Please note this information is under construction the same as the bus so it may not be completed.
This picture shows an outside view of the bus as it was on November 7th 2006. The paint still needs work. It has been coated with a white enamel as a temporary step until I am able to spend the time to bring it to a more respectable finish. The engine transmission and brakes are all working. The bus was used at the PARC field day site 2006 in San Marcos There is still quite a bit of finish work needed on the inside. Some of the parts that have been replaced with new are the airbrakes, suspension airbags, fuel tank and all hoses airlines and electrics.
.
The major reason for doing our own custom bus conversion is that we want to use it full time with four children. Standard RV's are built for the market which typically falls into two groups, those, as the name implies, for recreation and those who full time without children. Luxury is a major goal for these markets. In our case we needed to make some compromises to optimize for our needs. The following is a list of our requirements in order of importance.
No Slide out
At first it was thought that no slide outs could be used on a double decker because the is no under the floor space. In moment of inspiration it was realized that slide outs could be installed above the engine at the back of the bus. After a great deal of consideration it was realized that there is big tradeoff between a "Large lounge" and a "Large amount of storage space" because of the supports for the slide outs. Slide outs at the back of the bus would suggest that the master bedroom be moved to the front of the bus on the upper deck and the large panoramic front window be eliminated. In the final arrangement the slide out has been left off but the configuration of the master bedroom at the front on the upper deck has been kept. This results in a lot of storage space, for light household items, at the front of the bus on the upper deck.
Initially we positioned the unmovable items. After a great deal of theoretical evolution and consideration the final layout is as follows:
Ground Floor
Upper Floor
The driving seat of course is in its normal left hand drive position. All of
the essential drive controls are standard systems, may of which have been
updated. Driving instrumentation is can be displayed on a 17 inch computer flat screen.
There are backup gauges for air pressure, water temperature and oil
pressure. On the passenger side there will be
a bench seat which can be flipped to face forward.. Behind the passenger bench
seat is a fixed dining table which is supported over the front right hand wheel
arch. In the backward facing position the front bench acts as seats for the
dining table. Behind the dining table is a second bench seat which is over
four golf cart batteries providing the 24 volt house supply. A bay of three 19
inch racks for electronic equipment is behind the driver's seat. An electric
cook top is behind the rear dining table
spaced such that it cannot be reached by children sat at the dining table. The
washing machine is at floor level, behind the electronic equipment on the
left side, with the oven above it. Next to the washing machine/oven will be the
kitchen sink and work top (this will probably a
Corian®
surface and sink but is one of the remaining jobs). Continuing along towards the back will be a
dish washer followed by the refrigerator. At the back of the ground floor house
section is the bathroom.
The toilet is a composting unit. A small room surrounds the toilet and
shower/sink. The main door to the bus is to the rear of the cook top and
work space with the stairs to the upper floor to the rear of the main door.
At the top of the stairs to the rear above the engine, baggage and utilities is
the lounge which is eight feet by twelve feet. Ahead of the stairs on the upper
floor is the boys room followed by the girls room. These two six feet by
six feet rooms can be combined with the passage way to create an eight foot by
twelve foot play room. At the front of the upper floor is the master bedroom.
Electrical power
There is a 13 kilowatt diesel generator and a 4 kilowatt inverter / electrical power management unit with 4 golf cart batteries to provided house power when away from utility supplied power.
Radio / Electronic equipment planed to be installed in the bus
Our bus, we were told, started life as a support vehicle for the movie industry. Picture 1 and Picture 2 show the bus in the lot where it was purchased. We do not know how the interior of the bus looked in its original state, as work was probably done to convert it to a motor home before we took possession of it. Picture3 shows the downstairs interior, looking back from the front, as it was. Picture 4 shows the upstairs looking forward from the back. Picture5 shows the upstairs looking back from the front. Picture6 shows the roof looking back from the front.