Hey! It’s Adam here - join me on my adventure of converting and completely renovating my 2007 International school bus named “Atlas” into my dream home on wheels! I started this project in February of 2021 and hope to have it finished to hit the road in the Winter of 2024! I am so excited to document and share my experience of building this bus with all of you!
Follow me on Instagram @adamglehs.
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im 3yrs in, taking my time and im almost done. 12k all in. idk how u spent 80k
Thinks guys I had a professional electrician told me today unstretch wouldn’t work on a bus I knew he was wrong.
No problem! Electricians know very little about solar, and diddly squat about busses lol
biggest expense? Steph!!
It been 3 years, is there any rust or leakage since you've built this?
No rust and not a single drop!
Have you checked the body to frame shackles/ anchor's and bushing's between? There should be several.. and if they aren't snug, the body will flex a lot more. would cause your floor to warp when you drive, unless you did some strengthening to the floor already..? Maybe the material would work ok, but the body's warping all the time
Wow Adam....seems like you did that backwards. (she's winning by Far). reverse everything You got the $15.00 cash. Your're getting the $800.00 payment! wow, now life seems so much better. Unless ur true reason for keeping it was Spite, or Feeling an Emotional attachment because she helped build it. Either way, TIME has a way of healing us all. And in the future you'll wonder if you made the right decission.🤔 Yeah True, the bus is nice. But its gonna always be a money pit. much Love to you young Man
👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks so much for this info Adam!
Hey seen your bus in sudbury! I love it looks nice 👍 😂❤
well you went top of the line with everything, totally un-necessary. there is no need for this to be so expensive
How many times in the last 2 years have you used your deck?
honestly, only a handful of times a year do I sit up there and hang out. but it's a very functional space to have. It being wood makes it super easy to attach things to it. I keep my 14.5-foot sea kayak up there and it fits perfectly.
I'm in southern Ontario, and I guess I lucked out being that my bus weighs less than 4500kg (can be safetied by car mechanic) it's a short bus. I know the struggle with insurance though. I'm keeping an eye on your guys build as mine is (although registered as motorhome) a school bus as well. Registration and safety were the easy part for me though, it's the motivation to finish and having the time and money
Wow, so many thoughts during this video. -Ufta! that's a lot invested. -Give her the bus and walk away. start over. start small. -just keep it simple. why make a bus luxurious? (rhetorical). if you're rich, fine but if not, why bother. -It was $300 to paint my house last summer. 3 gal of primer, 3 gal of exterior paint. Why was bus paint so expensive? (rhetorical). yikes, that's crazy. -a really expensive place to take a shhitt. wow. -you really learned many lessons here; with relationships and spending. -Skoolies are great, "if you're made of money" -red/green show. -If I did the vanlife I'd live like foresty-forest or vancity-vanlife. No toilet, no expensive paint, flooring, or tile, etc.. Just a bed (or hammock), diesel heater, and crock pot, and I'd hit the road. Or hunker-down. Only making improvements for survival or as funds become available with profits, if any. -shouldn't all the upgrade spending be write-offs from your youtube business revenue. I assumed that's how the big channels did it. Chrome's van evolved over many years. He used vanlife to get out of debt. not the other way around. -I'm glad you're in a good place emotionally. Too many men are struggling out here. -I wish you the best. May the algorithm gods bless you with many views and fortune.
Sorry in advance if my reply comes off as negative but let this video be a warning for anyone who wants to get into bus conversion because unfortunately you've learned a lot of good lessons the hard way. IMO you should have sold the bus immediately after you parted ways and split the difference. I'm sure you are/were emotionally invested but if you had anything leftover you could've used that on a new build or a nonpayment for a van conversion/RV. As things currently stand you are on the hook for everything and she's basically getting alimony from you for two years meanwhile you've declared bankruptcy, have a 15k line of credit to repay and have 2X the amount in debt that you would've been if you cut your losses and sold. It's hard to speak on peoples relationships but I think getting lawyers involved and entangling your finances as an unmarried couple was a huge red flag, if either one of you were concerned about splitting expenses then someone should've made the exec. decision to take on the cost of materials, etc. I'm curious as to how you broke your brake line while trying to get it unstuck? Was the parking brake engaged or was it not in neutral? In regards to the build priority #1 should always be to get it functional/livable and the rest is a luxury. For example you could've started with a cassette toilet which are a fraction of the price and upgraded to a composting toilet at a later time. Idk if the 15k bus build videos are all blowing smoke or not b/c they probably didn't do their due diligence and gut to the studs or reinsulated properly where as it seems that you spared no expense, which good on you for doing it the right way but the right way is not cheap. I wish you the best but again it might be time to bite the bullet, cut your losses and pay off your debts. Best of luck.
It's sad that we aren't seeing more of the bus, but it's good to hear you're in a better mental state. We're all rooting for you!
Goes to show money doesn’t buy happiness.
Consumer proposal
I gave up on my shuttle bus project after two years with little to show for it. I bought a Class C RV a couple months ago and have been full timing ever since. I’m very happy with my decision and have absolutely no regrets.
