Hello all,
My name is Dave and I have been bitten buy the bug. Although I am not new to the whole "motor coach" thing, I am to the whole bus conversion part. I am hoping to be able to learn from all of you as much as I possibly can. I have been a member for a few months however this will be my first post as I will be picking up my first shell in the next coming weeks. More about that later.
A little bit about me; I have been a master certified RV tech for over 25 years. I have had extensive factory training from company's such as Country Coach, Monaco, Newmar, Fleetwood, and Marathon. I have mostly worked on the "house" side of things with light mechanical work such as replacing turbos, radiators, Jakes, as well as electronics. I have extensive working knowledge of 12/120v systems including Inverter, Solar and APU's. My father was one of the founding owners or Safari Motor coaches as well as involved in production for Monaco, Beaver, Collins and Marathon. I guess its in my blood, I have always enjoyed taking things apart to see how they work and improving on the design and function if possible. I am hoping to be able to add value to this team of members who have seen and done it all.
I have always had an affinity for the Prevost shells, in my industry that is typically the platform the converters have used so I am most familiar with them. I have found reasonably locally a 1987 XL that was used as a church bus and then sold to a man who began the conversion. He pulled all the seats and stripped the interior and at that point had some unforeseen family events in which he had to sell the unit. He sold it to an older lady who wanted to complete the build but then decided at 75 years old that it probably wasn't a good idea, I have a feeling it was a impulse buy. I am acquiring it from the lady and the price is reasonable. I am not concerned about completing it nor the costs involved. I have quite a parts stash to choose from, however it is not bus specific. After my father retired from SMC we started building our own line of towable toyhaulers and still have all the tools nessicary to perform a build out. I am not needing to complete this in a short amount of time, just want it done correctly. I have already started assembling and building the systems to control lighting, heating, etc using SBC's and touch screens and have a slight idea on how I want to lay out the coach but I do have a few questions that I am hoping you all can answer. I will just list them off.
Are the shells all the same weather it was meant for a converter or for OTR use?
Is there a website to buy misc parts for the bus or does it all go through Prevost? Used parts?
Is/Are there user/operator manuals, schematics available for the coaches, ie electrical, air system, etc?
I am sure that there are more questions and what I am looking for is any advise that you all can give me and hope that I will be able to return the favor at some point. I look forward to years of enjoyment.
Thanks,
Dave
Welcome aboard! Forget the coach and go into business helping/fixing ours . With your extensive interest, we'll be picking your brain more than you us.
Welcome, the the land of Bus Conversions.....
shells can or could have been ordered with special things in them or could be a stripped shell meaning the outside is the same unless it had a raised roof or was stretched in length etc. More coaches and small kitchen for an entertainer. Maybe a bigger engine or different transmission.
Maybe a generator and inverter or tanks. You could order a lot of different things in them as a shell.
A regular in-service bus would of course have seats and maybe overhead racking possibly tables.
Parts are where you can find them. I have an MCI but have never bought a thing from them. Have found them from Luke in NJ US coach, NAPA, Mohawk Industries etc.
You on the other hand and an actual Prevost owner can tell you where to look on the web at "PrevostCar" might have your parts, but remand or new and will have manuals etc there as well. HTH
Dave5Cs
Thanks guys,
One of the things that I noticed about this shell is that it was 2 levels. There's two steps up to the drivers seat and then 2 more steps into the cabin. I don't ever recall a conversion shell being like that. I do know that the front/rear caps are different. I've always liked the busses that kept the factory windows and not added the "rv style" windows. I know that people do it so they can open but I'm pretty sure I've seen the prevost style have opening type as well? In addition, what does everybody use to cover the holes where the windows were and typically what is the process? I have an idea but I want it done correctly. This bus has a Detroit diver 8v92 that was rebuilt 2 years ago, and a 7 speed? manual transmission, which is one of the things I liked about it. Am I crazy?
Hi Dave, what part of the country are you in? Are you interested in a wood look or something else? Kids, bunks? Get to know a busnut nearby, take him to lunch and ask a lot more questions, lvmci...
Do you want to boondock? Do you want 5 ACs?
prevostcar.com. Your last letter in serial number is probably a I then last 4 numbers will give you a build sheet.example mine is W1026553.W=year 102 width 6553 = unit number. If you like the windows just black them out or use high percentage tint. your otr ac return is located about mid ship drivers side. Big difference in entertainer and motor home shells is interior height. Do you have the aux air in the back? Bob
Welcome, I have one of Mat Perlot and Curt Lawler creations a 1996 Trek 24 ft best little motorhome ever built all metal with teak wood cabinets and the bath across the rear lol push a button for the bedroom
Quote from: lvmci on July 08, 2017, 02:29:20 PM
Hi Dave, what part of the country are you in? Are you interested in a wood look or something else? Kids, bunks? Get to know a busnut nearby, take him to lunch and ask a lot more questions, lvmci...
