Seeing “America the Beautiful” is on every outdoor person’s to-do list, yet those bus-like motor-homes often cost more than the average house- much more for some models. Kyle and Kallie Nossaman had a better idea. Why not buy a school bus and convert it? School buses are among the safest vehicles on the road and each one is maintained meticulously like an airliner because so many lives depend on its performance. If you want a solid foundation for a van conversion, you can’t do much better than beginning with a school bus.
Childhood Memories
One of my greatest childhood memories and most influential life experiences came through a tiny camper the size of a ping-pong table. I spent an entire summer traveling in the Dreamer camper perched on the back of a Jeep cab-over pickup. That was a boy-to- man summer for me and I learned the importance of experiences over brand names. My grandfather was creative and conservative and modified the camper to meet his needs. We didn’t need the room that a school bus provides, or I’m sure he would have considered it.
Home On Wheels
The conversion of the 200 square feet of interior space of this bus is little short of amazing, as you will see. This young couple took the travel van concept and expanded it into a living space that is downright modern and comfortable including an office with two computer stations. It can operate off the grid for weeks thanks to solar panels, propane, and a water tank. It utilizes a compost toilet and has a shower, definitely not the normal van conversion.
New Hunting Camp
If you don’t see yourself traveling the country, think of this type of conversion as a hunting camp. if you have buddies that are tradesmen, so much the better. You can probably trade work for hunting opportunities and become a regular school bus Tom Sawyer. Check out this very cool Gear Junkie post:
My wife and I landed in Bozeman, Mont., on a secret mission. My friends and co-workers had no idea where we were or why we left our Minneapolis home unannounced.
In truth, our arrival was the culmination of more than two years of searching, planning, and preparing. My wife, Kallie, and I spent the better part of our young married lives searching for a perfect “Van Life” home-on-wheels. It had to check all the boxes: Something that felt like a home, had a bathroom and shower, could go off-grid, and had enough space to move around and store some serious gear.
