Many of you are doing a converted bus since you can't afford to buy a pre made motorhome (that includes me). I bought my bus for $4,000.00. I have put in an additional $38,000 into either rebuilding or modifying the actual buses chassis, and drive train (could of bought a nice bus shell for that $42,000, but didn't have that kind of money available then). I've spent about $90,000 total on the bus, so take off the $42,000, my actual conversion cost so far has been $48,000. Not to bad when you consider Marathon gets about $1.2 million for their conversions-then add the $450,000 to that for the shell.
My point though, once you buy the bus, you have to be prepared for repairs and maintenance. Everything on a bus is commercial quality and big (translated expensive). Round figures, each part on the bus can cost up to 10 times what the equal part on a car would cost. If you keep that in mind, then you'll have a pleasant bussing experience.
Just to show a small list of what I've replaced on my bus. Before I even took it home, I had a mechanic in Kelso, Wa change the injectors from N55 to N65, install Jake Brakes, change the grease wheel bearings to oil bearings, change the rear end ratio. I've had the engine overhauled, transmission overhauled, installed a turbo with air to air intercooling with larger injectors and a bypass blower, new enlarged radiator core, new larger air cleaner, new muffler, rebuilt air compressor, rebuilt water pump, rebuilt oil pump, rebuilt starter, rebuilt alternator, new power steering pump, rebuilt Sheppard power steering box, added an auxiliary transmission cooler with fan, added King Cruise, Tachometer, and misters to the radiator. This is where the $38,000 additional cost for mechanical came from. If you get a bus with the correct engine, transmission, and rear end ratio-all these costs would be minimized. Course, overhauling parts is always possible.
Enjoy your bus, but plan on spending some money to both keep it up for good reliability AND for maximum safety on the road. Good Luck, TomC
Wow Tom, You always amaze me when you post information for us novice to ponder. There is no one on this board who can cove a subject in the manner that you do. I always read your post because you are one of the best.
Dean
WVaNative
I could have afforded a motorhome, but not one that I would have been satisfied with. I'm sure I would have spent a lot of time, energy, and money on it as well. I figured that if I were going to the trouble and expense of one, I might as well have one that's set up like I want it. Converting a bus seemed to make the most sense... to me, anyway. A friend who has a 21' class A comments that it must cost a fortune to drive the bus. The funny thing is that when I've used her RV, I got around 6.5 mpg. The average from my last three trips in the bus has been 7.2, so the fuel cost, while not low, aren't much different from that of a low-end S&S. The bus drives a hell of a lot better, too.
I'd also like to add that the overall costs can be much higher or lower depending on one's mechanical abilities, time, and inclinations. I certainly had no commercial vehicle experience prior to my bus. I'd never even changed the oil on a diesel car. I learn quickly, am very mechanically inclined, am good at troubleshooting, and am great at using available resources (these forums, online research, etc). Also, equipment and tools need to be added in to the costs, if one does any sort of work on their own. To get where I am now in my conversion, I've had to buy a welder, impact wrenches, rivet tools (shavers and guns), bigger cordless tools, drills, grinders, a new air compressor (burned out my old one), sockets and wrenches, numerous general tools, and the required accessories to use all these tools. I already had a fairly extensive set of tools before starting this project. The good part is that even if I sold my bus now, I'd have a ton of really cool tools and a lot of knowledge that I wouldn't have had otherwise. Still, there are a lot of costs to consider prior to attempting a conversion. I do know it's going to cost me a lot more than I had anticipated, but most of the costs aren't due to the age of the bus or lack of maintenance, but rather to the cost of materials, equipment, and tools. I'm sure that this is why a lot of us drive old(er) buses with engine technology from half a century ago. I wonder if I'll get as much use out of my bus as time I've put into it? I would like to use it quite a bit, but I do actually enjoy most of what I've done on it so far. I just wish things weren't so heavy and dirty and that the summer's weren't so hot!
David
Tom C,you can also add 12,000 to 20,000 dollars for a custom paint job.
I know all about about buses being expensive. I have now spent around $15,000 on mechanicals, not including tires.
Probably half the expense was related to neglect by the previous owner and half the expense was routine stuff that has to be done at some point. Of the $15,000 about $5,000 to $6,000 was labor and the rest was parts. The expense of the tools and such to do brakes, wheel bearings, and the like wasn't worth it having not done it before. Craig Shephard recommended not trying it myself.
