Saw the MC-7

thejumpsuitman · November 06, 2009, 06:43:43 PM

First, thanks for all your input on the MC-7. We finally went to see it...

The details were sketchy until today. It is indeed a confirmed McDonald's coach. "Big Mac #1". The first such coach ordered by Ray Kroc for 1970. He said it was featured in some magazine back in the 70's. The parts bus is also a McDonald's Coach.

This gentleman has owned over 30 coaches, using them for his business and parlaying a few. He bought these two because of their interesting history. He has owned them for 15 years and has put just 15K miles on this one. He was planning to restore the other bus, which he now considers a parts bus. The engine is missing from it, but in preparation for it's restoration, he bought a rebuilt zero mile 6 Speed Allison transmission for it is which is not installed. It is included in the deal.

The good bus has a nice body. No real rust that I can see at all. (I didn't realize the MC-7's body was all aluminum). Everything looks tight. It has some dings and scratches and a couple cracked side windows, and of course, the paints is shot. It looks like the vista windows were heavily gooped up, but he said they had not leaked on him. Looks like some water got through before, though, as the valance was water stained and the ceiling vinyl had peeled away right in front of the windows. There is also one spot on the laminate wall in the bathroom that is a little buckled. Probably water encroachment from the side window. The front 2 drive tires are low and dry, but he has 2 good ones in the cargo bays.

He said he stopped using the coach last year the day the main air distribution valve got hung, releasing all the air. He has a friend who owns a charter company in the town he lives in, and that is where the bus is sitting. He said all the scheduled maintenance was done by the charter company.

I got to talk with him for quite a while, and he says he has simply lost interest in it at this stage in his life. He is 70 years old and retired other than serving on boards of charitable organizations. He seems like a no-nonsense guy and seems to really care about the coach He said he could make a single phone call and have the buses gone in a day, but he doesn't want to see it parted out. I actually believe him.

The batteries were down, so I was not able to hear it run today, but he said he has never had any major trouble with it other than having to rebuild the coach air conditioning compressor. He also said that the engine has had a short block replacement sometime in it's history.

I wish I had known it wasn't running. I would have asked him to get the batteries charged. Since he stopped using it a year ago, whatever ill effects sitting for a year might cause could be an issue... old diesel?

The interesting thing about the coach is how the interior struck us. It is nice, but has a very utilitarian, industrial feel to it. And the gray and blue color scheme makes it seem cold. $:-\$ With the dove gray laminate throughout the coach, you can forget incorporating any wood in a mild remodel. Anything but more light gray laminate would really clash. You are really tied to the existing floorplan and that gray color. The royal blue is pretty ugly in person, and as you might imagine, was a major turn off to the wife. She did, however, like all the cup holders. (Well, that's what's important)

EVERY SINGLE door, drawer and bin has a key lock. Again, makes for a very industrial, commercial look.

By my count, the coach will easily seat 19 passengers, maybe more. It was clearly a day coach. The layout and limiting color scheme really left us wondering if we would be able to come up with a remodel that we would be happy with... Didn't see that coming!

It is a nice bus with a low mileage chassis, and I have no reason to doubt it runs like he says. And again, if I got serious, my friend in Alabama would give it the once over. I would, of course, need for the distribution valve to be fixed and drive it if we got to that point, but right now, we are trying to decide if we even really like it enough to go that far...

We will be thinking, talking, and praying. We'll see.

bryanhes · November 06, 2009, 07:39:29 PM

Marc,

It sure would have been nice to hear it run. Lesson learned? Tell the owner to have the batteries charged because you want to hear it run!

You would think that a seller would at least have it ready to start up knowing you are making a long drive to look at it

I'm not sure if I would take that as someone trying to hide something or is just not that enthused if he sells it or not. Or possibly just did not think about it.

FWIW
Bryan

thejumpsuitman · November 06, 2009, 07:44:38 PM

Yeah, lesson learned. Don't assume what should be obvious. I think is he more or less indifferent about selling it. He seemed to be more interested in telling me stories and talking about his charity work than talking about the bus. Nice guy, though.

John316 · November 06, 2009, 08:03:01 PM

Yup, Marc. I have met those kind of fellers. They just want to talk.

You going to ask him to charge the batteries, and head over there next weekend? I think that you could change a lot of the stuff.

Don't loose hope, but don't jump in where ya shouldn't. Might be infested with gators, be to shallow, a submerged rock, ya get the picture.

God bless,

John

JohnEd · November 06, 2009, 08:23:30 PM

Marc,

The wall channel that runs vert under the windows gets all the water that collects on the windows. It runs down to the steel joint at the floor. 12 inches to each side and up the brace gets dissolved in the worst cases I have seen pics posted. Common problem with the 9 and I assume with the 7. That bus is almost assuredly insulated with fiberglass bats. Truly a bad deal there. The stuff seems to draw water and stays wet for a long long time. All of the water damage you saw might be condensation. Mine will sweat water inside even when it is left closed and unused for long periods. It was said before that you will have to strip out the interior and install foam insulation or it will be a warm weather bus. I see structural issues and I am an optimist at heart.

Alu skin? That is interesting.

That trans is probably worth the entire cost. Price one and see. New tires are $400 each. Used are $200(?) The value seems to be there for you unless there is a serious problem. If it is at a shop have the guy replace the valve that is broken. he will have to do that anyway to sell it and i doubt any would buy a bus they couldn't drive first.

Ace said he rode in a early 90's Prevost that had an engine that he though was more powerful than his 8V92. He said the coach was "clean", seemed solid and had only one "major" problem: the interior was severely DATED. Got that? $30K or some thing like that was the "stolen" price. The Pres have spray foam inside the walls so rot is less of an issue.

