Accuride in Action: Driving Bus Conversions Forward in the Great White North

Nestled in Canada’s Saskatchewan Province is a growing business called Paved to Pines. Started by two college friends, Paved to Pines is making its mark in a burgeoning niche: bus-to-camper conversions.

Paved to Pines’ founders with one of their happy customers. Steven Glass (left) and Mitchell Rosko (right) were college roommates who took a hobby and turned it into a profession.

The company is a partnership between two men: Steven Glass and Mitchell Rosko. As their website explains:

“How cool would it be if we turned a School Bus into an RV?” was a conversation we often caught ourselves in after drinking a few… Fast forward one year after college…Steven decided to make this a reality so he traded his motorcycle for a 1992 Blue Bird 40 Foot School Bus.

That ’92 Blue Bird became the first of Paved to Pines’ many “Skoolies”: DIY lingo for school bus conversions.

Watch the video to learn about Paved to Pines’ latest custom van conversion.

Glass and Rosko design and craft the interiors to their customers’ precise specifications.

There’s a touch of sentimentality in their creations. Each build has a name. There’s Rosebud, a splendid Ford Transit; Stanley, a utilitarian Dodge van; and Ace Vantura, a Sprinter with a modernist interior.

Jilly Vanilly is a converted Ram Promaster van with numerous amenities kept inside a nice, tidy package.

Ace Vantura is not the only Paved to Pines van with a cute play-on-words in its name. The company recently completed a Ram renovation, which they named the Jilly Vanilly.

The Jilly Vanilly comes with a hefty roster of custom amenities. Those include a solar panel and battery bank for power, a dual top cabin heater for extra heating, and a cooktop.

To keep storage secured, Paved to Pines uses Accuride 3832 Enhanced Heavy-Duty & Self-Closing slides. The 3832EHDSC features heavy-duty hold-in strength to keep drawers closed on bumpy roads.

Then there are the foldaway tables, storage compartments, and pull-out trays for extra utility. Underpinning all of these amenities are Accuride telescopic slides.

In this build, Paved to Pines employed two models of Accuride solutions.

For most drawers, Glass and Rosko installed 3832EHDSC Heavy-Duty & Self-Close slides. These slides, part of the venerable 3800 Series, bring drawers to a soft and controlled close. The 3832EHDSC also comes with a heavy-duty detent for greater “hold-in” strength to prevent drawers for rolling out when in transit.

It’s a feature perfect for when Jilly Vanilly inevitably hits bumpy terrain–on the road or off. It’s also a feature in line with Paved to Pines’ stated goal to help customers “experience this incredible planet on a solo-adventure or with your closest family and friends in a one of a kind RV.”

Paved to Pines turns to Accuride’s 9308E Heavy-Duty Lock-In & Lock-Out slides for Jilly Vanilly’s rear cargo trays. The 9308E features a locking mechanism that keeps drawers and trays secured.

For the rear pull-outs, the duo installed Accuride’s proven 9308E Heavy-Duty Lock-In & Lock-Out slides. The 9308E supports stationary loads up to 600 lbs., mobile ones up to 360, and applications up to 42 in. wide. The 9308E also includes a mechanism that locks a drawer in an open or closed position. Rigorous testing stands behind those specs–a reason why the 9308 is the go-to heavy-duty solution for recreational, emergency, and utility vehicles.

Jilly Vanilly’s owner, Jill Slater, was moved by the final product. “It’s exactly what [I wanted]…it’s perfect.” Such impressions are powerful motivation for the team at Paved to Pines. As the duo states on its site: “Our tight-knit team takes pride in every single nail, screw and board put into your conversion just as if we were making our own once again.”

What impression did Accuride have on Paved to Pines?

To quote Steven Glass:

We’re going to continue to look at excellent products from Accuride. We want to continue pushing superior products into our builds, and know we can trust them as soon as our client drives away.

The market for campers and recreational vehicles continues to run strong. Its audience is as diverse as ever, forging a sizable sub-culture.

With a superb attention to detail and passion for their work, the future of Paved to Pines looks bright.

Are you an RV builder or retrofitter interested in movement solutions? Visit Accuride’s Transportation Page! There you’ll find sample applications, recommended solutions, and downloadable materials. Remember: For all things movement, stay connected with Accuride!