RV builds: Norman The Bus has us dreaming of #buslife

We love a good DIY RV build and ‘Norman The Bus’ has all of us here at RVDaily dreaming of living the #buslife.

Tash, a disability support worker, and Josh, an aircraft maintenance engineer from New South Wales bought a 24-year-old school bus in 2020 and for the next 12 months, spent every weekend turning it into a motorhome with a queen bed and seating for four.

The result was Norman The Bus and you can follow along on their build and adventures on Instagram.

We sat down with Tash and Josh to learn more about this amazing RV build and what the future for Norman The Bus looks like.

Q&A with Tash and Josh on Norman The Bus

Tell us about your bus. When did you buy it?

Our bus is an 8.6 metre 1996, Mercedes-Benz Vario, with a 4-litre turbo diesel engine and a 6-speed manual gearbox. We purchased the bus in October 2020, it was a School bus.

What did you buy it for initially?

We purchased it with the intention of converting it into a fully off-grid motorhome and as a getaway vehicle for my Dad who was quite ill at the time and unable to be away from an environment able to run an oxygen machine to help him breathe.

We made sure it had all the power required to run whatever he needed in addition to the creature comforts to make him feel at home while on the road. The intention is to do some bigger Australia-wide trips in the future.

Does the bus have an interesting history? 

It was originally a school bus and we found it at a Toyota dealer who took it as a trade-in on some new buses. No one in the yard had a licence to drive it and it was taking up a lot of space so we managed to get it for a great price. Being a school bus we knew it had to be maintained to a high standard so mechanically it was in great condition.

The salesman was over 70 years old and had been selling vehicles for over 50 years. He was a really nice guy by the name of Norman which inspired the name for the bus. When passing through next time we may stop in and show him how far the old bus has come.

How far into the build are you?

The build took approx 12 months working Friday-Sunday each week. It’s been on the road for over 12 months now and is fully functional although there are still a few things we would like to do including adding an awning, doing some external bodywork and tidying up a few interior parts like the air conditioning vents. I don’t think it will ever be totally complete, it will continue to evolve as we use it and find more things we would like.

What has been your inspiration?

Josh: My dad played a huge part in the build. He was unable to physically help but I spent an hour each day on the phone with him going over plans and different parts we wanted to make sure nothing he needed was missed.  I really wanted him to have a big say along the way to give him a sense of ownership. He helped out choosing colours and fittings and gave me a heap of mechanical advice to make sure it was reliable for long trips. I also wanted to give him something to look forward to each day and keep his mind active as he was unable to leave his home. My Mum is also licenced to drive it and it’s nice to know she can have a little escape when needed.

Tash: Like a lot of people, I’ve always dreamt of having a bus, I never thought I’d actually get there, let alone build one with my partner. My inspiration was Josh! His commitment to getting the bus done and being able to take his Dad on an incredible trip was inspiring. We are both perfectionists so I knew he’d put his absolute heart and soul into it (which he did) and get everything done so perfectly the first time. Josh is the handiest guy, I still can’t believe he did the entire thing on his own with only a bit of help here and there. Josh was super patient with me during the build so I was able to learn some skills along the way. I’d never used a drill before starting on the bus!

What modification work have you done?

We started by removing all the seats and sourced some late-model Mercedes Sprinter van seats with inbuilt seatbelts to stay compliant with current laws. We then tinted all the windows to keep internal temperatures down.

Starting from the rear of the bus we built the lift-up bed frame with the slide-out dining table and bench seats to suit readily available cushions to keep the price reasonable. Then we added a fibreglass shower and built a separate room for the toilet. We used 19mm plywood for the walls to keep them thin but strong, taking care along the way to maximise interior space. We then built the kitchen and installed a sink, double burner gas stove and microwave. Everything had to be made from scratch to suit the internal dimensions we wanted. This helped us keep the inside feeling spacious.

The floor had to be removed in two large areas under the passenger seats to weld in structural supports for the new seats. We engineered them to be quickly removable if we want to change the configuration or free up more space when it’s only the two of us on the road.

All the internal lights were changed over for efficient LED lighting. Over 150 metres of wiring was used to power everything including the lights, roof fan, water pump, diesel heater, water heater and fridge.

The batteries charge from solar or via the bus alternator while on the road through an Enerdrive DC2DC charger. However, we have a Yamaha 2800i generator for extended off-grid periods in case the solar panels don’t get enough sun.

Other modifications include:

• Roof fan for airflow since none of the main windows open.
• Floorboard and raptor lining coating on the driver’s floor.
• Two solar panels, 240 amp hour batteries and a 2000-watt inverter.
• Convection microwave oven and a 140-litre fridge freezer.
• 200 litres of water on board and a grey water tank.
• Instantaneous gas hot water system for hot showers.
• Roof projector for movie nights and a 24″ smart TV for everything else.
• Harmon Kardon sound system for long road trips and music at the campsite.
• Multiple USB ports to power everything we need and 240v power outlets for use at camp.
• 240v air-conditioner under the bed to keep things cool in summer.

Have you done any of the work yourself?

