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| LIFE IN SOLERA | NOVEMBER 2023 | 39 RV GROUP Do you "Skoolie?" With RV prices skyrocketing due to the cost of inflation and supply shortages, I thought we could take a look at RV bus conversions, specifically the school bus conversion fad currently taking place. Why convert a school bus (Skoolie) into an RV? Good question. The school bus is a remarkably sturdy and well built platform. The average school bus offers good height and plenty of room. Most retired school buses come with diesel engines with a lot of good miles still left on them. The fuel tanks are usually very large allowing for increased traveling range. Another bonus is that school buses are usually well maintained by school districts. Interesting fact … school buses by California law must be inspected every 3,000 miles or 45 calendar days whichever comes first. The Skoolie bus conversion usually begins at buying a school bus at auction. From there it's on to your best friend's lot for a little deconstruction and a lot of imagination. First the engine and transmission are checked and diagnosed for any problems. If any problems are found, they are repaired. Now on to the fun part. It's demolition time. The remaining seats are ripped out. The floor is smoothed out by use of grinders. Unwanted windows are dismantled and new larger ones are installed. A flooring template is made to figure out where the bed and appliances should be placed. Most modern large RVs follow pretty much the same floor plan. The bedroom is in the back, the bathroom close by followed by the kitchen in the middle and living area in the front of the RV. Not so with a fully-gutted school bus conversion. Painting and sealing of the interior is next. The roof is checked for leaks and repaired if necessary. Outside painting can begin now or after the completion of interior work. Electrical and plumbing systems are then installed. Solar panels are popular and added at this time if desired. Heavier appliances such as a stove and refrigerator are then added. A good size water tank along with black and grey holding tanks are installed. From there, it's up to the imagination of the owner. Want a full size bath tub (every RVers dream)? Add it. Need a customized computer work station? There is lots of space for that in a Skoolie. If you're a foodie and need more work and prep space, that can be added into the design as well. The biggest complaint in modern RV builds is the lack of usable work and storage space. Designing one's own space takes care of that complaint and enhances the Skoolie build. In future articles, we'll take a look into classic bus/RV conversions. I love the classic lines of the 1940s and 1950s buses. There are some outstanding retro bus/RV conversions out there.