The good news is I will have almost all new mechanicals on my bus except the engine and it has been checked by Detroit and declared in good shape.
And Just to Add to Tom's info..
The good thing about repairs on your bus is that there is almost a 100% chance that you will NEVER make that repair again...
We hope anyway.
Nick-
WVaNative- Thanks for the roses-just like to help
Luvrbus- I did spend $11,000.00 on my paint job. One of the few converting jobs I did not do. The other jobs were having the insulation blown in (nasty job), laying the carpet. I had most all the mechanicals done by commercial mechanics. Good Luck, TomC
I laugh to myself regularly when selling buses.
Presently with the 4108 we have had on ebay.....people are expecting to pay in the 30's for it.
paint.................12,000.00
new tires.............3000.00
Alcoa wheels........3000.00
Documented 8-71 with 200k
Rebuilt V730 with less than 40k
couple thousand in Flexsteel furniture
few thousand in inverter/batteries
few thousand in Webasto heaters.
oh...forgot 10KW Diesel Generator.....about 10k
People don't realize that even bargain shopping on ebay, doing all the work yourself.....you still rack up alot of money
then you have to account for either a rode hard put away MC-9 platform ( example) vs someting nice and solid with documentation on everything.
Sort of off topic, but I am supprised MAK sells buses as Unknown mileage. unless he is getting these buses from third hand auctions or such I would expect these records to be available. I know any company that I would purchase a bus from ( charter outfit) that did not or would not provide records I would walk away no matter the deal.
I think MAK doesn't want to get into legal trouble if what he states as the mileage is not right. Hub odometers are often changed when the engine is rebuilt. The regular odometer may have been changed and the previous mileage not documented.
My dash odometer reads 41,xxx miles, but I know the dash odometer has been replaced at least once
tom
just spent a dallor to save a dime,
i was putting the last piece of ceiling material up in my prevost and found out that a light fixture was right over the folding door in the bath and hall. so my helper which is also my wife wanted to save the piece and move the hole to another location to save the material. so i go along with it , wee moved the hole over about a foot and glued the new material over the one that i used before. quess what glue won't stick to the finish side of vynil . so if you think you are wrong you probly are.
Wow Tom.....one of the neat things about this Bus Conversion board is that all kinds of people share their experiences with their buses. Even VERY $broke$ individuals like....ME! Actually, practically speaking, I have zero business even trying to do my own conversion. Can't $afford$ it.
But.....I'm having a great time trying. Am finding out doing things with 10 cents rather than 10 bucks is a lot of fun. My future paint job will probably be done by me using.....a paint brush. Recently turned down a super deal on ten (10) good 11R x 24.5 Michilens on Alcoa wheels for $4000.00 INSTALLED!...
...because I didn't want TO SPEND THAT MUCH! I offered $3000 doing it myself and the wrecker said "no". He still has the stuff I think. Bought a bucket of gauges and senders and for $50 bucks from the truck yard, but traded them off for some other stuff....again. Now have plenty of mirrors though.
The Cummins shop wanted about $10,000 to upgrade my Big Cam 2 mill from 250 hp to 444 hp. Practically an out of frame major. I thought that was $outrageous$ and plan on doing it myself. Still accumulating the necessary USED parts like pistons, cam, followers, Jake, turbo, manifolds, etc., etc..
The plan was to make the necessary water and holding tanks myself until I priced 308 16 gage stainless. OUCH!!! Now thinking fiberglass, again doing it myself. Built a ski boat years ago...wonder if I can still work fiberglass.....quess I will find out....one way or the other!! :) :) Are we having fun...yet?
Had some health issues awhile back that may have stopped all of this sillyness, but soosss far, soosss good. We will see. Fun getting up EARLY in the morning thinking all about the bus conversion; smiling knowing that having much fun doesn't mean spending an arm and a leg. Iced tea is fine. :) :) :)
The seller of the exceptionally nice MC8 I looked at recently had receipts for about $90K in materials for the conversion. And that was in the early 90s. 10K diesel gen, fantastic vents, corian, etc. It adds up. Tom, that was a great post.
