Bus Conversions-Advantages/Disadvantages?

[grahamrvs]

Hi...note the bus conversions are mostly all electric...no propane...so you have to shore in 50 amps or run the generator...the inverter and batteries don't run that long when you are using power. Buses might be pretty, but they don't have double-pane windows, not as well insulated...while a well manufactored motorhome will be better insulated...the good ones with steel frames and a chassis built my the manufactor for a motorhome

[Dave Bowers]

I think if you have the bucks and you are having one custom made then you can have the best coach in the world. However, If you are looking for a deal and you pick up a 1971 GMC a guy did in his barn then you are playing russian roulette.

For the same inflated money you could probably get a nice Barth, Newell or Foretravel with an assurance of quality construction.

Short Cuts Always Take Longer
www.barthmobile.com

[Lorna]

MOST folks who self-convert the buses pretty much stic to "DA BOOK", or to you non-busnuts, the ANSI A119.2/NFPA 1192 Standard on Recreational Vehicles. It is put out by the National Fire Protection Associations & the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. It is a GUIDELINE not law. It is also not enforced so the fancy "professional" conversion (or factory built trailer or Class A) may or maynot follow it. There are some things in it that we ourselves do not think will work or we know a better way to do it. a lot of the self-converted coaches were just hauled around from converter to converter (or customizer) and they owners didn't really do the work. Others, like us, will have converted the thing from top to bottom (Some of us have special needs). Some simple came straight from a single conversion company. The original posters of this thread do not sound like they are looking for a home conversion but more than likely a "professional" conversion. There are some of these posted in the for sale section at www.busconversions.com and at www.busnut.com for some reason they have recently been going for a very low price.

Lorna
1972 Eagle 05 Bus Conversion (Self Conversion)
"The goal of life is living in agreement with Nature" Zeno (335BC-264BC)
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[Prevost82]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Qute from grahamrvs....Hi...note the bus conversions are mostly all electric...no propane...so you have to shore in 50 amps or run the generator...the inverter and batteries don't run that long when you are using power. Buses might be pretty, but they don't have double-pane windows, not as well insulated...while a well manufactored motorhome will be better insulated...the good ones with steel frames and a chassis built my the manufactor for a motorhome </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't know where you got your info from but not all bus converstion are all electric. I have a propane cooktop and a slideout propane barbeque in one of the bays. I have a 50 amp shore cable & a 8KW generator with 2-2400 watt Trace Inverters hooked to 1200 ampHr batteries ...I can run around 4 days off the batteries before recharging. ... I have double pane windows... they're pricey but they can be easily bought. Prevost foam insulates their bodies at the factory with 1 1/2" (R8). We have stayed in our coach in -20C for a week and it was very comfortable.

I doubt that a "well manufactored motorhome will be better insulated...than a bus convertion and if the MH has slideouts, it definitly won't be. As far as the chassis go a Prevost frame with a finished exterior, with running gear without slides is about 400K thats about the same as a higher end coach finished .... the two different frames are not even from the same planet never mind the same ball park.

[FIFTHWHEELHAULER]

after reading all these advantages/disadvantages i just have to jump in here and say i have three bus conversions like most of you'll have never seen!
i started out with a 'school bus' and cut the body down and made a 'FIFTHWHEELHAULER' out of them for alot of reasons!
1) i didn't like the way a one ton p/u truck, won't get into brand names, pulled my 35' fifthwheel and sure didn't like the way it stopped it!
2) could afford the true 'MDT' but wouldn't buy in to it because of the lack of space in said vechile!
3) got my first 'school bus' for $350.00 with a rebuilt motor and liked the size of the inside of it when i was finished cutting the body down and such!
4) as with all my 'CONVERSIONS'speed is not a factor for me as i drove 'BIG TRUCKS'for many years and got use to starting out slow and winding it up and got real tired of the 'BIG ROAD'when i wasn't working!
now i'll be the first to admit that my ideas aren't for every one!
but i do feel there are those of us that feel the same way as i do and know there are those that are in a hurry to get where they are going as fast as possible!
i could go on and on but the bottom line is 'IF IT WORKS FOR YOU THEN THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE!'

P.S. years ago there was a photo of my first conversion in the photo section!

[povertyflat]

I have a 1978 international bluebird.I think that boondocking with anything elce woukd be at a loss compaired to the bus.The bus is higher off the ground and can go where others can't.I have been full time for two years now and been in arizona only and will be setting out on the reast of the usa soon.Good luck to all who go the bus route.It's fun and I think if you get it built the way you want,you will have the best RVing ever.
Another thing is that all bus conversions are not all elect.Mine has only elect lights and cooling.I have gas heat and fridge and water heater.Some are gas and elect.I have a self built rig and have regular two pane rv windows from prowler.I have all steel construction and probely am safer than most rigs you buy for much more than I surly have spent.It took me seven years of spair time and 51000.00 to build.My bus is old with a new engine.I have 275 gal.gas tank and have two 100 gal water tanks and a 100 gal black water tank and 100 gal. gray water tank.I have 3 in.of rg4 rated insl.all the way around,top and bottem.I have 6 1450 amp battries and a 7kw gen.I will be adding solor pannels soon.this will top off the power.As it stands I can run my air for 4 hours a day on battries,can a motor home do that?I doubt that.
Anyway,If you have it built,or build it yourself,you will have what you want for waht you intend to use it for.That makes it the best motorhome for you.
the person that sead that schoolis have a hard time getting into parks is only part right.The flat nose schoolies have no truble at all,unless he is still yellow.I have a nose up front and don't intend on staying in parks,I built mine to be a boondocker and the bus I chose makes this a must.
RC

[bavo76]

Hi i am Darryl and i just finished doing a home built motor-home from a bus conversion .Its a 1985 Nissan ud (cma86K) 30 footer .6 speed manual its a 6 cyl turbo diesel paid $7,000 for complete bus on E-bay .once home i striped it out and made a nice little motor-home from it .Its licenced to carry 6 passengers sleeps 6 comfortably ,full kitchen and Ive never owned a motor-home before so it was trial and error from start to finish as i didn't even know what or how motor-homes are done ,i scoured most of my information from online and its now fully registered with full engineering certificate's all brand new cost $35,000 including buying the vehicle and its great to drive and park and been on many free camping trips (camp spots) If i had the chance again i would buy a 40 footer and could easily do it for the same amount of money if i could purchase the bus for $7,000.it took me 18 months to complete this project but next time i could easily save many months as i am more clicked on what a motor-home needs like inverters,tank set ups etc. You can view my set up by punching in Bavo76 into google

[Big Bear Local]

There are several Buses for sale on EBay. Some converted and others not.I have been looking real hard at them. Wish I had seen them before I bought our Sightseer.

[bearandalix]

the biggest advantage we have found is the stability in windy conditions in a well done bus conversion.
we have a 40ft mci angola conversion and when the other guys are trying to keep theres between the lines and tipping we are just cruising and several times didnt even know just how windy it was till we stopped at the rest stop full of very exspensive motorhomes that were done traveling till the winds let up,,,,
we may not be the first up that big hill but we keep on goin and she has never let us down...
air ride and a peterman front end im sure doesnt hurt or her 40000 lbs and lowslung bodie im sure help too