How this guy pulls of monologues with pace and rhymes without jumpcuts is just 😍

Honestly Charlie it's amazing that you're sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience with us! Your humor, wit and energy are so fun to watch 🤗 you seem like a genuinely good man 💕

This is exactly what so many people need to see. There's absolutely nothing wrong with dreaming or even planning to make those dreams come true, but we live in an Instagram world and a lot of the time people only see the glitz and glamour and and they don't see the mushrooms growing out of the wall. Thank you for being positive but realistic!

This guy is absolutely HILARIOUS, but telling the truth! I love his delivery!

Where was you 17 years ago ? You nailed it in this video , Oh the mistakes I've made on my first bus, But plenty of miles and thumbs up.

I keep coming back to this video to remind me how fickle my brain is. How easy to forget the basics when searching for a bus and overdosing on social media accounts. That last Seal quote sure sounds better than, "We're never gonna survive unless we stay quite rational."

That, was one of the best UKposts videos I have ever watched. Nice work.

I bought my bus for 8k and blew the engine! Now I’ve rebuilt the engine, now I’m 16k into my project and I’ve never even camped in it !!!! Not to mention I only got to demo it and haven’t even gotten to the build out part yet!! Grrrrrrrr. Persistence is key!

I'm glad you put it out there to people about the original windows...

I can't wait to see how you complete this build!

Love your videos, Charlie! Information you give is priceless. Thank you.

An invaluable video,must see for all newbies getting into the game,thanks Chuck!

Lots of sage advice from a true professional with a bit of bonus humor! Rust to dust…so true! Thanks for sharing, Charlie!

I'm really glad this video popped up. I've been immersed in all the other schoolie/nomad videos that skirt all the negative issues for the most part. Although I have no vehicle, they're stupidly expensive in South Africa, I was having delusions of grandeur about vanlife. Thanks for bringing me back to earth!!

Just found your channel! Love how in depth you go with your videos. For someone like me In the planning phase your videos are some of the best I've found! Keep em coming

Very comprehensive, informative video, from a man that knows this shhhhtuff!!!

I have been tossing around ideas about what to do with my windows. Thank you for the insight on the topic.

Brother, you have the best skoolie videos!! Thanks!!!

excellent video cant believe there are so many things tha can go wrong with a bus and a build-out; good advice I enjoyed it

Great job, Charlie. You're a natural.

Charlie, you're such a natural at doing these vids. Plus the info you share is invaluable. Thanks again for another great vid!!

Classic. Excellent. EVERYONE who is thinking about going on the road in a converted vehicle should watch this video. It's completely right on. From a woman who has converted, lived in, and traveled in numerous vehicles over 4 decades.

This was your best Video Todate. Nice job

Good video. I looked at short schoolies and box trucks for 3 years before I found "Serenity", our '09 chevy 3500 shuttle bus, which came from Polk county Florida. Had the Duramax/Allison combo I wanted. Has no rust. Happy so far. Trip last year to Seattle (from Kentucky, almost 12K miles, with meandering) cost $2000 in fuel. at 2.99 to 3.89 per gallon. No long trip planned this year.

Great advice!

Chuck - love listening to you - never considered buying a bus though - maybe its the lifes lessons part - all the best

Thanks for the video! Really brought me down to earth with my plans I appreciate the knowledge you dropped. I’ll continue my plans with this is mind thank you!

I can't imagine building one out without watching tons of your videos. Charlie, the Bob Vila of Skoolies!!

very valuable info

You're the BEST!!! This is hilarious + terrifying. You have both scared me stupid, but have given me a lot to think about. I still would love to buy and reno a bus. Thanks Chuck!

Thanks for the information, gives a person lots to think about, but thats the point of your video. Must appreciate from this Canadian.👍

Wonderful soul.. keep on.. keep it on..👍

Thank you very much for taking your time your energy and your kindness and sharing this information it's definitely given me a lot to think about I will help you adjust my planning to incorporate that all of it and try to work out I guess a cost analysis spreadsheet cuz I'm looking to move out of my parents house this is I'm planning on this being my only transportation for at least a couple months I so I I greatly appreciate this info

Charlie you have a good heart.

