Another Delay

PRZNBUS · October 13, 2015, 03:47:23 PM

Well, I think I've just delayed the use of my 1986 MC 9 for a bit longer. The wife and I decided the other day I should raise the roof on the bus. It really does make sense being as I'm 6'5" and it will make a whole lot of things easier as far as outfitting the bus with AC, wiring, lighting and just plain headroom.

I've read in older posts that an 8" lift is the most common and doesn't make the bus look too odd. Are there any good companies who make the fiberglass caps besides R&M? I read some say they don't fit well and others say they worked fine.

Hopefully I can find somebody with a big enough building I can tie up for a while. Having a full time job is really putting a crimp in my bus fun!

Bruce

jmblake · October 13, 2015, 05:07:07 PM

Bruce,
I raised mine 8" and reused the factory caps, I just added sheet aluminum in the space up front and in the back I extended the frame so it was straight up and down eliminating the original slope and added a new piece in the roof.

lvmci · October 13, 2015, 05:43:39 PM

hi Bruce, check B&B, they advertise here, in LV, really interesting to watch beIng done, lvmci...

eagle19952 · October 13, 2015, 06:27:31 PM

Rumor is that R&M no longr makes fiberglass replacement stuff, if you need their stuff you might want to start looking now..

PRZNBUS · October 14, 2015, 07:20:04 AM

Quote from: jmblake on October 13, 2015, 05:07:07 PM
Bruce,
I raised mine 8" and reused the factory caps, I just added sheet aluminum in the space up front and in the back I extended the frame so it was straight up and down eliminating the original slope and added a new piece in the roof.

Wow, great job! I think you sold me on reusing the original caps.

Bruce

PRZNBUS · October 14, 2015, 12:41:41 PM

OK, R&M has nothing and does not make bus parts any more.....period. I liked their curved dash. Any other companies make a dash like theirs?

Bruce

Scott & Heather · October 14, 2015, 09:47:22 PM

We used original caps too. 9" raise:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tom Y · October 15, 2015, 04:18:27 AM

Bruce, Used my caps also with an 8 1/4" raise.

Jeremy · October 15, 2015, 05:29:49 AM

Just in case it might be of interest, there are a few photos in this thread showing a fibreglass cap being built from scratch for my bus:

http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=21255.15

Jeremy

luvrbus · October 15, 2015, 06:22:49 AM

It's a lot easier after the roof raise to drive to boat or other fiberglass business and let them use a chopper gun.

A boat place here repaired my rear cap cheaper than I could by the acetone and,I was told by others the spray is not as strong as the hand lay but the guy said if it ever cracked or broke bring it back he would repair it for free

Oonrahnjay · October 15, 2015, 06:49:57 AM

Quote from: Jeremy on October 15, 2015, 05:29:49 AM
Just in case it might be of interest, there are a few photos in this thread showing a fibreglass cap being built from scratch for my bus:

http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=21255.15

Jeremy

Quite an acheivement, Jeremy, and excellent work. But it kept running through my mind "that looks like a job that's worth paying someone else to do it -- no matter what it costs"! Your methods of setting in strengthening structures, edge treatments, and provision for the roof walkway sockets look very good. I think my favorite part was "After that it was just a matter of cleaning it up and smoothing it down, then priming as shown below:" British understatement at it's finest!!

Oonrahnjay · October 15, 2015, 06:52:20 AM

Quote from: luvrbus on October 15, 2015, 06:22:49 AM... I was told by others the spray is not as strong as the hand lay ...

Yeah, they can prove in a lab that that's correct. In the real world - if the guy knows what he's doing - the spray is fine.

eagle19952 · October 15, 2015, 11:18:31 AM

There have been recent incidence of people finding NOS R+M stuff on Facebook groups...just a FYI.
Stuff that apparently was purchased years ago, and not used...