2000 International Bluebird 3800 partial conversion

Last updated on Jul/15/2025

Bought this rust-free International 3800 Blue Bird from a central-California school district last sumer to build out as a full-time adventure rig with my partner. We have gone separate ways, so I’m offering the partially completed motor-home to a new owner who wants reliable power, solid mechanicals, and mostly finish work left before hitting the road.

Asking $34,000 OBO, Price drop $500 each week until sold

Just for context, so you know where the number comes from, the solar setup that’s already on the roof (1,320 W of panels, LiFePO₄ bank, Victron gear, inverter, mounts, and wiring) cost me about five to six grand in parts alone, and it took a fair bit of paperwork to get the California motor-home title squared away. My hope is that those two things save the next owner both time and money right out of the gate

Title and compliance

• Clean California motor-home title in hand, already registered and ready for transfer
• Meets 2025 CARB Clean Truck Check standards
• GVWR 25 500 lb, so a regular Class C license is sufficient
• Frame and body are rust-free; fresh under-carriage photos available

Vehicle specs

• Make and model 2000 International 3800 Blue Bird
  • Length 25 ft overall
  • Engine Navistar T444E 7.3 L turbo diesel
  • Mileage 198 271 mi
  • Engine hours 12 587
  • Transmission Allison five-speed automatic
  • Fuel tank 65 gal located behind primary door
  • Brakes Hydraulic
  • Door Air assisted
  • Windows 7 side windows (driver window not counted)
  • Tires Good condition
  • Batteries replaced last summer
  • Frame condition Clean, no visible rust
  • Previous owner Antelope CA school district
  • AC system Factory unit preserved
  • Title Clean California motor-home (MH)
  • Maintenance records Available on request

The T 444 E fires up clean on a cold start and idles smoothly. One note for transparency: there is an oil leak at the turbo pedestal. Parts run roughly 130 USD for a complete reseal kit and dealer labor is typically four to five hundred. I am happy to deduct that amount from the price or include the kit with the sale.

Electrical and off-grid

• 1 320 W solar array wired and mounted on IronRidge XR rails
  • Solar isolator switch with inline fuse
  • LiTime 12 V 230 Ah Plus LiFePO4 battery with low-temp protection (approx. ninety-five percent life)
  • Twenty-four-volt system total usable capacity 230 Ah
  • Victron SmartSolar MPPT 250 V 70 A charge controller
  • Victron SmartShunt battery monitor (Bluetooth)
  • Giandel 3 000 W pure-sine inverter (24 V)
  • HD-camera wiring, HDMI cables run to all four sides (camera ready)
  • VEVOR 8 kW diesel heater wired and working (under bench seat; wiring and mount need tidy-up; fuel tap into main diesel tank)
  • DC wiring routed in dedicated channels above windows
  • Circuit breakers installed for all DC loads

Carpentry (completed or in-progress)

• Under bed storage compartment
  • Bench seat with hinged lid for under-bench storage; cushion Velcro-attached
  • Space reserved near side emergency exit for future shower
  • Custom dresser frame with vision for drawers and top cabinet for hanging clothes
  • Rough-framed kitchen and storage cabinetry; needs drawer fronts, sliders, finish work
  • One-eighth-inch plywood ceiling panels self tapped to steel studs; edges need trimming
  • Custom countertops from planed two-by-fours; joints are cracking and may need repair or replacement

Plumbing

• Total fresh-water capacity 72 gal
  • Main tank 42 gal, frame-fastened under bed
  • Auxiliary tank 30 gal mounted to chassis below main tank
  • Sink KRAUS Pax 24 in undermount utility sink (model KHU24L) not yet installed
  • Water heater RVPart Pro GT42 12 V tankless (remote control, high-altitude capable)
  • Exterior wall cut-out already made below sink for heater access and venting
  • Metal trim parts included; welding still needed but materials provided
  • Twelve-volt water pump included, not yet installed
  • Wire routing for water system complete
  • All key plumbing fittings, adapters, parts included

Propane

• Stove VEVOR twelve-inch two-burner stainless cook-top (LPG or NG convertible, twelve thousand two-hundred fifty BTU, thermocouple protection) installed
  • Space under bus directly beneath stove for standard propane tank mount
  • Only two propane appliances (stove and water heater) so line runs are short and simple
  • Twelve-volt dual-sensor propane and methane detector included

Insulation

• Original fiberglass and rivets removed
  • Re-insulated with Foamular rigid foam in sidewalls and ceiling

Flooring

• Subfloor built with Chuck Cassidy method: Foamular insulation glued to floor with construction adhesive
  • Three-quarter-inch plywood subfloor glued on top, sealed with eight coats low-VOC polyurethane

Windows and roof

• Roof sealed with butyl tape and Henerys Enviro-White
  • All windows removed, cleaned, resealed with silicone

Remaining tasks

• Replace rear emergency-exit gasket
• Build and install cabinet doors and drawer sliders
• Install sink, water heater, and plumb to water tanks
• Install propane tank for stove and water heater
• Trim ceiling-panel edges
• Build front dash
• Install bench cushions
• Install dinette table
• Build and install shower near emergency exit

Contact: Isaak Mills 

(406) 381-8712 – text first please
[email protected]

Please contact us immediately if you are interested, as we will accept the first signed offer with down payment that we receive. Thanks for looking!