Charlie, you're a wealth of info! I'm not scared away. I'd be really interested to know how much to budget for a complete build, and what are some ways we can save on what we hire out to others more capable? Where do you save $ vs. Where do you invest more?

I really like the International to your right. Hey, I lived in an older little blue Bluebird bus for well over a year that was not all fixed up on the inside, however, I had my two bedroom dressers, my queen size bed, my full size desk, and other. I didn't go anywhere at all so the bus never moved.

I definitely asked you about windows a few weeks ago and here I am still sealing them up. 🙃 No time or money for the skins & RV windows now, but planning on it for bus #2 down the road. [trims back the mushrooms]

Thanks Charlie, have learned so much from watching all your videos and the build you did with Alyssa. I have a shuttle, but have been following your advice as closely as possible. Have ripped out absolutely everything down to the bare frame (I currently do not a floor at all), but glad I did. Old insulation was in decent shape but dirty and ineffective. Spray foam in floor pockets was disintegrating, and was able to find some hidden surface rust that I will hopefully be able to slow the growth of through grinding, sanding and painting. Next stop - windows. Wish me luck!

Thank you for this! Best informational vid ever! Your so good at this! Love watching you 💞 The outakes at the end are hilarious 😂 and you have a pretty good singing voice!

I could really use ur idea's on my issue thks

I was given a bus nearly two years ago for free while I was living in my scamp on some property I just bought. I'm nearly done with the build and it's basically going to be standing still until I start/finish my full on house build/get the title stuff figured out. I think that'll give me an opportunity to do a full tune up on the old girl, even though she runs pretty good as it is. Though I do have to say, I do regret not putting metal paneling on the exterior right away, though I do think I figured out away to still rip out the old windows, slap in some foam and make it work regardless. Also, I've came across your videos recently and appreciate your insight. 🙏 keep up the good work.

Welp thank you for this video. Brought me back to reality.

Super cool vids. Thank you!

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I am planning to convert a school bus in Costa Rica and I will for sure keep your comments in mind.

Hey Charlie, from Denver. Glad yo see you agaon!

So good

Excellent Advice!

Words of wisdom

I'm gonna post this in a few FB build groups. It's solid gold Chuck!

I always been a big fan of the Gmc

Love y'all 😂❤ The smell of the tires is what I love about Nascar, I believe you are correct on the RUST YOU CAN TRUST! The price of food, grow your own shrooms. Deal 😘

Great information! I had planned to buy the bus I have for years, I was just waiting on it to be retired. I paid $1650 for it, I knew the bus well and had no worries investing that money into it. My unexpected events were with getting insurance and learning in order to tag it in Virginia I had to first paint the bus something besides yellow. I have good tread on my tires but they are older, before taking any long trips I do need new tires. I don’t have any plans for huge investments inside the bus, just wanting a weekend camper. Better then a tent I hope 😂! The information you presented was something anyone thinking of buying a bus needs to know! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing

YOUR CRUSHING MY DREAMS BEFORE THEY EVEN START!!!!!!!!!!LOL awesome and very insightful commentary..was going to purchase the exactly $3000 bus!! (where did he get that number?????) and start the conversion myself..I can do the carpentry and plumbing and get help with the electric... but wasnt going to take out the windows, or take down the ceiling!! or rip up the floor!!! or close up the light holes!!! etc...and I know it has a Maxxforce diesle engine but not sure on the tranny yet...making me rethink lifes choices!!!!!!! Keep up with the awesome videos, Im watching every one!!!!

Probably the best niche is if you’re a capable mechanic. Engine, trans, brakes, axles, steering gear. Everything else is secondary if you intend on driving it. Paying for the mechanical services vice performing them yourself is a HUGE cost difference.

Thank you Charlie, it's very good information. I love the windows too, but I never would have thought they would leak again and grow mushrooms. Very scary, now I understand your reasons for the way you build a bus. Sound advice as much as I'd love to live in a bus, I can't afford to. Thank you again 💓

I love your channel!

