Community Forums

Moonrover · 06-12-2013, 08:21 AM

This area seems to be very quiet. I was wondering if any other members are motoring around in bus conversions and if so, did they do the conversion themselves. Being owners and builders of our own bus from nearly an empty shell, we try to visit with conversion owners when we find them at RV parks.

Our story of why we did it ourselves and not just purchase a so-called professionally done conversion ... is a long tale. Having completed it ourselves, we feel comfortable about repairs along the journey. Once in a while I will be approached by an RV owner who asks to borrow a tool or needs help with a repair. Reason being, it is generally assumed a busnut has a ton of tools on board. A correct assumption! I'm not inferring that bus conversions are horribly prone to on-the-road breakdowns, but anyone who has converted a bus would be difficult to separate from his precious tool collection.

Rarely do we see another bus conversion on the highway and it seems they are passing the opposite direction. So it is just a quick wave if we see each other. One exception was north of Chattanooga in heavy multi-lane traffic last April. We cruised up beside a nice looking Eagle-15 conversion, waved frantically and motioned with the mic of the CB. By the time we finally got on the same channel, our paths split. Conversation was short (about five miles).

So if there is an Eagle owner out there that chatted briefly with a couple in a silver and blue Prevost near Chattanooga recently ... that was us !!

Ed-Sommers · 06-13-2013, 07:58 AM

There are other Bus Conversion related sites that are extremely active that are available, and I find conversion's all over the place in the southwest with huge numbers of they being from the east coast.

Ed
USN Ret.
1967 MCI Bus Conversion

Moonrover · 06-13-2013, 09:44 AM

Hello Ed ...

You must be referring to Busconversons.com Yes, I've been a member there since day one. I published several technical articles in Coach Builders Bulletin. That web site is generally us guys bantering about the how-to-do-it stuff. Not much in the way of people out enjoying full-timing in a bus.

In the southwest? Yes we were in Yuma for a while this winter. Plenty of high cost bus conversions by Marathon, Liberty, etc, but we saw very few home-grown conversions. We visited with our friends who have a Rambling Fever Prevost conversion. They said many bus conversions (company converted) rigs are for sale out there. Standard scenario is an old couple lays out massive dollars to get a glitz wagon, gets a lot in a Yuma park then decides to purchase a park model and live in it. Bus goes up for sale in a weak market climate for high-cost used conversions. The other scenario is one of the spouses passes away leaving the other one with a big rig to either drive and maintain or put it up for sale and get something smaller.

Did you ever attend the bus rally in Arcadia, FL? Our one attempt to get to it was two years ago, but we were trapped by a huge snow storm in Ohio. By the time we were able to dig out, the rally was over.

M

Ed-Sommers · 06-14-2013, 08:42 AM

That's one of the Bus sites I frequent. Others are Yahoo groups both for GM, and MCI units. And Busnuts.com, as well as a few others.

I have not been in an RV park in years, I'm very independent and find that Bus Conversions that were done by the owners are all over the place in areas I frequent. I'm talking in the hundreds.

I've also come to the conclusion that the majority of conversion owners are not on the Internet but have managed to do the conversion without input from anyone.

Rally's are not my thing, and even if they were, if not in the 13 western states I'd not even consider going.

If you are looking for a social network about conversions there is
https://www.facebook.com/groups/141126842574707/#_=_

Ed
Retired Navy Chief
Now a staunch independent

Coaster1 · 06-14-2013, 09:08 AM

Ran a Prevost/Marathon for 10 years while I was working around the country. I suppose there have been occasions when I was considered to be anti social or indifferent to other conversion owners. But it is different when you use the rig as a tool rather than a toy. I enjoyed being by myself and choosing assignments in areas that i wanted to visit, sometimes for a month or so. Having said all that, I did love the life and look back upon it as the best times of my life. My current health situation keeps me confined to three to four day trips but I still love to travel.
I know my post was a bit off topic, but its fun to remember the good times.

Moonrover · 06-15-2013, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed-Sommers

That's one of the Bus sites I frequent. Others are Yahoo groups both for GM, and MCI units. And Busnuts.com, as well as a few others.

I have not been in an RV park in years, I'm very independent and find that Bus Conversions that were done by the owners are all over the place in areas I frequent. I'm talking in the hundreds.

I've also come to the conclusion that the majority of conversion owners are not on the Internet but have managed to do the conversion without input from anyone.

