[mplutodh1]

Being that our team is large and probably going to grow more this year and we are all college students we came up with this idea of possibly converting an old bus (school or commercial) into our team vehicle. RAGBRAI has a lot of these things, but no offense to anyone who attends its kinda a whacked out looking event, just figured I'd mention so some of you would know what i was talking about.

Main concern right now is getting the univ. to approve the idea, i have HUGE doubts right now. If they dont we might still go ahead and do it if there is ANYWAY for us to get insurance on the thing that wouldnt be on an individual of the team, any ideas?

Our ideas are as follows:

Purchase or receive donation of a bus (either school, commercial, or other)
On the side fundraising would be done for this in the form of carwashes, etc if possible.
Cost usually is around $1000-2000
Looking in the classifieds a few people were even giving buses away that would need work
Idea proposal – many of the members have suggested the idea of getting the Vehicle Tech. program involved in converting the bus to a bio-diesel vehicle. This would be an awesome opportunity for their department to convert a university vehicle to bio-diesel that we would use on a regular basis, what a better way to promote the idea!
Conversion Ideas
Removal of all seats except for maximum of 15 occupants including driver to avoid CDL problems.
Repainting of exterior if necessary to University colors with our team graphics and sponsors logos (awesome way to encourage sponsorship also)
Conversion of existing seats into “camper” style seats facing each other with table in between which converts to sleeping area.
Installation of bunk style beds for up to 15+ sleeping occupants
Installation of shop cabinets/divider wall in rear of bus – allows us to have a full service bike shop with us at all times on trips.
Installation of rack on to of the bus to transport 15-30+ bikes for events. If done properly we could probably carry far more.
Installation of “kitchen area” which would essentially be a counter top with a pump sink (parts can be purchased from RV stores usually) this would help us insure the vehicle as an RV.
Installation of fresh water tanks to carry enough water to supply the team at any location we might travel to.
Exterior Awning addition allows for team area to be easily set up at all events, out of the weather.
Supplies
Most of which will be paid for with fundraising
Some donations will be sought out to cut the costs
Vehicle insurance – with a few of the above mentioned (and possibly a few other) modifications the vehicle can be insured as an RV or under a blanket liability policy that the university should have for motor pool vehicles.
Construction – labor done by club members, inspected by whomever necessary (most likely a Vehicle Tech program individual)




http://unsupervised.org/Gameday Albums/TUB/index0.html - Tailgate party bus built by a group of college students
http://students.mwsu.edu/organizations/cycling/photogallery/GoPeds-and-bus.asp college team bus
http://students.mwsu.edu/organizations/cycling/photogallery/DSCN0285.asp - not sure if this bus is a converted bus or not, cant find details
http://members.cox.net/teamangry/images/d1p1_02.jpg
http://www.bikeiowa.com/uploads/gallery/SWAT_TEAM.jpg
http://www.cheddarhead.org/images/bus/bus2.gif -bad photo and not a great example
http://www.teamhaze.com/brr1.jpg

 

[Cash-Money]

i don't know about anyone else, but that's the coolest idea i've heard in a while. I'll be at western next year, and hopefully this project gets off the ground

 

[Mike B.]

I used to tailgate with some friends that converted a school bus with a kitchen, bar, entertainment center, bathroom, and roof deck with PA system, flag poles, a couch, etc. The battles they always fought were insurance being on one individual, maintenance (brakes, engine, etc), and storage. It sounds like if you might be able to get all of those things covered through the school somehow so I say go for it.

That bus has since been retired and we're now looking at converting a box truck of some sort.

 

[Broken_Spoke]

Thats an awesome idea. I would also put a close cercuit (sp) camra in the back to act as a rear veiw mirror

 

[Denny]

Talk to the guys at the VRI (vehicle research institute) at WWU, they'll give you some advice. They have a pretty cool transporter too, it's an isuzu large flatbed truck that they added a passenger cabin onto, with airplane seats from Boeing Surplus I think.

 

[merrrrjig]

Way sick idea

 

[Toshi]

that's a great idea. make sure to document it (and post here) if you get the go ahead

 

[Motionboy2]

That will be fun! When I was in college a couple of friends and I bought a short bus and tore out the interior and made it livable. Then we took off to see the country for a little over a month.
It was an awesome experience.
With a fullsize bus do they have air brakes? You may run into problems with the CDL license if it does.

Otherwise I would love to see the steps that you go through to get it up and running.

Here in Boulder we have all kinds of hippy-mobiles that roll through town. I saw one that had the upper half of a VW bus welded on as almost a turret on the top of the bus. It had to be the coolest thing I have ever seen!

 

[lovebunny]

you gotta have aclass b license to drive a bus also. you should look into that

 

[mplutodh1]

the license stuff i have looked into real quick and as long as the thing carries a max of 15 passengers, isnt painted yellow, and isnt used for commercial purposes such as a tour business it appears as though a standard drivers license in WA will work fine. With a few conversions it is essentially a team RV rather than bus, RV's you don't need special DL's for.

 

[stevew]

Better. Style is everything.

 

[biggins]

here ya go this looks perfect

 

[jmvar]

I think all diesel engines can run Bio-diesel, but remember that bio-diesel is expensive as hell!!!!

The idea is great, I wish I had done somehting like this when I was in college.

Make sure to document and share with us!!!!!

quick fact sheet on biodiesel:

Biodiesel factsheet

 

[Dirt rider]

heres a prtty sweet bikein bus..

 

[mplutodh1]

there any photos of the interior of the dropin bus? and as for the biodiesel, yeah its expensive to buy but if you make it... not too bad... at least that was how it was explained to me.

 

[Toshi]

there any photos of the interior of the dropin bus? and as for the biodiesel, yeah its expensive to buy but if you make it... not too bad... at least that was how it was explained to me.

have you considered converting it to run on vegetable oil? if you could get donations from the local burger joints it would be just about free... i think a few monkeys here have done the conversion.

http://www.google.com/search?q=diesel+vegetable+oil+conversion&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

 

[mplutodh1]

well there ya go, maybe thats what everyone was telling me about, either way, its a lot better for the environment, and hopefully cheaper

 

[Tully]

That bus would be really, really cool. Good luck with the project!

 

[bushwacker]

Be careful on the bio-diesel idea.

Most restaurants are now padlocking their grease bins because of the biodiesel thing. They would arther sell it, which they do.
Blame the popularity of the stuff.

Commercial biodiesel is not too much cheaper than regular fuel either.

 

[Dartman]

Side deck with rain/sun cover is nice. Gotta have a cow skull on the grill. Satellite dish not included (just behind bus)

 

[Dirt Merchant]

You have to look for photos if they exist, of the SE Racing bus from the early eighties!
(BMX) Loudest stereo I've ever heard; it broke down a lot though. http://www.bmxmuseum.com/1html/seracebus.html