We did every single part of the build ourselves except installing the gas lines which had to be done by a qualified gas fitter and the welding under the floor because I didn’t have a welder up to the task.

It was a huge undertaking that took a lot of time. We wanted to do everything right the first time so we didn’t have to redo anything later. Good planning and spending a lot of time online researching the best products to use and shopping for deals to keep the overall cost down.

We were lucky to have our friend Niesha Barnes custom-make our blackout curtains throughout the bus from material we purchased from Spotlight. We would also like to thank Matt Parker for lending a hand on the bigger jobs!

Have you worked with any brands on the build?

We didn’t work with any brands on the build. Most of the parts were purchased online as covid was in full swing at the time so we had to take careful measurements to make sure everything we ordered would fit. We spent lots of time in Bunnings in search of materials and hardware for the build.  Jaycar was our go-to for most of the electronics including the fridge and all the wiring. EBay was a good source for smaller parts but we were weary of build quality so carefully checked reviews to make sure we were getting quality products.

Has the build gone as planned?

For the most part yes. We had to change minor things throughout the build to make things fit where we wanted. I don’t think anything this big could be planned and executed perfectly because of the nature of a custom build. The bus was never designed to be a motorhome so everything had to be customised to fit correctly and we had to improvise along the way.

Would you do anything differently?

Absolutely! Because we built it outdoors we had to deal with whatever the weather was on that day. The rain and wind were an issue and the heat was intense at times. If we were to do it again we would install a decent-sized air conditioner first to keep the inside more comfortable while working. We added the air conditioner almost last so that’s something we would do differently for sure.

If you had unlimited funds, what would you do to the bus?

Because the bus shares its chassis with the defence forces Mercedes UNIMOG it would be amazing to convert it to a 4X4 system to allow us to access more places. It would really be one of a kind then!

What’s next on the cards for Norman The Bus?

While the inside is almost complete the outside still lets it down a little. It’s currently in a beige primer while we decide on the final colour. When we purchased the bus it was in its grammar school livery with a dark green stripe so we are excited to finally get some more body work done and give it the paint job it deserves.

What been your best moment with Norman The Bus so far?

Josh: For sure the best moment so far was the first trip I had in it with my brother Jordan and my dad Mark. We started in Wollongong and headed north to Bulahdelah, then Coffs harbour before heading inland through Grafton to Glen Innes and on to Tamworth, Gunnedah and Dubbo. We spent the final night in the serenity of the Megalong Valley in the blue mountains.

Because this was the first trip, there were a few kinks to work out but for the most part, the trip went flawlessly despite having to change the route along the way due to the NSW floods at the time.

It was amazing to share that trip with my dad after so much chatting and planning together. To finally see it come together and get out on the road with him was super rewarding. Sadly he passed away just a few months later so that’s a memory I’ll hold onto forever.

Tash: My favourite moment in the bus was our most recent trip to Shoal Bay in NSW to celebrate our anniversary. It was so good to relax and take in everything that we’ve accomplished. It was a surreal feeling just kicking back and thinking “we built this thing!”

Anything else we should know about Norman The Bus?

The bus has a 4-litre turbo diesel engine with a 6-speed manual gearbox and uses around 15 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. It cruises nicely at 100kph except on some of the bigger hills but we are very happy with its performance. It fits into car parks but does take up two spaces because of its length, this enables us to stop at the bigger supermarkets to stock up the fridge and pantry before a trip.

We have a small motorcycle trailer so we can take a motorbike with us on longer trips. This means if we find a nice road we can unpack it and adventure some more.

What advice would you give someone that’s about to start their build?

Buy something with seatbelts already installed! The single biggest hurdle in our build was sourcing the seats and liaising with an engineer regarding the structural reinforcement under the floor. Some engineers want brand new aftermarket seats installed which could run into thousands of dollars and some engineers just avoid you because the laws are complex.

Our engineer allowed us to use late-model Mercedes Sprinter van seats in the rear and a Volkswagen T5 Transporter captain’s seat. The process of installing them was complex so if I were to do it again I’d source a bus with passenger seats and seat belts already installed from the factory.

The second piece of advice would be to find a good engineer before you even purchase a bus. They are a huge help and depending on who you choose they generally allow you to do the majority of the work yourself as long as you take photos along the way of the required safety equipment.

If anyone is seeking advice we always like to pass on our knowledge like others have done for us. We can be contacted via Instagram and will do our best to help.

• @normanthebus
• @natashajane6
• @jlebrocq92

What’s your daily driver?

I currently have a Turbo Falcon Ute and Tash has a Holden Barina. We both have long commutes to work so comfort is a must. Plenty of motorbikes and other projects waiting for their turn as well.

What does your next build look like?

I think we are still recovering from this build! It took around 12 months but there’s still lots of stuff to do. The whole process, while fun, tends to take up a huge amount of your spare time. Whether it be researching parts or choosing paint colours or material patterns. I think we will enjoy it for a while before we start thinking of the next one! Maybe in a few years we will downsize to something a little smaller.

What future trips do you have planned with your build?

We would love to do a trip around Tasmania. We both love it down there and I think having the freedom of the bus would be perfect. Seafood and views!