2003 International 3800 Bus Conversion

[keons500]

Fast forward a few days and I'm writing this post on my laptop going 65 mph through Indianapolis. We got the boys on the road! The bus is running smooth. There's quite a few interior items to wrap up but nothing that needs to hold up the trip. I'm only on until the 5th to make sure there aren't any serious issues. The test drive is quite literally a cross country road trip.

I never wrote about my charging system choices. So far I am very happy running a 270 amp alternator through a Sterling Power alternator to battery charger. I'm relieved that the diesel is happy with just over 13v (after the diode splitter voltage drop). The alternator is puts out 100 amps at idle with the charger pushing around 70 amps to the house battery. I have yet to test the alternator under any real load, but I doubt I'm ever using it to the full potential.

Time for beers with the boys!

 

[keons500]

Here are a couple photos of the exterior. I really dropped the ball on this build thread.





I found an International 4800 donor vehicle: 4x4, Eaton 6 Speed, and air actuated low-range. All this truck for an asking price of $2,975.00. However, it's time to catch up with family, friends, and replenish the bank account. Maybe next year I'll hop onto the swap.

 

[keons500]

Unlike a lot of the school bus builds out there, I did not frame the walls thicker. The frame thickness is 1.900" to the interior. All of the work we did was inside of the original steel frame. With the added the 1/4" ply, the resulting 2.150" wall holds 2-3/16" trim rings in place.

I still chose some "cutesy/comfortable" building materials. In my mind weight was already screwed because it's a bus, and the prettier the interior the longer I can go with my plus one!

This photo also shows the flip up battery box and inverter.

 

[keons500]

Here are a couple photos from my first night in the bus (left over Chipotle). I used a tool chest as the kitchen drawers and a Vitrifrigo DC refrigerator. I couldn't figure out how to make a table with legs and still allow seating on the bench, so I hung it from the ceiling.

The curtains are made but didn't have a chance to hang correctly. I also have to finish the storage cubbies up front. (among many other things that require finishing)





The exterior plugs allow 30 amps in and 15 amps out. The 30 amps in provides power through the inverter and charges the batteries (4 stage). The 15 amps out is self explanatory. I'd bet it took me nearly five hours of research to decide on which receptacles to use. I was surprised at the lacking options.

 

[Anton2k3]

Looks great! Nice idea with the hanging table. It all looks very well made..nice rig!

 

[keons500]

Here's a video of a walk around. To fill in some gaps in the "story", I had started a freestyle scooter company called TILT when I was 17. I restarted in that nasty warehouse last year after disagreements with business partners. I made some decisions to work with people I shouldn't have. The bus was kind of like a hurrah we're back and able to do what we love again. I'll be meeting up with the bus again in Portland to rejoin the tour and then drive the bus home with my girlfriend. We filmed this walkthrough video while visiting a customer of ours in Los Angeles so nothing too technical!

 

[NorthwestNorthernOntario]

Nice video, and congrats on a cool budget build. I like the toolbox for 'instant' drawers. The 'suspended table' is also very cool and practical. Later you should motorize it to levitate it back up into the ceiling! Very nice job for the time limitations! Does she go down the road at about 10 mpg? You can always toss up an A/c unit and use your generator when you are not on shore power. Add a cassette toilet, a sink, an outside shower and you are about done.

 

[keons500]

Nice video, and congrats on a cool budget build. I like the toolbox for 'instant' drawers. The 'suspended table' is also very cool and practical. Later you should motorize it to levitate it back up into the ceiling! Very nice job for the time limitations! Does she go down the road at about 10 mpg? You can always toss up an A/c unit and use your generator when you are not on shore power. Add a cassette toilet, a sink, an outside shower and you are about done.

Thanks! I'm not sure it was on a budget.. The cost blew me away. I was just along for the ride and committed to doing whatever I could in six weeks. I think most of the cost was rushing the project quickly.

A motorized table would be really nice. I wish I could fabricate aluminum. That would've made this vehicle a lot lighter.

I did leave an area for a 14 x 14 roof top AC unit. I tried to figure out two small window units as a solution due to window units being much higher efficiency. The usable 220 amp hours of battery pack could have ran the bunk air conditioner on low for a while. The rooftop couldn't do that, but the ease of installation is the way I'll go now!

I'd really like to do a wet bathroom with a shower inside. This would allow year-round camping and snowboarding since we're up in Michigan. I'm not out West like the rest of the guys on here!

 

[java]

Showers inside are over rated! Too much moisture..... We can wash our hair in the sink, that goes a long ways.

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[keons500]

Showers inside are over rated! Too much moisture..... We can wash our hair in the sink, that goes a long ways.

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That would make my life a lot easier, and I need that at this point... For some reason it just clicked that I will nix the shower. Thanks

In other news, the guys had our first "break down" in Oakland CA. The batteries were dead after being parked for four days. The bus was moved each day to avoid parking regulations, and I don't think it was running long enough for the Sterling Power unit to charge the starting batteries. The split charger only checks the starting battery voltage every two minutes. The three batteries were also from 2003, so I figured they may go on this trip.

I sourced two batteries the same day in San Francisco and had the guys toss them in. However, the battery voltage still drops consistently when parked. We have an electrical gremlin! The bus doesn't have an amp meter on board, so I'll have to diagnose when I meet the bus in Portland next week.

Originally I was going to wire a 3/0 cable from the house battery to starting battery as a booster cable. I ran out of 3/0 and that stuff isn't cheap. I still have the an extra high current switch, so I'll do it eventually.

For now, the battery shutoff switch disconnects the batteries whenever we park. This way nothing drains down the batteries. Not a long term solution, but it'll make it until Wednesday when I fly back out. I'm sure I'll have a good time diagnosing the problem.

 

[java]

Oh breakdowns are never fun! Let's see some more pics from the trip!

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[keons500]

I haven't shared the trip because it's mostly scootering. Here are some flicks from when I joined the trip in Los Angeles and San Diego.



The view of Los Angeles from one of the spots we were scootering.



Catching up with old friends in one of our customer's parking lots in San Diego.



This is a proud young fan that we gave a hat and a sheet of griptape. He hasn't stopped trying to contact me since this day.



The scooter cross course in San Diego. Kids are crazy these days!

 

[keons500]

As the bus sits in Seattle WA! Can hardly believe she made it this far!



The Garage - scooters, skateboards, awning, table, camping chairs, and generator.

 

[keons500]

Here's an overview of the route so far. Obviously were loads of small stops along the way at skate parks, beaches, campsites, etc...

I planned the return trip as vacation I fly to Portland on Wednesday to meet the bus/tour. On the following Monday my girlfriend meets up and we begin heading back towards Michigan! Should get some good camping, hiking, and cooking in at that point. Stoked!

 

[java]

Lmk when your in Seattle! Looks like a great trip

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