Dennis
I had a motorhome beefore I got the bus and it was not what I expected. It's cummins 230 engine was too small and gutless to drag a MH and a toad around the mountains of the west so I boosted the power and then the cooling system was not big enough. The thing lost it's brakes twice going u[hill so had to park at the top to get them back before decending. This was an Allegro Bus on a frieghtliner chassis and damn hard to work on too. The air intake was behind the rear wheels and so when on a dustey road the air cleaner was shot in no time and then it was a hundred plus dollars to change it plus a couple of hours work to figure out how to get it out and back in again. So when I bought a bus I wanted the right enging and transmission to staret with and so far no overheating problems even on 100 plus days and hills with 6 percent grades. Yes they are a money pit but I was glad to see that MH gone Jerry
I know all about the idea of finding a way to do it yourself and save a little money and yes, this is an expensive way to go. Money is a foreign concept to me, I'm not sure what it is, but I do know that a day spent working and sweating on a project that I just spent a week researching, meant I didn't put the money intended for labor into someone elses pocket, instead it'll head to the lumber yard for the next piece of material that after another day of sweat, will save me a little bit more that might go into the fuel tank so we can go someplace next weekend. Sound familier? Very few of us have the deep pockets that would make this all go by quickly and painlessly, so we learn to improvise and try to contort ourselves into unknown shapes and squeeze into places to reach that stubborn bolt that was never intended to be seen again muchless touched. All this so we can own something that will haul our carcuses to the lake or down the road to the next hill so we can see whats over the top of it and to do it our way. Which brings us to the next step in Darwins (dallases) version of evolution, at what point do we pool our resources and talents to create things that nobody else has, if someone is a top notch welder but needs an inverter installed, would it make sence to park his bus next to an electrician that needs a hitch installed? The question posed is logical but goes against human nature, real men don't need to stop for directions or to buy a road map lol, and we can all do the entire job ourselves, right? We should start a discussion about what we're good at and how that could be utilized by the others on this board, as a minority in the RVing world we need to recognize that we could dominate it and eventually take over, we already have figured out that buses are the best way to travel, now we only need to control the peasants that are still in their winabago's, then who knows, the world? lol, Isn't it amazing the deep thoughts that can come from taking the laptop into the bathroom, I mean the thinking room lol.
Quote from: jlaney on August 30, 2007, 01:42:14 PM
tom
just spent a dallor to save a dime,
i was putting the last piece of ceiling material up in my prevost and found out that a light fixture was right over the folding door in the bath and hall. so my helper which is also my wife wanted to save the piece and move the hole to another location to save the material. so i go along with it , wee moved the hole over about a foot and glued the new material over the one that i used before. quess what glue won't stick to the finish side of vynil . so if you think you are wrong you probly are.
Be extremely careful of lights over any door where the door in a partially or fully open position could be directly below the light. This is particularly dangerous with halogen lights which get very hot. I witnessed several luxury yachts that burned to the waterline due to a fire caused by this situation.
Richard
HB- Is that Big Cam II a turbo or non turbo engine? Whichever, I would suggest to just go up to a 350 with aftercooler. The 350 was quite possibly the most reliable Big Cam engine made. It'll make about 1100lb/ft torque which will be enough. Going to a 444 (probably one of the most troublesome engines Cummins made, besides the 475 twin turbo), will be alot more money. Good Luck, TomC
Yes, buses and bus conversion cost some money. I too am a former owner of a 'stick and staple'. With the bus: I get better fuel economy 8.4 MPG avg. vs 6 at best; cruise at 70 knowing I can stop vs cruise 62 on the best day and every stop required a prayer; Arrive after a long drive rested vs being a nervous wreck after a few hundred miles; have a more effective heating system, air conditioning system that cost's far less to run; Have lots of cool features,like a jetted bathtub, 200 gallon water tanks and a digital fuel gauge, that I didn't have and couldn't even get in a commercial motorhome. I was into the gas class a for over $20,000 and may have spent twice that on the bus, including rebuilding the engine. But to me the best things about my 'did it myself' conversion are it is what I wanted and I feel tremendous pride of accomplishment. So what if I've spent some of my daughter's inheritance, I'm truly glad I did it, even though I'll be adding to it and changing things for the rest of my days.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120
Sure there expensive, if your surprised by that you need to rethink your due diligence process.
One of the things I learned from reading the numerous boards before I purchased the bus was, "don't be surprised".
These are old buses and thing will go wrong. But by checking carefully and not getting bus fever you can find a diamond in the rough.
The most important items are the engine and drive train, thats were the really big dollars are hiding.
If you were anywhere else but here, you would have fallen over if someone said 1500.00-2000.00 for a radiator.
I still was surprized on that one, but didn't grab my chest, well, not yet!