I keep seeing older rv vans for sale and I’m very tempted to just do that honestly. Simplicity is king
wow! that's a powerful story. You've got what you need and are stronger than you know.
New to your channel, and I have always been inspired to build my own live-in bus. The message you communicated in this video was much more than i bargained for, but it inspired me to subscribe and follow your journey. I am on my own personal "life quest......ionmark" and I learnt that its never about how hard you can hit life.....its about how hard you can get hit by life, and continue to stand back up. Keep Strong
Lesson here That was not a girlfriend that was a scam Artist
The other people that did it for less, either: a) Lied. Either they didn't track all the expenses, or just outright fibbed to get more views. b) They let the deals guide their buying choices. Don't buy anything until it's nearly throwaway price.
No shit, Sudbury eh. How about Espanola.
I actually bought the bus in espanola!
The floor breaking apart is normal. You have houshold flooring. Theres no temp fluctuations and your house isnt flexing and vibrating as bus does. You need to accept that or go to lyno
15k is cheap materials, old buses. You have a new bus. And you admited that you have expensive taste. Good lumber is expensive. Those guys are using cheap engineered lumber and painting it. I built a truck slide in camper for 4k. I bought an old truck for 1k. 1k for a camper and 2k in accessories and repairs on the cheap camper.
63k seems outrageous. Ive seen full diesel pushers, converted to motorhomes for half that. Even if they need work 10k goes a ways in repairs.
A hot guy like that could live rent free in my house... i would cook for you, do you laundry and also would give you a free daily massage to help release some stress and compensate for your past relationships frustrations 😏
Keep chippin away at it. You'll get there!
Adam, you are literally one of my most favourite people. This can be worked out. Let’s do some ridiculous nonsense I believe in you because I’ve worked with you and I know how talented you are.
Thanks maaan! Everything shall pass
Yea sounds like you guys just chose to buy the most expensive of everything without trying to find good deals..... prob overspent due to not looking for better deals by 20-30%
Most of the price inflation was due to buying American products and getting hit with duties plus the weak canadian dollar. But there defiantly was some overpriced things like the water filters and backup camera!
I've said before. I bid and "accidentally " got a bus at auction for $2000. It has sat because of lack of time and money.
Pull your stuff out, give the bus back, buy another one. Divest yourself of your ex as a priority.
I like how you think. Bus was $3.500? shittttt, that $15,000 wouldve been all she got!
You guys need to learn how to work on ur own busses!! Looks like ya need a change in life.
I do all my own maintenance and repairs.
I say this cus back in the 80s there was no diy videos etc. I'm 62 now n my power steering hose busted, I removed it with a crescent wrench, hitchhiked to a NAPA bought a new hose n hitchhiked back n installed it with couple extra cans of fluid. Didn't need a tow or a repair bill. They would have charged me $150 for the hose, $180 to install it, not to mention the $400 for the tow. Here is the kicker, I paid $52 for the hose as I watched the kid make it! Saving over $600!!! Just saying for all those that read this.
This is what happens when ya live beyond your means!
Shut up
Those $15k builds you see are fairy tale stories. Most of them are eyesores to begin with and I'd be willing to make an educated guess that they're mechanically unsound and likely one of the contributing factors to why liability insurance in the States is so hard to obtain now. Almost every social media sob story begging for free mechanical help or crowdfunding is tied to a "budget build" where they started out with a $2k rust bucket and a Maxxforce with no insulation and water leaks everywhere. A couple years later when the Instagram lifestyle hasn't worked out and they can't make a living as social media influencers; they try to sell their moldy tin can with brake problems for $40k because it's "cute." I'm sorry to hear about your financial woes, but you'll come through the other end just fine by having built your rig correctly. If and when you decide to sell and pursue another project, it'll be worth something to recoup your investment because you took the time and expense to "do it right."
This. Quality has different levels. But i also think its due to how he keeps books that the value of his bus is bloated.
Keeping a few shingles in your vehicle will stop ✋ you from getting stuck in snow sand wet grass! Tires always grab shingles unless ur buried to the axel!!! I love y'all kiddo
Gut it, sell the stuff. Then let her take it. Start freash.
I'm in the same boat on buying things and then not using them, or changing my mind and doing something else.
I have a whole drawer of things I bought for projects I never did or lost interest in immediately doing. It's a real problem haha
@@AdamandAtlas Classic adhd symptom. I have the same drawers (plural ha ha)
@@AdamandAtlas I think that is ADHD for you. I have it really bad too.
I've got like 35k in mine now. It is expensive.
It’s a tough lesson to learn, but you are young and you have time on your hands to recover. It’s unfortunate Stephanie got to live in the bus for free, as it’s a depreciating value (unlike a home) so it’s not like she made an investment, however what’s done is done and sharing your story may help others learn not to make the same mistake.
Men are screwed with regards to women. Best to stay single, and have less headaches.
Adam, you have a quality build. I watch a lot of tour videos and like myself, you dont want a pile of crap. You just lost ypur steady imcome stream. Be patient and you will have it back. Get back on your feet and drive on.