Rally's are not my thing, and even if they were, if not in the 13 western states I'd not even consider going.

If you are looking for a social network about conversions there is https://www.facebook.com/ .....

Well the Facebook thing is never going to happen with me. Old foggy here ... and getting more jaded every day when it comes to crowds, even if it is in the electronic form. Small group gatherings are much more our style. Eventually we will stumble into a few other rogue travelers like us and have impromptu get-togethers.

I fully understand your feeling on big rallies. We got lost in the crowds of the one and only big RV rally we went to. There were sub-groups, click-groups, and then the rest of us peons. The "elite" of the land were club officers who of course snagged the prime parking spots and even had their area roped off. The pecking order was all too obvious. So after that I removed the famous "goose egg" from the bus, and did not pay for any more yearly membership fees. Never did get a note, email or otherwise asking why we dropped out.

Ed-Sommers · 06-15-2013, 11:10 AM

If you really want to see a large number of owner conversions, be in Quartzite in January. Although they may be spread out, if you search, you will find the largest mass of conversions assembled in one spot (over many miles), than anywhere on the planet.

Ed

frankdamp · 06-15-2013, 12:50 PM

If I were 30 years younger, I'd love to do a conversion on a Leyland Atlantean double-decker bus, but being on the downhill side of 70, I likely wouldn't finish it by the time I hit 90!

Moonrover · 06-15-2013, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankdamp

If I were 30 years younger, I'd love to do a conversion on a Leyland Atlantean double-decker bus, but being on the downhill side of 70, I likely wouldn't finish it by the time I hit 90!

Wow, that would be a huge task, eh? Just took a peek at some double dockers for sale. The "low rise" model is 13'-8" high !! So you may not want to add roof air conditioners. I made a little reminder sticker for my dashboard ... 13 Feet ... That is to the tip of the antennas. There was one underpass in a small town that had a bar across the street a block ahead that said "If you hit this, you will hit the bridge 13'-6" ". We cleared the bar with nary a click of sound from the antennas. Bridge was a different story. Antennas were, click, click, click, click all the way through on the bridge stringers. Apparently some paving had been done over the years and the sign was not revised. I lost the two little red tip caps from the antennas.

Back to the double decker. Would you seriously do a conversion to live and full-time in? Great for interior design potential, but the limitation of places to go sure would be my problem.

Moonrover · 06-26-2013, 05:59 PM

Here is a link to my public folder in Dropbox. Just a few recent pics of our self-conversion. I won't bore everyone with a ton of "in progress" photos.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/r5n4yhhs5iq4o3v/gUFYwSAfcr

Hope this URL functions.

gio8856 · 06-26-2013, 07:02 PM

WOW.. i'm guessing your a cabinet maker ? Looks great, i did a 1983 Eagle 10
Went all electric," I'm a Master electrician " My wood work came out good but not as good as yours. I really like the vanity draw. I think i'm going to sell the Eagle because i just bought a 39' Fleetwood with three slides. Yes, i gave in to the slide demons.... It may not ride the an Eagle but when it's parked, i can't be leave the room....

Moonrover · 06-26-2013, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gio8856

WOW.. i'm guessing your a cabinet maker ? ....

As a side business I built antique reproduction furniture. For a living, I was a petroleum engineer. Totally retired from everything now.

phranc · 06-26-2013, 07:56 PM

I think the conversion people are missing the boat . Understated elegance and design combined with great workmanship. My Fleetwood is outside in the driveway crying her eyes out !!

frankdamp · 06-26-2013, 08:18 PM

Moonrover:

Community Transit, in Snohomish County, WA, has introduced a fleet of 30 (I think) British Dennis 40' double deckers on its commuter routes into Seattle. They're tag axle rigs, and somehow, Dennis has managed to get two stand-up height decks into a 14' overall vehicle height.

CT reckons they're worth the trouble because they can get more passengers in a vehicle that takes up 40' of street that the articulated single-deckers that take up 65'. They have to be very careful to be sure drivers don't go off route and get into trouble with low bridges. There are quite a lot of Dennis double-decker buses in British Columbia too, particularly Victoria and Vancouver.

There's a family in Washington (not sure where) who have had a conversion done on a German Neoplan double-decker (a former airport coach, I think). They had a web-site that gave details, but I haven't looked for it for a couple of years

The transit agency I drove for a couple of years has a 13' 9" bridge on the primary approach to its major bus station, so I don't expect them to have double-deckers.