Thanks to all, research is complete, time for serious shopping and acquisition.
Criteria
-> Already converted 2 stroke bus
-> Likely GM or MCI
-> 70's - 80's vintage
-> Converted to auto
-> $20k - $25k spend
-> Priced at market or owner knows the current market and prepared to sell at market
-> Owner allows 3rd party inspection and test drive
-> Bus located in western states, no further east than Colorado.
-> Complete documentation
-> Long history of ownership
-> Clear and clean title
-> No deferred maintenance (running gear)
-> Bus ready for the road
-> Expect dated interior
-> House system built to professional standards using quality components
Inspection
Checklist attached (http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=31602.0;attach=28921)
Shopping
All Craiglist cities in Washington, California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado
http://www.bargainbusnews.com/ (http://www.bargainbusnews.com/)
http://www.busnut.com/classifieds/ (http://www.busnut.com/classifieds/)
http://www.busconversions.com/bcmclassifieds/index.php (http://www.busconversions.com/bcmclassifieds/index.php)
http://www.tejascoach.com/consignbus.html (http://www.tejascoach.com/consignbus.html)
facebook bus conversions for sale (still waiting for reply)
http://www.sellabus.com/gm.html (http://www.sellabus.com/gm.html)
http://mci102.com/index.htm (http://mci102.com/index.htm)
http://www.lancerinsurance.com/classifieds-bus.html# (http://www.lancerinsurance.com/classifieds-bus.html#)
http://www.rvclearinghouse.com/listings/browse/recreational-vehicles-bus-conversions/7 (http://www.rvclearinghouse.com/listings/browse/recreational-vehicles-bus-conversions/7)
http://transitsales.com/ (http://transitsales.com/)
http://www.rvt.com/ (http://www.rvt.com/)
https://www.rvtrader.com/ (https://www.rvtrader.com/)
https://busmag.com/ (https://busmag.com/)
I only have a couple of minor points...
Don't totally rule out a bus from the east. Mine spent its service life going between NY and FLA, and there was only one minor rust spot, but better than 90% of it is stainless steel below the interior floor.
Don't rule out a small oil leak say, from the pan. I know many 2 stroke mechanics who will tell you if it isn't leaking, it has no oil. Your pre-purchase mechanical inspection will address both of these points.
I place emphasis on the suspension, steering and drive train...but that is just me :) At your price point, I will be surprised if you hit everything on that list. If you do? You go dude! But if not, don't get discouraged. Your coach is out there.
And remember, this is an undertaking that will make you a nut, take a few years, and be a fantastic learning experience. It's a lifestyle.
That is a nice wish list but I don't see it happening for 20k ;D sorry and I would add a automatic to the list the clutches in manual transmission buses are costing around 4k to replace now,plus the 4 speeds manuals are a real PITA for use in a RV
You have to pay $40K, $50000, for the quality you are wishing for. You also need to be prepared to put on some coveralls and get your hands dirty to fix this and that once you get it. Just trying to get a little reality into you.
All the best.
JC
oops
@Daddysgirl, luvurbus
Thanks guys. Updated OP accordingly.
Setting search to the western states is more geo/travel/distance related than the northern rust issues. If these couple don't work, will expand search further south to Texas. Will only entertain northeast unless super selective before any onsite visit. Maybe arrange a mobile visit first, then if it checks out, make the trip.
This bus exceeds my criteria by a fair bit. It sold in less than a week, first visit by guy flying in from Oregon. Deal done. I set appt to check it out but it was raining so I called to reschedule. Couple days later, I was congratulating the owners on such a quick sale.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15178408/bus/sacbus.png
Driving Commercial Vehicles Manual - ICBC
This contains one of the best pre trip inspection I have seen. A good reference.
JC
Anytime...I mean it. If I can post anything that can help another nut...I'm proud of myself. I've received so much help from these guys.
Good point about the ICBC.
And the automatic tranny needs to be a must. Our 2nd bus was a DA*% double clutch. PITA is putting it kindly ;D
Oh, I forgot...if you find a bus that still has it's coach heat/ac, (partly on your list) make sure the owner took it all the way down and either cleaned and/or rebuilt the air ducts. I can't overstate this point.
But at the end of the day, when you find "your" baby...all but critical logic goes out the window...you WILL know her.
@lost again - Eureka find! That is awesome. There is so much info in there I will suck it all up. It got me thinking about another source of running gear expertise. Here in Ca, CHP requires regular full inspections. When looking at bus coming out of service by a tour operator, he explained how major the inspection is. It sounded like a couple mechanics come out and spend the better part of the day, going over the buses with a fine tooth comb. Maybe I can tap into those folks who want a some extra money to take a look at the running gear.
@daddysgirl - no doubt. Like every vehicle I'ved owned, I can tell if something is off in merely seconds. I'm certain will be same with the bus.
