Tips for Converting a Bus into a Camping Vehicle
Old buses make great campervans. Buying a campervan new or second-hand can very expensive as they hold their values much better than cars. A ten year old campervan in good condition can be worth as much as a brand new small car.
If you decide to convert your bus into a camper van, you will not only have a very useful vehicle, but you’ll increase its second hand value. Although converted buses and vans do not quite reach the prices a purpose-made camper van will.
How do you covert abus to a camper van?
First you’ll need to strip out all the seats except in the driving area. Once this is done you’ll need a paper and pen and draw out where each component of the living quarters is going to be. Once you have an idea where to place the kitchen, seats and beds etc you’ll need to insulate the bus while it is stripped out. All the side panels will need to be removed and, in the cavity, you’ll need to put fibreglass insulation to keep the bus warm in the winter.
At this stage, it might be worthwhile laying a carpet throughout the rear of the bus. You might also consider putting down insulation under the carpet. If your bus does not have skylights, you would be advised to make a least two and one should be over the kitchen area. Skylights are comparatively expensive but all that is needed is to cut a hole to the right size and use a good sealant when installing.
The interior roof and bus sides will need to be lined before moving on to install a kitchen. These days one can buy a simple hob right up to a modern full sized cooker. A fridge will also be required and the best sort is a three way fridge which can be run off the mains, car battery and gas. A good plastic sink can be bought cheaply and you’ll need a water pump and water storage tanks. A water storage tank will need a filler cap on the outside of the bus for ease of filling.
Thick foam, ply and baton wood can be used to make bench seats. You’ll also need a hard wearing cloth to cover the seats and a staple gun. You’ll also need to give attention on how the seats can be arranged into beds. The gas bottles can be stored out of sight under one of the bench seats. The remaining seats will also serve as good storage areas.
Lastly you’ll need a set of curtains, light ones for the summer months and thick ones to help insulate the bus during the winter months.