Do you want to boondock? Do you want 5 ACs?
I'm in the PNW, more specifically Oregon. I do not know what you mean by wood look. I am Single, no kids, only a year old Husky pup that will be joining me. I want to be able to use the coach both on and off shore power, I plan on having 3 at most 4 A/C's
Quote from: robertglines1 on July 08, 2017, 02:57:35 PM
prevostcar.com. Your last letter in serial number is probably a I then last 4 numbers will give you a build sheet.example mine is W1026553.W=year 102 width 6553 = unit number. If you like the windows just black them out or use high percentage tint. your otr ac return is located about mid ship drivers side. Big difference in entertainer and motor home shells is interior height. Do you have the aux air in the back? Bob
I must not be looking in the correct place to put in the serial number. The coach is not with me right now and I don't recall what the interior height is and am not sure what aux air is. I do know that it has the great big compressor that I have seen Marathon and Country Coach use for an over the road air system. I am planning on pulling out the windows for the area's of the galley and bathroom, leave the windows for the Salon, I can call it that right?? ;) and for the bed area and I assume sheet metal over the other area's
Quote from: luvrbus on July 08, 2017, 03:11:15 PM
Welcome, I have one of Mat Perlot and Curt Lawler creations a 1996 Trek 24 ft best little motorhome ever built all metal with teak wood cabinets and the bath across the rear lol push a button for the bedroom
Ah, the Trek, that was my uncle Bob's baby, he was so upset when they DC that line and mortified when Monaco butchered it up years later. He was at Marathon by then. I always liked the Trek, in fact I am always looking for the "unicorn" which was a 102 wide, front door, diesel pusher, rear bedroom. I have only ever seen 3 and they were all brown, but according to my Dad, they made them in a few different colors, but it was not a popular unit. When the whole Trek thing came up, he veto'd it as at the time they were only running one line and he didn't want to run 102's down the same line with 96's. I'm not sure what year they went to full width, but I believe yours would be one.
Ours is 102 wide ,not as comfortable as the bus but you can park it about anywhere and the fuel mileage with the 6.5 turbo engine is great, lol you do not want to buy many windshields for one ;D
Since you say your coach is on two levels,I guess it would be safe to assume that you are dealing with an H-3 which is a great conversion project as it has strait walls and it would be almost impossible to fill the bays.Notice I said almost as I can promise you my wife could do it .T he good thing is parts are readily available from Prevost ,Contrary to what we are sometimes told parts for the Detroit engine and the Allison tranny are still available .Now is where it gets a little murkey.As to whether there are manuals for the house part of the build ,there are BUT they were furnished from the converters I E CC,Marathon and etc.To be honest with you ,I would forget trying to go with any kind of Plans from these converters and hitch my star to the folks on these bus pages .I have a CC Prevost conversion and some of the things CC did was absolutely asinine .As to whether the conversion shells were different from otr buses about the only difference I'm aware of is the fact that most conversion shells had raised roof's .Check these pages for post's entered by Scott and Heather .They converted a MCI in a very short amount of time .
Welcome Lowblock, Prevost is great when it comes to manuals on the actual coach. I have downloaded a lot of PDF's from them for free. As you build, you will want to make your own personal manuals on what you do. Trust me, when you get to my age, you forget half of what you did and every day is a new experience. As for the windows that open, there are a couple of places in the PNW that will take your existing window and cut the bottom off and add a piece that opens. One in Vancouver and one in Eugene. It's not a cheap process. My conversion was done by Marathon and we have since remodeled around the basics. Still haven't added the kitchen window that my DW wants, but one of these days. They're a never ending project, trust me. But as most on this board will tell you, they are addictive. Good luck and keep posting,
Will
Quote from: bigred on July 08, 2017, 06:45:07 PM
Since you say your coach is on two levels,I guess it would be safe to assume that you are dealing with an H-3 which is a great conversion project as it has strait walls and it would be almost impossible to fill the bays.Notice I said almost as I can promise you my wife could do it .T he good thing is parts are readily available from Prevost ,Contrary to what we are sometimes told parts for the Detroit engine and the Allison tranny are still available .Now is where it gets a little murkey.As to whether there are manuals for the house part of the build ,there are BUT they were furnished from the converters I E CC,Marathon and etc.To be honest with you ,I would forget trying to go with any kind of Plans from these converters and hitch my star to the folks on these bus pages .I have a CC Prevost conversion and some of the things CC did was absolutely asinine .As to whether the conversion shells were different from otr buses about the only difference I'm aware of is the fact that most conversion shells had raised roof's .Check these pages for post's entered by Scott and Heather .They converted a MCI in a very short amount of time .
