New to the board and love it here

[musicman]

Ever since I was a little boy I loved those big shiny coaches..Well next week Im going to Virginia to pick up my first coach Its a 1985 Eagle wide body with a 8v92 w/5 speed and the conversion starts..Ive always worked with remodeling homes and cant wait to get started...Im still in limbo over the a/c tho..I like the idea of a clean roof line but I also like the idea of how fast roof mounts go in...Im sure I will put it in the basement..We have several coach builders within 15 miles of me here in florida and have made friends with the folks who work their and they said they would give me any help I needed..The coach I bought already has the roof lifted 8inches so thats a great help....Ive been on here for weeks and have learned alot from the veteran full timers and folks who did their own conversions...I really appreciate this board and Im so glad I found it

Chris aka Musicman
Lakeland,florida

[NJT5047]

What sort of music do you do?   Is your bus going to be an entertainer?
If you need a place around Charlotte, NC to stop, let us know. 
Free water and power.  Where's your bus coming from? 
Cheers, JR

[niles500]

chris - I'm sure Ace, who lives in L'Land will reply - he has converted an Eaglei n his past, currently completing his H3 - he will, I'm sure be a great mentor and info provider for your conversion -

Gene Rochester - a revered member of the Bus community - after his last conversion project - an Eagle - said at a rally to my friend that if he ever did another conversion he would use rooftops - when asked why, he simply said "its easier and cheaper to toss an old rooftop than repair a basemant unit" (paraphrasing) - not that he couldn't repair his own - he can - just not worth the bother -

[musicman]

My coach is in Virginia but spent all its life between Cali and Arizona..As ar as I go I played for the "The First Lady of Country Music" for a few years and then went into the studio as a studio musician..I now own a investment company and buy and sell real estate..Im building a studio here at my house and  plan on promoting a new artist or 2 as long as their true country...Almost forgot, No my coach will be an RV not entertainer bunks or lounges for me Ive slept in enpugh of those..It will be for personal use only..I just want to be comfortable when I travel

[plyonsMC9]

Hello Musicman,

Welcome aboard!! 

What's your instrument?  (instruments?)   

Best Regards, Phil

[musicman]

I come from a vey musical family..I play piano,bass guitar,lead guitar,banjo,petal steel,sax and trumpet..Ive payed all kinda of music but I always return to country

[plyonsMC9]

Nice list of instruments! 

Wow!

Well, I sing (southern gospel / bass ), play banjo, and just started string (doghouse) bass (bluegrass) - only played about 2 weeks.    I'm typing and I can't feel my fingertips!!!  But it is sure fun!     . 

Kind Regards, Phil

[FloridaCliff]

Hi Chris,

Welcome aboard!

I am about an hour North of you near Bushnell.

Cliff

[El-Sonador]

...No my coach will be an RV not entertainer bunks or lounges for me Ive slept in enpugh of those..It will be for personal use only..I just want to be comfortable when I travel...

Hey Chris & welcome...

Glad to see that you are opting for a more spacious coach then one set-up as a "Band Bus" - good for you.

Some of those commercial entertainers' coaches can get pretty rude after being on the road for awhile... sounds like you have "Been there - Done that.

Anyways - Welcome aboard...

Steve

[NCbob]

Another 'welcome aboard' Chris from another 'newbie'.

I couldn't help but take a deep breath when I read the number of instruments you play. WOW!  You must be a veeery tallented guy!
I'm not now, nor have I ever been, a 'groupie' but if my memory serves me correctly, the "First Lady of Country Music" was the inimatabile Lorreta Lynn.  That had to be a joy in your life.

And now, you're a BusNut....and apparently a talented one at that.  Something tells me that there's going to be a lot of fun at any get together you attend.

Best,

NCbob

[Dallas]

Chris,
Back in the "OLDEN" days,
My Step Dad played as an opener and as a lead fill in for a lot of the big names.
Of course, I'm to young to know about those things, but he has reel to reel tapes of his playing.
Back in those days, a lot of the headliners didn't travel with their own groups, but, picked up the local bar band and had them play.
Thanks for joining us in our strange pursuits!
Dallas

[NJT5047]

Whoa dude!  A real musician!   Chris, seems as your services may be in demand (desperate need?) for a pickup band at Timmonsville.  I suggest you come on up...or down depending on where you're latest gig is located.    See you at Dallas' campground in two weeks!  Be good to meet you! 
JR 

Road Trip!    Road Trip!     Road Trip! 

[Christyhicks]

Wow, I'm looking forward to meeting Chris like everyone else here is!  I'm also a newbie here, and pretty much a newbie to bus conversion in a sense.  We partially converted a skoolie quite a few years ago but then I shattered my wrist and by the time I was healed, business and family needs took priority.  Now, many moons later, we're driving "TempBus" our GMC 4107, while converting "BigBus", our MCI-9.

I know that rooftops are easy and cheap, but to me, that's exactly what they are, ha ha.  I won't go on a rant here, as a few of you already have heard about my aversion to rooftop "hurricanes", and I don't want to bore you any more than necessary.

I think the regular basement air units are so overpriced it's a crime, so I designed my own "system", using window units.  Basically, that's all a basement unit is anyway, (or a rooftop). . .just a window unit!  I posted a pic under another thread, and if you decide you want to investigate further, contact me and I'll send you a few more.


Chris, your comment about "real country" convinced me that you're our type of musician.  Having been raised on "old country", (in that great center of country music, Minnesota ), I often feel that somehow many country "stars" are missing the boat on what it means to be a country singer.  Give me a steel, a good voice, and a great song over flash and dance any time!  Personnaly, I don't give a crap whether people in NY have a country radio station or not!  We don't mind keeping it all down here in Oklahoma!  ha ha.  Whoops, I digress!

Anyway, from one newbie to another, welcome, glad to have you, wish I'd met you before we bought "TempBus" in Ft. Pierce and probably practically passed your place on the way down to the Keys and back this Feb, or maybe it was when we flew down to Orlando and drove that 9 back a year earlier??  What is it with Florida and us and busses anyway?  Guess I'd better stay away from there as we are running out of parking spots!

If you're ever near OK, give us a yell!  Christy Hicks

[NCbob]

I guess I told you all how much I know about Country Music with my misstatement about Loretta Lynn...when I should have known better.  Tammy was and will be remembered as "The First Lady of Country Music"...forever.  I listen to all kinds of music here in the NC mountains and agree with Christy.  Today's music doesn't do much for me.

Color me "Open mouth...insert foot"!

NCbob

[Christyhicks]

That's OK Bob!  We all love Loretta Lynn, and many of us think the same way you do, that she's "our" first lady, but as you know, Tammy Wynette was the first female country music star to sell  like 60 million records or something like that.  Some of her hits are such classics that you think of the song, rather than who did it.  Of course, we adore Loretta too, so it's an easy mistake.  You've got good taste!  Christy Hicks