Quote from: windtrader on March 11, 2017, 08:52:08 AM
@lost again - Eureka find! That is awesome. There is so much info in there I will suck it all up. It got me thinking about another source of running gear expertise. Here in Ca, CHP requires regular full inspections. When looking at bus coming out of service by a tour operator, he explained how major the inspection is. It sounded like a couple mechanics come out and spend the better part of the day, going over the buses with a fine tooth comb. Maybe I can tap into those folks who want a some extra money to take a look at the running gear.
@daddysgirl - no doubt. Like every vehicle I'ved owned, I can tell if something is off in merely seconds. I'm certain will be same with the bus.
Hi
After 20 plus years with my coach, never had an inspection of any sort.
Just had to get a class "B" license because of the weight. (over 26K pounds)
Merle.
Don, I will say your humble approach to getting advice on here and actually moving forward to purchase a bus versus just talking about it for 6 months on the forum is refreshing. We've had some colorful experiences in the past with individuals just bantering about getting a bus and the conversations were hashed rehashed and rehahashed. Lol. And not a touch of respect was shown to the brilliant minds that make up some of the guys we know on this forum. You are truly the opposite of that and I appreciate your disposition on here. I have to say I can apply all of that to Andrea too. She's been a champ and seems to know a lot already about buses and could teach me a few things. Here's to hoping you find a coach and join us in the madness. I look forward to meeting you someday at a rally
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hi Don, call Gary at B&B advertised here, he has a nice MCI96A with an 8V92 and another, both conversions, lvmci...
Don -
A few things. . .
On your shopping list, scratch bargainbusnews dot com. That site is well-known for grabbing for sale listings from other sites, putting them up on his own as his inventory, and marking them up several thousand dollars more than the original ad. Then, if you fall for his scheme, the list of excuses goes on and on as he, behind the scenes, tries to buy the bus from the seller to resell to you. Caveat!
Same with mci102 dot com. That's one of the dozens of sites associated with Sam Walker, another individual with an extremely questionable reputation. He bilked several naive busnuts out of thousands of dollars, and served time for doing so. A google search can provide several hours of reading material about this guy.
Check out this ad for a GM 4106:
http://www.rvclearinghouse.com/listings/view/7/recreational-vehicles-bus-conversions-1963-gmc-4106-bus-conversion/1617 (http://www.rvclearinghouse.com/listings/view/7/recreational-vehicles-bus-conversions-1963-gmc-4106-bus-conversion/1617)
I called this fellow over four years ago inquiring about his bus, and it had been sold two years prior to my call!! He told me he has tried and tried and tried to get that website to delete his ad, to no avail. Another Caveat!
Oh, to speed up poking around on CL, use www.searchtempest.com (http://www.searchtempest.com)
Kudos for doing your homework, now be patient - it took me four years of searching to find my MCI, and I found it thru my network of industry contacts and busnut friends - it never hit any type of classifieds, either print or electronic.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
PS: We have three individuals here at the Pahrump rally today who are interested in purchasing conversions. They came to ask questions, take tours, and continue their education before purchasing. You should be, too!
I hope he finds one soon this is starting to drag on like the Ross saga of the past.He is cautious and he should be the best laid plan on a old bus can put you in the poor house in a hurry.
One thing he keeps missing is the parts availability on the bus he is searching for.Luke does his best to try and keep the GM's going but it is getting tough for even him same with Jefferson on the Eagle,MCI and Prevost are your best shot for parts.
Now even MCI has sold off all their old model bus parts and another party is selling those at a price ;D,it is good you can MCI parts through WW Williams now
Thank you, Scott.
I appreciate your words more than I can convey, and the collective knowledge on this board covers just about everything and really can get a nut, novice to expert, through the times when one might be ready to scream.
And Don, don't sweat the small stuff ;D
@Scott & Heather,
Thanks so much. To my core, I can not believe how much experience and wisdom exists here and so freely shared. When there are different options, there will be different opinions. Each person needs to understand each and every one and refine and validate their own definition of "best". I know more than zero, hey, maybe even enough to take the essential steps to acquire a bus that meets my expectations, all due to you folks.
@lvmci - will look him up. thanks
@RJ,
re - scratch bargainbusnews dot com. - Yep. Figured that one out after calling the number. Asked how the bus inspection process goes. Completely stupid answer indicating he had no clue about actually coordinating such services for buyers. SCRATCHED!
re. - Same with mci102 dot com. Humm.. i did speak with someone related to that family of sites about slides. Seemed quite knowledgeable so I kept that one on the list if ever wanting to DIY a slide in the future. With a Buffalo, not sure if that is even possible due to shell.
CL searching. I found that site not very accurate or current. I built my own list of links with custom filters to omit all the listings of no interest to me; for example, school buses not for me. It takes about thirty seconds to run them all then just click through the latest postings. Here is an example:
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=bus+-VW+-Thomas+-Blue+-International+-Ford+-+%22school+bus%22+-party&excats=5-2-13-22-2-24-1-4-19-1-1-1-1-1-1-3-6-10-1-1-1-12-1-1-1-1-1-4-1-7-1-1-1-1-7-1-1-2-1-1-1-2-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1&srchType=T
@luvrbus - As you know my preference is to find an already converted based on a 4 stroke like a DD Series 60. These are found in mid 90's buses and my research of following solds is about $15k. Then time and vast amounts of money and sweat later, I'll likely be too old to enjoy it or be dead. So, 2 strokes are a compromise. Maybe a 92 series might be easier on parts but it is all a compromise, right?