Did they offer an H-3 that early? 1987
Rhet -
Dave said in his first post that he has an XL, not an H series.
He also said that the two levels are up front in the vestibule area, not further back. Two steps into the bus by the driver, then two steps up into the main cabin. Typical for a seated, revenue service, XL configuration, not a shell built for entertainer or conversion from the factory.
Dave -
Welcome aboard! Sounds like your background of house systems will not only benefit you as you build out your XL, but will also be able to assist other busnuts as they work on their rigs, too.
The OEM OTR A/C is expensive to maintain, but also gives the very best comfort rolling down the highway, especially in the SW USA. OTOH, because of this maintenance expense, it's also the reason why you see entertainer cars with five 15,000 BTU roof A/C units and a 15kW diesel genset providing the juice to keep them running.
Whatever you do, keep the OTR heater! Especially since you're in the PNW, like me. I use my coach year-round, and traveling up thru Bend and Yakima to Kelowna, BC at Christmas, it sure was nice to have the coach heat running to keep the interior nice and toasty when it was 28o outside!
Peninsula Glass, aka Motion Windows in Vancouver, WA, is the place to go for opening windows for your XL. Not cheap, but totally custom.
Chassis shop manuals and parts books are available from Prevost, or keep an eye on eBay, as they pop up there every now and then.
Definitely contact Prevost directly with the VIN of your coach. It's my understanding that they can provide all kinds of schematics specific to your particular coach, as well as a "Final Vehicle Record" that will give you info as to what was included in the build (engine serial #, trans serial #, etc.)
Altho you've got a manual gearbox, keep the idea in the back of your head to changeover to an Allison automatic (HT-740 or HT-754). Far easier to drive, a huge advantage when wiggling into campsites, and the obvious - should you ever decide - resale.
As a couple others have mentioned, entertainer and RV shells generally have a taller roofline, but that may, or may not, be an issue for you.
Do you use Facebook? There are several very popular bus related pages on FB that you might want to check out. (Biggest problem, compared to this and the BNO forum, is that posts get lost and the search function isn't as helpful, but the banter itself is quite entertaining - especially if you ask about "what oil do I use in my 8V92 engine!") Check it out.
Finally, please take a couple minutes to update your forum profile with a signature line similar to mine below. At least your first name, your home base city/state, and the year, make, model and powertrain configuration will go a long way in helping us help you. In addition, you might discover that there's another busnut nearby! Simply click on the "Profile" tab above, and when the next page opens, choose the "Forum Profile Info" option and follow the various options. TIA.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Quote from: PP on July 08, 2017, 06:59:20 PM
Did they offer an H-3 that early? 1987
No, I'm familiar with both X and H series Prevost shells and can say that this is indeed a LeMirage.
And in response to Country Coach doing something asinine, they were the finest fiberglass motor coaches ever produced.
I have a set of bay doors for the XL rv chassis if anyone is needing some, came from a 2005 Country Coach Prevost so the bay doors won't fit the passenger model
Hi Dave, I was refering to your interior, wood, paint, metal, pre-fabricated, home depot or custom built? Give us an idea, someone here has done it already and is willing to answer your questions, lvmci...
Quote from: RJ on July 08, 2017, 07:21:06 PM
Rhet -
Dave said in his first post that he has an XL, not an H series.
He also said that the two levels are up front in the vestibule area, not further back. Two steps into the bus by the driver, then two steps up into the main cabin. Typical for a seated, revenue service, XL configuration, not a shell built for entertainer or conversion from the factory.
Dave -
Welcome aboard! Sounds like your background of house systems will not only benefit you as you build out your XL, but will also be able to assist other busnuts as they work on their rigs, too.
The OEM OTR A/C is expensive to maintain, but also gives the very best comfort rolling down the highway, especially in the SW USA. OTOH, because of this maintenance expense, it's also the reason why you see entertainer cars with five 15,000 BTU roof A/C units and a 15kW diesel genset providing the juice to keep them running.
