I'm thinking about converting a short school bus as a second bus

[Len Silva]

You want to look for the ones they call "Activity Buses" as they tend to have more headroom.

Len

[PADoug]

So I take it that if we went with a Rear-Engined Schoolbus with a slight or no roof raise, with the sides buttoned up so it looked kind of classy, we'd be pretty much accepted? That's the challenge we are facing here.

Come next summer, regardless of my employment situation, my SO wants to begin touring the National and State Parks. She's got the bus bug, but more importantly the traveling bug, and doesn't care how we do it. She's only sold on buses because of the safety idea...my primary reason as well. (Else I'd travel with the Jeep, a teardrop trailer, and occasional Motel 8...but absolutely no SS. We looked at them last weekend, she marveled how nice it would be to rent one, till I asked her how nice it would be if one tipped over...) 

[buswarrior]

Buy a school bus from a school bus company.

Cut out the middle man.

Best is to arrange an end of the school year purchase, Friday it hauled the kids, meeting all the inspection criteria, Monday, you drive off with a machine that hasn't been sitting around catching lot rot.

And they'll more than likely take the spare bits back as spares.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[bowmaga]

great idea.  skoolies are cool, easy, fun, and built like tanks.  Our first bus was a 1987 blue bird, 4 speed, 35' long, w/ a chevy 350.  Definitly was not a speed demon, but in 3 years, never had to really work on it.  Had to add some oil, and some coolent...but other than that, a wrench never attacked the engine or any components with the drive train.  We bought ours in April and it was inspected for the upcoming school year, but we got to it first.  Bought off a bus dealer in Lima, Ohio. No basement storage, allowed me to hide 240 gallons of fresh water tanks between the front and rear wheels, and 240 gallons fo holding all behind the rear wheels.  Shower, toilet, sink. kitchenette, 4 bunks, and a couple couches, a shinky black paint job, and some stainless stell and we had Black Betty.  she was awesome.  Unfortuanatly sold her to a lucky guy in Iowa.  We dearly miss her.  Fun times.  attached are some pics...you can't go wrong witha skoolie for a fun bus.

[Tenor]

"RAMALAMA!  Damn thing gone wild!"   

Glenn