@daddysgirl - Yep, now I better understand the landmines from the puddles! :)
@luvrbus - As you know my preference is to find an already converted based on a 4 stroke like a DD Series 60. These are found in mid 90's buses and my research of following solds is about $15k. Then time and vast amounts of money and sweat later, I'll likely be too old to enjoy it or be dead. So, 2 strokes are a compromise. Maybe a 92 series might be easier on parts but it is all a compromise, right?/quote]
Find (2) 4 stroke DD Series 60 mid 90 buses at that 15K figure and I'll take the other one. Heck I'll pay you a finders fee. ;D
PS, just got back from a 600 mile trip to the beach (Gulf Coast) in my 85,000 mile 2 stroke and all went well.
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/6022721669.html
Here you go. I saw them and have plenty of pictures and Vin. BUY both.
I'm new here but probably the freshest set of boots on the ground on what listed and what's selling, operative word SOLD.
Plenty of mid 90's coaches with 60 series for $15,000. I'm with don on this. The issue he's discussing is that he doesn't want to spend the time and money to convert. So his compromise is: instead of buying a mid 90's 4 stroke shell for $15,000 he's wanting to find a two stroke already converted coach. Makes sense to me and frankly that's the advice many of you on here give to prospectors. Dollar for dollar it's cheaper to buy a coach already done than to convert yourself.
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Kinda wonder what total mileage the coaches have at that price. 168,000 on rebuild but everything else need fixing. I know they say 1 million mile coaches and know some on here have um but a million is a bunch. Friend has a truck with over that, it looked perfect, and fixed something major stuff until he figured, after trans, tandem rear ends and brake systems could have bought a low mileage one and come out ahead. He didn't have the place or knowledge to work on it. That was his first mistake. Always something with these buses. Gotta love um and have money in your pocket or it sits. Your getting good advice on here and hope you find your coach. It's out there.
The DL3 is a good bus I looked at some in the $15,000 range you need deep pockets those have been rode hard with little or no maintenance and with rust problems plus they have both the 11.1 or 12.7 series 60 engine so you watch that too.There has been more than 12,000 of the D's manufactured and are still being produced, parts are easy to come by for the D
@muldoon - I'd be really surprised if they have not flipped over. These specific coaches have a decent pedigree as they were bought by the current operator directly from MCI, so were well checked out and documented at that point. Since then he has his own full time mechanic servicing the fleet and 3rd party folks for the most major work.
@luvrbus - They are D3, not DL. His ad is party correct, 47 passenger but missed on the model number. The owner is more businessman, focused on competition and client needs wanting newer coaches in the fleet. This operator is in the heart of Silicon Valley, competing with the gaggles of private contracted coaches shuttling tech works between campuses and SF and East Bay. During commute times they clog the HOV lanes. I mentioned my working at PayPal and eBay and he quickly replied that he lost his contract there. No surprise as the current shuttles are very nice. Gotta be competitive to stay in business.
If you find a bus you really like with a 2 stroke engine I'll give my good friends number he located in Bakerfield Ca and you can speak with him because I have no idea how far he would be willing to travel from Bakerfield
I'm trying to line this up this week, at this point Thursday, Friday. I'm planning on heading down Wed or Thurs. From Bakersfield it's a 4 hour drive. Plus inspection time plus return trip, a very long day or an overnight trip. If he's interested, get a quote and PM or email his contact info. Thanks.
I would narrow my search to a T drive bus with a Allison not a V drive GM people love the V drive lol not me ;D
Quote from: windtrader on March 13, 2017, 09:20:55 PM
I'm trying to line this up this week, at this point Thursday, Friday. I'm planning on heading down Wed or Thurs. From Bakersfield it's a 4 hour drive. Plus inspection time plus return trip, a very long day or an overnight trip. If he's interested, get a quote and PM or email his contact info. Thanks.
Trust me I know the way Don drives it would only be 3 hrs each way for him + inspection time. But the problem is Don works thru the week and would have to make it a weekend trip.
;D BK ;D
Quote from: B_K on March 14, 2017, 11:24:36 AM
Trust me I know the way Don drives it would only be 3 hrs each way for him + inspection time. But the problem is Don works thru the week and would have to make it a weekend trip.
;D BK ;D
It slow around the shop were he is working so Don has time off during the week,I don't know if he even would want to do it but I can ask, I spoke with him yesterday he was at home
Sounds good. Let's get this deal done. I sent you my contact details in PM.
Don do let us know when and what you purchase with pictures too :)
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Don, I PM'd Fairchilds contact number you 2 work it out if he is interested
Quote from: windtrader on March 12, 2017, 01:43:04 PM
. . .if ever wanting to DIY a slide in the future. With a Buffalo, not sure if that is even possible due to shell.
