Finnally, some pics of the bus, Buford

[Les H]

My bus is a 2000 Gmc Savanna, 3500 , single rear wheel mini bus similar to a pre-k or special needs bus. I am the third owner, the first being New York State. Yep, it spent most of it's life as a state prison transporter, hence his name " Buford" after Sheriff Buford T Pusser, in the movie "Walking Tall" when I got it from the second owner ( who only had it for 4-5 months), the benches and steel leg restraint rings had already been removed. A passenger seat was installed, and the passenger door remote open/close lever was removed. I paid $1800 for it with 95 kmi on it. I have tinted the windows, installed a stereo, put a class 2 (10 k lb) receiver hitch with brake controller, a new fuel pump and welded in a few body support braces to stop body roll. It had a pinhole leak in the oil pan from a rusty spot, and so i eventually replaced the oilpan. Right now it has 120 kmi on it, and it has been north to south 3 times, the last time pulling a 18' flatbed trailer with my backhoe and tools on it as I moved from upstate Ny to Alabama. It was built specificaly as a contractors work out of town vehicle, so it is my heavy duty hauler, my hotel room, office, and camper. I'll try to put the
pictures in order, but no promises....

 

[Les H]

Obviously Not in Alabama, but when I first bought it, parked in front of my other project, a farmhouse built in 1860

 

[Les H]

Getting ready to head south to help out with tornado damage relief after 4/27/11. There is a thread in " off topic" titled " Relief Mission"

 

[Les H]

Parked in the Cherokee Natl Forest, Ga with a dozzen other vandwellers. Have added the roof rack and ladder from a Rv, and also the roof vent. ( Oct ? 2011)

 

[Les H]

Fold away bed holds a regular twin sized matress, locks out of the way to use the van for cargo duty. Did this before the releif mission, but pics were out of order. This was pretty much the first interior conversion work I did.

 

[Les H]

At another vandweller GTG

 

[Les H]

Painting the roof white. Plain old off the shelf white gloss rustoleum applied with a 4" roller. Yes, that is duct tape masking the edges.
Spent the weekend at Nickajack Lake, Tn , and since, even when camping, I can't sit still, this is what happens.

 

[Ricekila]

<P>I like the color -- is that dept. of corrections green <IMG src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" align=absMiddle border=0></P>

 

[Les H]

Back door looking in. Don't make fun of the sheets, they were clean , and the only ones my wife would let me take---
Potty on the left under the blankets. REcycling bins between bed and driver seat hold clothes, toiletries, first aid kit and so on. On the right are kitchen cabinets that I was paid to remove and replace, and plenty nice enough to reuse. Think the color is the red/orange " olde country maple". Topped with a leftover piece of stainless for a counter with the Coleman stove screwed into place. At the moment, the first one behind the passenger seat is stuffed full of can and dry goods, plates, coffee, etc. The rest are tool storage. Notice the angle on this one? It was perfect for creating an aisle and pass through to the cab area. The spare tire ( right side closest to the back door) has plans to be relocated to the outside of the back door via a blazer/jeep style tire holder, which will allow me to put in the last cabinent I have for a sink. Water at the moment is in 6 gal walmart jugs, but I have a 12 gal fresh and 20 gal black tanks from another Rv waiting to be installed.

 

[stude53]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Les, </p><p style="margin: 0px;">You know how we love pics . Also love your bus. buddy. <img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif"></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Bob</p>

 

[Les H]

Passenger seat looking back. See the angle? Coo,l huh? It came that way and fit perfect!

Electrical center behind the passenger seat, on the hidden side of the triangle cabinent. 125 ah group 29 house AND starting battery (250 ah total) , HF 45 w solar , 400 w and 1250 w inverters. Right now a 40 amp circuit breaker charges the house battery, but a continuous duty soloinoid is purchased and waiting to go in.

 

[Les H]

Drivers seat, 12 v cooler, and recycle bins.

 

[Seraphim]

Neat pics Les. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Les H]

Solar panels mounted in front of the roof vent.
I have more stuff to do to the bus, I have a shelf set up planned for above the windshield That will hold cd's, the carbon monoxide detector. I want to
permanently mount the buddy heater by the rear wheelwell under the sink area and have a rack for a 20 # propane tank made ( or make it myself) to feed the stove, buddy heater and mabye a Rv fridge that I have.

 

[Guest]

I like your bus Les..you can tell it is a working man's lair....<br>Bri<br>

 

[Les H]

Ricekila, if you look close, you can still see the spots on the doors and fenders where the state seal and the Id tag for which prison it was issued to . Bob, Jerry, 'preciate ya! Thanks guys.

 

[yesican]

<p style="margin: 0px;">I really like your foldaway bed design. Simple and effective...</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Rae</p>

 

[Les H]

I like your bus Les..you can tell it is a working man's lair.... Bri

Deep bow and a thank you to you too, my friend. You know I dig your three wheel ride too. But a "lair?!?" hahaha! I tease Trish not to tic me off too bad, I like it in my " doghouse!<img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[Ricekila]

<P>

Ricekila, if you look close, you can still see the spots on the doors and fenders where the state seal and the Id tag for which prison it was issued to . Bob, Jerry, 'preciate ya! Thanks guys.

</P><br>Wow -- good wild guess <IMG src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/eek.gif" align=absMiddle border=0><br><br>Either that -- or parks dept. <IMG src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" align=absMiddle border=0><br>

 

[WanderingRain]

Awesome conversion! I've always wanted to see pictures of your minibus for the longest time and had to content myself with the tiny picture you had on your profile. This is really cool. I've always been curious about minubuses and I was looking at some before I bought my current vehicle.<br /><br />Very homey looking and that angled cabinet is serendipity on a silver platter!<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />Rod