BUYING, IMPORTING, CONVERTING AND REGISTERING AN AMERICAN SCHOOL BUS AS A UK MOTORHOME

InTERIOR construction

TABLE OF CONTENTS
  • Home - Skoolie in the UK
  • Contents
  • Introduction
  • Why choose an American Bus
  • Buying and Importing a US School Bus
  • Amazing Spaces
  • Blog
  • Stripping out
  • Interior
  • Construction
  • Planning
  • Electrical
  • Utilities
  • Seats
  • Floor
  • Engine
  • Exterior
  • Underside
  • Headlamp
  • IVA Test
  • Home - Skoolie in the UK
  • Original Photos
  • Artwork
  • Links
  • Misc Stuff
  • Update November 2021
The interior is going to be a matter of personal taste.  I took the following decisons
- I wanted a fixed double bed which could be used as a seat
- Seemed to make sense to put seats over wheel arches
- Group all the utilities together on the side of the bus where I could fit external holes and tanks
- Used plywood bulkheads to section off from the driving seat
Cut out a sheet of black plastic floor protector as a pattern for the bulkhead
The pattern sheet
Trim the pattern until it fits and copy to the plywood
Cut the 6 (left/right/front x 2/back bulkheads to fit the pattern
Paint them
UK regs require 3 point driver seatbelt mountings
Design for new mounting
Had a blacksmith cut and weld it
Will be attached to 3 existing bolt holes in the roof rib. Make photos to show to DVSA
Seatbelt mounting
Had to cut hole in bulkhead to get it to fit
I managed to cut through the compressed airline with a ground nut - no brakes!
Found the brand of compressed air pipe
Needed a way to lock rear door. US buses have no locks!
When Yale is down the side bolt can open
Return for the hot water that used to go to rear heater
Attach a wooden frame to the bus. Panels will screw onto this frame
Wooden frame by rear window
Curved panels will attach to the wooden frame
Screw wooden battons into metal frame
Pre drill holes and use self tapping screws. This was plate for diesel inspection cover
Screw rounded frame to roof panels
One side of front right bulkhead in place
Cut door slider to size
Door attaches to slider
Door slider
Door slider
Slider attaches to door
You use lots of clamps
Seatbelt mounting
Utility carcass on its side
Fix frame to floor
Build seat frame over wheel arches
Looks better when painted
Leisure battery is behind fridge
Protect the seat from damage
Storage under bed
Put Window tint on before fixing bulkhead
Bed frame legs
Bedframe
Emergency window handle
Use Wingnuts on escape hatch hinge so the whole hatch can be removed
Heated water return and red charging from split charge relay
Insulation behind Utility and flue outlet for Truma
Seat foam was cut to fit by ACE foam http://www.acefoam.co.uk/
Support frames
Storage underneath passenger seat
Support frames. I glued fabric onto the metal wheeel arches
Use square section timber
Base of utility area. Holding 2x6kg gas tanks in place
Walls in place. Screwed to battons
Note which wires are which
New cover for Diesel inspection chamber
I cut the rear emergency handle down to size
I put in 99% window tint in the bedroom areas
Pattern for holes to be cut in exterior
Tint on rear Windows.
Making the sliding door.
Flooring for underneath bed. Holes are where the nuts for the water tank come through the metal floor
Mark holes for speakers
Video cable for reversing camera
Cover wheel arches
Window framing in place
Battons in place
Window frame
To get wires to other side run them through some garden hose
Table top was cut from an old table
Air vents. I put an old bit of carpet down for IVA (before I laid wooden floor)
Folding table leg
Video cable for reversing camera
Keeps table leg in place on floor
Doors held in place with magnetic strips
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  • Home - Skoolie in the UK
  • Contents
  • Introduction
  • Why choose an American Bus
  • Buying and Importing a US School Bus
  • Amazing Spaces
  • Blog
  • Stripping out
  • Interior
  • Construction
  • Planning
  • Electrical
  • Utilities
  • Seats
  • Floor
  • Engine
  • Exterior
  • Underside
  • Headlamp
  • IVA Test
  • Home - Skoolie in the UK
  • Original Photos
  • Artwork
  • Links
  • Misc Stuff
  • Update November 2021