TOUR | Little Skoolie Bus Conversion | Less than $2000 Build | OUT OF OFFICE CAMPING
Вставка
- Опубліковано 26 лип 2024
- - AFFILIATE PARTNERS -
• Bluetti Portable Power Stations
tinyurl.com/4rjfthmt
• Devos Outdoors
tinyurl.com/bd8t62wr
• Freespirit Recreation
tinyurl.com/yc42fd66
• GSI Outdoors
tinyurl.com/mrkmc475
• HEST
tinyurl.com/32bkb3zp
• Hipcamp
tinyurl.com/yt9refn3
• IceCo Freezer
icecofreezer.com/OUTOFOFFICEC...
• REI
tinyurl.com/bdhydvpf
• Seasucker
tinyurl.com/9snaf4s3
• Step 22 Gear
tinyurl.com/5x3cj33m
• ZERO BREEZE Tech Inc
tinyurl.com/4h9w39nf
Mark & Teresa
www.OutOfOfficeCamping.com
Connect with us:
OutOfOfficeCamping
outofofficecamping
See our rigs with product links:
2019 Ford Ranger FX4
outofofficecamping.blogspot.c...
2010 Kia Soul "Soulverlander"
outofofficecamping.blogspot.c...
~ Check out our T-shirt store : out-of-office-camping.creator... ~ Our STORE
------------------------------------------------------------------
Take a tour of this Little Chevy Skoolie Bus Conversion built in less than 2 weeks by Matt Bearrow (and his father) of Pittsburgh PA. Matt travels the road doing his photography on the go with his travel buddy Mousse while renting out his home.
Matt covers the importance of starting simple. Thinking about priorities and how to build to them all while keeping with in a budget.
There's no emotion, highs and lows. See Emma Builds Birbie. You need the agony of defeat and the thrill of victory!
I guess you missed the part about he needed his morning coffee! 🤣. We enjoy filming real people. We're not out chasing the views. Just looking to show off great ideas to help others. 🙂
Dayumn,, for 2 weeks that's legit!!
#jealous
Dav Jay, Thank you. We thought so too!
Thank you for the humble walk through on this biuld!
Our pleasure we loved seeing how resourceful Matt was on this build. This is just a great example of how to start simple and add or change as you go!
Thank you for the comment, Logan.
‐ Mark
Love the dog! And the bus lol
Yes I'd say Matt's dog has him trained. 🤣 very nice build. Thank you for check it out. We have another skoolie tour which is also really cool to see on our channel. Please check it out. ua-cam.com/video/weUbMB2tVT4/v-deo.html&feature=share&EKLEiJECCKjOmKnC5IiRIQ
He's cute 😍😍😍
I was thinking the same thing. He's very handsome.
We think Mousse is cute too! LOL! 🤣
Mark & Teresa
Great job. I hope I find a bus with under 20,000 miles for $8,500. Then I'm doing the same thing!!!
No kidding! He got a great buy. Heck I would have bought it for that price. He just sold it all finished out for 11,500 I believe. Off to new adventures. Ty for subscribing!
Mark & Teresa!
Im more impressed with the fact he has moose trained with hand signals but anyway nice bus
Very simple and affordable. I believe Moose has Matt trained for treats. Not sure which one is more impressive, LOL!
That is really cool. You and Moose are now enjoying more staying warm & dry! God speed stay safe. 😇💚💙🐾
Yes Matt and Moose are basking in the 🌞! While the Little Skoolie has new owners. 😀. Time for the next chapter on the road.
that looks amazing for a 2000 thousand dollar build .
Hello Richard, Yes he did a nice job. Helps having the know how with carpenter work. Plus a dad that can give a hand.
Looks good and only 2000 dollar is great. Goes to show you dont have to spend a lot of money to do van or Bus life I know the bus can be bought as cheap as 2500 and if you get a diesel 100 to 200 thousand miles is nothing for a diesel motor the get 500,000 miles easily. So if anyone is looking into a bus dont be scared to buy one with over 100,000 miles on a diesel motor. Its barely broken in and it will have a lot of life left.
