After years spent building this tiny home on wheels - and living comfortably in it full-time for four years - it’s time to set off on new adventures. To see the full build (step-by-step from day one in annoying detail), visit my Instagram feed and also be sure to watch the highlights on my profile.
Poke around @seriesofadventures for all the build pics from day one!
This tiny home would make a great Airbnb rental if you have room on your property, the cutest RV in the campground for occasional weekend getaways, or of course a full-time tiny residence if you’re really up for it!
Coveted 23’ length in the adorable Thomas Vista 3600 “pug nose” model. Fits in standard parking stalls and campsites.
Legendary DT444E International Navistar 7.3L turbo diesel engine, known as the “million miler” (with only 161,645 miles on it). Three brand new batteries installed in May 2026. Six new tires with less than 100 miles on them, Full service records in hand from Mesa Public School District (bought in Arizona because there’s zero rust and salt!)
Gold-standard electrical set up. In addition to shore power, she’s an off-grid powerhouse with panels bringing in over 1,000W, 525Ah from 5 new Lion Energy lithium batteries, Victron charge controller and battery monitor, Renogy 3000W pure-sine inverter charger, several inline breakers for safety and control, and more.
Completely gutted all the metal bus walls, floors, and ceiling. Reframed and insulated with two layers of Havelock Wool and rigid foam board. Removed, resealed, and replaced all original sliding windows. No shortcuts here.
Fully plumbed with two sinks, a shower, 12V water pump, and Fogatti instant water heater. Nature’s Head toilet with new liquids bucket and all new seals and gaskets.
…and so much more! Keep scrolling for all the specs.
PICK UP IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
Purchased directly from Mesa Public School District in Phoenix, Arizona. I traveled there because the desert means no rust or salt. School districts also take meticulous care of their fleets, so I have full service records from day one to today.
DMV titled in Utah as a Class A Motorhome
Coveted, hard to find length, at 23’ x 8’. Fits easily in standard parking spots, campsites, etc and easy to drive!
Make: Thomas Built - International chassis
Model: Vista 3600 … the adorable “pug nose”
Year: 1998
Miles: 161,645 (Hours: 9,757)
Engine & Transmission: Infamous DT444E International Navistar 7.3L turbo diesel (original PDF manual included). Highly sought-after engine known as “the million-miler” (so she’s just getting started). Allison automatic transmission. 60 gallon diesel tank.
New batteries! All 3 batteries replaced in May 2026
New tires! All 6 tires replaced in 2021 … and have been driven less than 100 miles since install. Tread is very deep and heavy duty.
Rustoleum weather-proof tractor paint (and primer) sprayed in three coats on exterior
Built to be lived in completely off-grid, full-time. Also built with municipal hookups for RV parks, etc.
Shore: 30A power with a 50’ 110V cord included in sale
Solar Setup:
3 solar panels with over 1,000W (3 x 335W panels)
525Ah with 5 new Lion Energy 1300 lithium batteries
Renogy 3000W 12V pure-sine wave inverter charger
Victron SmartSolar MPPT 150/70-Tr charge controller
Victron battery monitor with bluetooth app
Orion 30 A DC - DC charger (i.e. bus batteries can charge solar batteries) - with an inline breaker
Most internal outlets are GCFI with two grounded 110 V plugs, a USB, and a USB-C plug on the same outlet. So many outlets!
All lights are dimmable, and every light except the two living room bulbs are 12V
Two external GFCI duplex outlets are enclosed in weatherproof lock boxes
External engine block 110V plug for extremely cold weather
Plumbed for city water (permanent hose hook up) and tank water (fill / empty as you go)
80 gallons fresh water (2 x 40 gallon tanks)
50 gallons gray water (2 x 25 gallon tanks) with two separate external drain hose hookups
Fogatti propane instant water heater in an external storage bay with a digital control panel inside the bus
Three 20 lb propane tanks in exterior storage bay included in sale
Clearsource Premier in-line water filtration system with hospital-grade 0.2-micron protection against contaminants
Sureflo 12V in-line water pump
12V heating pads on all external tanks. All external pipes wrapped in heat wire. All this is controlled by a thermostat on an automatic temperature sensing on/off 110V power bank. One of the pads needs a simple repair on the 12V wire.
