Totally new....

[89cutlass]

First off let me say what I have seen on this board is just GREAT. I need some help and knowledge. I'm a drag racer and I've been looking at motor homes, toter homes and everything in between. The problem is I don't have the Money to buy one of those custom vehicles, so I'm looking at getting a bus and doing the conversion myself. I need a good starting point on what model of bus would be good to start with. This will be a on going project, but just need a good starting point.
The trailer will be no more than 30 ft long and fully loaded weighing no more 15000 lbs. on the high side of my estimating.

Thanks in Advance.......

[Dallas]

For that kind of weight and capabilities I think I'd look at a Crown Super coach. Tandem axle, stick tansmission of your choice, Cat, cummins or Detroit, Full Frame construction, GVWR somewhere in the 46K range. They are a little short on storage space, but are actually a logging truck chassis with a bus body.
If you don't like the engine, you have lot's of choices to change it to. Transmissions that will fit, include, Road Ranger 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 18, overdrive, underdrive, double overdrive, directdrive, even a superdouble under drive. Rear gears include everything in the Eaton line up, 2.22 all the way up to 6.38 or more. If you don't like the suspension, change it out for a Neway, Peterbilt, KW, air ride.
These things are going pretty cheap in the California/west coast area.

[gumpy]

Well, for starters, welcome.

First, most state length restrictions will limit you to 65 feet, so pulling a 30 ft trailer will limit your tow vehicle length to roughly 35 foot. Yeah, some people exceed that and get away with it. Don't make it legal.

That puts you in a single axle 35 foot bus. There are several models to choose from. Gonna depend on your personal needs.

Second, with 10% of the weight of the trailer on the tongue, you're looking at somewhere around 1500 lbs on pulling down on the hitch. Highway coaches are not typically designed to carry that much weight on a hitch, without significant engineering and construction on the receiver. It's been done, but you need to be aware that there's not a bolt on option for this.

With that much weight behind you, you're going to want to look at the power plant. The older GMs came with 6v71s and 8v71s. These are typically non-turboed engines, limited to about 318 hp. Changing to a newer style engine with more power is pretty much out of the question, unless you have tons of money, which I doubt or you wouldn't be looking at this option.

You might be able to put in a 6v92 (or maybe even an 8v92) into an MC5.

Can't really comment on viability of an RTS, but I think the 35 footers are hard to find.

Or, you could go schoolie.  Dallas's post came in while I was typing. Seems to be well thought out....

just my thoughts...

craig