Whatever you do, keep the OTR heater! Especially since you're in the PNW, like me. I use my coach year-round, and traveling up thru Bend and Yakima to Kelowna, BC at Christmas, it sure was nice to have the coach heat running to keep the interior nice and toasty when it was 28o outside!
Peninsula Glass, aka Motion Windows in Vancouver, WA, is the place to go for opening windows for your XL. Not cheap, but totally custom.
Chassis shop manuals and parts books are available from Prevost, or keep an eye on eBay, as they pop up there every now and then.
Definitely contact Prevost directly with the VIN of your coach. It's my understanding that they can provide all kinds of schematics specific to your particular coach, as well as a "Final Vehicle Record" that will give you info as to what was included in the build (engine serial #, trans serial #, etc.)
Altho you've got a manual gearbox, keep the idea in the back of your head to changeover to an Allison automatic (HT-740 or HT-754). Far easier to drive, a huge advantage when wiggling into campsites, and the obvious - should you ever decide - resale.
As a couple others have mentioned, entertainer and RV shells generally have a taller roofline, but that may, or may not, be an issue for you.
Do you use Facebook? There are several very popular bus related pages on FB that you might want to check out. (Biggest problem, compared to this and the BNO forum, is that posts get lost and the search function isn't as helpful, but the banter itself is quite entertaining - especially if you ask about "what oil do I use in my 8V92 engine!") Check it out.
Finally, please take a couple minutes to update your forum profile with a signature line similar to mine below. At least your first name, your home base city/state, and the year, make, model and powertrain configuration will go a long way in helping us help you. In addition, you might discover that there's another busnut nearby! Simply click on the "Profile" tab above, and when the next page opens, choose the "Forum Profile Info" option and follow the various options. TIA.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
So my question about the floor is, in the converter coach, did they just raise the cockpit/dash area, or did they lower the cabin floor. Can that be done to the one that I have without extensive modifications, and what would it really get me? If the cabin floor would be lower it would just give head room, I'm 6'2" and even after ceiling installation there should be plenty of room as it is...I wont have to duck, I don't think.
As far as the OTR AC, I'm pretty sure that I can maintain the system myself and repair, I have an HVAC License. I just need to figure out if it is still in there or not. I know that the OTR Heater is, but what I don't know is if this generation had a diesel preheat which I would like to use for coach heat. I assume the OTR heater is the black box mid ship correct?
The opening windows would be a nice touch, but are not nessicary, I believe that Coach Glass in Eugene, Or. does it as well. I'm from that area and know everybody working in the industry over there, I will give them a call.
I have a core Allison out of a Monaco Signature that had a ISX in it that mixed coolant with the trans fluid so it was changed out. I don't know what model it is, I would have to look, but I bet I could rebuild it and use, but I kinda like the manual trans, it makes the coach different, reminds me of the class 8 trucks I used to drive.
I do not use facebook, nor do I ever intend too, just not my thing.
I appreciate all of the information, once I have the coach here with me I will update my profile.
Thanks again
Dave
Quote from: lvmci on July 08, 2017, 09:18:27 PM
Hi Dave, I was refering to your interior, wood, paint, metal, pre-fabricated, home depot or custom built? Give us an idea, someone here has done it already and is willing to answer your questions, lvmci...
Oh...sorry...well this is my plan. Back in the late 90's to early 2000's Country Coach produced a unit known as the "Concept" It was a coach to bridge the price range from their high end fiberglass coach "Affinity" and their Prevost Conversion. I fell in love with the way the coach was designed and I will be building mine to mimic that era of built. If I could find one of the Digital Dashes to use in my build, that would just make it epic! I would attach some pictures of what I am talking about but you will have to forgive me as I'm still a newb.
Oh, also, yes everything will be custom made by my father and I. After seeing my Shell, my Dad has been bitten by the bug and would like one too now, where does everyone keep all the old Prevost shells? It took me forever to find this one.
Thanks again guys
Dave
Regarding the purchase of shells...........
By far the least expensive way to buy a shell is to buy an older two stroke Prevost that was converted when new. You not only get a shell that was not rode hard and put away wet, you get a whole lot of the components you will use to create your own coach.
Your conversion shell will not have to be reskinned, it is not going to have the millions of miles of a commercial chassis and it is probable there will be hundreds of thousands of miles remaining on the engine and transmission.
To Bob's mention about the VIN, that becomes the vital part of discussions with Prevost regarding parts, but equally important it is the identifier for the correct wiring and pneumatic diagrams and service manuals. An 87 will be identified by the letter "H" and the last 4 digits of the VIN. If you go to the Prevost Car web site and look for the service manual for your coach, in the general information section Prevost has a breakdown of what all the characters in the VIN mean so you can understand a lot of information about your coach.