John

thejumpsuitman · November 06, 2009, 08:47:06 PM

Thanks for the info. I will have to take a closer look at that area.

Actually, wife and I were talking about the update possibilities. I think if you changed everything that is electric blue to a rich burgundy and did some kind of charcoal counter top and black marble or granite in the galley/bathroom it would really transform the interior. Maybe cranberry carpet in the back room and some matching curtains and valance. The worst part would be the table tops. They are two-tone royal and baby blue.

I am going to load a youtube video my wife took of the bus. I'll post the link in a few.

thejumpsuitman · November 06, 2009, 09:54:32 PM

After watching the bus video, I see my wife went kind of zoom crazy, but here it is...
MCI mc7 Custom Coach Bus Conversion

thejumpsuitman · November 07, 2009, 04:24:11 AM

John,

What I meant was that I didn't know the body above the skins was aluminum. It does have stainless skins and doors.

thejumpsuitman · November 07, 2009, 04:35:20 AM

More interior pics

thejumpsuitman · November 07, 2009, 05:55:23 AM

Quote from: JohnEd on November 06, 2009, 08:23:30 PM
Marc,

The wall channel that runs vert under the windows gets all the water that collects on the windows. It runs down to the steel joint at the floor. 12 inches to each side and up the brace gets dissolved in the worst cases I have seen pics posted. Common problem with the 9 and I assume with the 7. That bus is almost assuredly insulated with fiberglass bats. Truly a bad deal there. The stuff seems to draw water and stays wet for a long long time. All of the water damage you saw might be condensation. Mine will sweat water inside even when it is left closed and unused for long periods. It was said before that you will have to strip out the interior and install foam insulation or it will be a warm weather bus. I see structural issues and I am an optimist at heart.

John,

This is the area in question. The toilet paper is there, so you can get some sense of scale. This is the only spot like this that I noticed.

Tenor · November 07, 2009, 06:23:38 AM

Did you get a look in the engine bay up by the blowers for rust and behind/above the front bumper? How did the visible air bags look and the bushings?

I have seen these buses on Ebay a couple of years ago.

The cabinets look salvageable, but the headliner and everything else looks like it needs to be replaced/reupholstered. That headliner could be a bear around the cabinets. Again, if you wanted to remove windows and skin over those areas, your interior will need to come out around those places. Real bummer about him not having it run!

Now having seen the interior, it should be considered just a shell because so much needs to be redone/ bed added and shower added. A great pristine shell would be worth no more than 5k in today's market. It's got a neat history, so you could opt to keep the front half original, and make a shower and bedroom in the rear.

Good luck!

Glenn

thejumpsuitman · November 07, 2009, 06:35:50 AM

Quote from: Tenor on November 07, 2009, 06:23:38 AM
Did you get a look in the engine bay up by the blowers for rust and behind/above the front bumper? How did the visible air bags look and the bushings?

I have seen these buses on Ebay a couple of years ago.

The cabinets look salvageable, but the headliner and everything else looks like it needs to be replaced/reupholstered. That headliner could be a bear around the cabinets. Again, if you wanted to remove windows and skin over those areas, your interior will need to come out around those places. Real bummer about him not having it run!

Now having seen the interior, it should be considered just a shell because so much needs to be redone/ bed added and shower added. A great pristine shell would be worth no more than 5k in today's market. It's got a neat history, so you could opt to keep the front half original, and make a shower and bedroom in the rear.

Good luck!

Glenn

Hi Glenn,

Everything underneath looked pretty clean. Engine compartment was perfect. (nice and oily, of course)

The headliner is hanging down at at about 3 seams, nothing torn. I actually think they would re-attach and be okay for quite a while. No tears that I could see.

I have no interest in skinning the windows. To each his own, but I always liked the stock look. Cabinets are very nice, just industrial looking. And as for the shower, there is actually one there that was turned into a closet! He said all the plumbing is in place, pipes, and all, even the drain pan. Picture is below. They built a wall between it and the bathroom. I think all one would have to do is remove the partition, line the walls, waterproof and rotate the toilet and it would be fine... Shoot, there might even be shower walls behind the laminate.

Adding a bed will be easy enough, would just have to lose the lounge. The headboard area cabinets are already in perfect position. I certainly wouldn't look at this one as a shell. The existing interior is too nice to rip out, and if someone was going to start from scratch, this bus would not be the one for that. Wife and I already discussed that. It would be try to use it mostly as is or move on to something else. But to be honest, the more I think about it, the more I like the coach.

Tenor · November 07, 2009, 07:30:41 AM

Hey, if you think it will suit your wants and needs and your mechanic is happy, then by all means get the best deal you can! I think the MCI 7's were awesome, especially with the roof windows. I wish mine had not been capped, but I suspect that they had leaked enough to damage the steel. Keep us posted!

Glenn

thejumpsuitman · November 07, 2009, 07:40:28 AM

I was brainstorming today thinking about the deal and called the guy to see if he would be open to a trade on a nice vintage 27K mileage Cadillac I have. Value would be comparable, and there would be no cash out. He was a little busy when I called, but he said he might be open to it. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. That would definitely work for me!

lostagain · November 07, 2009, 07:43:31 AM

Go for it! I, like you, prefer the stock look as much as possible, with all the windows. The skyviews are a neat feature, but they are a pain because they can be leaky, (I'll be pulling mine out this winter to replace the rubbers), and they are hot in the summer, (I have covers for them inside and outside to keep the heat out). I have good memories of driving MC7s in the seventies. They felt big and heavy (in a good way), compared to the 5s. They were slow because the 8-71 has to push that much more weight off a green light and up the hills. And the turning radius is large. Nothing you couldn't get used to though... You could take your time remodelling the interior.

JC