Don -All the GMC highway models are built like an airplane - the exterior skin is the chassis.
Imagine trying to put a slide into a soda can as an example.
Slide-outs by DIYs often can be a nightmare to the point of owner abandonment.
Ditto for older stick-n-staple factory slides, too.
As I mentioned in another thread of yours, if you're looking at a Buffalo, the 40-foot model is a far better handling and riding coach than it's 35-foot little brother - unless, of course, you enjoy being severely buffeted by passing trucks and unexpectedly changing lanes in heavy crosswinds.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
PS: I'm going to be in San Jose this Friday (17th) thru Mon or Tues if you'd like to see my MCI. Contact info is in my profile.
RJ the diffidence between the 2.
35 foot and 40 foot GM's is the size of the field you have to turn them in.
would not trade Huggy for two 40 footers. could not park or turn them where i go.
Hope you are having a great tour of the country.
uncle ned
"would not trade Huggy for two 40 footers. could not park or turn them where i go."
I hear that Uncle Ned. We just love pulling our 4104 into the National Parks & Forests of campsites that stipulate 30' max, not to mention the little bridges over creeks that say 6T limit & low overhanging trees especially after a heavy rain! Not to forget the narrowness of the sites for the wider pullouts. Less space taken to park, more space to live (outdoors that is). Not real big & spacious comfort but real cozy comfortableness. Ok I'm done (for now...) :-)
You shook me Unc.!
35 vs 40. One of many tradeoffs. More space, less park options
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Quote from: windtrader on March 17, 2017, 05:51:47 PM
35 vs 40. One of many tradeoffs. More space, less park options
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I have been a lot of places. 40 feet has never been a problem. Did I tell you I pull a 16-foot trailer?
Donald I bet you have never been the full length of the blue ridge parkway.
Up highway 226a in NC Been in some of the national parks in the east.
Every bus nut to his own.
love my 35 ft bus
uncle ned
Quote from: eagle19952 on March 17, 2017, 08:02:56 PM
I have been a lot of places. 40 feet has never been a problem. Did I tell you I pull a 16-foot trailer?
Do you mean you pulled a trailer making your rig 40' long? You know that doesn't count! That setup bends in the middle. I have trouble with my 102", 40' RTS and wished it bent in the middle! I have 25' between my front and rear ties, center to center. Even though the RTS turning radius is close to the length of the bus, I have to be very careful making sharp turns not to clip something with my right- rear. I really have to watch my right mirror, and have a backup camera on the right mirror frame to help.
As far as 35' goes, I had someone visit me that had a 96", 35' RTS. He made a 90 degree last second turn into my driveway perfectly that I could never had made with my 40'er.
But that doesn't mean I would give up the extra space of a 102", 40' bus.
Quote from: uncle ned on March 18, 2017, 08:55:29 AM
Donald I bet you have never been the full length of the blue ridge parkway.
Up highway 226a in NC Been in some of the national parks in the east.
Every bus nut to his own.
love my 35 ft bus
uncle ned
lol..I never said I've been everywhere :)
never.
Donald I met We Willie JR at Blytheville.
He was parked beside of me and I got to hear good music all day.
It was a beautiful purple 06 and he claimed it was Willie's first tour bus.
I just do not like the interstate any more,fly for a while and than set for a while.
When I go to Arcadia I go down 321,301 than through the back country there.
On the way down the traffic in Lakeland was bad so on the way back I went over to 75 and than headed north.
After about 30 or 40 miles I saw brake lights ahead and dead stopped. next exit I left.
My last inter-state. also my foot gets heavy and my fuel mileage goes to pot.
Huggy thinks she has to be in front and away she goes.
uncle Ned
have a nice day and we might see you at the eagle rally. I park over in the corner away from every body.
We haven't ever driven the 40' GM, but the 35' was really stable in the wind. We were going up 395 in California one time and it dawned on us we were they only large vehicle on the road. Pulled into a rest stop and couldn't get the door open it was blowing so hard.
It also seems like the GM's 35' turning radius isn't much better than our Eagle though.
If you want a slide. Buy one with a slide. That is major work unless you are a really good welding fabricator.
Don and Cary
a Million mile coach?
Dream on, try 3-5 million miles.
How do you capitalize a US$700 000 asset??
Beware the previous owners' businesses. Line haul coaches sit still for precious few hours each week.
Just yesterday, the things you stumble on... was doing a direct drive cut-off, kids spring training baseball trip, back to Toronto,(3000km, 3 day weekend for me, only 860k driving the coach! the things I do for a bus driving fix...)
Anyway, sketchy character staggers over to our coach, asking if we are going to New York City... minutes later, a lower tier coach company rolls onto the lot, picking up more customers than just my new sketchy friend, in a line haul to New York City, picking up at the Pilot way down in SC at I95 and I26 at 23:00 Sat night... with a DL3SS... you never know who is going where or what mileage they are pouring on?