I started out in a Stick "n" Staples too, learned they are cheap and expendable, in the process of fixing one up found out just how cheap and crappy they are built.
I really enjoy my bus and the conversion process, and most of all the people I have met from doing it.
Wether you are just thinking about doing one or on your second conversion, you are a different breed, you are someone who likes a challenge and the success that goes with it. You are not afraid of your own shadow and willing to try new things, new ways and have fun in the process.
I don't know who said it but, Go ask an older gentleman, what do you regret most in your life, the things you did or the ones you didn't.
You know the answer!
Oh and the expense, In the big picture of your life, its not much for the fun, comradire and the smile on your face when someone says, "Wow, you did that"
Thats my take on it! :P
Cliff
Cody mentioned in his post above, the idea of 'talent' sharing. That is exactly what this board is and is doing. When someone here asks for help and advise, they almost always get both from someone who's 'been there & done that'. Some projects are involved enough and big enough that they even get off line email and even phone support. Cody, all you have to do is ask (it would help if your profile allowed someone to email you). See the thread 'Applause for Chaz'. He asked for help, got it and succeeded in doing what is without a doubt a most challenging inverter installation. He happens to have outstanding metal fabrication tools and skills and he's volunteered to use them on a little project I'm working on. The converted bus community is just chock full of really wonderfull people, both willing an able to help each other in so many ways. I'm really glad to be a part of it.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120
I'm confused now lol, (normal state for me), I thought my email showed in my profile, I thought I had set it to be available.
Cody, looks like you just fixed it.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120
Quote from: tekebird on August 30, 2007, 12:52:30 PM
then you have to account for either a rode hard put away MC-9 platform ( example) vs someting nice and solid with documentation on everything.
Sort of off topic, but I am supprised MAK sells buses as Unknown mileage. unless he is getting these buses from third hand auctions or such I would expect these records to be available. I know any company that I would purchase a bus from ( charter outfit) that did not or would not provide records I would walk away no matter the deal.
HEYYYYYY!!I got one of those "platforms"! And the old bus has been way generous to me. Bought in '01, converted it and started using in '03.
Always runs well, drives pretty good, looks OK (at a few feet), has almost all the comforts anyone wants in an RV, and only have $45K invested. Bus and all. Couldn't buy a decent class C for that. And the mileage is a wash when compared to most gasoline powered S&S RVs.
One doesn't have to spend a ton of bucks to own and operate a bus. It really comes down to whether the owner can, and will, maintain the thing. If an owner is unable to keep the coach up, it's gonna get expensive to own. So would a S&S.
Another issue with non-mechanically sensitive bus owners is that they are unable to predict problems....thus they end up spending huge sums of bucks on preventable breakdowns. Not that all breakdowns can be prevented, but many problems announce themselves.
Regarding MAK's reluctance to state mileage on used equipment...it's called risk prevention. That's the reason most bus sellers just post a disclaimer for the mileage. Why risk actions due to events you would have no ideas about. Same's true of bus logs. Many operators will not pass along logs due to the real possibility that some service work performed in the past is faulted and
could be considered contributory in an accident. More buses are being sold sans records.
My dos centavos! JR
hey
i used to work for a barter system co , i could make money from trading and sales also. i still do a lot of trading. just traded a bass guitar for an radial arm saw and a band saw. maybe not the best trade lately, but if we would start to think of things we have and don't use very often, i think we could do some business. this is not a commerial. bartering is not new to the world , thanks j.t.
I didn't mean anything bad about the barter comment, I know that it's a common place occurance, I just meant that I enjoyed doing it and it sure has saved me a lot of money lol. I often trade cabinetry work for other work and even have a standing offer for it. I'm hoping to at some point to be able to travel and enjoy life a little but I would miss my workshop so I figured on taking the shop with me, hopeing to make some sawdust here and there as I go. It doesn't take much for me to break out the tools, lol, usually a cup of coffee puts me into the mood to do something constructive lol. Making sawdust is almost as addictive as these busses.
If anyone is really interested in a barter type system, I'll be glad to ask the PTB's if it's alright to do it here. If not, I can set up a barter classified on my website so there will be no conflict here.
Let me know what you want !
Dallas
dallas
could be a way to get some type of work or product for their bus.
it would need to be close to home type of swaping. like the spare tire site
if it was free , it still would cost to much for shipping ect/ thanks j.t.
I wouldn't trade bus life for anything.
