Almost got a Flixble nearly ten years ago, passed on it because I didn't know anything about busses. Saw my friend's bus his band tours in a few years ago and have been wanting one ever since. After looking at a bunch of unfinished and/or older GMC conversions, I decided to go ahead and get a seated coach and do it all myself, as everything I found seemed to have either poor work or components.
Guess what? Ten years later, and I still don't know a thing about busses! It's originally a SoCal bus & is now in Texas in a gravel lot. It hasn't been registered in 5 years. 140k on the rebuild. Guy starts it about once a month he says. Batteries are unhooked and stored indoors. Says the bags will hold overnight. Has new? injectors and fuel filters, but has been stored with hardly any fuel in it. Whatever's in it is at least a few months old. RF steer tire is Hankook that's about a year old. LF steer has cracks in the side wall, RR tag and RR outer drive both have some dry rotting. What do I need to know/do to this thing before I drive it 2600 miles home? I've got 4 cases of Delo 100 40w on hold for me, ordered 12 gals of DD PowerCool, found two used, virgin 12r22.5 (firestone and one michelin) and am going to purchase a new steer for the LF. He said he was going to check to see what color the coolant was in it and perhaps test the it sometime this next week. He thinks it's got green stuff in it though. The seats were all re-done about a year ago also. Might be able to eBay them for more than scrap. Now for the even dumber questions... do they have any 12v/Lighter outlets in them that I could plug a small inverter into? How about radio and speakers? I want to be able to use the restroom on my way back.. What all needs to be done with the toilet? Any chemicals I need to purchase? Let me know if I'm over-looking anything else. Thanks
Oh yeah, gonna get roadside assistance. Any reason I should go with CoachNet over GoodSam? GMAC says they offer a discount for GoodSam members.
Ive read enough that I doubt I would want to drive an old Bus home that far by myself. Do you have some extra cash? I would try to get it into some place that can at least give it a once over, especially the brakes. Tires and an engines aint worth spit if ya got bad brakes. Brake hoses rot like tires ya know.
From there, I would need to know the gauges work, and that it has no big leaks that will cause trouble. I think these are like old wood boats. Not being used is like being out of water. At first it might smoke and leak and run roughly, but as the miles pile on she should seal up and smooth out. Tools? I been carrying a big toolbox in the Bounder. The stuff I always use is pliers and screwdrivers, wire cutters, I dont really need a 10 drawer chest of tools. A good selection of primary tools will solve 99% of the problems. 4-way screwdriver, pliers and channel locks, vice grip, wire cutter, VOM, hammer...stuff that will fit in a small bag.
If you have a problem. Ask here first. Dont go to the nearest shop hoping they will set you right. Seriously, these Buses can be had for cheap, but cost like a Ferrari to fix if you hit the wrong place and you still might not be fixed. Get an engine service manual and read it. Twice.
Good luck.
I'd personally either know enough to do a thorough safety inspection or get one done, focusing on suspensions, steering, brakes, air system. I'd have good rubber on all eight positions. I'd know that the fuel tank didn't have contaminants that will clog filters. I'd not even consider using the existing WC, and I wouldn't worry about a radio... you'll be busy enough with driving! I would make sure all the lights worked outside, clearance, stop, turn, headlights. I'd make sure the windshield wipers worked and the door closer worked (nothing worse than having the door sucked wide open at 60 mph). I'd check the engine over, cooling system, spare fan belt (MCI only part, I think). Then I'd have a bus that I felt could run for a trip like that.
Good luck, have fun!
Brian
A 2600 mile trip? I agree with Brian, forget the music. Listen to the bus, listen for small changes in the noises that you do hear, and for new noises that you didn't hear before. Have a couple of extra sets of fuel filters and a wrench to change them with. Get some rags for your hands and a fire extinguisher. Good Sam will send you jink mail for years if you go with them. Stop every now and then and do a walk around looking for leaks and listening for things that you may not be able to hear from up front.......have a good trip and become one with the bus, grasshopper. ;D
If you have a temp gun take it along, check temps of each wheel hub everytime you do a walk around, check engine temps and compare to gauges. Check/set tire pressure also.