Bro you had me cracking up on how much you love those bus windows LOL

i need your help with my school bus, bud =) been following you since you built out the regretlyss bus 💜

Good video. It sounds like every form of living has a potential problem like buying a house only to find out the previous owner did shortcuts that can burn down the house or you need to replace the entire roof all of which couldn't have been uncovered during inspection; building a house on land you thought you bought and owned only to find out that several other people on the same land or there's something weird about the land; or renting an apartment only to discover the landlord and super are unresponsive to making repairs or performing minimal repair work that barely holds a week. No matter how you choose to live, there are always drawbacks. What matters is which one you are willing to handle if a problem arises.

"You're not going to get out of a heavy-duty diesel mechanic's shop for less than a thousand dollars." LOL I'd love to have a bill be ONLY a thousand dollars. My first trip was $2200. Second would have made it at $950 (for a new starter) except the tow there was another $250 - and they even DISCOUNTED that. Third trip was ten grand. The only thing that cost less than a grand was my visit from a remote mechanic to replace the auto-purge valve on my air tank - $750. And this was all on a bus with a flawless transmission and an engine with just 40K miles on it after a rebuild. If you can't afford huge repair bills like this without blinking, skoolie life ain't for you.

Rust never sleeps one of my favorite songs 💯😎

Your videos are so excellent...........clear, concise, detailed & informed information.........honest........so insightful...........seen so many of your vids......Always a pleasure........(years ago I worked with Neil Young....he has a little plaque in his studio that reads: "Rust is my Favourite Colour")

Been considering a skoolie for years. Had a shorty handicap that I sold for huge profit before even touching it. Now, a chance to get a sweet deal on a 2001 International 3800 T444E. There are 11 windows behind the driver. 64 passenger perhaps? Best things going for it, 🤞🤞, it is not, and may never have been yellow. Secondly, I have really good reason to believe there is an original 58,000 original miles on it. Will know within a week if it's mine or not. I plan on 3 years to get it liveable and exactly how I want it. And have most abilities to do it myself. Rear 5 or 6 feet will be shop/storage/mechanical room. Full length upper deck. Not raising, but will insulate it for coldest weather it may find in say, the North Dakota Prairies in mid-winter. Wish me luck 😆

Hey Charlie, this has got to be one of your best videos.........down to the last ....... I really enjoy the taste of reality and truth. If I could somehow afford a Good bus and the conversion you would most certainly be my first choice of people to coordinate the conversion. It would be fun getting my hands dirty under your direction.

Dammit Charlie. Now I gotta pull my old floor. But seriously I'm going to because of what you've said. Thank you.

You’re amazing at what you do with all of your institutional knowledge. I’ll never own a bus or a motorhome but these videos intrigue me. Ewww, mushrooms!

I have a feeling you made this video for me. I'm the one that emailed you the rusty 64 in Pennsylvania. I knew it probably wouldn't be roadworthy, although he said it ran two yrs ago when it got parked, but I thought it would be great for an Airbnb, but I don't have space for it cuz I rent. Also thought it wld make a cool "add-on" towed on a trailer behind a skoolie as bathhouse or kitchen or more sleeping area. Bathhouse is my favorite . . or the Airbnb if I had somewhere to put it 😕

Wise advice. They seem great to live in. Travel, not so much.

You’ve earned yourself a subscriber

My partner and I are struggling right now with our bus, she’s great! Runs great, perfect length, the whole nine yards. But her vin number didn’t match the titles by 2 digits, and we’ve been having a horrible time trying to replace the title. I hope we can get around it, but we’re definitely getting nervous

CHUCK!!!! This video broke my heart! The windows are what I love most about a skoolie. So what is your opinion of shuttle busses and their windows?? Also... LOVE Seal. 😊 RHONDA

The Seal lyrics at the end cracked me up.

I have been trying to find the right sized bus for 4 years. Most auction houses are hard to get straight answers from. And then there's tons of newer models with problematic Cat engines. Being dumped early due to excessive downtimes. But I finally got what I've been seeking. A 1998 Bluebird 26 footer (non sped) rust free with a good running 466. Very clean and solid. $4500.00. Happy to get it that cheap.

Love the "This Old House Theme". Really smart to advise the head over heart approach. A little light on some details like tire date codes. Also noted that on previous broadcasts you didn't install any adhesive under the new sheet metal installed during roof raise. Would have deadened some of the noise I suspect.

