I am a new MCI 5A Owner. Just purchased it a month ago from a guy outside of Houston. The bus is a 67 MCI 5A, converted many years ago. The engine and mechanics appear to be well cared for, the interior is a bit dated with the Miami Vice color themes and tube lighting. Engine and generator start right up without delay. My only issue so far is someone didnt think out the plumbing very well as both holding tanks drain out on the right side of the bus. Not a big issue I just stretch a long hose to the sewer connection on the other side of the bus. The PO only used it to stay at stadiums for rodeos and never realized it was on the wrong side. I am currently outside of Midland TX. It would be great if anyone is in the area and willing to share some knowledge.
Dominic
Dominic.. Welcome and congrats on the new bus.
My thought is that there were no hard and fast rules about which side the tanks should drain to for many years. Ours was professionally converted by Custom Coach in 1974 and the tank drains on the curbside like yours. We just pull into the dump station from the other direction.
I would love to see pictures of your bus.
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new bus!!
Would it be easy to just have them drain on both sides? There were a few times I have thought that sure would have been convenient. Someone here may have a different experience tho'. :o
Kind Regards, Phil
I will get some photos of the outside tomorrow, busy cleaning and getting rid of the pink on the inside. But I can see what I can do about getting some photos of the inside also after a good cleaning.
It would be a lot more convenient if the drain were on the left as trailer park utilities are on that side. It was a trick to get the hoses ( drain and fresh water) under the bus to reach the hookups.
I do have some work due to neglect, such as replacing lights, lenses, touch up on the paint on the outside.
The PO said that he figured that he will never see a return on his investment so he dumped money in the engine overhaul, and airbags, to keep it running and figured that he could live with the cosmetics.
Welcome!
That would drive me crazy having the hook ups on the wrong side. You will be reminded of it every time you pull in somewhere. I have no idea how hard it would be to switch it but I definitely would.
I don't want to chill and relax under the awning and have to see the hoses and stuff. Even with my set up, the sewage hook up is a little low. The job gets done but I have to be careful when unhooking especially if the camp site hook up is a little higher for whatever reason.
Right side of the bus.
Front of the bus
Our 4104 had sewer outlets on both sides. Shore plug in was towards the driver's front also. Those early conversions and rv's hadn't started standardizing those locations yet.
Unless the tank is tiny, there is no need to keep it connected at all times. For many people, it seems that having it connected and open all the time creates more problems than it solves. We have a 90-gallon waste tank (combined black/gray) and only connect when it needs to be emptied, and we can easily go more than a weekend with two people.
Way back the connections were on the passengers side most entertainer buses still are
Quote from: luvrbus on May 16, 2018, 06:47:10 AMWay back the connections were on the passengers side most entertainer buses still are
Weren't 70s/80s (and maybe other years??) Greyhound lavs on the right side and serviced from the right/curb side?
Commercial buses still dump on the curb side. At least Prevost and MCI.
JC
I live in mine full time with my Basset Hound Fred. The bus has a 200 gal fresh water tank a 100 gal gray water and 100 gal black water. Sense we are generally in a camp ground I just leave the gray water hooked up and dump the black as needed.
it depends on how energetic I am when ever I have to replace the tanks as to if they will get rerouted.
I think every male basset hound should be named Fred!
He came from outside Mayberry NC, so I wanted to call him Barney, but was outvoted by the kids and ex. Either way Fred is a great name for him, he fell in love with the bus as soon as I brought it home. He went right in and made him self at home. He doesn't care so much for the high steps, to the fact the bed sets so high, but he deals with them.
Most F/J and other truck stops have a curb side open grate dump for commercial and entertainer buses.I like using those no hoses to deal with
Quote from: luvrbus on May 16, 2018, 12:04:16 PM
Most F/J and other truck stops have a curb side open grate dump for commercial and entertainer buses.I like using those no hoses to deal with
I did not know that they still had those. That would be great for us, since the control for the dump valve is over the driver's seat. Now I'll have to practice my docking procedure to perfect my aim...