Also a bathroom wouldn't cost much to put in. if you dont do a big dinning/sitting area you can do a wet bath. Make a homemade composting toilet for 60 dollars or less. There's lots of diy on UA-cam for building your own composting toilets. It's very easy to do a wet bath could be done for 100 to 200 dollars. Maybe less if you re-use or recycled materials like pallet wood. For me I would have to put in a bathroom.
But this is a nice build and its nice to see someone start out with just whats needed. Before spending thousands just to see if you like it or not. This is a much smarter way to go and it looks good too.
Im in the process of looking for a bus for me now. Im doing the solo thing full time living on a bus. So this video was good to see it gave me a look at what can be done for 2000 grand.
I plan on using a lot of pallet wood and scraps from home construction builds. So hopefully that saves me a bit of money. Plus I do a lot of thrifting, garage sales, Craigslist, market place. Im thinking I can get most my building materials second hand...
Thanks for the video ❤👍🏻👍🏻
You're so correct. The mileage is nothing when it comes to a diesel vehicle.
As for the bathroom, now a days you can get the simplest setups. Heck Teresa just bought me one of the USB showers ($40.00) Amazing how well it works.
Can't agree more about keeping it simple when you start. This is so important because with a small investment of time and money you can understand how the space works for you. This gives you the opportunity to grow with the space. Changing as you feel fit.
Not to mention it feels so good to learn new skills. Let alone feel a sense of accomplishment and success. "I or we did this!"
Thank you for your comment and wisdom for others to be inspired to get out and have FUN!
Mark (& Teresa)
@@OutOfOfficeCamping just came back to hit the like button I got a call and did get to hit the button. Sorry about that, I did just now hit the like button. 👍🏻👍👍👍👍
@@UnKnown-zy1km Thank you so much. Please keep us posted with your build. Or any suggestions you would have for our channel. If you haven't subscribed please consider. We have some fun stuff we have been doing with our Coleman Popup camper which would totally cross over to any build, skoolie included. Mark (& Teresa)
@@OutOfOfficeCamping And don't forget about the hanging solar showers like the ones made by Advanced Elements.
@@allthingsharbor Do you own one and like it? We love our USB shower pump. Amazing water pressure!
Concentrating on the 🐕 ... you guys carry on.
Wowww, I’m hooked on this skoolie. Something for my daughter and I to consider purchasing (a skoolie ), instead of a van. Awesome build by the way.....
I know right. After we came back from this trip I started looking at little school buses on FB Market place. So easy to do really. The insulation and ac part might be some challenges. His already had the AC which would be a plus. Just depends were you would be traveling in the US with climate. Matt did an amazing job. Super simple! Thank you for your comment.
please give moose another treat its giving me anxiety lol
He does seem to be getting his fair share. Looks like he's got you know who trained...lol
these darned labs, right? i tell people that my lab is part chow hound 😋.
He needs an Aero Press for coffee. He will need preground coffee and a kettle to warm water on his butane stove= coffee and no power usage. It makes an amazing cup of coffee too!
Thats great advice. Sounds like you are a true coffees drinking. No power no problem a hot cup of Joe in no time.. Do you happen to follow him on Instagram?
Thank you for taking the time to comment and watch the video. - Mark ( & Teresa)
Yes! I worked in the coffee industry for 15 years. I am very picky about my cup of joe and have one every morning:). I used to have a very expensive espresso machine and when it started giving me troubles I decided to try the aero press. Low investment but worth the try before making a huge one in another espresso machine. I am thrilled to say that I love this method even better and now don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a machine:).
@@dsmadre3840 been using my aeropress on the road for 4+ years, upside down method, love love it.
Great advice!
We thought so too. Keep it simple and take it from there! Kinda no brainer right?! But with everything you see on social media...it has to be epic for the views...sad really time wasted when you could be out living the dream instead of building it.