Quality definitely has a cost. I’ve been hustling hard to get back on my feet. Won’t be to long till im back
Hey Adam, good to see a new post, even if it isn't with the best of news for you. Glad you're finally feeling better and doing better. Your mental health has clearly taken a toll on you over the last year or so, plus all the added expenses you hadn't planned on, it's rough. No doubt you and Steph set out to build the bus with all the best of the best, and you did a great job on it. Hindsight being what it is, you absolutely could've done things very differently and saved a lot of money in the process. With all that being water under the bridge though, now it's just time to take really good care of yourself and enjoy your new relationship and continue to put one foot in front of the other until you get yourself financially sound again. It might not be the picture you thought your life would be at this point, but as long as your breathing, there's opportunity for changes and creating something new. Hold on tight and hang in there.
Thank you for the kind comment! I appreciate your continued support ☺️
@@AdamandAtlas You’re welcome!! 🙏🏻
Be free Bro!
I'm building a bus, same model as yours. I had a computer issue that cost like $2k to fix. I needed king pin replacement which would of cost me $6k, but I built my own tool for $100 to push those out, and did the job myself, so I turned a 6k job to $100 plus time. Bought my bus for $3500, I've got about $9k into it and everything is stripped and painted. I have a forest, and a lumber mill. I will be able to get all my wood for free, minus time to mill the lumber. I have maybe 50% of the tools, and had to buy the other 50% of tools, but I plan to do a roof raise, and it will cost me another $2500 in materials, but I own a welder already and can weld. I also already had solar panels 2200 watts total, and a 3k watt inverter, I got for free as a hand-me-down. If I had to buy everything it probably would of cost me $27k, but since I'm able to source the wood and eletrical for free minus time, that's where I've saved money. I will be under $15,000 when i'm done.
My biggest cost was wood products so if you can mill your own, you will be way ahead. Best of luck on your build!
Great job. Just amazes me to hear so many people cry about their situations. I'm find it appalling to the real bus people!
I guess the plans we make don't always work out, I earned my bachelor's degree and still failed at my field, I am ok for now but living paycheck to paycheck, I would sell it and pay some of the debt and/or invest and start another company since you know how to invest in that. Most people would just pull out after they were over budget, but, do you need that kind of space, if it keeps failing, seems like a lemon with band aides on it? Yeah, hope you find a way out bro. Good luck to you!
The bus itself is really solid. Just a few bad design decisions mostly related to water that have given me trouble. You are right tho that it’s a lot of space. Might downsize in the future but i want to finish it before giving up and selling. Momma didn’t raise a quiter’ haha
@@AdamandAtlas You can do it, I have faith in your resourefulness and insights.. Take care, one day at a time. :)
Glad things are moving in a possitive direction for you Adam.
It seems my first post vanished. As a fellow 2017 Chevy Volt owner and working on a 2004 International RE300, I recommend the r/Volt community for possible assistance. Tell them the codes and they may be able to give some temporary fix to get it going. Totally agree on the Skoolie building being expensive.
Bothers me the most is you are bashing decisions you both were making together, and at the time I'm sure you were. Be a man and step up to your agreements. Stephanie definitely was your balance and now that you're out of balance it seems that you are smashing on her quite a bit. That was a beautiful build and forever reason it's gone sideways. Get yourself another job. If you have to work 2. In my first years of owning my homes.. now that I'm 70 I went through a recession(s) And a divorce. I worked three jobs to keep my house. You have to step up. It seems like you (and your new found) seem to be "working up why did Stephanie" when it was really why both of you? I will bet she's probably doing real well on her own.
He is paying his debt, why the criticism? Stephanie contributed to the costs and now is holding him to a ridiculous deal they made. She lived in it clearly without any cost to her because he is paying everything back. I’d say she is coming out of this scott free and he is stepping up and paying his bills. Sounds like an honourable young man to me.
The deal was not fair, its a catch 22. The bus was in its build state not worth the amount they put in it. She got a bargain with this man, he is taking it waaay to manly already.
@@Bees-knees99 she contributed. Yes. It's him saying SHE spent x amount on this. She spent.... Nah bro, WE spent.
@@joeyromacus8674 that is a depreciating asset.
@@Bees-knees99 what's your point? That doesn't change the fact he's blaming her for the purchases they made together. Lots of SHE paid this. No, WE paid this. This is ignoring the fact that its an appreciating asset as it's being built. the bus itself wouldn't be shifting value downwards much by the time a builder gets hold of it. Building it to a high standard like they have adds value. If he continues, and depending on the market, he could make most of it back. Shit, could probably do that now (if everything is working).
The part I'm the most upset about is the breakup deal. Nothing about that seens fair. The amount shouldve been based on the value of the bus and the terms are so loan sharky its wretched. I loved watching you all build it and so sad to see how it all turned out. Im glad youre doing well though and happy!!
Its a deal i agreed on at the time and I’m dedicated to following through with it. It truly sucks but i only have another year of payments and I’ll be in the clear.