Hi Dominic & Fred, I also started with a 5A, it wasn't that hard to update the interior, even using over stock RV furniture as I did. As for the tank, if it's a polymer of some kind, it's not that difficult to have a hole cut and port put in or spin welded on, lvmci...
Quote from: richard5933 on May 16, 2018, 12:08:38 PM
I did not know that they still had those. That would be great for us, since the control for the dump valve is over the driver's seat. Now I'll have to practice my docking procedure to perfect my aim...
I'm glad I don't have that b/c the worst possible outcome would happen to me haha I'm 100% sure of that.
some genius figured that Stainless Steel tanks welded together would be the best solution of holding tanks. The steel cost along is so much more than what a polymer tanks would have been.
I am a bit OCD about wiring and plumbing that both are making me crazy.. It is like they took 5 strands of 16g YELLOW wire for 12v to run 5 lights in the bus from the battery. All have a have a splice in the same location and are all knotted around each other... The fresh water plumbing comes in and seems to go into a maze with 13 shut offs inline. Yes that is right 13 shut offs in various locations not including the faucets. By the way there is only 2 sinks, 1 shower, 1 toilet. SO WHY SO MANY SHUT OFFS!!!
But the cabinet skills are precise. The closet door will open to be a bedroom door. The individual that did the conversion thought all of the build out but got lost in the plumbing and wiring.
Do you know who did the conversion? Was it a company like Custom Coach or an individual? What makes me wonder is that your description of the cabinetry is starting to sound like Custom Coach's work. Any photos of the interior?
pic of the bedroom
the closet door fold to also work as a bedroom door.
Wasn't that the name of Jerry Reed's dog in Cannon Ball Run?
If I recall Fred was a she too.
Seb
Quote from: Branderson on May 16, 2018, 09:07:05 AM
I think every male basset hound should be named Fred!
Mine was converted by Texas custom coach in Pipe Creek. My bathroom and bedroom door is shared.
My holding tanks are on the curb side. I put them there as it was the former rear door step area and was the perfect spot for tanks. I use a pump and garden hose to empty the tanks in campgrounds, or wait till I get home to dump. It has never been a problem.
Hi Dominic, you could also put a macerator and pump on the end and just run the 1" hose to wherever it is convenient, lvmci
The RV All-In-One AFFORDABLE Macerator System (1/3 the price of electric macerator systems plus no installation cost!) PULVERIZES: ??Water powered high velocity jet nozzle uses Shear Force to pulverize waste and toilet tissue PUMPS: ??Strong enough to pump up to 100 ft. or even 3 feet uphill. ??Patented system uses the ???Venturi Principal??? with as little as 15 psi. CLEANS: ??Swivel jet nozzle cleans the whole system after dumping. ??Cleans both upstream (valve/pipe/tank) and downstream (drain hose) * Includes 10??? of 3/4??? smooth interior and non-kinking drain hose * Easy to store in compact 14??? spool * Requires fresh water connection for dumping
Designed for dumping the waste from RVs and flushing the system clean
Includes the SewerSolution pump unit, a 10' length of Discharge Hose, Sewer Adapter and garden hose connections...
Hundreds ( probably thousands) of gallons of black and grey have run thru this pump. Into residential septic, pit toilets at rest areas and state parks and contractor outhouses...
Our MCI 7 can be drained from both sides.
Whether drains and hoses are on one side or both, I think it is important to have a sealed opening through the floor of the baggage bay to prevent certain creatures and insects from hopping aboard. Running hoses through partially opened baggage doors leaves a lot of opportunity. Having larger holding tanks also prevents this problem by only dumping when full, and the macerator pump arrangement eliminates the problem of solids being left behind.
Living solo,( well with Fred) a 50gal black water tank takes a few weeks to fill, the gray water tank seems to fill quick after a couple of showers. I hook up a garden hose to the gray water tank and let it drain. Im sure at some point I will end up renovating the tank areas and everything will get switched around.