I finally decided what I want to use to make a camper with.

"Luc - The Acadian Oppo" (luc5)
09/22/2016 at 12:09 • Filed to: van life

After much consideration of all the options. Full size vans,step van delivery truck, Cube van,ect. Turns out a Skoolie is the most logical choice. You get MUCH more for your money(literally and figuratively).

You can buy a great bus for under $5K. Where used of any of the other options are easily over $10K and closer to $15K for something of the quality I’m looking for.

I’m now actively on the hunt for the perfect bus. I have some pretty specific requirements so it will probably take a long time to find “the one”. My main criteria is the overall length. The Bus can be no longer than 28 feet. My driveway is exactly 30ft long and I need the bus to fit in the driveway without having to be 2 inches from the garage.

The the engine/trans combo is also pretty important.

I want an International DT466 paired to an Allison MT643 tranny. (Could settle for a 5.9L cummins but the MT643 is a must.

The absolute holy grail would be a shorty flat nose bluebird like this one.

Push comes to shove it it had the right powertrain and drivetrain I could settle for a conventional international 3800 bus like this.

DISCUSSION (30)

EL_ULY > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:10

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heck yeah duuuuuuuude!

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:13

https://www.visualnews.com/2013/08/29/hou…

HammerheadFistpunch > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:14

please please PLEASE do something not horrible for the paint. I’ve seen far too many school bus come camper turds to last me a lifetime.

CalzoneGolem > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:17

My old man’s friend had a bus camper/toy hauler where he parked his race car in the back of the bus. It was pretty sweet.

bob and john > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:19

finish your god dam motorcycle first then worry about other things.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:20

DO THIS:

Kinja'd!!!

Wacko > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:21

So you’re finally gonna do it, make a mobile man cave for all your 80s-90s games....

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > HammerheadFistpunch
09/22/2016 at 12:22

Rustoleum Dark machine grey on everything that is yellow. everything else would remain the same. I’d really like a bus with a white roof. like the first pic.

Kinja'd!!!

I’m far too perfectionist to do some of the stuff I’ve seen. Latex house paint with a roller is a big no no.

Mine would essentially look like a prison bus or something.

HammerheadFistpunch > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:23

not a huge fan of the primer look, but its a damn sight better than some oil based mural or house paint, like you said.

Wacko > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:26

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/i-found-someth…

Takuro Spirit > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:27

If you happen to find any cheap low mileage short buses with an LS 6.0L let me know ;)

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > bob and john
09/22/2016 at 12:30

I’m waiting for 1 part in the mail that should hopefully arrive this week to finish the suspension.

After that all I need to do (if all goes well) is shorten the kick stand.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > HammerheadFistpunch
09/22/2016 at 12:31

it’s gloss grey no flat.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
09/22/2016 at 12:35

I’ve seen that one before.

A great source for info is www.skoolie.net. A forum on only skoolies.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:39

The only trick is the window density - I don’t know how easy it’ll be to finish over them in such a way that you won’t have massive leakage, noise, lack of heat retention, and so on.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Wacko
09/22/2016 at 12:45

Checked it out and the prices are good but everything is 3000+ kms away and having to import thru customs aswell makes it hardly worth while. I could pay twice as much here and it would be cheaper in the long run.

XJDano > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:46

I am now looking for buses. (A bus?)

http://m.midwesttransit.com/auto/used-1998…

Wacko > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 12:51

road trip!

ps. have fun finding CRTs for you old skool mobile.....

Kinja'd!!!

i actually own this shirt.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 13:11

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1997-Inter…

$5000? ok.

shop-teacher > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 13:38

I dig it. Better check you local regulations and be sure you’re allowed to park it at your house. My town is pretty relaxed about that stuff, but a bus/rv right up front would be a no-go even here.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 13:56

A friend of mine is building a school bus into an RV right now...its a full length conventional style one, not a flat nose. He’s been shocked the whole time by exactly how heavily built the thing is. I think holding out for the flat nose is a good idea though, to maximize interior space.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > shop-teacher
09/22/2016 at 14:49

RV’s are allowed but not commercial vehicles but if I registered it as an RV and I fully plan to then it would be no problem since I’m fully within the rules. Even tho I’m sure some might frown upon it there is technically nothing they can do since it is for all intents and purposes a legal RV.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > PotbellyJoe and 42 others
09/22/2016 at 14:51

Wrong motor. Even tho the T444E is technically a 7.3L powerstroke and a good motor in its own rights. It is not the one I’m looking for.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
09/22/2016 at 14:55

yeah the flat nose is definitely what I want. I’d gain like 6 more feet of interior length for the same length bus.

A flat front 28ft long bus would be roughly 180 square feet of interior space. where as a conventional would only be about 130 square feet.

The flat front would be about 40% bigger while occupying the same space in the driveway.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > XJDano
09/22/2016 at 14:58

That thing would be fucking perfect if it was shorter. Hell of a price too.

And to top it all off it has the Right motor!

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 14:59

I mostly was intrigued with a driver’s side door on a non-van chassis.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
09/22/2016 at 15:02

I’be be taking out atleast 8 windows(4 on each side) and insulating in that area. It would leave me with 8 windows + the windshield & door.

I won’t be living in the thing just using it as an RV from time to time. So I’m not too too worried. If I can sleep in a tent I’m sure a bus will be fine.

gmctavish needs more space > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 16:32

My dad and his friend built an old bus into a camper in the 70s or 80s. Now it’s just a guest house and hasn’t driven in 15 years or so, but it definitely gives me ideas....this one is a large gas V8 and a 5 speed manual

Kinja'd!!!

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > gmctavish needs more space
09/22/2016 at 17:45

They had done a pretty damn nice job by the looks of it. Lets just say it’s pretty “period correct” but the quality of the work looks spot on.

gmctavish needs more space > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
09/22/2016 at 20:15

Definitely haha, and I should hope so, my dad was a carpenter at the time