Casino work, steady high volume tour work, employee/company shuttle work, all rack up high annual mileages.
low mileage engine rebuild? The dogbus has coaches that are on their 3rd legitimate engine...
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Quote from: buswarrior on March 20, 2017, 12:09:52 AMa Million mile coach?
Dream on, try 3-5 million miles. ...
It's OK, BW, he'll get a good inspection and everything will be fine.
QuotePS: I'm going to be in San Jose this Friday (17th) thru Mon or Tues if you'd like to see my MCI. Contact info is in my profile.
RJ,
Thanks for inviting me to see your bus. Very nice conversion, looks sharp with that new paint, and the nice interior. Hope to see you on the road soon. Don
Quote from: luvrbus on March 14, 2017, 12:41:10 PM
Don, I PM'd Fairchilds contact number you 2 work it out if he is interested
Time for an update. Can't believe how quickly time passes. Certainly, haven't been snoozing on the job. Searching daily, high and low, for the right coach. Thanks Cliff as I engaged Don F to take a look at the bus. It is a solid coach so mentally psyching up for an offer this week. All tires are aged out, so that is a hard expense right away as well as a fluid and lube all around. Other than that, it seems a solid coach.
Quote from: luvrbus on March 12, 2017, 06:54:44 AM
I hope he finds one soon this is starting to drag on like the Ross saga of the past.He is cautious and he should be the best laid plan on a old bus can put you in the poor house in a hurry.
One thing he keeps missing is the parts availability on the bus he is searching for.Luke does his best to try and keep the GM's going but it is getting tough for even him same with Jefferson on the Eagle,MCI and Prevost are your best shot for parts.
Now even MCI has sold off all their old model bus parts and another party is selling those at a price ;D,it is good you can MCI parts through WW Williams now
....When it comes to conversions Prevost may not be the best deal (curved walls being the main thing)but when it comes to parts ,you can't beat them.Some priced very reasonable ,some absolutely beyond reason,but at least you can get them
Quote from: bigred on April 16, 2017, 06:00:01 AM
....When it comes to conversions Prevost may not be the best deal (curved walls being the main thing)but when it comes to parts ,you can't beat them.Some priced very reasonable ,some absolutely beyond reason,but at least you can get them
Don't forget that they're still the sharpest looking coaches too ;D
My criteria is quite restrictive, full of compromises including excluding many better quality bus conversions such as Newell and Prevost. As this is a "hobby", it's coming out of the spare change account which has limits. After owning one, maybe it becomes a valued item in the hobby closet and a second purchase would include better options.
An interesting insight. I was speaking with a shop owner who knows buses. His frustration level was pretty high on this chat and was not interested in doing any more busses. His comment was he views working on buses a "restoration" rather than a repair service. Makes a lot of sense due to the difficulty getting parts and the potential for additional service items while trying to fix the original issue.
He did say for me to call when I needed something done; clearly just burned out at the moment with buses in the yard stuck in the repair process. Clearly, a labor of love rather than a profit center for both shops and owners.
Quote from: PP on April 16, 2017, 09:00:48 AM
Don't forget that they're still the sharpest looking coaches too ;D
only if they aren't parked next to an Eagle :)
Eureka!
Finally proud to be a full member of the club. Frustration and depleted describe best the feeling until the moment of overwhelming joy when the title and bus door key were in my hand.
On the road home so just a short announcement of the new arrival.
Briefly, purchased a 1976 TMC MC-8 in Denver on Monday.
Route- Denver to Rock Springs WY to Elko NV to Reno NV. Tomorrow home to SF.
Coach performing nearly flawlessly. Zero oil use but a leak came and went. Transmission filter gasket leaked but tightening the canister bolt resolved the leak.
Purrs like a kitten, so quiet and tight, feels like it's just floating on smooth sections of highway.
Not perfect. Old school headlights need an upgrade. Dash lights need a couple bulbs. Genset was perfect then just quit, nothing, not even trying to kick motor. Battery checked and good. I'm thinking the solenoid is dead.
More later. Here's an exterior pic. BTW - fully equipped, everything thing, all cooking, dishes, glassware, bedding, linens, cleaning, vacuums, even aluminum foil. Only thing missing is food and drink.
Huge thanks to everyone here for freely sharing your knowledge, wisdom, insights, and recommendations.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170629/1b103783dd545282322111bc3ac84562.jpg)
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Great! So happy for you. It looks fantastic. Hope to meet you someday and see your bus.
JC
Congratulations! That's a good looking bus!
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NICE FIND!
Glad you finally found the one you were looking for!
Just remember it's OLD and will get there when it gets there!
It may not fly up the hils but it will get you where your going as long as you treat it right, keep the rpms up and coolant temp down!
Have a great trip and enjoy the ride!
;D BK ;D
Congrats. Just like mine in the front but the back has $1,100.00 more in Tires, LOL
Got Jakes? You will need them on I-80..... :D
Nice work Don. Looks good. Congratulations. Welcome to the wonderful world of bus ownership. May all your mechanical surprises be minor in nature and pleasant learning experiences. Have a safe trip home and show us that interior.
