Community Forums

Usafaviator · 02-03-2022, 11:09 PM

New member here, thanks for the add. Retired military currently residing in Colorado. I’ve owned several RV’s from bumper tows all the way up to class A. I’ve been a “lurker” here for well over a decade or so. I sold my last class A and took on the challenge of biting off a shuttle conversion. I look forward to conversing with others RV’ers here.

MSHappyCampers · 02-04-2022, 09:23 AM

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined us!

Have fun and keep her between the ditches!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

Thank you for your service to our country!

**Petro** · 02-05-2022, 12:25 PM

We are glad you joined us. Thank you for your service to our country.

There is a wealth of RV info available to you here just by asking. Browse the forums that interest you and don't be afraid to ask questions as our members like to help when they can.

Post often and share your RV adventures with us. Enjoy the forums.

Don

Max Headroom · 02-05-2022, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Usafaviator

New member here, thanks for the add. Retired military currently residing in Colorado. I’ve owned several RV’s from bumper tows all the way up to class A. I’ve been a “lurker” here for well over a decade or so. I sold my last class A and took on the challenge of biting off a shuttle conversion. I look forward to conversing with others RV’ers here.

Whereabouts in Colorado?
We're over here on the western slope.

momdoc · 02-05-2022, 08:37 PM

Welcome to the forum.

You are joining a good group of friends here with good information to share. Read the various threads here and ask questions as they come up of add information if you can.

Good luck and enjoy the adventure!

Usafaviator · 02-05-2022, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined us!

Have fun and keep her between the ditches!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

Thank you for your service to our country!

Thanks for the hospitality. I look forward to conversing with everybody. Further, thanks for recognizing my service- I was fortunate to serve with an outstanding group of fellow Americans for 20 years.

Usafaviator · 02-05-2022, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petro

We are glad you joined us. Thank you for your service to our country.

There is a wealth of RV info available to you here just by asking. Browse the forums that interest you and don't be afraid to ask questions as our members like to help when they can.

Post often and share your RV adventures with us. Enjoy the forums.

Don

Thanks for the hospitality Don. And thanks for recognizing my service, I was just one piece in a larger puzzle. I know the RV community is full of other salty vets like me.

I look forward to good conversation and good people here.

Usafaviator · 02-05-2022, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

Whereabouts in Colorado?
We're over here on the western slope.

Hello from the other side of the range! I’m over in Colorado Springs, my hometown. I decided I might come back sometime after I retired, but what brought me back so soon after retiring was losing my wife of 23 years unexpectedly at 43 years old in Aug of 2018. Things sure are different than when I joined the military and left here in 1993.

One of my other hobbies is metal detecting, and the Western slope is definitely on my list of places to visit soon.

Usafaviator · 02-05-2022, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momdoc

Welcome to the forum.

You are joining a good group of friends here with good information to share. Read the various threads here and ask questions as they come up of add information if you can.

Good luck and enjoy the adventure!

Thanks momdoc. One of the best communities I have been fortunate enough to be integrated with, outside of the military, has been the RV community. I have had several RV’s over the past 20 or so years, but sold my last class A in 2020. In 2021, after being challenged by a few other vet friends, I decided to bite off a shuttle bus conversion. I’m about 65% done, and it has been challenging, expensive, and fun. You can bet I will be reaching out to others here for advice, guidance, and tips and will be contributing where I can. Thanks again

Max Headroom · 02-05-2022, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Usafaviator

Hello from the other side of the range! I’m over in Colorado Springs, my hometown. I decided I might come back sometime after I retired, but what brought me back so soon after retiring was losing my wife of 23 years unexpectedly at 43 years old in Aug of 2018. Things sure are different than when I joined the military and left here in 1993.

One of my other hobbies is metal detecting, and the Western slope is definitely on my list of places to visit soon.

Sorry to hear of your loss.

Xmcdog · 02-06-2022, 03:28 AM

Welcome aboard.

Thank you for your time and service. Even from here it is appreciated.

Also condolences on your loss. Treasure her memory.

Your shuttle bus conversion sounds intreaging. May we have some more information and pictures? I have considered doing the same on a tour bus but never got to it.

Usafaviator · 02-06-2022, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

Sorry to hear of your loss.

Thanks, it’s been a rough go, but I’m surviving.

Usafaviator · 02-06-2022, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xmcdog

Welcome aboard.

Thank you for your time and service. Even from here it is appreciated.

Also condolences on your loss. Treasure her memory.

Your shuttle bus conversion sounds intreaging. May we have some more information and pictures? I have considered doing the same on a tour bus but never got to it.

Hello and thank you. I have been taking pictures as I go, and will keep doing so. I plan to compile them soon and post a chronological “metamorphosis” to a photo sharing site like Flickr or similar. I will start a new thread and post details and the link to all the pictures as well.

I will say that it has been a challenge, which I’m always up for. I considered myself an intermediate to advanced in the way of carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical before I began the conversion. I have learned quite a bit in the process. Busses aren’t designed to be converted, so there is lots of gutting and building back up from scratch. I could’ve just bought another RV, it would’ve been much easier, but I have been dissatisfied with the lack of quality for the price with many RV’s being produced over the last 10 years or so. With a conversion, I can use the higher quality materials of my choosing. I know that no corners have been cut because I’m doing all the work. I’m not a professional RV builder, but if some of the quality issues I have had with some of my previous RV’s are the work of professionals, I will take this as as good thing. If things are screwed up on my conversion, I only have myself to blame.

The shuttle I am converting is a 2008 E450SD with a 158” area aft of the cockpit. It takes a certain level of “engineer think” to build an efficient living space when you only have 13’ to work with. I’ve managed to build in a twin bed in the back, a full regular shower with water heater, toilet, 30 gal freshwater tank, 40 gal gray water tank, double base cabinet with butcher block top, sink/faucet, gas cooktop, over the cooktop vent fan/light/hood, dual Maxxair roof fans, microwave, ICECO VL65D fridge/freezer, jackknife sofa, recliner, overhead cabinets running the full length of one side, television, etc. I haven’t decided if I’m going to add solar- I have a 4 bank of batts that charge off my 6.8 alternator and a Dynamics converter to 30A shore power and plan to run a Westinghouse igen 4500 with remote control in a box mounted to the rear bumper.

The cool thing is that, when I travel, it will be in somewhere of stealth mode. Everybody will think it is just a shuttle bus from the local retirement home, and who wants to mess with that?