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The Lacroix Cruiser Is How You Turn an Old Bus Into a Cozy, Gorgeous Home

Surfing the web, and especially going down the #vanlife rabbit hole on social media, you’d think anyone and their grandma would be able to take an old van or bus and convert it into a mobile home, regardless of budget, experience, or skill set. But maybe looking at someone with actual experience for inspiration can help.
The Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy home 22 photos
Photo: Instagram / Lacroix Cruiser
The Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy homeThe Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy home
These past couple of years have been marked by unprecedented lifestyle changes for all of us, from new sanitary rules and regulations to a new workplace and a new set of life priorities. There’s a reason why the #vanlife trend picked up so much speed, and it has to do with people’s desire to get out of the house, as well as the ability to actually do so on an extended basis, now that working from home is the new normal.

When home can be wherever you want it to be, you might as well make sure that it’s in the nicest of places. Yvan and Sylvie, two longtime vanlifers, are semi-retired, but only because they chose it. They also live on the road in a gorgeous bus conversion they call the Lacroix Cruiser, which is the star of the latest episode of Tiny Home Tours, which you will find available in full below.

This is actually the third bus conversion for the couple, but the first one they use as a permanent residence. The couple hails from Canada but is currently traveling through the United States, and their mobile home is not just a perfect fit for autoevolution’s RV Month theme but the perfect inspiration for whoever is thinking of giving life on the road a try.

The Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy home
Photo: Instagram / Lacroix Cruiser
There is wisdom that comes with experience, and Yvan and Sylvie have both.

The Lacroix Cruiser is a 1995 MCI 102DL3 bus with 1.1 million miles (1,770,278 km) on it already, but still, a long way to go. Yvan says he chose it because at 45 feet (13.7 meters) long and 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) wide, it offered the kind of space they were looking for as an upgrade to their previous RV. When they bought it, it had an E-model face and, most importantly, a 10-inch (25.4-cm) roof raise that they loved because it had already been converted into a mobile home.

Still, they stripped it bare and built it according to their needs and based on their previous experience. For instance, what their other two builds lacked, they included in this one, like a drawer to store the garbage and recycling, a place for the dirty clothes, or storage for everything, including their exterior jackets. With these details, they were able to build for themselves an actual home but, more importantly, one that lacks for nothing and is solid to withstand being on the road this much.

The entrance is through the front, with a lounge located right behind the two seats. There’s a recliner couch facing one of the walls, with a projector screen in front and one large window that substitutes for Netflix on most of their nights. The Cruiser doesn’t have a single TV because neither Yvan nor Sylvie cares for this kind of entertainment. Underneath the window is a fireplace, which helps with keeping the Cruiser toasty on cold nights.

The Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy home
Photo: Instagram / Lacroix Cruiser
Next up is the dining area, which features a table with an extension. The same extension helps to seat more people and to convert the whole area into another two-person bed. In between the bedroom at the rear, the bed in the dinette, and the couch, the Cruiser can sleep up to five or six people, which is perfect because Yvan and Sylvie love to entertain.

The kitchen is almost full-size, on the same consideration. There’s a propane three-burner stove, a household fridge, microwave, stove, airfryer, and Berkey water filter, with an acacia countertop and peel-and-stick tiles backsplash. Yvan worked as a carpenter (he’s now into detailing cars), but he opted for Ikea cabinets because they’re cheap, sturdy, and come with a warranty.

The bathroom serves as a divider between the lounge area and the bedroom and is also nearly full-size, with a flushing toilet, an enclosed shower, and a sink with vanity. There’s also a laundry area to the side, including a washer-dryer and a hamper. The bedroom has a Murphy bed with an integrated desk underneath, a wardrobe and two additional cupboards for storage, and an access hatch to the engine.

Speaking of engine, that’s a 12.7-liter Detroit diesel engine that Yvan describes as easy to maintain and very reliable. Every appliance inside runs on solar power, with the Cruiser featuring 4,100W of panels on the roof and a generator, just in case. The Cruiser has heated floors and mini-split AC, four zones, and 2 or 3 weeks of autonomy for water. There is an outdoor kitchen (an impressive one since it also includes a smoker) and an awning, and a garage that hosts two recumbent trikes. A Fiat 500 is towed behind the bus as an alternative means of transport.

The Lacroix Cruiser is a '95 MCI bus converted into a very beautiful and cozy home
Photo: Instagram / Lacroix Cruiser
The Lacroix Cruiser is a 320 square-foot (30 square-meter) home on wheels, offering everything an actual home does. It’s also a solid and beautiful example of downsizing. As a parting word of wisdom, Yvan would tell others willing to do the conversion themselves not to skim on insulation and to always consider safety. There are corners you can cut when you convert a bus or a van into a home, but not when it comes to safety or basic comfort.



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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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