Introducing...La Baja Bus

So I did something crazy today- either inspired or insane, or a little of both- it remains to be seen: I bought a passenger bus, to be gradually turned into a light-duty overlander for use in Baja.



Frankly, one reason I bought this vs. other options was to (hopefully!) avoid the new parking regulations in my city. Anyone with an RV or trailer now is limited to how many days they can park in front of their house on the street, and have to purchase an overnight permit. Any oversize vehicle longer than 27 feet and over 7 feet tall is likewise restricted.

But here's the key: She's a 1997 Ford E450 Powerstroke passenger bus, 24 feet long and impressively tall- but not over 27'. And the regs clearly state BOTH: over 27' long AND over 7' tall. (if I lose this battle, I have other options)

She sports dualies in the rear, that I may need to swap out soon, and 7.3 liters of (soon to be) bio-diesel burning brute strength idling noisily under the hood up front.

Starts easiy and runs like a champ. We rolled down the freeway today on the way home, using cruise control, like a small version of the big busses rumbling past. Tall fiberglass body, no leaks after big rain storm (but in need of some scrubbing/oxidation removal).

Heavy duty hydraulic wheelchair lift in the rear to easily load ice chests, boats, bikes, people and camping gear. (So far the poodle prefers the standard doorway.)


Inside: pretty bare bones. Eight passenger seats w/seatbelts, that fold up flat against the sides, out of the way, once our group has arrived. Any more than that requires a commercial drivers license, which I've had before when I used to take groups out to Joshua Tree etc.- but it's lapsed.




After travel time, the bus can become base camp: kitchen, bar, living room, dining room and/or bunkhouse, depending on the elements and time of day/night.

Over time I may add a basic bathroom/shower combo, though if the weather's warm an outdoor shower would be fine (and most places I plan to go have bathrooms).

The goal: to take people into Baja to experience whales, wine and wilderness, and leave the driving to me (or others) so they can relax and enjoy the scenery.

Our maiden Baja voyage: end of March, over spring recess, with family and friends travelling to the gray whale lagoons on the Pacific side. (I can carry items back and forth if people need things delivered- lots of room!)

Intermediate plans: Add lightweight shelving/storage. Check out biodiesel conversion requirements.

Longterm plans: look for RVs/trailers being parted out for useful stuff to outfit the interior.

Possible fun stuff: Organize trips to Guadalupe Valley for wine tasting/food sampliing. Go kayaking with whale sharks in Bahia de Los Angeles. Other Baja/Southwest US adventures TBD.

I may not have much to report on the remodel right away. I'd rather spend my time/money going places and enjoying time with friends, vs. turning this into a thing of beauty. Function first, fashion later...

Any ideas, suggestions, recommendations on outfitting this beast appreciated! Or if you know of someone who might want to travel, but isn't willing/able to drive themselves- put them in touch with me for a ride-along.

It may wind up parked on my lot in San Miguel as I look at clearing/rebuilding there. Or perhaps it has a future as a "Paradas Continuas" bus in Ensenada... quien sabes? I didn't pay much for it, but I think it has great potential!

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

Great rig to build on.... What kind of insurance and business license will you need in the US as well as Mexico? Best of luck.

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

If it was mine, I would want dual fuel tanks. I would keep one filled with clean number one diesel for cold starts and just in case you get some bad biofuel! Switching to regular diesel before shut down might help with keeping your injectors clean and also help with start up. It doesn't sound like cold weather is going to be a problem for you, but where I would sometimes run that rig, I would provide some sort of heat trace for the the bio lines and possibly the tank. Happy trails!

Quote: Originally posted by Whale-ista

I'm getting RV insurance through my current company. This won't be a formal business right away. I'll do the trip with friends and family in March and see if it's feasible to continue. Quote: Originally posted by motoged   Great rig to build on.... What kind of insurance and business license will you need in the US as well as Mexico? Best of luck.

[/rquote]


Whatever happened to the old hippie bus business that did trips up and down California and baja? What was it called? Green turtle?[/rquote]

Have seen The Turtle several times over the years. Seemed like just everyday Baja-lovers who are interested in adventure travel...like most of us on this forum. Their website shows them still in business for 2015. Last time I saw the bus was in Agua Verde a few years ago where I snapped this photo from the trail above.



Whale-ista, Good Luck with your RV modifications and plans. I helped a fellow with a Baja Adventure bus in the late 80's and it was a very worthwhile project. That one was a full-size bus refit. I'll try to post some photos if I can find them. Just watch out for them Hippies!

Ha! Great stories and photos, thanks for the contributions, feedback, advice and cautionary tales.

No immediate plans to import. It's not officially a commercial vehicle, at this point passengers will be friends/family not paying clients.

Yeah, those dualies on sharp Baja rocks may be an issue. I will need to investigate the cost of tires- not cheap, I'm certain...

As for fuel: There are several bio-diesel stations in San Diego that seem good quality. I have 1 sixty gallon tank, which qualifies for "commercial" status, acc to one I contacted that provides 99% biodiesel for fleets. In the warm weather, with new standards, I think mixing will be ok. But biodiesel does act as a solvent to clean out old gunk, so a change of fuel filter is recommended, and starting slow as the engine etc. adjusts.