I shared your video in some bus groups for the newbies. I wish I saw this video before I got my bus cuz just because it’s named Hakuna Matata, it still worries me, I live in it full time, I still have ALL of my windows cuz I can’t afford to delete them and get RV windows, I still have my original ceiling and wonder what’s in there…I paid $5,000 for the bus but fuel pump went out on my way from Florida when I bought it and it cost me $4,000 to get it replaced. Great video by the way!

i've been watching a 73 GMC 305v6 drop from 25 to 5, it's now basically the price of a set of rear tires that it needs. incidentally there are now many schoolies for sale with wild asking prices and i'm sure these people have at least that much into them but i can't imagine a bunch of cash buyers magically appearing at this time. a great time to buy a finished bus with cash, better than i've ever seen it.

Great video , another point on the wheels , is the 9.00-20 tires on the split "ring" wheels on the old busses are made of unabtanium..they are available but special order for restoring old grain trucks and fire trucks and stuff.. so super pricey .

And after the VT365 you got the Maxxforce 7, best engine ever. I'm the mobile mechanic for the International dealer in Spokane WA and do a lot of school districts. I work on all makes and models of buses. I have my own short bus project, a 1972 International Loadstar 4x4 that is ex Air Force with a 345 that has a spun bearing. The replacement engine I got for it is a 1997 DT466 NGD P pump, like yours. It helps to have first crack at any trade ins as I bought a complete bus to get it, but I got it cheap with my employee discount. Also military buses usually have higher roofs than a regular school bus but they are harder to find.

Thank you so much! I’m getting a van now lol.

Ahh...the rust bucket restoration woes! Great info Chuck. Where were You 40 years ago when I bought my 66 Chevelle rot bomb with the Fred Flintstone no floor pans, rusty brown light blue surface look...😂

Dude only 4 minutes in and i agree with everything you said so far.

Working on my first short school bus right now that I just grabbed off a public auction because I have a job coming up that should last about six months and I want a better place to stay than the bunk beds provided by the job so for a bigger bed and small kitchen I'm coughing up a few grand to work it out, gonna probably work on it as im living in it so i hope itll be functional over aesthetic

the sound track reminds me of this old school bus.."House"...with bob vila..lol

Just got a Chevy g30 handicap accessible short bus, with a Chevy 350 and the th400 trans and boy… I can confirm it doesn’t get more than 5 miles to the gallon. It’s a great deal I got. Unfortunately, it does have one bad spot of rust. But…it runs pretty good, and parts are pretty cheap. But… He hit the nail on the head. I’ll need to swap the transmission mount and cut out the old brace attached to the frame and weld a new one back in. Good thing is that the frame itself only has minor surface rust. I’ll need to do something soon though. Or else the rust will get worse and I’ll be even deep into shit’s creak. Brakes have an issue too because the old 350 isn’t running at 100% so it has random drivers side brake lock up from the hydro assist system. Transmission leaks a fair bit too. Got a stupid good deal on it. Luckily, I welded professionally for about a decade and I’m rather mechanically inclined. For now… I can limp it by. Sheesh at the amount of money I’m about to have to put out to get it “rock solid”. No one (including the person I bought the bus from) understands why I wanna do that. They all keep telling me to do the most idiotic and cheapest things and I’m just not going to do that. If I’m going to fix things… I’m going to fix them right and not have to worry about them again. The skoolie life is a rough life but if it’s for you, it’s for you.

Thanks for the tips and confirmation. Most I knew but I will never make those mistakes. I always tell my friends that as we get closer to buying our first bus I would rather throw another 20k into and get it done to last. Quality isn’t cheap but well worth it in the long run.

Forgot to mention. Did you buy a rusty bus, or bus with any rust? Check that fuel tank, try $1500+ for a new tank, labor not included. **Need a tow. $500 for truck to show, $150 to drop driveshaft, $150 to hookup, $8.50 a mile. Yep

I just bought a bus that I think you guys did a little work on. 40' white activity bus, no rust you added an RV style door, and 2 underbody storage cabinets. The fellow I bought it from also rehabbed the floor, insulated it and laid a new sub floor. Bus had 60k miles, paid 25k. As you said it's worth so much to get a good platform to start with. I think it's money well spent.