Nick (as usual) was right in his pointing out that a repair done right will likely never have to be done again. Even the 20-50 year old buses most of us own are incredible machines. They are very dependable, they drive great, They have all the comforts of home, and most importantly they are ten times safer than a S&S rig.
I drive for a living and although I mostly drive entertainer coaches, I get called to transport quite a few new Class A S&S rigs from the factory to dealer or between dealers.
It kills me to see folks work hard their entire life and then go buy a new class A motor home to enjoy after retirement. After lots of different brands, sizes, etc. I would not give $10.00 for one. They are built on a truck chassis. They ride like a truck and drive even worse. There is just nothing holding them together. I have had windshields pop out, roofs blow off, king pins break (yeah, I said break), axles break, tie rods come loose, doors fly off, and all kinds of things that should not happen to a new coach.
There is no way they can last over 100k. The engine/trans might but the coach will be worn out.
I just get sick knowing they could have bought a bus for a lot less money and it would be more comfortable, last them a lifetime, and be way safer.
I think we hurt our coaches by not driving them often/far enough. These things are designed to go millions of miles. You will never convince me that there is a safer or better value RV than a bus.
I just made it to St Louis, MO for the steel guitar convention in my Eagle. 1000 miles from home and never gave it a second thought.
If anyone is in the St Louis area I will be here until Monday morning.
Sorry for the rant.
Best,
Justin
I think one more point to add here is that a long, expensive, labor intensive, first class conversion will almost always cost more than you can possibly ever sell the bus for, especially if a lot of work is done by outside shops.
I see this all the time with antique vehicle and airplane restorations. If you have to pay to get the work done you will never get your money back-so, plan it to suit your personal wants and don't plan to make a profit!
Adding up the receipts and not counting the PO's time I bought my bus for less than 20 cents on the dollar. I would not have been able to get into this hobby if the sellers didn't take such beatings. Sad for them, great for those in my situation.
Yeah go Justin - nice rant, I feel the same way.
I could never really get out of my coach near what I have into it.
Thanks Jim!
I too could never recover my investment especially time. But there is an upside. We get to keep driving them forever because we will never come out ahead dollar wise.
The memories are worth more to me than any amount of money.
When I bought our Ealge I purchased it with the intention of NEVER selling it. I started keeping receipt totals for the first couple of years, now I just keep the receipts not keeping a running total. I just don't care what the final outcome will be. ::) I also know that from what I paid for it and what I will spend when I get close to having it done, (NEVER REALLY FINISHED), it will be around 50 grand. So I figure I would be way ahead of what it would have cost to purchase completed, and I have the satisfaction of DOING IT MY WAY. ;) I have paid cash for everything as I go along with the project, could not have done that to start with. Sure there are always I SURE COULD USE THIS, or I SURE WANT THIS, or I SURE GOTTA HAVE IT. I try to keep my wants and needs in check. Now if I GOTTA HAVE IT NOW, I just keep a file for those. Now if I NEED THIS appears I just go get it. :P
I am not dissapointed at all for making the committment to DIY. I have enjoyed planning and doing. Some things just take a little more time to finish that's all.
Now for the real stuff. If I every plan to change or fix anything major I will have to dig deeper into my pockets, and am fully aware of that.
It is the best hobby I have ever had and would not look back for anything.
Happy Trails,
Paul
Dreamscape
Slow work takes time! ;) Spreading out your expenses over time makes it manageable having a bus. This time of year (football season), I spend many hours on the road, I see hundreds of S&S's, they rarely turn my head anymore but you let a bus come into view and I can see it a 1/2 mile ahead. Nothing any better than a bus! If I take the expenses of buying tools off of my conversion, It's almost bearable! I'm sure I'll never get what I have in it back but I've sure had a great time doing this! I was doing something simple the other day and my wife came out and was watching and she made a comment, "you're a genius", I looked at her and replied, "if I was a genius I wouldn't be doing this" with that said, I would do it all over again tomorrow! If you have to put a dollar value on everything you do in life you will probably be miserable, that doesn't mean you have to be crazy with your spending, just enjoy it and be glad you have the opportunity to realize your dreams!
Buses expensive? Really? Naw! Buses are fun!
I've spent way more than I ever thought I would. Sometimes I reflect on the $$$ and wish I hadn't, but I can't look back and say I've been extravegant either. So, I just keep enjoying the work and what I've accomplished. I know it will never be a Marathon, but then again I don't want one of those. I've done things on this bus I never would have done otherwise. So, what price happiness and excitement? The only solution would have been to buy an older already converted bus or NOT buy a bus at all. But, I know if I didn't have a bus now I'd be dreaming and wishing for one everyday. Sometimes we have to go after our dreams and fight for what we want. Those words don't just apply to the "job", they apply to other things in life.