As for appearances: It is all white, no obvious "public bus" signage or colors to make the locals nervous. Standard license plate. Maybe I should remove the CA #s (public utility leftovers)?

I will definitely NOT hang a "Paradas Continuas" sign in the back window... maybe "Paradas Misteriosas" instead? That will keep them guessing...

As for onboard consumables... we will conform with all local requirements, of course!

Hmmm.... maybe I should offer to be a "sag wagon" for some of those pesky Baja Bikers people keep complaining about? Carry cold drinks, hot food, and soft sleeping pads that don't fit on bike racks?

[Edited on 3-4-2015 by Whale-ista]

Viva Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test!

Best of luck with your project!

You have the advantage by starting from scratch.

When custom building, you're only limited by your imagination.

This rig showed up in Mulege a couple times and so naturally I have this photo, plus I've spotted it in California and Arizona. It's noticeable, to say the least...and funky. I suspect Li'l Abner and Daisy Mae would have had one for camping near Dogpatch.

Quote: Originally posted by Whale-ista

So I did something crazy today- either inspired or insane, or a little of both- it remains to be seen: I bought a passenger bus, to be gradually turned into a light-duty overlander for use in Baja. Frankly, one reason I bought this vs. other options was to (hopefully!) avoid the new parking regulations in my city. Anyone with an RV or trailer now is limited to how many days they can park in front of their house on the street, and have to purchase an overnight permit. Any oversize vehicle longer than 27 feet and over 7 feet tall is likewise restricted. But here's the key: She's a 1997 Ford E450 Powerstroke passenger bus, 24 feet long and impressively tall- but not over 27'. And the regs clearly state BOTH: over 27' long AND over 7' tall. (if I lose this battle, I have other options) She sports dualies in the rear, that I may need to swap out soon, and 7.3 liters of (soon to be) bio-diesel burning brute strength idling noisily under the hood up front. Starts easiy and runs like a champ. We rolled down the freeway today on the way home, using cruise control, like a small version of the big busses rumbling past. Tall fiberglass body, no leaks after big rain storm (but in need of some scrubbing/oxidation removal). Heavy duty hydraulic wheelchair lift in the rear to easily load ice chests, boats, bikes, people and camping gear. (So far the poodle prefers the standard doorway.) Inside: pretty bare bones. Eight passenger seats w/seatbelts, that fold up flat against the sides, out of the way, once our group has arrived. Any more than that requires a commercial drivers license, which I've had before when I used to take groups out to Joshua Tree etc.- but it's lapsed. After travel time, the bus can become base camp: kitchen, bar, living room, dining room and/or bunkhouse, depending on the elements and time of day/night. Over time I may add a basic bathroom/shower combo, though if the weather's warm an outdoor shower would be fine (and most places I plan to go have bathrooms). The goal: to take people into Baja to experience whales, wine and wilderness, and leave the driving to me (or others) so they can relax and enjoy the scenery. Our maiden Baja voyage: end of March, over spring recess, with family and friends travelling to the gray whale lagoons on the Pacific side. (I can carry items back and forth if people need things delivered- lots of room!) Intermediate plans: Add lightweight shelving/storage. Check out biodiesel conversion requirements. Longterm plans: look for RVs/trailers being parted out for useful stuff to outfit the interior. Possible fun stuff: Organize trips to Guadalupe Valley for wine tasting/food sampliing. Go kayaking with whale sharks in Bahia de Los Angeles. Other Baja/Southwest US adventures TBD. I may not have much to report on the remodel right away. I'd rather spend my time/money going places and enjoying time with friends, vs. turning this into a thing of beauty. Function first, fashion later... Any ideas, suggestions, recommendations on outfitting this beast appreciated! Or if you know of someone who might want to travel, but isn't willing/able to drive themselves- put them in touch with me for a ride-along. It may wind up parked on my lot in San Miguel as I look at clearing/rebuilding there. Or perhaps it has a future as a "Paradas Continuas" bus in Ensenada... quien sabes? I didn't pay much for it, but I think it has great potential!

Quote: Originally posted by honda tom

I have owned diesel trucks for over 15 years now. The ford 7.3 is awesome. However as a great diesel mechanic has told me, the key to a diesel motor is the 3 F's..... FUEL FILTERS FLUIDS. Bio Diesel does not fit in this category. If you plan on running bio diesel you will have major problems, if you want to break down often with your customers/friends on board, filler up.

Quote: Originally posted by Whale-ista

Quote: Originally posted by honda tom   I have owned diesel trucks for over 15 years now. The ford 7.3 is awesome. However as a great diesel mechanic has told me, the key to a diesel motor is the 3 F's..... FUEL FILTERS FLUIDS. Bio Diesel does not fit in this category. If you plan on running bio diesel you will have major problems, if you want to break down often with your customers/friends on board, filler up. Are you familiar with this study, summarized here? http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/76-speciality-forums/64-mai... Basically, since newer diesel has less sulfur than past blends, many diesel owners use additives to increase lubricity/reduce friction. This study analyzed the results of using nearly 20 different products. The best turned out to be soy-based biodiesel.