Newbie looking for advice

[RJ]

Russ
Go easy on Skoolies, some of us don't have more money than brains. Some of us do it for the fun of it and not to impress opinionated people like you 

Al -

If you pay a little closer attention, you'll see that the majority of my "negative" comments relating to skoolies are directed at the dog-nosed conventionals most commonly found hauling kids around.

The Crowns, Gilligs and other models that are of a transit-type configuration are far more adaptable to the RV conversion crowd, w/o the built-in "hippie bus" stigma.  Mid-ship-engined Crowns & Gilligs have their own set of challenges regarding under-floor house systems, but these are not insurmountable.  Besides, these two are built like tanks, literally.  The newer skoolies built on a rear-engine diesel pusher chassis, be it a Thomas Safe-T-Liner or a Bluebird All-American, lend themselves well to a conversion also.

FYI - I put myself thru college driving skoolies - loved the Crowns & Gilligs, hated the dog-noses.  Lousy visibility, awkward driver's position (ergonomically terrible!!), noisy & hot engine right under your feet, ride like trucks ('cause they basically are). . . the list goes on and on when you're talking conventionals.

There's a really nice Crown skoolie that's converted for sale right here in Fresno.  I've looked at it, and it's a pretty decent conversion.  The modifications they made to the coach, from some minor body work (removing the red cross-over lights) to the paint scheme, are quite nice, and, unless you were really familiar with buses, the average person probably wouldn't recognize it as a former skoolie.

Believe me, Al, I respect the tremendous amount of work than an individual puts into converting a shell, regardless of type.  But I also feel strongly (as you've pointed out, since you say I'm opinionated), that a newbie needs to really understand the differences in the types of shells available and to thoroughly think thru the type of use they're planning for their conversion before they plunk down their hard-earned dollars on what might turn out to be a mistake.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Buffalo SpaceShip]

By the way, When I find a campground that doesn't like me or my bus, I happily move on to the next one.

And the congregation says, "Amen!!"

[BusCrazyTom]

....and AMEN AGAIN!


Tom, I fixed this for you. You must highlight the term and then select the action you want. Then highlight again and select the second action and on and on.
Richard

[Dreamscape]

I TOTALLY AGREE
When I brought my Eagle here to the VALLEY. Not one park would let me in. All must be 1995 and newer. What a bummer for most of us.

Paul

Dreamscape

Paul, I fixed this for you. You have to highlight the term and then click color red and then highlight again and click move.
Richard

[NJT5047]

Once had a skoolie...a 72 Chevrolet chassis with a dog nose "hood" Thomas body.  Small block Chevy with a 5 speed.  We drove that sucker all over the North Carolina mountains.  We did Asheville On the Green, but lived in Charlotte.  It would run about 65 flat out and sounded like it was gonna blow at any time...but it didn't.   Anyone around Asheville or Cherokee in  the early 80s llikely saw this bus crammed into a bank lot or whereever we could park it.  Never had any problems parking the thing....had Skyline Cloggers on the side and Miller lite dash decoration.    Real class act you know...coulld this be the problem with skoolies...their owners like to "get down"...and then can't get back up!  We acted like a bunch of hippies...but were totally harmless.     The bus had a great place to sit beer cans.....cola cans when driving.
Kept the bus for 4 years and put a good many miles on it...got to know my future wife (26 year wife now) and had a great time.   We were a 4 couple precision clogging team (something us poor folk do here in NC) and never missed a show.   
That bus was a rolling animal house!  The thing drove nice and straight, had great brakes,  and was totally bulletproof...other than the exhaust system...it fell off...this lack of exhaust did not constitute a "breakdown."   We installed a side exit exhaust with a cherry bomb for a muffler....cost, about $20 bucks.   VERY cool.
That bus was an adult playpen and I still have warm feelings when I see a skoolie of that vintage.   
And the damn windshields didn't leak like my MC9 does!  But I like my MC9 too.  Leaky windshields and all.  Still riding the same women around with me!  Also VERY cool!   
Good luck with your bus dude!  You just never know exactly where these things lead.   Sometimes it's so good! 
Happy JR 


   

[kevinksu2005]

There is a lot of good advice and strong opinions on this subject. I am sure that for every type of bus their are advantages, disadvantage, people that love 'em , and people that hate 'em.

While I haven't ruled out the skoolie idea completely (a way to "get my feet wet"), I certainly haven't decided to go that route either. I have never rally considered the doghouse conventional skoolie. I have thought about the Crowns, Gilligs, and the newer transit styles. I may end up going this route for their ability to handle rougher terrain.

It sounds like I will not get to go back home for good until May of this year. AND, then it sounds like I'll be building all new kitchen cabinets for the Boss. So, my conversion might get pushed off until next fall. I've been waiting a couple years anyway, I guess in the scheme of things it is better to have a happy wife in her new kitchen than a ticked off wife in a bus.

I will have a coach at some point; I have made up my mind. But, for now, with it just being the two of us and even with a couple little kids, I don't really need all that much storage room. I know, I know, you can never have enough. So I think I'll be looking into a transit, a transit style skoolie, or an already converted coach.

"Pick one you like the looks of"....I like the older coaches. I like the looks of a SceniCruiseror, but haven't been inside to determine if I like the interior construction or not. I also love the looks of an old Flxible. BUT, I like the options and parts availability of a newer more common Prevost or MCI. Maybe a GMC for its construction techniques,
Oh hell, now I'm back to where I started. I like too many types. Will require much more consideration and looking.

[kyle4501]

"Pick one you like the looks of"....I like the older coaches. I like the looks of a SceniCruiseror, but haven't been inside to determine if I like the interior construction or not. I also love the looks of an old Flxible. BUT, I like the options and parts availability of a newer more common Prevost or MCI. Maybe a GMC for its construction techniques,
Oh hell, now I'm back to where I started. I like too many types. Will require much more consideration and looking.

As for converting to a motorhome, I don't think anyone likes the stock interior construction of a scenicruiser! 
The dropped asile is a real pain to work around & lowering the floor is more involved than just cutting out the offending parts & throwing plywood down.
But they do have a T-drive, so power train options are many. And they do have an advantage in the looks department.

Best thing you can do is to attend some rallys. Tents & sticks & staples are usually allowed & daily drive overs from motels are welcome too. The rally will show you so much more than you can immagine.

kyle4501

[kevinksu2005]

I didn't figure any of the stock interior would stay no matter what bus I was using. You hit the nail n the head with the floor. That was my main, well only, concern with these over any ohter type of bus. I like the high windows for letting in natural light and thought if I could lower the rear floor to the front floor level, the headroom would be taken care of.

Care to elaborate any on lowering the floor?
     I'll check the archives after work for more infor on that too.

[kyle4501]

. . . .  if I could lower the rear floor to the front floor level, the headroom would be taken care of.

Care to elaborate any on lowering the floor?
I'll check the archives after work for more infor on that too.

There are 3 steps from the front level to the rear level in a 4501 (Scenicruiser). If you lowered the rear floor to level with the front, you would not have much room in the bays.

The floor is structural & as with ANY structure, you must replace whatever structure you remove with a durable structure to carry the load. If done improperly, you will be signing the death warrant for the bus.

Here is a picture of a 4501 from the front looking towards the rear at the steps