Tour video!: https://youtu.be/Wvk_4xe9ULA
1999 Ford E450 6.8L Super Duty shuttle bus
98,500 original miles
Gas engine, 2×4 Drivetrain
25′ exterior
Rated 7 ton vehicle – no special license required
Second owners – bought it in Colorado in 2020
Clean Florida Motorhome Title (none of that Vermont workaround)
Fully insurable
The bus mechanics/body:
8/21 – new battery
12/21 – 6 brand new all-weather tires
2/22 – brand new radiator, alternator, & ball joints
3/22 – new emissions system (besides manifold)
4/22 – 10 brand new spark plugs & coils
8/22 – new a/c compressor, clutch, and freon
9/22 – Rust treatment, repaired bumper corner from previous owner
Regular maintenance and oil changes
No check engine or other lights
Only issue is catalytic converter was stolen from it at Pope Tire in Hagerstown (never ever go there). It’s been straight-piped and drives fine but a little noisy. We have the new part, but have not had it installed yet only because we’re afraid of it getting stolen again. We are happy to have it installed for you before picking up!
The conversion:
*Fully finished and ready to live in
*Fully insulated (floor, walls, ceiling) with 100% organic Havloc Wool
*~17ft long living space
*6’1 headspace
*Room for a regular-length queen size mattress
*Lazy Suzan style pantry
*Huge, deep sink
*Composting toilet
*Shower
*Closet space
*85qt Whynter chest fridge
*Under-bed storage accessible from inside as well as outside through the rear wheelchair doors
*Window tops all open, plus 4 emergency windows
*No leaks!!
*Roof coated in Flex-seal 11/21 before solar panels were installed
*Room for your own touches (we had a work/crafting desk and a full 88key piano, but these have been removed so you can add in a sleeper loveseat, more storage, or whatever makes your heart happy!)
*Folding passenger bench seat with seatbelts
Electrical:
* Done under the supervision and with the help of professional electricians
* 300ah Ampere Time LiFePO4 battery bank
* 4x 240w (total of 960w) Newpowa Monocrystalline solar panels
* 3000w Renogy Inverter
* WFCO Converter/power station with 30amp plug-in
* 10x dimmable touch puck lights
* 2x Maxxair 4500 fans with tinted covers, rain sensors, and thermostats
* 4x 120v dual wall outlets
Water System:
* 55gal fresh water tank
* 2gal accumulation tank
* In-line two-part water filtration system
* 4gal electric hot water heater (need to be plugged in to use this)
* 7gal grey water tank
* System was winterized 11/22
We had such an adventure living in Kutenda (Shona word meaning Gratitude). We bought her from a nursing home in Greeley, Colorado and converted her over the course of 9 months, some of which was while living full time.
We took her to everywhere from the Colorado Rockies to Florida’s Key West and up the Appalachians & east coast to Pennsylvania.
We averaged about $300/month in gas, but we spent no money on rent whatsoever, and never plugged in once since the solar was more than enough to run everything we had in the bus plus two laptops and two phones.
We loved the travel life, but we’ve been convinced to settle down for some time to take care of an ailing parent. We hope to return to full time travel life in the future but, in the meantime, we’d rather see Kutenda continue on her adventures than waste away in a driveway for the foreseeable future.
If you have any questions, need more pictures, or are interested in seeing the bus, please reach out!