Quote from: RJ on July 08, 2017, 07:21:06 PM
Rhet - Once again my ignorance shines through!!!!!
Dave said in his first post that he has an XL, not an H series.
He also said that the two levels are up front in the vestibule area, not further back. Two steps into the bus by the driver, then two steps up into the main cabin. Typical for a seated, revenue service, XL configuration, not a shell built for entertainer or conversion from the factory.
Dave -
Welcome aboard! Sounds like your background of house systems will not only benefit you as you build out your XL, but will also be able to assist other busnuts as they work on their rigs, too.
The OEM OTR A/C is expensive to maintain, but also gives the very best comfort rolling down the highway, especially in the SW USA. OTOH, because of this maintenance expense, it's also the reason why you see entertainer cars with five 15,000 BTU roof A/C units and a 15kW diesel genset providing the juice to keep them running.
Whatever you do, keep the OTR heater! Especially since you're in the PNW, like me. I use my coach year-round, and traveling up thru Bend and Yakima to Kelowna, BC at Christmas, it sure was nice to have the coach heat running to keep the interior nice and toasty when it was 28o outside!
Peninsula Glass, aka Motion Windows in Vancouver, WA, is the place to go for opening windows for your XL. Not cheap, but totally custom.
Chassis shop manuals and parts books are available from Prevost, or keep an eye on eBay, as they pop up there every now and then.
Definitely contact Prevost directly with the VIN of your coach. It's my understanding that they can provide all kinds of schematics specific to your particular coach, as well as a "Final Vehicle Record" that will give you info as to what was included in the build (engine serial #, trans serial #, etc.)
Altho you've got a manual gearbox, keep the idea in the back of your head to changeover to an Allison automatic (HT-740 or HT-754). Far easier to drive, a huge advantage when wiggling into campsites, and the obvious - should you ever decide - resale.
As a couple others have mentioned, entertainer and RV shells generally have a taller roofline, but that may, or may not, be an issue for you.
Do you use Facebook? There are several very popular bus related pages on FB that you might want to check out. (Biggest problem, compared to this and the BNO forum, is that posts get lost and the search function isn't as helpful, but the banter itself is quite entertaining - especially if you ask about "what oil do I use in my 8V92 engine!") Check it out.
Finally, please take a couple minutes to update your forum profile with a signature line similar to mine below. At least your first name, your home base city/state, and the year, make, model and powertrain configuration will go a long way in helping us help you. In addition, you might discover that there's another busnut nearby! Simply click on the "Profile" tab above, and when the next page opens, choose the "Forum Profile Info" option and follow the various options. TIA.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
lots of necessary body strength in the floor chassi including a frame that can't be lowered. Clutch is air assist hydraulic operation. If you have any problem navigating Prevost car web site.(excepting your unit number) I can give you some that work. I used 16 gauge cold roll steel to cover some window area.. Alum is better but needs to be stretched when applied (heat & cold )expansion and contraction. Behind top entrance step you can access several 3 Inch and 2 inch conduits that go from front to behind rear axles. FWIW. Bob
I must be doing something wrong. I cannot seem to pull anything up at Prevost car.
the last 8 of the vin is H1001398 then there is a -08035. I am unsure where to put the numbers in the search box. When I go to the search, there is a link to click that says if your looking for 1994 or older coaches and I click on that.
My unit doesn't have a tach, and for me that's a must have. From what I understand it has Detroits DDECI which is supposed to have a tach signal correct? What is the way to get more HP out of the motor. I have read about upgrading to DDEC III+ but cant seem to find much of what is involved. I know that Heat is a factor when bumping the HP but I have the ability to deal with that.
Thanks Guys
Dave
try H-1389 . I will try your numbers.
prevostcar.com 102 wide 84to 87 coaches low on list use K-747 for instead of your number. I was just there and this worked.
Just worked for H-389..... Guess they just needed 3 instead of 4 numbers. good luck.
Quote from: robertglines1 on July 09, 2017, 02:26:52 PM
Just worked for H-389..... Guess they just needed 3 instead of 4 numbers. good luck.
I will go try it now.... Thanks. Ive been reading your build on the other forum...very cool!
ok, I got it to work, I don't see anything about a diesel preheat system, am I to assume that this coach doesn't have one, I probably will know tomorrow once its in front of me tho.
prob got plug in block heater.. Located in rear right small door where you fill up your oil reservoir tank. Never had problem starting 8 V 92 down into teens.