What do you think of electric busses? Can a person buy a school bus without the seats in from the manufacturer? Is gas or diesel best for a bus conversion?

LOL! Thanks for quoting one of my fav songs cuz in a world full of ppl only some want to fly isn't that crazy? .....Glad I watched ur vid before I decide how to proceed with my schoolie. It's a full-size bus with only 9 n a half k miles on it. It says Thomas Built but idk what type of engine it has in it. It looks very nice n clean n in good shape for its age which is 2001.

do you have your own tier list for engine and transmission that you will share?

Working on an 82 carpenter with a 366 with the same sheet metal as your 74 just with a bow tie converted to a Rv with parts from a 70 something in all its avocado green glory lol oh and it's a short one Cost me ten bucks in fuel to drive it home ...oh an in southeast Wyoming

Thanks, very informative Video. We purchased our Bus back in Oct. only thing done is we removed all the seats. and waited for warmer weather. We are not Living in our's full time. And Was considering NOT removing the Floor. When you say strip up the Rubber , and remove the wood subfloor, then treat with rust preventive Paint. What about the Undercarriage? Are you supposed to treat the outside part of the Metal Floor? Doesn't Rust come into the Bus from the Rain, Snow and other Elements, from underneath?

A sudden $20,000 bill to keep your house is quite sobering... Especially when you make $30-$40k a year to begin with. I came to researching Skoolies because I was looking at full time mostly stationary RV living where I still work forty hours... Skoolies have none of the trade offs of RVs and in the end /are/ cheaper. Of course I started getting sucked into the "nomad" idea that I could travel year 'round and only need to work for others sporadically. I think a Skoolie is still for me... but the "nomad" lifestyle would be better had in my truck with a homemade camper on the bed then in a bus. Been watching your conversion playlist, I don't know if you have it planned but it would be neat to see a guide on adding storage compartments beneath the bus so you can bring your tools with you. Thanks for the videos!

Whoa, I love my windows... yeah, they're crummy... I know, I know... I removed half of 'em, but still, kept the ones in the back for my art studio... I designed my build so we can replace them with RV windows later if these don't work out. You'd be happy to know that we have followed your advice otherwise. 😅 Paid twelve and a half at auction for her, she had 45000 miles on her and TONS of mechanical problems, which was why the district never drove her. We would NOT have bought this bus if we didn't have the ability to fix her ourselves (most people do not) and we're STILL sorting things out in the cab! We could have EASILY spent $50,000 sorting all the millions of issues this bus had if we went to a shop. But we didn't, and she's juuuuust about bulletproofed. Almost. It was not easy. We had to go over just about every nut and bolt on a 40 foot activity bus getting it ready for the buildout. It's the exact opposite of Instagram. It SUCKS. We have had so many disasters, but thank goodness we've been able to handle them all. Holy shizznit none of this crap is cheap. Who said it was cheap? You get into skoolies because you hate money and like to light it on fire a lot.

Gas prices have ruined skoolies.

What windows would you recommend?

Nothing is cheap. A Class A motorhome can run between $250,000 and $500,000. Buy a vacation home in Florida for anywhere between $250,000 and $650,000 and you still have to drive or fly to get there. Heck, you can spend a small fortune today just renovating the primary residence you live in now.

I was on the road and could not make it to this live. Thank God this video remains. So Chapter One of the Gospel of the Bus by Chuck Cassady is here for viewing. "Let There Be A Bus", is a cautionary tale on what one needs to know and consider before the uninitiated attempt to embark on a fantasy of bus life, without a reality check from the voice of experience. Information that the flock need to know has been imparted so don't let temptation lead you into the nine circles of hell on your build. You have been warned. Follow the words of the shepherd, and you may reach the promised land.

Chuck, thank you for the "don't let this happen to you" video. The cost of roadside emergency repair has FREAKED ME OUT!! There must be a way to maintain a skoolie to keep it strong as steel. I want my skoolie to be more reliable than a cat's mealtime alert. Dogs are too goofy when it comes to food and a cat is unrelenting. Next TIRES... Oh my word!!! How often do tires need to be replaced (not including punctures)