Looks good! Congrats and have a safe journey. We're all waiting to see some fresh bus porn here, so don't delay on the pics when you can. Happy travels,
Will
Beautiful!
I love the original front cap and drivers window.
You'll have plenty of time to work on it later, so be safe and enjoy the ride;D
Congratulations!
Good luck finding parking in San Fran!
I went for a job interview out there last year and was astounded at the cost of living. Toyed with the idea of trying to live in the bus but then found there was no real place to park/camp in it and commute to work...
Final thoughts on the acquisition phase. Wondered myself how close the coach I bought matched up with the original stated criteria;
YES -> Already converted 2 stroke bus
YES -> Likely GM or MCI
YES '76 -> 70's - 80's vintage
YES Allison HT740 -> Converted to auto
BEAT this by a lot -> $20k - $25k spend
YES -> Priced at market or owner knows the current market and prepared to sell at market
YES -> Owner allows 3rd party inspection and test drive
YES -> Bus located in western states, no further east than Colorado.
YES Docs from day one of conversion process -> Complete documentation
YES 23 years -> Long history of ownership
YES -> Clear and clean title
YES -> No deferred maintenance (running gear)
YES made 1330 mile journey with minor leak fixed by tightening filter bolt -> Bus ready for the road
BEAT custom interior is older but quality trumps any dating. -> Expect dated interior
YES -> House system built to professional standards using quality components
For those in the hunt, stay focused and patient. It is a buyer's market so super deals are out there. You need to find the right coach at the right time, meaning the owner has been trying to sell for some time and lowered asking price multiple time and understands how soft it is to be a seller.
So where are the other pictures Engine size? interior, etc. Did you get parts book maintenance manual, operator's manual. Jake's How was it driving a bus for the first time lnog distance.... Is the grin still on your face. are your knuckles still white? :D
Here's more details on the bus
1976 MCI MC8 Bus Conversion
Asking $25,000 (Listed on Facebook)
Coach has total 40k miles post conversion (1995)
Detroit Diesel motor: Remanufactured 8V71N with 4,000 miles. Motor dynoed and had 100k warranty, N65 injectors, A timing. Rebuilder: American Fleet inc, Springfield MI
Jake brakes: high/low
Extra radiator fans
Transmission: Allison HT-740
Interior:
Flexsteel leather driving seats: passenger swivels
Flexsteel couch pulls out to bed
Full custom hickory cabinetry with custom hardware
Dining table extends with leaf, 2 chairs
Dish satellite dish receiver
Alpine Stereo
Norcold Elec/Gas Fridge with Freezer
Microwave oven
Four burner gas stove and oven
Full size, dual tub stainless steel sink
Roof A/C in front and rear with heat
Fan-tastic ceiling fan
Washer/dryer
Full closets: pantry, utility, clothes, storage
Bathroom: full sized vanity and shower
Door opens across hallway for master suite privacy
Queen bed - full open storage underneath
Set of closets in master bedroom
Blinds for all windows
Completely furnished with dishes, pots, pans, utensils, linens, vacuum, etc.
Exterior:
Tank sizes: Fresh 150g, gray 75g, black 75g
Webasto heating system with four zones
Water heater 11 gallon - electric, heat exchanger connected to motor and Webasto
Bays heated and lighted
BF Goodrich ST230 tires - 95% tread, zero weather checking, DOT 2010
Minor rust underneath, zero corrosion
Recent service - Fluid changes
Shore power 220v 50 amp
Generac 8KW - 3 Cylinder Diesel with 519 hours
4D Oreilly Super Start 2 years old
8D Interstate batteries 2 years old
Vanner 3600 watt inverter/charger system
Towing - Blue Ox tow bar and tow car braking system
Drive from Denver to Rio Vista was a breeze. Only issue I had was leaking fluid from transmission filter housing. Tightening it stopped the leaking. Other than that 1335 miles in 4 days, looks like about 6 mpg. Got slowed down on the big grades but it was fine, Jakes kept speed in check on the downhills
More pics to come.
Fantastic! Congrats!! You got a nice bus for a nice price Don! Wow! Your patience and diligent searching paid off and should be an example to other future buyers. Nice work. Super glad to have you part of the bus community.
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You did good Don. I really didn't think you would ever do it, LOL
Rio Vista? We spent three years on the Delta and did our food shopping there and I used to fish salmon and Stripped Bass in Steamboat Slue....
Patience payed off Don good for you,this a bus board so this might not set good with some. There are buys out because so many are walking away from the older buses and buying later model factory built motor homes sticks and stables as they are called here.
I have friends 7 in the last year that have sold their buses and went to factory RV, it really surprised me when Majors sold his Eagle and bought a Beaver.I am thinking very hard about it to if I can find the right one with a friggin claw foot tub ;D
There were no deals like that when I was bus shopping 25 years ago. I had to build my own. Congratulations to Don!
--Geoff
Don -
Congrats!