Quote from: robertglines1 on July 09, 2017, 05:27:23 PM
prob got plug in block heater.. Located in rear right small door where you fill up your oil reservoir tank. Never had problem starting 8 V 92 down into teens.
I was hoping that it would have a diesel fired preheater so I could use it for coach heat, it doesn't seem to have it tho. Are those available second hand?
It will probably have a Espar unit hidden some where I recall those being standard equipment.Used units Like the Webasto, Pro/Heat and Espar are easy to find used
Well, I will be in front of it tomorrow morning for last inspection. One thing I did notice before is all of the labeling is worn off all the switches, most of the idiot lights, etc. Is there a manual that shows that stuff? I looked on prevost but everything I could find is 2000+ which I don't think are the same. I assume that this coach has jakes, that and the headlight switch are probably the most important switches for the journey home, oh, and the AC.
I will take some pictures of it tomorrow, and if I can figure out how to post I will.
Thanks all for the help
Dave
I presume you know the DDEC l is a 2 box system you can read it with a $40.00 OBD reader
Quote from: luvrbus on July 09, 2017, 08:54:03 PM
I presume you know the DDEC l is a 2 box system you can read it with a $40.00 OBD reader
I knew it was a 2 box system, yes, I don't know however what reader I need to do so. Does that help with the operation of the coach and what the dash switches and idiot lights are? Will it allow me to make it 1000hp too? That would be awesome! Will Prevost sell to someone who bought a used old junky shell of theirs?
No it just reads the codes in SAE and you translate the codes to DDEC or find a old Kent/Moore reader and those are tough to come by since only 1000 were ever made.You are very limited on what you can do on a DDEC 1 for HP
Ok, I will look into that. How about wheels? It has some ugly steel wheels and I have to have Alcoa's. Are they Prevost specific? What do I need to look for? will the tag axle wheel always be inset from the drive axle?
No to the specific on the wheels they use a 22.5 stud pilot wheel which are getting hard to find everything has gone to hub pilot wheels,if you don't have the long studs for Alcoa's you will faint at the price of studs now
Wheels--simulators. Pro- looks good.. con can hide loose nuts. Depends how you watch your coach--Check details out. Lights have a plastic thin insert inside and when light bulbs are on will show you what they are for. Thin sheet that fits inside cover. They are interchangeable and ten to fall out when removed=fun to find when you drop them. My 89 was a seated coach and did not have a webasco. The switches on lower dash also have light bulbs in them when turned on. When I have one burn out I replace it with a individual led bulb. By way all wires are tatooed with circuit ### on them. Example 439 is ignition feed to ddec. Black is ground yellow is 12 volt red is 24 volt blue is 120 V ac.... enjoy the ride.. Bob
Alum Wheels--Ck local salvage yards for city bus takeoffs. The ones here still have stud pilot wheels.
Quote from: Lowblock on July 09, 2017, 09:45:38 PM
Ok, I will look into that. How about wheels? It has some ugly steel wheels and I have to have Alcoa's. Are they Prevost specific? What do I need to look for? will the tag axle wheel always be inset from the drive axle?
Simulators may be a good option for your bus .I always hated them because they make all kins of weird noises but lets face it ,with all the noises that a bus makes you will never notice and from 50 ft away ,these things look pretty darned well .As to whether Prevost will sell to ,they will.Some things from them are very reasonable ,some will make you faint,but every thing they ship ,they pay the freight on!! Just make sure when you call that you have the serial number .They live and die by the serial number and from what I have learned on here,the wheels on the tag have to be off set .If not it causes a lot of issues with bearings and so on .Would sure make the bus look a lot better if you could make those wheel even .Bluebird and other MH 'S did theirs that way.
Well, I went back to the bus today for final inspection before releasing the moneys to the owner. The lady had it stored on her friends property and moved it into the city once I confirmed that I was going to buy. When I got there I noticed something was not right. Whoever moved the coach for her drug the whole passenger side up against a large tree and bushes. There is not one straight panel on that side and I lost count of how many windows were cracked. She said she would take $1000 off the price.....I walked away speechless....not a good day..
. side windows $450 each. Bay doors 750/or 250 for skins. stainless siding 25$ a square ft. I bought 77sq ft=$2000. plus rivets and isolation tape etc. Might have been a sign that this happened. Ideal prevost to me would be pre XLII and start of 60 series engine(around 94). Come up to Evansville greyhound rally and see all kinds. Bob
This poor lady's luck is like mine!!! Amazing how fast money changes to junk!!!