Some here lament not being able to recover their investment. Think of the depreciation of a new S&S, those who buy one find it's worth less than 1/3 of what they paid a year or so later. The reasons few DIY converters break even include that they simply wouldn't cut corners like the S&S builders do. To me my bus is well worth what $ I have in it. If I'm willing to sell it for less, it's my choice. Not selling for a lowball price is also my option. I didn't do a bus conversion to make money, if I had I'd have spent a lot less on it and would be far more willing to sell.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120
I also want to add the thought that, though I've seen quite a few bus conversions, very few do I like as well as mine and I could not buy any of those for the $ I've invested in mine. To get something unique and special you've either got to build it yourself or pay dearly.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120
Some great post on this thread. Gotta add my 2 cents. We are on our 2nd (and last) conversion. When we purchased this bus, I had to promise Paula this would be the last one.
First, I know I would be very lucky to get even close to what I have in it, not including my labor. But we did not build this bus (or or first one) to make a profit. When we add up all the expenses and subtract that from the enjoyment we have had, the results is PRICELESS!! The places we have been, things we have seen, and most important, the people we have met. As far as the thousands of hours of labor, when I was still working (Paramedic-Firefighter), the time I spent in my shop working on our bus was the best R&R I could find. Not to mention all the new skills I learned!
During my career, I saw several S&S RVs involved in accidents. They literally disintergrated. I decided many years ago, I did not want my family riding in something that poorly built.
Whether you build your own or buy one already converted, is a personal choice. There are pros & cons to both, but you are still a busnut.
To sum it up, bus conversion people have to be the greatest people in the world. Now that we are retired, we hope to have many years to enjoy our conversion. But if something should happen today that would end our days of traveling, we have many memories of great places, great times, and great people. Jack
Jack,
You said it so well! Great response.
I trust my wife and I can experience a smitherings of what you and your wife have enjoyed!
Hope we meet somewhere along the way!
Paul
Our family never for a moment considered purchasing a S&S. But when the thought of owning a bus came along, we were hooked. Have we dropped some coin in the process? You betcha. But my wife and I still consider the bus our best family purchase ever. The memories we have made traveling the country with our three boys ... as cliche as the phrase is becoming ... priceless.
The comment about the S&S depreciation rate made be stop and think for a moment, and then I started chuckling out loud. I was pondering what a GMC 4104 probably sold for back in 1959, compared to what I think mine might be worth today. Depreciation? We don't need no stinkin' depreciation! For grins, anybody have actual figures for original GMC purchase prices?
EXPENSIVE = YES!
Other than our houses our bus is the most expensive thing we ever purchased, I am a 54 yrs old that has never bought a new car because of the depreciation involved. (Most of my vehicles were 6-8 years old when I purchased them)
WORTH IT = EVERY PENNY!
It very hard to explain the feeling I get when we take the bus on a trip. It very hard to explain how a 45 year old vehicle can be safer than most of the junk they produce today. Unless you own a bus, you can't explain the kinship felt with other bus nuts when you pull into a rally or campground.
Jim
Can't say I have driven a new S&S but several older ones and it is a full time job. Like herding cats; every gust of wind, groove in the pavement and heavy painted line has you chasing them with the steering wheel. My bus just tracks down the road like it's on rails.
I decided a few years ago I wanted a bus to convert. I bought what i could afford and I pour my money and time into it as often as I can. I learned early on in my research of conversions that it would not be an inexpensive venture. One of the things I enjoy about busses is the unique character the have. Each one is a piece of history and we all own a little bit of it. Now the unique characters that own them...... That is another story.....
Example: Muffler $92.00.... elbows, clamps, heat wrap, welding, new turbo flange, new turbo flange clamp...$310.00 more. AND I did the design and instalation.
New heads, rod & main bearings, tires all around, fridge, microwave, water heater, rear brakes, drums, bearings, seals, two Shur-Flo water pumps, furnace, several lights...for a total, THIS YEAR, of almost $ 15,000. AND is was a completed conversion when I bought it. I have done all of the labor except the heads, and bearing replacement.
Honest Honey you will LOVE living in a bus....Think of all of the money we will save...
Don & Sheila