Just remember that EVERYTHING is behind you while tootling down the road - you don't want to scrunch up any of those nice baggage bins!
See you down the road somewhere. . .
;)
Quote from: luvrbus on July 07, 2017, 06:42:26 AM
Patience payed off Don good for you,this a bus board so this might not set good with some. There are buys out because so many are walking away from the older buses and buying later model factory built motor homes sticks and stables as they are called here.
I have friends 7 in the last year that have sold their buses and went to factory RV, it really surprised me when Majors sold his Eagle and bought a Beaver.I am thinking very hard about it to if I can find the right one with a friggin claw foot tub ;D
Am kind of leaning that way myself ,and if I do ,I don't even think it will be a Diesel but rather a gasoline pusher !!! IF I can find a nice used one!!!! Don't get me wrong,I love my bus ,but to only use five or six times a year,it is just not practical .Guess I'll make that decision a little farther up the road.
For those in the hunt, a few other insights might be helpful.
Geography A significant aspect when searching for the best value deal, the broader an area the more chance of finding the best deal. Being in SF, my boundary was set to Colorado and states west. The difficult and costs to visit further add up in a hurry. The trip to get this coach in Denver added at least a thousand to the total acquisition costs. Several days in Denver hotels, food, local travel, etc. Then fuel costs from Denver to CA, plus several days of food and other supplies.
Time Fortunately my time is flexible and "free" now but it took 9 days to get the coach home. Lost a few days due to missed deadlines for money transfers on Friday and having to wait until Monday morning to complete transaction.
Time to search diligently on a regular basis, make the calls, do the research, stay upbeat and focused, all takes commitment to the goal. There were times it got frustrating and stalled like a boat on the sea in a windless day. There were times I'd make the daily rounds and scrap the crap sites just to see if something new might be there, only to be reminded why I put some sites on the crap list.
Time to get really in tune with the reality of the current bus conversion market and how much it favors buyers. Take enough time to understand how strong you are if you have cash in your pocket. Don't be influenced by all the social media fart fanning posts about what a deal, how cheap, I'd buy it if I had the money, blah, blah. All pointless blather, the real buyers are not in the cheap seats spewing out these comments.
Time to find the diamond in the rough. Mine was in plain sight for months; I kept wondering why no one was biting, it was right there, clear as day. I just kept thinking there was something wrong that I did not see. Started the inquiries and it was several months before actually doing the deal.
Time to really know the buyer. Understand their motives for acquiring the coach and for it being on the market. You learn a lot of how the bus is built based on getting to know the owner's character and value system. Every facet of the bus reflects the owner's motivation, attention to detail, doing things the right way or taking a shortcut, etc.
Professional Bus Inspection Finding qualified two stroke bus mechanics is difficult and almost certainly each new prospect is in a different location, so plan on searching for a mechanic who is local and available and affordable. Don Fairchild was kind enough to make the trip to San Diego to inspect a bus in the timeframe. Plan to write some checks to vetted professionals like Don; search costs add up.
Market value This is quite difficult and takes time and diligence to determine actual SELLING price. List/ask price is more wishful pricing and there is tremendous range in what an owner things their coach is worth. A new seller with a stack of receipts is surely going to price well over the market. Things at 50% of the receipts should be about right, sadly very wrong. The longer the coach is for sale, the more time the seller understands their original wish price is unrealistic, then make a price drop. As the months go by, grudgingly, more price cuts. At some point the seller gets the price into the range where it warrants serious consideration.
Still, no expectation the coach sells at this price but starts getting some bites. What a buyer decides to offer below asking is all based on how confident the buyer has done the homework to know what it is worth today. Once the negotiation begins, skill and experience determine where the final price lands and if there is a deal.
Quote from: bigred on July 07, 2017, 10:36:45 AM
I don't even think it will be a Diesel but rather a gasoline pusher! IF I can find a nice used one!
Red -Good luck with that! I don't think there are ANY gasoline pushers out there in RV land, unless you happen to find a 1947 Gillig skoolie with an industrial Ford V8.
Now, you might find some LPG or CNG pushers (skoolies and transits), but then you open up a completely different can of worms when it comes to actually traveling in one.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Quote from: RJ on July 08, 2017, 09:21:28 AM
Red -
Good luck with that! I don't think there are ANY gasoline pushers out there in RV land, unless you happen to find a 1947 Gillig skoolie with an industrial Ford V8.
Now, you might find some LPG or CNG pushers (skoolies and transits), but then you open up a completely different can of worms when it comes to actually traveling in one.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
There are lot of gasoline pushers in the RV market up to 38ft just saw some at the RV show in Phoenix most had the big Chevy engine a few had the V10 Fords I understand some outfit has the rights to the 502 Chevy to keep building the engine
Only using a Gas engine 5 or 6 times a year, brings in gas preservation issues, did you ever have a Generator or a motorcycle that sat for a few months and had to rebuild the carbs?. lvmci...
Called Shellac. If before you park it turn off the fuel and let it die on its own. Then put gas conditioner in the tank before you park it.
