autoevolution
 

"Home Is Where You Park It" Became the Dreamlife for a Young Couple in a Skoolie

Guinguette, the Skoolie Motorhome 26 photos
Photo: FLORB/YouTube
Guinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhomeGuinguette, the skoolie motorhome
With a budget of $20K in hand and an ambitious goal of free living, the young adventure-seekers searched far and wide for a suitable vehicle. As it turned out, fate was on their side, and in 2019 they found the 33 ft (10 meters) long Blue Bird school bus just two hours away from their place in California.
The project ran into a diplomatic issue from the very beginning since the French man was only allowed a three-month stay at a time under a tourist visa. Luckily, Adrien had some experience in mobile home building from back home. During one such three-month period, he and Karli managed to do interior work on the vehicle.

Removing the seats, the floor, the ceiling, insulating, and installing a wood stove and the bed set them on track towards the "Home is where you park it" lifestyle. Fortunately, moving to Canada allowed them to work extensively on the pupil carrier-to-mobile-home transformation. Of course, Canadian weather played tricks on Adrien, who had to settle for a very peculiar work-and-travel style of project. Namely, whenever they had time, they would simply stop and do some more work on the bus.

The bus is almost complete now and is a very comfortable and well-thought house, as we can see. Two 600-watt solar panels provide just enough electricity for the essential operation of the vital electrical systems (there is also the backup short-power socket). Having a large vehicle at hand means a lot of room for comfort, so the Blue Bird has a vast shower fitted with concrete walls and a sitting bench (for some reason). This kind of installation is almost decadently opulent to a regular motorhome, but this is a former full-sized school bus vehicle, and the space is generous.

Guinguette, the skoolie motorhome
Photo: FLORB/YouTube
This comes at a cost since it takes a proportional amount of effort when refitting it for a new purpose. Scraping the old yellow paint and rust spots took an indiscriminate number of days, but the work paid off when applying the new paint scheme. "Two days, with drying," according to Karli, who points out that the paint was carefully chosen for its heat-deflecting attributes.

The bus-house benefits from the large windows to let as much natural light in as possible while also providing cross-ventilation. The rear-engine design of the bus turned out to be a very clever choice because the space could be more conveniently transformed, and the ride quality was much improved. After all, the drive is quieter when the Cummins Diesel is 30 feet (10 meters) behind the driver.

Also, the space above the engine bay became a queen-sized bedroom. Two hallway side closets and under-the-bed storage complement the sleeping setup while hiding the 53-gallon (200-liter) freshwater tank. The water supply is enough for about five days of regular daily double-shower use, and the on-demand heater does an excellent job at providing hot water.

Pallets-salvaged boards provided the material for most of the interior woodwork, an idea that benefitted the kitchen area. It was such a good idea that the dashboard received a countertop just for decorative purposes mostly. The massive kitchen sink is any traveler's dream, and the kitchen counter is big enough to allow Adrien to put his French cooking skills to good use. A 1950 salvaged, and propane-converted cooking range comes in handy to aid in that aspect. Alongside it, a compact compressor fridge provides just enough space to keep the basic groceries fresh for a couple of days.

Guinguette, the skoolie motorhome
Photo: FLORB/YouTube
Ingenuity is crucial for all motorhome dwellers, but repurposing a five-bucks, oversized copper salad bowl into a bathroom sink is downright genius. And having a rear-view camera installed for better maneuverability is also a good idea, especially when backing up against a solid structure, bedroom first. The extra space allowed a full-range swivel wall-mounted flatscreen large TV (primarily used as a computer monitor). Adding to the entertainment options, color-changing LED lighting adorns the living room. Affectionately named "Guinguette," after the 18th-century French establishments for casual summer days refreshments, the Blue Bird of Adrien and Karli is a lovely example of road-living. So much so, in fact, that it becomes a tourist attraction wherever the happy duo pulls over.


If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Razvan Calin
Razvan Calin profile photo

After nearly two decades in news television, Răzvan turned to a different medium. He’s been a field journalist, a TV producer, and a seafarer but found that he feels right at home among petrolheads.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories