Rust

hdemetrious · February 23, 2015, 03:14:38 PM

Checking out this 1983 with a 1998 rebuilt motor with a 4 speed. It's seems to be in good shape but for some corrosion I saw in the cargo bays. It's in Daytona Beach, fl. Let me know if you guys think the rust is average or I should move on? Any input would be great.

luvrbus · February 23, 2015, 03:35:56 PM

I would move on with the rust you can see then the 8v71 N/A is a dog with a 4 speed in a 40 ft bus

hdemetrious · February 23, 2015, 03:49:58 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on February 23, 2015, 03:35:56 PM
I would move on with the rust you can see then the 8v71 N/A is a dog with a 4 speed in a 40 ft bus

Are you saying it's slow?

gumpy · February 23, 2015, 04:23:03 PM

Kind of depends on the price and what you want to put into it and get out of it.

That rust is going to be typical. That's what you can see. The bigger problem will be the rust you can't see inside the walls.

I know of an 82 MC9 with 6V92 and auto tranny with less less rust, more to offer in the way of conversion stuff, new tires, for about 12k. Located in northeast AL.

email me if interested.

luvrbus · February 23, 2015, 04:30:22 PM

The new water pump would have me wondering and the rebuild means nothing it is almost 17 years old and being bored already to 0.10 not much left to work with in case something happens same with the crank

buswarrior · February 23, 2015, 04:32:57 PM

Rust doesn't look bad from salt encrusted Ontario?

An 8V71 has insufficient power?

Happy coaching!
buswarrior

Lin · February 23, 2015, 09:58:09 PM

As mentioned, it's the rust that you can't see that could be the real problem. If you were to be considering this bus seriously, you would have to do a serious inspection for deep signs of corrosion. Is it a manual transmission? There are plenty of good deals on buses with automatics around. It makes a world of difference as far as I am concerned. To say a bus has a rebuilt engine would mean something if it were done within the past couple of years. An engine rebuilt 17 years ago is just an old engine. While I currently have an 8v71 in my 35 ft 5a, and many of us have that engine or even smaller ones, I would recommend getting something with a little more horsepower.

hdemetrious · February 24, 2015, 06:14:05 AM

How do you do an inspection for corrosion that is not visible?

What is wrong with a manual transmission?

What is a preferable engine?

lostagain · February 24, 2015, 07:07:08 AM

Rust:

Look in the spare tire compartment behind the front bumper. In the electrical panel below the driver's window. Particularly at the bottom where the grounding connections are. In the baggage tanks at the frame members. In the engine compartment at the engine cradle. The fire wall. Up in the squirrel cages compartment behind the radiators. For the walls, remove some interior panels to look at the framing below the windows, and below the windshield. There will be some rust. It is a question of how much are you willing to live with, or fix.

Manual transmission: you might enjoy shifting a manual. Reselling a bus with a manual will be harder: most buyers are looking for an auto. Although most of us don't buy buses to flip them, or as an investment. A manual is so much nicer to drive, even for old bus drivers like me who have driven those 4 speeds for years back when that's all we had.

The 8V71 is OK, that's what those buses came stock with. It is not very fast up the hills. A 6V92TA or 8V92TA with Allison HT740 is a relatively easy swap and would be a lot faster. If you have the skills and the money, you can put anything you want back there.

JC

Lin · February 24, 2015, 05:10:53 PM

I would say to get what you could want at the start. The actual purchase price often ends up being the cheapest part of the project. Owners do upgrade to automatic transmissions, but it cost about $10k unless you save half by doing the project yourself. Fewer people change out the engine, but it can be done for another $10k. or so.

When we got our 5a, I thought that the 8v71 would be a real powerhouse. Turns out that it is not if there are hills on the menu. I find it generally acceptible and would not put the money in to change it. However, if I were thinking of another bus, I would not consider a non-turbo 8v71. We had the Spicer transmission when we got the bus. I could manage with it, but it really is a terrible transmission for RV use. When it came time to change the clutch, I changed to an Allison instead. Great decision!

Tikvah · February 25, 2015, 07:03:53 AM

I've never driven an 8V-92, but I have a 6V92 in mine. There are some hills along I-75 where the bus goes slow enough I could go back and make a sandwich, then come back up front to see if the view has changed yet.

But, on a good note, I seem to get pretty good fuel mileage. I do like the auto trans - and I'm a shifter kind of guy.

Dave

Dave5Cs · February 25, 2015, 07:26:45 AM

Look to me like someone put an Mci body over an Eagle frame and motor. Just saying, LOL

Scott & Heather · February 25, 2015, 07:27:01 AM

That's not horrible rust, but ours didn't have quite as much and it was a northern bus. Also, we stripped ours down to pure nakedness and fixed all the trouble spots

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Oonrahnjay · February 25, 2015, 07:38:03 AM

Quote from: hdemetrious on February 24, 2015, 06:14:05 AMHow do you do an inspection for corrosion that is not visible? ....

This is where a person with a lot of knowledge of that specific bus model can be very valuable. Most old buses tend to rust in specific areas and a person with experience on that model will know where to look. Sometimes it means taking off bay panels or cutting an inspection hole, other times, it's just a "where to put the light and mirror" thing. But on any old bus, be prepared to treat and repair some rust -- it just goes with the territory. The $64,000 question is whether the rust is extensive enough to be too expensive to repair, or impractical to repair, or just so bad that it means the bus is totally junk.

lvmci · February 25, 2015, 08:22:10 AM

Hi Hani, Rust bubbles under the paint on the rivets is a bad sign, it may have come from the inside, on MCIs always inspect the radiator box, most will rust there, extensive rust there means the fans have pulled in salt air, that means its had a lot of time near salt water, better for the fan box to pull in desert sand, where you would look at anything rubber, dry cracking or dry rot would mean fan belts and hoses and tires and any rubber knuckle in the steering may need to be replaced. lower frame salt exposure, like from winter salted roads, shows up on MCIs most easily viewable on the bay door knuckles, they are made of soft steal and will rust first, this would lead you to look at what the others have mentioned. these are all simple signs of deeper rust issues. JCs and others, more extensive explanation should be taken to heart, and memorized if you don't have an experienced bus nut to go with you, if your able to bring that friend and he advises you it's best to walk away, when you fall in love with a bus, it may be real hard to break away from the one that catches your eyes, but there is a sexyer model winking at you around the block! Lvmci...