Good luck
Good luck on the trip.... I too am picking up my bus this week, Thursday I fly to Redmond, Or. to pick her up, (why does it always have to be a her anyway??). I hope I've done my homework from this board and others to make that 2200 mile trip back to Houston. Hopefully the weather gods will be kind... Good luck and safe trip brother bus nut...
{Why does it allways have to be female} Any thing that can give you thus much pleasure,grief and expense has to be female. 32 years of marriage have proven that to me.
Go with CoachNet.
I have had Good Sam for five years and used it once for a flat tire. Excellent experience.
The maiden voyage with my MC-5 was 3100 miles. Difference is it was already converted and had been treated well by the previous owners.
Fred
It can be done, I bought my bus sight unseen and few my father out to Ca from Va to drive it across country. It had been setting for 10yrs in the PO driveway. After a zig-zagging 2800 miles across country and one flat tire (Good Sam's took care of it), the bus made it here without a problem. I was naive, and didn't know about this BBS or have any clue what I was doing. Good thing or I would probably not have a bus.
Wow, we have several folks getting ready to pick up buses.
On another thread (see below) there is a lot of the same discussion. In that thread I pointed out a couple of pages on a site that will tell you how to do a safety inspection. For anyone getting ready to pick up a bus, PLEASE study the safety inspection process and perform it before you move the bus.
http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=19189.0 (http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=19189.0)
Jim
It is a buyers market Jim I saw 3 MCI 9 1987 models low mileage clean buses belonging to the school one had a fresh 6v92 from a alternator failure 20,000 dollar engine new ac compressor they sold for 2100 bucks each and they are going to be parted out hope their 102's sell that cheap a 96 inch wide bus has no value for whatever reason on todays market another thing I found out is the Feds order the school districts to sell the buses for junk you have to sign a paper stating you will not reuse the bus for service.
It does not say a thing about for RV use and I am not going to part my 2 model 15 out lol I still have been unable to get plates because of that stupid clause on the title yet but I don't give up easy
good luck
Thanks for all the great advice guys... Had a mechanic go look at it & got a little more history on it. The fuel had been drained a few months ago and new injectors/filters etc were installed. The oil was also changed at the time, but it's got Rotella T 15/40w in it. Should I leave it or put the Delo 100 40w in it? The antifreeze is green, so I should probably be flushing it out and replacing it with DD PowerCool? ($34/gal :o)
I will have my friend with bus driving experience with me and a handful of other friends. I'll bring some simple hand tools for any repairs on the road and look into carrying an extra blower motor belt.
Do not run multi-weight oil!!!
It needs to be a straight wt. 30, 40 or 50 depending on your conditions. Most run 40 and I run 50. Also, it does not need to be Delo! .........Shell, Exxon and others have oil that will work just as well.
Don't worry about the green antifreeze in a 6v92 it's probably the heavy duty type your wasting money paying 34 bucks a gal for antifreeze unless you like the pretty color lol those engines were made long before the designer antifreeze was
good luck
Cool, will have the coolant tested and use it if it is within acceptable limits. PO said it never ran over 185* even on the hottest of days. Does anyone happen to have a Gates or Napa PN for the blower belt? The MCI one (8G-27-5) doesn't seem to cross reference.
Still haven't found a PN that cross references, but did figure out that the belt measures 119"
Luvrbus,
Where did you spot MC 9 's that cheap?
Rick
Mohave Valley School District auction the 3 off had to be a dealer to buy because of the screwy paper work by the government,kinda like the cash for clunkers they had to be scraped,they have 2- 102A3 MCI's going in June nice buses 1 with a 6v92 the other a 8v92
good luck