Shout out to my hometown Pgh. Awesome job. Getting ready to build mine. I like the set up. When it's done, my first road trip is to Pgh PA.
That's so awesome. What truck ie bus are you using for your build. We'd love to see what you build. Mark ( & Teresa)
Great build on a budget! Very practical and nicely done!
Hello Teddy, We totally agree. This was why we were so exciting to do a walk around. Some times simple is the way to go. Thank you for watching and the comment. Mark ( & Teresa)
Nice, beats paying a arm and leg for RV.
Thank you! Plus you get to enjoy the journey and process of the creation. - Mark
Nice and simple! Exactly what we are going for in our bus
Hello Reg, Thats how I feel. Keep it simple. I see way to many builds they go over the top. Thats great but is it neccesery? Then you have all that extra weight.
What platform are you building on?
Mark (&Teresa)
2009 E450 Fiberglass Transit Bus
@@rego1739 That's going to be sweet! Will you be documenting the build? Love to see what you do.- Mark
i friended you on instagram..pics on there
Raccoon Creek State Park is Great! First vanlife/skoolie vid I've seen around Pgh! I'm over near Kennywood. Great to see a budget build, even if the vehicle was more. You can build over time. I love it.
Hello Nicole, We really enjoyed Raccoon Creek. It could use a few updates. So true with the build. Easy to make changes any time when you keep it simple.
@@OutOfOfficeCamping Yes, I'm sure it could use some sprucing up, but I have a soft spot for the place.
We call the beach 'Raccoon Riviera'. LOL
very nice build not too costly or over done.
We totally agree. Very simple with room to grow. Thank you for checking out our video and commenting!
❤️❤️❤️ this! Thanks for sharing!
Butt3rflyQu33n1, Happy you enjoyed the video. We love seeing what others do with there builds.
Great tour. 👍🏾 up!
Thank you. Matt and his dad really did a nice job keeping it simple. Which is what we love. - Mark
I like that. Simple and functional. Best part i like is that there is everything you need for 2k
That's what we loved about it. A very simple and practical build. Thank you for your comment and checking out our channel! Mark (& Teresa)
fyi to anyone interested: i use my 3 quart instant pot all the time with my 200ah of lithium batteries and one or two 100w solar panels. i just use it during the sunny part of the day, which is fine because it produces no heat in the van.
Please tell us more about your solar system. Great advise. We have been using our air fryer with our 2000 watt solar generator. Same thing us it while you can take advantage of getting charged back up. Thank you!
@@OutOfOfficeCamping super simple, self-built system. (2) 100ah battleborn lithiums and two basic 100w panels that i usually only have to deploy one of to keep charged up. panels have a kick-stand to point them at the sun, and are connected to my 30 amp charge controller by 8 awg underground uv protected low voltage landscape wire.
after trial and error, that is the best wire for solar imho, since it's built like a thicker version of a household appliance cord, pos and neg in one wire, and so is WAY easier to work with than traditional solar wires. been using this same wire for years out in the sun and rain, hot and cold, without any sign of wear. and for solar wire, bigger is always better 😁, which is why i went with 8 awg. i have about 15 feet to deploy, but have another 15 foot extension i made so i can always park in shade and deploy panel(s) in the sun. very little loss in such thick wire. i've seen many people who have a nice solar setup that can't fully function because of too-thin wire.
i also cut off any and all mc4 connectors and added sae connectors instead, because with a portable system, connecting and disconnecting mc4s all the time is a pain.
like you, i have a 2,000 watt inverter, that i almost never turn on except to use my instant pot or coffee grinder. everything else is 12 volt- fridge, vacuum, tire inflator, fans, lights, etc., because running anything through an inverter loses a lot of power in the process.
i also added a solenoid to charge while driving, but i rarely need to engage it, since i follow the weather in the sunny southwest usa. plus, since going lithium, i heard that using a aux solenoid is not a good thing, since it could burn up my van's alternator because lithiums can pull a lot of power quickly. i can't find a definitive answer whether that's true or not- some say yes, others no- do if anyone here knows for sure, please let me know!
great video, btw!!!! well done and engaging.
