10+ Inspiring Short Bus RV Conversions (#6 is the most cozy setup I’ve ever seen)

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Short bus RV conversions are popular for many reasons…

First off, they look pretty bad ass. I don’t know if it’s the design itself, the nostalgia, or a mixture of both. But there’s something about them that just looks… cool. They have that classic allure to them the same way the old school VW buses do.

But there are also practical reasons to choose a short bus RV conversion.

Since you begin with a blank canvas, you are free to put your stamp on it from the beginning. You can arrange the floor plan to suit your needs, installing the bed, electrics and cabinetry in whatever way suits your needs.

They are also well built, and you can often pick one up for not a lot of money. Given that they were designed to transport kids safely to and from school, they are strong and sturdy, much more so than a typical RV.

You will also have a much easier time finding a mechanic to work on one. Many modern RV’s, especially the newer European style conversions, will require specialists to be able to fix mechanical issues. But your standard short bus could be worked on and repaired by just about any mechanic you come across.

Here are 10 Short Bus RV Conversions to Give You Ideas and Inspiration​

1. Baby Blue Bus With Homely Interior

Short Bus RV
short bus conversion

image via BusLifeAdventure

This cute conversion was built on a 1989 GMC Short School Bus. Lexi developed her love of camping from the trips she would take with her mother as a child. Her mother also went on to convert a school bus herself, so Lexi learned a lot from that. This conversion uses a lot of color and soft furnishing for a very homely and feminine finish. 

2. Classic School Bus Camper Conversion

image via BusLifeAdventure

This one is built on a 95 Chevy short bus with a 6.5l turbo diesel engine. I love the simple but efficient layout and finish of this conversion. This is the second bus conversion but by Will and Sabrina, their first one they now rent out as an AirBnB.

3. Yellow Bus With Clean Minimalist Vintage Interior

image via DesignSponge

This conversion is built on a 979 GMC / BlueBird short school bus. It’s a vintage vehicle and they’ve opted for a very vintage interior design style. 

4. Beautiful & Unique 1959 Chevrolet Viking Short Bus

image via WinklemanArchitecture

This one sure is one of a kind. The 1959 Chevrolet Viking Short Bus alone is not easy to come across, let alone one that’s been converted to a beautiful camper. 

5. Floor Plan For Conversion That Has Everything You Need

Short Bus Floor Plan

image via Pinterest

I don’t have any more details about this one or even whether or not it was actually ever completed, but I really love these floor plans. I think I would go for something similar if I was to convert a school bus. 

6. The Most Cozy Short Bus RV Setup I’ve Seen

image via Camperism

Now, how cozy does this look? The conversion and layout itself, with the wood-burning fire and the inviting looking couch and bed, but the sleeping dog sets the look off and makes me wish I was chilling in there right now. 

7. Bright & Compact Bus Conversion Setup

image via OutsideOnline

This very compact is clean, brights, and functional. Though it might be a little too compact for more than one so I think it would be ideally suited to a person traveling alone. 

8. Ford Ecoline 350 Short Bus RV Conversion

Ford Ecoline 350 Short Bus

image via TinyHouseTalk

This 1988 Ford Econoline 350 short bus was the project of undergraduate Sculpture Student Lacey Leonard. The build took about one year to complete and was a collaborative effort between art students. 

9. Mans Converted Bus For Full-Time Living

image via Adam Sauerwein

10. Click Play Below To Watch A Time Lapse Video Of A Short Bus Being Converted Into A Home

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Gary Michaels
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