I have found a 95 with less mikes for not a whole munch more. It does however need both front windshields and the upper two as well. I would prefer just getting rid of the upper two, is there a kit to remove the upper glass or is it just custom fab?
Prevost had the windshields on sale a while back at a real good price.I believe that either 94 0r 95 was when Prevost started using the series 60 engine .Don't know how you feel,but I have always been a little on the cautious side when it comes to buying a first model year engine and I have heard that the first couple of runs of the series 60 were not that great.Check RVT 'S web site .A guy in Oregon had a factory conversion at a good price .It was a 95 and I believe it was a CC.Only thing was some one had hit a tree limb or some other obstruction and had done quiet a bit of damage to the area above the main windshields.The owner described it as" miner damage"but as anyone can attest to that has ever had a fibre glass repair done,there is never nothing "miner".Besides ,if was so "miner"he would have had it fixed and been selling it for double what he was asking !!!!
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The 1995 could have either the 11.1 or the 12.7 the 12.7 is the most preferred engine
welcome Dave!
Lowblock, if you're still interested in a nicely converted Prevost, there's one in the RV yard where I store my bus, and it's for sale. It's a Royale conversion by Monaco, it has a 8V92, and the owner told me yesterday that he put $10K into it last year at Prevost but has hardly driven it at all. I think he said the interior is all solid maple, and it does look nice. He's had it for ten years, but it's had a For Sale sign on it for at least a year - he told me yesterday that one of his clients has expressed some interest in it, but he doesn't seem to be very motivated to sell it! I have no idea what he's asking, but he knows it's a very soft market now. I also mentioned that BCM could be a possible source of interest in it.
PM me if you want me to let him know you may be interested.
John
Quote from: Lowblock on July 09, 2017, 09:45:38 PM
will the tag axle wheel always be inset from the drive axle?
Hi Dave, welcome to the board. All Prevosts come from the factory with the tag wheels inset, but it is possible to fix that. I had spacers made for mine so it would look better. Since I spaced them out instead of "flipping" my wheels like the bus-likes, it actually reduces stress on the bearings instead of increasing it. They look way better and the hubs are actually cooler to the touch now. I've seen some pretty nice looking Prevosts for sale recently. Good luck on your hunt.
Quote from: sixtyseven on July 11, 2017, 11:11:10 PM
Hi Dave, welcome to the board. All Prevosts come from the factory with the tag wheels inset, but it is possible to fix that. I had spacers made for mine so it would look better. Since I spaced them out instead of "flipping" my wheels like the bus-likes, it actually reduces stress on the bearings instead of increasing it. They look way better and the hubs are actually cooler to the touch now. I've seen some pretty nice looking Prevosts for sale recently. Good luck on your hunt.
How could spacing them out reduce stress? Seems like it would increase as you are getting further away from the bearing center. Inquiring minds would like to know.
Quote from: muldoonman on July 12, 2017, 05:04:37 PM
How could spacing them out reduce stress? Seems like it would increase as you are getting further away from the bearing center. Inquiring minds would like to know.
First, when they designed the steer axle they made it so the king pin center was as close to the tire center (at the road surface) as possible, therefor the bearings had to be outboard of the centerline. Then, when they made the tag axle, to save money on production costs, they used the same hub as the front, once again with the bearings outboard of the centerline of the tire. With the spacers in place the bearing are closer to centerline of the tire.
Joe; What happens if we just reverse the tag wheels ,you know ,like the outside duals !! That seems to be what BB done!!
I thought the tag axle and the front steer axle were in alignment on a MCI and Prevost for a reason not for looks
Quote from: luvrbus on July 13, 2017, 06:37:23 AM
I thought the tag axle and the front steer axle were in alignment on a MCI and Prevost for a reason not for looks
That has been my under standing also Cliff!! Altho it would make a Prevost or an MCI look so much better,I would be very cautious when it came to second guessing the manufacturers .On the other hand,B B and other made it work for them .Go figure!!!But I definitely do not like that "Citroin" look
Even BB got away from turning the wheel dish out later on
Quote from: bigred on July 13, 2017, 06:22:22 AM
Joe; What happens if we just reverse the tag wheels ,you know ,like the outside duals !! That seems to be what BB done!!
If you were to just turn the wheel around for the beav look, because of the wheel offset, it would stick out about 10" past the side of your coach, plus put a huge load on the bearings. They had to make a special axle that was about 20" narrower for that and special hubs with outboard bearings.
Quote from: luvrbus on July 13, 2017, 07:22:53 AM
Even BB got away from turning the wheel dish out later on
I think that was because they want them to look more like a MCI or Prevost, and less like a bus-like
Having been around buses for 40 + years, the tag axle wheels being set in doesn't look odd to me, just normal.