Most people don't, like on a lawn mower and can't figure why it won't start. When they start it with old fuel in the line it sucks that gas which has turned to shellac into the carb and wa la plugs all the little holes and fuel feeds.
Quote from: RJ on July 08, 2017, 09:21:28 AM
Red -
Good luck with that! I don't think there are ANY gasoline pushers out there in RV land, unless you happen to find a 1947 Gillig skoolie with an industrial Ford V8.
Now, you might find some LPG or CNG pushers (skoolies and transits), but then you open up a completely different can of worms when it comes to actually traveling in one.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
I might be of some assistance on this, however it is kinda OT.
Workhorse Chassis builds a gas pusher chassis. Winnebago/Itasca used them mostly, but Fleetwood and some of the smaller outfits did as well. In addition back in the late 80's before Roadmaster chassis was bought by Monaco, they built gas pusher frames for both Monaco and Country Coach (Country Camper at the time), the biggest problem was keeping the engine cool back then, and they actually brought back most of the units and replaced them with diesel engines because they couldn't keep the gas engines on the road. I remember going over the grapevine with my Dad heading to an RVIA show in a Monaco pusher and we had to pull over about every 10 minutes cause the thing kept getting to overheat, and that was crawling a 10-15 mph. I think they have sorted out the issues with the cooling now, and Workhorse is a very good chassis.
Any of you guys ever see a FMC or FCM 9or something like that) motor home? It was a gas Dodge with a step in the floor half way back. Built low and wide.
We owned a 34 ft Gulfstream for while that had a 460 Ford pusher on a John Deere chassis it never run hot but the gas mileage sucked 4 to 5 mpg
Quote from: Tom Y on July 09, 2017, 06:01:48 AM
Any of you guys ever see a FMC or FCM 9or something like that) motor home? It was a gas Dodge with a step in the floor half way back. Built low and wide.
I always wanted a FMC they were neat and well built and at the time were pricey
FMC is a great motorhome. BUT-try finding the suspension parts.
As a fellow pre-purchase loiterer, I really appreciate the time to document in this thread!
Good luck with the coach, see you on the road in a few years :D
Quote from: windtrader on July 07, 2017, 02:41:14 PM
For those in the hunt, a few other insights might be helpful.
Geography A significant aspect when searching for the best value deal, the broader an area the more chance of finding the best deal. Being in SF, my boundary was set to Colorado and states west. The difficult and costs to visit further add up in a hurry. The trip to get this coach in Denver added at least a thousand to the total acquisition costs. Several days in Denver hotels, food, local travel, etc. Then fuel costs from Denver to CA, plus several days of food and other supplies.
Time Fortunately my time is flexible and "free" now but it took 9 days to get the coach home. Lost a few days due to missed deadlines for money transfers on Friday and having to wait until Monday morning to complete transaction.
Time to search diligently on a regular basis, make the calls, do the research, stay upbeat and focused, all takes commitment to the goal. There were times it got frustrating and stalled like a boat on the sea in a windless day. There were times I'd make the daily rounds and scrap the crap sites just to see if something new might be there, only to be reminded why I put some sites on the crap list.
Time to get really in tune with the reality of the current bus conversion market and how much it favors buyers. Take enough time to understand how strong you are if you have cash in your pocket. Don't be influenced by all the social media fart fanning posts about what a deal, how cheap, I'd buy it if I had the money, blah, blah. All pointless blather, the real buyers are not in the cheap seats spewing out these comments.
Time to find the diamond in the rough. Mine was in plain sight for months; I kept wondering why no one was biting, it was right there, clear as day. I just kept thinking there was something wrong that I did not see. Started the inquiries and it was several months before actually doing the deal.
Time to really know the buyer. Understand their motives for acquiring the coach and for it being on the market. You learn a lot of how the bus is built based on getting to know the owner's character and value system. Every facet of the bus reflects the owner's motivation, attention to detail, doing things the right way or taking a shortcut, etc.
Professional Bus Inspection Finding qualified two stroke bus mechanics is difficult and almost certainly each new prospect is in a different location, so plan on searching for a mechanic who is local and available and affordable. Don Fairchild was kind enough to make the trip to San Diego to inspect a bus in the timeframe. Plan to write some checks to vetted professionals like Don; search costs add up.
Market value This is quite difficult and takes time and diligence to determine actual SELLING price. List/ask price is more wishful pricing and there is tremendous range in what an owner things their coach is worth. A new seller with a stack of receipts is surely going to price well over the market. Things at 50% of the receipts should be about right, sadly very wrong. The longer the coach is for sale, the more time the seller understands their original wish price is unrealistic, then make a price drop. As the months go by, grudgingly, more price cuts. At some point the seller gets the price into the range where it warrants serious consideration.
Still, no expectation the coach sells at this price but starts getting some bites. What a buyer decides to offer below asking is all based on how confident the buyer has done the homework to know what it is worth today. Once the negotiation begins, skill and experience determine where the final price lands and if there is a deal.