Thank you for sharing your set up. I love learning more about solar. Little by little. I do low voltage lighting so I know all about the wire. Funny but I never ever gave it a thought except for using in our Expedition Overland Truck Camper Build. Really a no brainer! Also the cable connections also a smart move. I still have the MC4 but thankfully have a tool with me. When I don't I'm yelling at myself...LOL Great suggestions on all thank you. As for the Battle Born hard to go wrong there!
We enjoy watching Will Prowse on YT DIY Solar.... honest, funny, always so excited about what ever he's talking about. Just incredible content. He would have the answer your looking for or one of his free forums. You should ask. Kind makes sense. My buddy that does a lot of van and yacht builds keeps telling me I need to speak in AMPS not watts...one day I'll get it all figured.
So next question what are your driving or camping in?
Thank you for sharing your real life first hand-hands on systems. Ie real world. I love hearing about all that kind of stuff.
Mark (& Teresa)
@@OutOfOfficeCamping yes, will prowse is ~amazing~, a genius, waaay over my head 90% of the time! you're right, i'll check his forum. i watched a zillion videos to figure out how to set up my original system, have experimented and failed (i.e. flex panels), and upgraded along the way. but in the beginning, i just wrapped my head around the basics as best i could and learned as i went- pretty much we all do, huh?
actually, all the research and experimentation and learning associated with every aspect of vanlife has been my favorite part. after 4+ years, i have pretty much obsessively optimized for my own needs and comforts in this old chevy van, and i am constantly gratified at how little i need to be happier in my life than i have ever been in 60 years!
amps, watts, voltage.... i still just can't, probably never will grasp it all, but it turns out i don't need to in order to have everything working just fine 😁.
@@nonyabizness.original Love it! Very well said. So true as we get older we realize how materialistic items just slow you down. While simpler isn't for everyone. Those of use that do have found that life has so much more to give. That was how we came up with our name for our channel. Everyone is searching for that joy outside the 9-5 day to day life. While camping everything is always better even when mother nature throws a fast ball. ⛺=🙂
Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and journey with us. That's what we love about our community.
The roof inside, is it painted black or is there some sort of material covering? I luv the idea of the buckle seats in the dining area.
Hello Jane, I don't know. I believe its all factory. Most likely it's the same as the walls. Finished out being a shuttle bus. Yes the buckles are very cool idea!
@@OutOfOfficeCamping Thanks. just taking notes for whenever it's my turn to do a build :)
@@janedaley6871 Notes are good! I do the same thing all the time. Saves steps later. 🙂 - Mark
Thanks
Awesome!!!👠🚌👠
Thank you Graycee!
👍
Thank you Karen. Also be sure to check out the green skoolie tour on our channel. They did some really cool and simple stuff just as well.
- Mark (& Teresa)
My kids and I love raccoon state park live about 45 minutes or so away
We really enjoyed our stay at the park. Great hiking trails too! -Mark
cool
Thank you. We thought it was very cool!
Yes, I sure will be turning my short bus into a tiny home...
Will you be putting pics out on social media? Love to follow..
very interested in van life, bought my first schoolie. Does anyone have a contact for the roof rack set up for the solar system in North Atlanta?
Hello Dawn, You have 3 options for solar, first and easiest would be 1) Flexible panels attached to the roof. No rack needed. 2) flexable folding panels which you can carry around and set up to best find the sun. 3) Custom build a roof rack, not knowing what you have ie skoolie..you most likely would have to drill holes threw your roof to attach a custom made rack. Since I'm un aware of any off the shelf rack options for a school bus. Check out our other video with the Bluetti, Jackery set up camping. Hope this helps give you some direction for your build. Happy travels! Mark (& Teresa)
What is the material on the Inside roof
Hello Pebbles59, I don't know personally. My guess would be that this is the factory carpet. Most likely Installed by the company which did the shuttle bus conversion build originally. Being the van came from Texas and has the installed AC unit. Most shuttle busses are finished out a bit more the traditional school busses. Great question you're the second person to ask. Mark (& Teresa)
You could have gotten your bus from an auction! I won the same size bus the you purchase for only $1025. an you are allowed to check it out in person on the bus that you are binding on... I gotten mine from a school up in Buffalo, NY so they kept the bus in good condition.. So you could have save a little bit more money, but your build like nice anyway you and you learn....