JC
Quote from: sixtyseven on July 13, 2017, 05:44:23 PM
I think that was because they want them to look more like a MCI or Prevost, and less like a bus-like
Blue Bird used the Ridewell tag either the follow along steering or straight steering same as a Vogue,Foretravel and others in RV manufacturing used.
They just purchased the axle and bolted it to the frame and were designed to have the dish out.That changed when they started selling the commuter buses and 45 ft RV's.
On my DL3 with the follow along tag steering if you tried to space the wheel out it would screw up the whole bus for turning I would believe.The DL3 is not as far inset as the older MCI's either mine is hardly noticeable
Hi Dave! Enjoy the madness. :) really great to have someone with your background on here. Don't be offended when the "sticks and staples" rvs are knocked about...just bus trash talk lol :) I know I'll be pestering you with questions at some point on my inverter install and solar someday too, until then, I'll leave you alone so you can get settled in here and get some conversion work done on that prevost :)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Quote from: luvrbus on July 13, 2017, 07:01:05 PM
On my DL3 with the follow along tag steering if you tried to space the wheel out it would screw up the whole bus for turning I would believe.
Yes that's right, you absolutely would not want to space out wheels on a steerable tag. That would screw up the steering geometry.
I dont understand the need for the tag axle look to be different. The front of some S&S wheels look knock kneed, some being over a foot inward from the body panels, not pretty. Brings to mind some 1960s cars. But the dually drive axle is so impressive in size and the purpose of distributing weight of a tag axle is so obvious. I think a MCI Combo looks good too, but two more wheels and tires to deal with, just for looks? I dont know, lvmci...
If you still have the "bus bug"there is a 1990 Prevost factory conversion advertised on RVT for 28 grand.The few pictures they posted look's good (and yes,it has Alcoa's) Type rvt in to your computer and when you get to the rvt web site in the search block enter "bus conversions" then type in your price range "i always type in 100,000"since I have taste for steak but a budget for balony.This one is located in Kentucky.
Hey all, sorry its been a bit or so. Just an update, after the one fell through I have been in search of another shell to start my own conversion. I have found a 95 which is newer then I wanted but it is what it is. I do appreciate all the kind words and the welcome from all of you. I don't want an already converted bus, I want to do it myself. I am aware of the Caveats involved and the costs. I will keep you all posted once I know more about the bus. If anyone knows of a non converted shell in the PNW please let me know. Also, what year did they start building the XL to 45 feet?
Thanks
Dave
There are two entertainers also on R V T .One H3 one XL .Both are in the PNW .He says the XL has some minor damage to the rear end and the H3 is rougher than a water front ho .Since you are going to take the interior out any way,an entertainer would give you a heads up as far as having the tanks in place.Good luck .En joy your labors .
I must be doing something wrong as I cannot seem to locate the ones your talking about on rvt. Could you post a link perhaps?
Thanks
Dave
Dave, I found it. It's kind of a slow website.
http://www.rvt.com/New-and-Used-Prevost-RVs-For-Sale-On-RVT.com/results?manu=Prevost (http://www.rvt.com/New-and-Used-Prevost-RVs-For-Sale-On-RVT.com/results?manu=Prevost)
Quote from: Lowblock on July 16, 2017, 09:37:48 PM
I must be doing something wrong as I cannot seem to locate the ones your talking about on rvt. Could you post a link perhaps?
Thanks
Dave Sorry Dave !! I keep forgetting that computers are like kid's!!! They all don't behave the same way!!!!!
I saw a couple of late 80's model Prevost for sale in the Truck Paper for 10G or make offer,I didn't read any details of the buses
Quote from: sixtyseven on July 16, 2017, 11:29:39 PM
Dave, I found it. It's kind of a slow website.
http://www.rvt.com/New-and-Used-Prevost-RVs-For-Sale-On-RVT.com/results?manu=Prevost (http://www.rvt.com/New-and-Used-Prevost-RVs-For-Sale-On-RVT.com/results?manu=Prevost)
Ohhhh, I was thinking RV trader, different website. No wonder. Thanks
Quote from: luvrbus on July 17, 2017, 06:55:00 AM
I saw a couple of late 80's model Prevost for sale in the Truck Paper for 10G or make offer,I didn't read any details of the buses
Is there a website for that?
Thanks guys I appreciate all the help. The 95 has sold so again I'm on the lookout. I'm a patient person so I will wait for what I want.