Some people dream about having a big house and expensive cars. Others dream about having lots of money. But, this couple had a different dream.

It all started with three simple steps…

Step 1: Check Out Craiglist ads.

Step 2: Buy A cheap rundown old church bus.

Step 3: Follow your dreams. Put in four months of  hard work and transform this broken down wreck into something amazing.

You won’t believe what they did to this run-down old church bus. My jaw dropped when I saw how they turned a beaten up old bus into a dream. I want it now!

The results are simply amazing… 

Ready to see how it turned out?

Click “Start Slideshow” To Begin…

Christopher Stoll and his girlfriend were about to embark on an incredible adventure. This adventure would be transformative in more ways than they could possibly imagine. It all started with a Craiglist ad and a crazy dream. This couple bought this old run down Church Bus and decided to transform it into something amazing.

But the story gets a bit crazy…

You see, Christoper and his girlfriend had no tools, no experience and get this…. Never even drove a school bus before. So they did what any reasonable couple would do…

They searched Craigslist and purchased this beaten up old 1988 church bus. They paid a little over $1000 and drove it straight home. Now, remember they never even drove a bus before. Crazy, right? Despite all of these obstacles that would stop many of us, they were pursuing their dream.

Now, If you think the outside looks ok, wait until you see the inside…

This baby was in terrible condition when the couple bought it. It was full of rust, rat droppings, and even birds nests. Most wouldn’t have touched this broken down heap with a ten-foot pole.

As amazing as it sounds, it gets worse…

The engine hadn’t been started in months. In fact, the couple didn’t know if it would start at all. Would it even be possible for this couple with no real experience to fix an engine that looked like this?

But the news gets even worse…

The electrical system wasn’t working at all. Can you imagine even attempting to fix the electrical system on this old rust bucket? Where do you even begin?

Christopher and his girlfriend needed a plan…

As soon as they got the bus home they drew up these plans. Ambitious, right? Especially when you consider they didn’t have any experience or the proper tools when they began. Plus they were working with a very tight budget. Surprisingly, most of what was drawn on these plans ended up in the final design.

You have to see what this was transformed into…

All of these babies had to disappear in order to make room for the other things. Certainly not an easy task.

Someone special came to help…

Meet the family dog. He did a little bit of exploring while the tough job of removing the seats began. After all, someone had to supervise.

All of the seats had to go. Christopher’s girlfriend Tori was in charge of this job. This was not easy. Normally removing seats would be tough but all the bolts were rusted making this job horrible.

Her job gets even tougher…

Remember all of the black floor matting shown in the previous picture? It all had to be removed. She did all while on her hands and knees with an ice-scraper.  Hard job, right? The bus is starting to look different already… but you haven’t seen anything yet.

Coming up, where’s Christopher?

While Tori was hard at work stripping the inside, Christopher got to work on the engine. He actually seems happy getting his hands dirty. But we all know the engine was not a pretty site.

Next up, it gets worse than any of us thought…

Look at the date on this filter. 1999. Some of these filters were 17-years-old. Not a great sign for what this couple was about to face, Can you believe it?

Most of the engine work involved replacing leaky hoses, filters, and bad or corroded wiring. So far, so good until they hit a major roadblock. The transmission was bad.  Unfortunately, this was something the couple couldn’t fix. So, the repair alone ended up costing them more than $3,500. An expense they certainly didn’t plan on.

Next, the screaming, spurting engine…

With a little love and a lot of hard work, the bus stopped smoking, spurting fluids and screaming every time they started it. The good news is that these old school buses are built like tanks. They’ll run forever if you keep them happy. Christopher and Tori intended to make this bus very happy.

Next, rules must be followed…

The couple did their best to obey all the rules. This was the sign found on the inside of the bus. I am sure they must have broken a rule or two sometime during the renovation. Despite having fun, some of this was very stressful.

Next,what do you do when you don’t have proper tools?

They did not have the proper tools. Yet they needed a way to run wires and plumbing and even a couple of solar fans. So they used a drill they had with circle bit. They drilled a circle through the sheet metal and filed away any roughness. Not the easiest way but it gave them holes that would do the job. Now that’s what you call some serious drilling!

Coming up, it all starts to look a lot better…

Here comes the floor. Home Depot saved the day. This flooring is snap together laminate wood from Home Depot.

Next, there’s always time for love…

Once the floor went in, it was time for a very short but well-deserved break.  A little wine, music, and love to break in the bus. But then it was right back to work.

Next, Tori brightens up the place…

Tori starts by painting the roof. This definitely brightened up the place. Nothing like a little paint.

Things start taking shape.  We’re getting closer to the big reveal…

After the roof was painted and the flooring down they started installing some furniture. First, some Ikea furniture.  A mini fridge. Then this storage box over the wheel well began to be built.

Next, even the way they power the bus is amazing…

Christopher never did anything with solar power so this was a big challenge. Where do you even begin? Like everything else, the couple just jumped in head first and started. A great lesson for all of us.

Next, help comes from a strange place…

Their plan was to power as much of the bus they could through solar energy.  Awesome right? They learned how to do it from a place I wouldn’t have thought of… Reddit. Amazing the information we all have access to.

Next, a mistake almost ruins everything…

Here is Christopher’s first attempt at putting the batteries together. Unfortunately, it was 100% wrong and almost ruined the entire rig. It’s not cheap so thankfully it didn’t destroy the batteries. Learning to do new things by yourself is hard. It’s normal to make some mistakes. But, this mistake almost ruined the entire rig.

This couple is clever and perseverant. Eventually, he got the battery rig figured out.. Everything turned out OK.

Next, let’s see how all of this comes together…

 

 

They added the cabinets. These pre-made cabinets were bought from Lowes. To fully secure them, they were bolted to both the floor and the walls of the bus.

It’s starting to come together but wait until you see the big reveal…

Countertops were added which began to finish off the look. They used spare flooring as a backsplash. This gives it a more finished look. Don’t you think?

It’s starting to come together now. They used additional spare flooring on the walls as paneling. Remember what those walls used to look like? Everything looks cozier, don’t you think?

Tori calls these husband pillows. I’ve never heard that term before but these are what you’d call some serious husband pillows.

But wait, you haven’t seen anything yet…

Check out this bed. The couple built this bed frame using some cheap cabinets. Now they have storage and save space. But it gets even more clever. See the space in the middle?  They left the bottom open so a bed roll can fit there. Or if they want, even fill it with extra supplies.

Check this out. This is a view of the back of the bus. Most of this work was done inexpensively with scrap wood and discount supplies. According to Christopher, the cabinets were the most expensive part.

Now for the front…

Here’s the front of the bus. Amazing right? All ready for its’ maiden voyage.

But let’s find out the purpose of this bus. What’s their dream?

This couple makes a living doing concept art and illustration. So, to start with the bus is their mobile studio. Christopher draws everything on an iPad. Tori handles all of the editing.

Next, check out their work…

This is one of their lastest published books. This cool book details the anatomy and biological history of mythical creatures. It looks incredible.

But that’s not their only dream….

This amazing couple lives on the bus full time working and traveling the country together. What an adventurous way to live.

Next, check out the view…

If you don’t like what you see just move. Just look at that view. The couple has been traveling trough America for the last couple of months.

Doesn’t it look amazing? There’s nothing left of that old rusted church bus.

I could definitely live there. It looks comfortable and cozy.

What a cute, happy couple. Can you believe the results? They shared with us an amazing four-month journey. Taking a broken down old bus and turning it into a dream. A rolling home filled with adventure and love.

What are you waiting for? Go follow your dreams.

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