Always a gamble anyway you buy. Its nice when you can speak directly to the folks who owned it and take it for a spin. Not that they might share everything wrong...lol
That's a great price you picked yours up for! Will you be building it out as a schoolie?
-Mark
what website did you go to? or how do i find auctions i live in new jersey but im willing to drive to ny
Hi can u tell me wat the cloth is on the ceiling
Hello Shane,
This is most likely installed by the manufacture of the couch company using a thin carpet interior. I don't believe this was a item was installed by Matt. The bus came from Texas and had a AC already installed since it was for a daycare bus.
Another option would be Marathon Tweed Fabric (also known as Duramax or Interweave) is the leading choice for the van conversion market. Used to cover wall paneling mainly. Biggest thing to remember is to insulating everything first really well.
@@OutOfOfficeCamping thank u so much for responding I will definitely look into it
@@shane-jahiart1248 Our Pleasure! Are you doing a skoolie build? We have another video going up within a week. Just filmed today. Really cool and simple.
@@OutOfOfficeCamping yes I am actually got my skoolie about a month ago prepping for the build as we speak
@@shane-jahiart1248 That's so cool send us some pics when you have time. We would love to see it. Outofofficecamping@gmail.com
Mark
I feel like if that bus isn’t going to be very good at heat retention or temperature regulation. Lots of pre-built out skoolies for sale don’t have any insulation added, and I remember how cold it got just riding the bare bus to and from school everyday, and I would not want to live in a tin can without any insulation, but I suppose that must’ve been one of the compromises in trying to cut costs
The key for any camping is what seasons along with regions one plans to travel.. Ofcourse most campers are not 4 season. Most overlander or tents are not cold weather friendly. The right gear along with heater systems can make just about any winter warm. For example with our popup for winter camping, we run 12v DC electric blanks and our propain furnance off our SoGens. We stay nice and toasty! I will agree riding the school bus was never warm in the our east coast winter.
How and where did he purchase this bus?
I believe Matt mentioned it in the video, that he picked up down in Texas from a daycare that closed due to covid.
He just sold it this year for $11,000 I believe.
Hope that answers your question.
@@OutOfOfficeCamping yes ty!! Wish I knew he was selling it.
He paid $8500 for the bus, that counts when budgeting a skoolie build. The title is misleading and wasted a lot of my time as it took him a 3rd of the video to say this. They dont show the inside till half way through.
So sorry you feel this way! We don't exactly feel the title is misleading as the BUILD out did cost him under $2000. And he does speak of the cost of the bus. We were assuming that most people would know there is no way to purchase and build out a skoolie for $2k. Sorry if our assumption was wrong. And really sorry you felt you wasted 20 minutes of your day. Hope you have a nice weekend and keep checking back in for our future content, as we are doing a really cool build out for our Expedition Overland Vehicle. 🙂
@@OutOfOfficeCamping Hi I was wondering if the guy bought bus from an individuel or a bus sales place and where in Texas...and di he say it has less than 20,000 miles on it? Is there anyway yu might know or be abe to ask him? I found one on FB marketpace fr 6000 but, it was a scam f some kind and the bus had 130,000 miles anyway I would really appreciate any help and info Thanks so much fr the video.
@@amethystorgan4293 I believe mention when COVID hit a day care closed and he bought it direct in the video. Typically prices range around $7,000‐10,000 from what I've seen in our area. That was clearly a real good score on his purchase. He just recently sold the bus for $11,000. Good luck with your search!
you thought you could buy AND build a schoolie for under $2k? wow.