes, i can still legally drive it without a CDL. It's registered as a common BlueBird recreational vehicle. Mine has air brakes. No problems with the fuzz. And really even if it was a problem you really think they're gonna flip shit about brakes? Doubt it. Motor/Compression brakes are the real problems when it comes to big vehicles (from what I have seen). Only a few states won't allow you to have your bus be painted yellow (and in some states you can't have a light blue school bus unless you are a church). But real talk, worst case scenario you just go buy a few gallons of primer and paint that bad boy. I'm not worried at all.


----------



## Matt Derrick

yeah, you could paint the whole thing for like $150 bucks. rustolem is cheap and works well if you prime it first.


----------



## LeftCoast

i am using rustoleum to prime under the subfloor i ripped out. works like a boss.


----------



## LeftCoast

Who Does Not Need a CDL?
The law exempts certain groups of drivers from the requirement to obtain a CDL 
(RCW 46.25.050):
• Farmers transporting farm equipment, supplies, or products to or from a farm in a 
farm vehicle are exempted, provided the vehicle is operated by a farmer or farm employee, 
as long as they stay within 150 miles from the farm. (Products include Christmas trees or 
wood products transported by vehicles 40,000 pounds GVW or less.)
• Firefighters/law enforcement personnel operating equipment are exempted, provided 
they have completed the Emergency Vehicle Accident Prevention Program (EVAP) and 
they carry a card certifying completion.
• Recreational vehicle operators are exempted when driving RVs for non-commercial 
purposes. This includes two-axle rental trucks (WAC 308-100-210), and horse trailers 
(RCW 46.25.050).


----------



## Deleted member 20

I guarantee that having a yellow school bus is more of a liability than its worth.

Busses painted up in graffiti, hand painted hippy stuff will most likely bring attention that's potentially negative. I believe in hiding in plain site & not arousing confrontation with the cops. A 40' bus boondocking in a parking lot is hard to miss. Some cops will specifically target hippy type busses. Once your pulled over for either the traffic arm, the word school bus or the yellow paint. Its not improbable for them to check for seatbelts, ids for all occupants. Its common once at the door for them to lie about smelling illegal substances to gain probable cause to search the whole vehicle. There are plenty of burners that get targeted & ticketed while traveling to & from Black rock city every year.
The problem is that the cops will have enough ammo to issue a ticket that may require a court date & towing. There are lots of partially converted school busses around in various stages of conversion. If you notice that most of them that were done right with plumbing, hookups, generator with ac power, solar, heaing/ac are always painted other than yellow. It gets damn expensive converting a bus as you are probably well aware of at the moment. It all depends on how well you want to protect your investment. One ticket or tow will be much more cash then a diy paint job.

I know it sounds like I am some old fogey worry wart. I just limit my risks is all. I am not trying to be preachy either. In the end its your bus, sweat equity & money invested in it. I/we don't even know if you plan to travel throughout the lower 48 with it or just use it as a residence in the PNW. Paint is cheap. getting harassed by multiple cops gets expensive.


----------



## Matt Derrick

i know you think it's all doom and gloom and all, but i owned my school bus for 2 years, drove it all over the country, and besides one warning ticket, never once had an issue. that's all i'm saying.


----------



## LeftCoast

Same here. I travelled in a school bus that was still national yellow and never had a problem over the course of 8 months. Shit was cake. The only time we ever got hassled was when one of the doors was accidentally left open and driving down the road. It has been very common in the history of American culture to rock a skoolie. I have yet to have any trouble whatsoever with mine and I have had it for almost 2 months and have been converting it on city streets. Seattle Municipal Code is awesome for van dwelling and even better for "RV" living. You only have to move your rig once every 3 days a total of 25 feet. It really is a beautiful thing. I left my bus in the same place and it took 3 weeks for the parking enforcement to hit me with a ticket. and hell, a 44 dollar ticket is a non moving violation which doesn't even get reported to your insurance provider. It's totally cake man. I mean I hear you out about what you're getting at, but personally I'm not worried for now. I am going to paint the bus in the near future, but a wood burning stove and all hardwood everything  Washington state is total cake, also according to WSP the whole air brake thing doesn't matter if it's for non commercial use. Commonwealth states are where things get a lil tricky, but you just pay the $20 or whatever for a trip permit and you're fine. Done it before.


----------



## Beegod Santana

I gotta agree with Highwayman here. I've never owned a skoolie but know many people who lost theirs after they where pulled over and got impounded over safety issues, color, illegal lettering ect. As a matter a fact, everyone I know who bussed it for an extended period of time eventually lost their bus to the impound lot except for one girl who's bus burnt to the ground after her veggie oil system exploded. My advice, paint that shit and learn the seat belt laws of where you're traveling to. They can vary immensely state to state. Just because you or your buddy didn't get in trouble for it doesn't mean its a smart idea.


----------



## Matt Derrick

wet blankets for everybody!


----------



## Beegod Santana

Paranoid Old man club for lyfe! Actually, I'm still a few years south of 30, just really tired of having police take all my shit over stupid shit. Once the case is settled I got one hell of a rubber tramping through Nevada story for ya'll. Lets just say sometimes they really ARE out to get you... and your truck.


----------



## LeftCoast

Well good thing I know what I'm doing. Anyhow, here's an updated picture


----------



## Hylyx

Helll yeah that's gonna be warm as hell! That stove looks badass by the way. If I get a job at a shop I'll see if I can turn you a brass or wooden handle for the stove door.


----------



## LeftCoast

Here is a picture of the front end of the bus so far. It's really coming along, and is already about 85% completed. The Peat Moss Bus project has been a wonderful one. We have WiFi on board, a full solar array, and 15 gallons of potable water at a time. I think 15 gallons is awfully low, so it will be expanded in the near future. The floor is laminate, and costed only 220 dollars to complete. The wood framing is actually just a bunch of 1 x 2 that have been cut to fit and screwed in. The bus sleeps 4 comfortably and can accommodate more. The bus is also equipped with a pretty large deep rectangular sink and an indoor 5 burner natural gas range which has been converted to run on propane. I'm really happy with this whole project. This picture just shows 1/3 of the bus, obviously the front end. Once i finish the storage and whatnot I will post more pictures and keep everyone posted on the project. Always down to meet new faces in the Seattle area !


----------



## Matt Derrick

man that thing is looking sweeter every day. did you have to put plywood on the roof before installing the slats?


----------



## LeftCoast

Matt Derrick said:


> man that thing is looking sweeter every day. did you have to put plywood on the roof before installing the slats?


I literally just screwed them into the ribs on top. It was cake, and it doesn't look bad at all  I left a spot for the chimney exposed for when I apply flashing later.


----------



## Raven1998

DOPEEEEEEE


----------



## LeftCoast

Okay update, I have 100 gallons of diesel in this thing now. What would you do at 12.5 miles to the gallon? Starting in Seattle.


----------



## Matt Derrick

Why would it have less gallons per mile after you put another diesel tank in it?


----------



## LeftCoast

It gets always gets that rate at diesel


----------

