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This Shuttle Bus Mobile Home Is a Low-Budget Build With a Recirculating Shower

Mobile homes stand for freedom, whether it is running away from the rat race or just seeing the world while living the nomad lifestyle. As such, a lot of these builds are compromising and budget-friendly, white quite a few being built by the owners.
Off grid shuttle bus tiny home converted by a couple 17 photos
Photo: Youtube / Tiny Home Tours
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But just because something does not cost a fortune, that does not mean it cannot be nice and cozy. With some creativity, elbow grease, time, and determination a lot can be achieved, as shown by this shuttle bus conversion, built by a couple with no prior experience.

Granted, no matter how much innovation goes into building a mobile home, compromises must be made, as space is limited. Everything must be carefully analyzed and decisions must be made regarding what gets integrated and what is left behind.

This shuttle bus is a budget-friendly option for people who are willing to trade tech for feeling close to the surrounding world. Throughout the entire build, there is no mention of a folding TV or screen projector, with the focus instead placed on making room for a more traditional means of entertainment, books. Granted, the build itself could be described as pretty tech-savvy.

But before we get to that, let’s take a look at the exterior of this Ford E-450 Super Duty, which has suffered some changes since its days of carrying passengers ended. The body now sports a nice two-tone coat of paint, with wooden inlays spread around, which really give it a homey aesthetic.

Off grid shuttle bus tiny home converted by a couple
Photo: Youtube / Tiny Home Tours
Practicality, however, is a bit of a mixed bag, as access to the engine is hampered by a bike rack mounted up front. As the saying goes, “you pays your money, you takes your choice”, and decisions like this one are not uncommon in the mobile home community, as exploration plays a big role in making such a change in one’s lifestyle.

Apart from this, most of the exterior is well organized. The truck’s batteries are mounted inside a compartment on rails for easy access, while the propane tank gets its own separate storage. Above these two compartments sits a folding table, which can even hold a laptop if needed, connected to a power outlet inside the bus, accessible through the window.

Toward the rear of the bus, the doors remain, although opening them now serves to create a nice viewpoint for the bedroom as well as provide some hanging storage for shoes. As is common for most mobile homes, storage can be found underneath the bed.

And this case, all of the electronics are stored here, with four 100AH batteries being fed by the 630W of solar on top of the bus. To manage the power draw and output, a 2,000W inverter has been integrated along with an MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) controller. What that does, is use the surplus energy to power appliances inside the van instead of letting it go to waste as heat.

Off grid shuttle bus tiny home converted by a couple
Photo: Youtube / Tiny Home Tours
The rest of the power setup is quite impressive too, as there are two fuse boxes, one for lights and outlets and the other one for appliances. There is even a breaker box and a connection to shore power.

The other door, situated on the backside of the bus opens up to reveal one more vantage point for the bedroom, of course, protected by insect nets, but also the garage. This only serves as storage, mostly for books, but also for the spare tire and an extendable ladder, which come in handy for getting on top and cleaning the solar panels.

Moving inside, the first thing that pops into view is the bookshelf right above the driver’s seat, along with a few storage compartments. There isn’t anything else really worth noting here, which leads the tour further back and into the kitchen.

This area looks really well, with a nice overall aesthetic given by the uninterrupted wood countertops and hand-sewn roll-up curtains. Similar to the exterior, the color palette is balanced between white and light blue, as can be seen in the living/dining room situated on the opposite wall to the cooking area.

Off grid shuttle bus tiny home converted by a couple
Photo: Youtube / Tiny Home Tours
Here, a cozy u-shaped couch surrounds a narrow table, which can be extended to allow dining with guests or playing some of the board games stored in the garage of the bus. It can also be lowered through a lengthy procedure and be converted into a guest bed, which is somewhat of a rare feature in motorhomes.

The cooking space is rather generous, partly due to a fold-up extension to the countertop and the cutting board-covered sink. Even the propane-powered stove-oven combo is covered, this time by a slab of wood that can be used as a serving tray.

Storage is also abundant here, with overhead compartments and well as kitchen cabinets, taking up most of the space. The only space in the kitchen not used for storage is the cabinet underneath the sink, which houses a complex six-stage water filtration system.

Further back there is the bathroom, which just like the exterior is a mixed bag. On one hand, it has a cassette toilet instead of a composting one. This makes things difficult as bathroom trips mostly have to happen at rest stops due to the toilet being a chore to clean and quite smelly according to the owners. This is just the kind of sacrifice that must be faced by any prospective nomad, but it does keep things cheap.

Off grid shuttle bus tiny home converted by a couple
Photo: Youtube / Tiny Home Tours
The shower itself is where things get really nice here, as it is recirculating. This means one could spend an hour inside without having to worry about using the measly seven gallons of available water. It also looks good, with the walls made out of tile and a curtain that wraps around thanks to the use of flexible rails.

On the wall opposite the bathroom, there is the fridge, which is mounted above two drawers that serve as storage for clothes. This decision, although inconvenient in some aspects, makes a lot more space available in the kitchen and living/dining room.

Right at the back is where the bedroom is situated, which illustrates another compromise. Not enough space was left for a queen-size bed, with a full-size being the option chosen instead, which can make sleeping feel a bit cramped for people who enjoy sleeping in more extended positions. The bed itself can also be lifted up, revealing another way to access the garage on rainy days, when going outside would be a chore.

In conclusion, this shuttle bus mobile home is one that showcases a few compromises, although none that seem like a complete deal breaker. It looks to be a good blueprint for the nomad who can make a few sacrifices in order to go out and explore the world on a budget.

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About the author: Bogdan Bebeselea
Bogdan Bebeselea profile photo

As a kid, Bogdan grew up handing his dad the tools needed to work on his old Citroen and asking one too many questions about everything happening inside the engine bay. Naturally, this upbringing led Bogdan to become an engineer, but thanks to Top Gear, The Fast and the Furious series, and racing video games, a passion for automotive entertainment was ignited.
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