Bathroom is a large 4’ all-in-one wet room
Nature’s Head composting toilet with a 12V exhaust fan vented externally. Brand new liquids tank installed, as well as new seals and gaskets all around.
Completely removed all original bus flooring, walls, and metal ceiling to then reframe and install 360° insulation
R-7 non-toxic Havelock wool insulation is double layered on every wall and on the ceiling
Wood framing under the subfloor with R-7.7 2” rigid foam board insulation inserts
Removed, resealed, weather stripped, and reinstalled all seven original slider windows
Vevor 12V 8KW diesel heater in external storage bay, piped to interior for central heating. Heater requires repairs to fuel line and exhaust hose.
Two Fantastic Fan roof vents with separate remotes, temp programming, rain sensors, and external vent covers (you can leave the fans open in the rain without getting water inside)
Two layers of Henry’s Tropicool on the roof
Wired for 120V split level AC/heating unit on the inside wall above the bed / back door.
Wired for a 12V trucker’s fan on the wall to the left of the driver’s seat. The fan is still in the box and included in the sale.
9 soft-close drawers and 2 cabinets with custom-made leather / brass drawer pulls
Entire kitchen cabinet bank on 11” riser for additional storage below
Thick 1.5” Birch butcher block countertop and open-design Birch upper shelf running the full length of the kitchen
4 burner propane range with cast iron grates (three 20 lb propane tanks in exterior storage bay included in sale)
25” under-mount Kraus stainless steel sink with detachable Kraus faucet (sink 10” deep)
Large apartment-sized 11 cu.ft Furrion Everchill 12V fridge with separate top freezer and dual controls
14” Queen Sealy Posturepedic pillow top mattress (NOT an RV mattress)
Hinged bed frame lifts for easy storage access below
Hydraulic bed lift kit (not yet installed) included in the sale to make the bed lift even easier
Two 4’ drawers on heavy industrial locking sliders df under the bed
Birch headboard with multiple cubby sections and shelves, plus two enclosures with doors
The bus is fully livable as it stands now. I’ve been living in it full-time for four years and have been very comfortable. However, there are a few lose ends I want to make you aware of. The competitive $45,000 price reflects these outstanding projects, but shoot me your best offer if you feel otherwise.
We recently upgraded the solar and this left a bundle of wires that needs to be framed in and it left a hole in the “mission control” wall where the old solar charge controller used to be. That wall panel just needs to be recut and the various controllers reinstalled. There is a photograph of this wall in the slideshow above. The solar and electrical are top tier and work perfectly, it just needs some finishing cosmetic work to wrap it up.
We framed heavy duty bolts into the steel ribs in preparation to install an outdoor table that would flip down from the side of the bus near the front door. We never got around to installing a table, but the bolts are ready for you to design and install a worktop for all your outdoor grilling, etc. You can also cut the bolts off if you don’t want a table installed.
The front door design has been secure and sufficient for our needs, i.e. parked and living full-time as a traditional tiny house, but the lock setup would need minor modifications to be ready for full highway speeds.
Washer fluid reservoir is cracked. This plastic tank was cracked when I bought the bus. I still have it so you can use it to source a new one.
I recommend replacing the windshield wipers if you intend to travel in inclement weather.
There are several repaired cracks in the driver’s side windshield. It doesn’t affect visibility, but should at some point be replaced.
The sale includes four heavy duty jacks for leveling the chassis when you park for a bit. There’s also a tote of supplies under the bed that includes manuals and extra parts for components around the bus (i.e. new screens for the ceiling vent fans, etc.).
Don’t forget to check out @seriesofadventures Instagram for all the build pics from day one!