Is it legal to drive a DL3 without the back bumper?

[Jim Blackwood]

So, you're saying the DLs don't have the quick attachment system like the airlines use then? OK, well I thought I saw seat rails in the floor but maybe I was mistaken. No big deal. I have power tools and zip blades so I think I can make short work of it. The seats don't have to come out intact, after all who is going to want them? Most likely they will go to the landfill.

I've removed bus seats before, in an old IHC Bluebird. These are much newer and nicer but I expect they still are bolted in. Zip blade will go through a bolt in just a few seconds and if I don't have to preserve the appearance of either the seat or the floor it's pretty basic destruction work, which I'm quite good at. But allright, maybe more than 2 hours, sure. I do tend to underestimate. Bet I can do it in a day or less though. Any takers?

Jim

[windtrader]

Before making a beeline to Elkhart, you may want to spend time in the bus once clear of baggage racks, seats, any removable items in the bays. Then spend time, a fair amount of time, with a roll of tape, tape measure, and do some layouts inside and underneath. Getting a good sense of where things will go will allow you to capture dimensions for equipment shopping. Going without a detailed shopping list is just asking for wasting time and money.

[eagle19952]

Elkhart..RV stuff ?
Pretty cheesy, low bid BS,IMO.
Wouldn't have any of it.

[DoubleEagle]

Yep, at least in Eagles the seats are bolted to the tracks, and you can spend two hours on one seat if the bolts are corroded from slushy feet and mopping, spilled sodas, etc. Hacking them out with sawsall's won't be as easy as you think. The footrests might be stainless steel and have more scrap value than the steel frames, but scrap prices are not great nowadays.

I once drove down to Denver from South Dakota to a large RV salvage yard that promised big selections, but I found nothing of real value for a bus conversion. They are useful for some people with older RV's, but that is about it. I have found more useful stuff at Habitat for Humanity Restore's, like sinks, cabinets, Corian countertop's, etc. (Contractors and individuals donate stuff for sale to benefit Habitat programs).

[luvrbus]

Habitat Restores my wife's favorite store no kidding she rather shop there than Neiman/Marcus lol when we go to Phoenix I have to make all 3 stores

[Jim Blackwood]

Some of that makes sense, and I'll have to spend some time on a shopping list anyway. A lot will depend on what I decide to do for heat and A/C. But for starters though the potential list should probably include:
Dometec or Norcold refrigerator
Gas water heater (about 10 Gal would be good)
Propane tank
Diesel genset
Range and oven

Should I manage to score those items the trip would be well worth it.

For those items I think the standard RV bits are probably just fine. I'm not building a million dollar RV here, so I don't need gold plated and crystal lighted everything. Good quality and solid construction is what I'm going for. No cardboard or sawdust cabinets please and I'm perfectly capable of making some of them. But, things like  a couch/bed would best be purchased. It's possible a shower from Home Depot or Lowes might be usable but is it going to be better than one designed for an RV? That's a decision I'll have to make. Corian is nice but for no larger than the kitchen counter is going to be I just might spring for granite there. It's an investment in durability that not much else can match. Incidentally the plan is to lay out a floorplan with masking tape as an early step, but the nice thing is that I have lots of room to work with. I'm used to about a 32 ft space that isn't as wide so this more than gives me enough for a reasonable sized workroom behind the living quarters, and I'm already pretty familiar with how big each of the interior components are. Considering that in the past I've pretty much completely rebuilt a S&S MH including pretty much every aspect of the rig, I'm not going to have much trouble with this. I just need to get familiar with the bus itself.

Jim

[bobofthenorth]

Jim there's a segment of the bus conversion community that likes to sneer at anything that smacks of a commercial RV but you are absolutely correct - a genset is a genset whether it is installed in a Prevost or a Glendale, obviously there's different genset manufacturers.  I've always wanted to go to Elkhart myself but the closest I got so far was the RV salvage places in Quartzsite.

Enjoy your new toy.

[luvrbus]

People don't like FaceBook but there is quite a outlet for conversion parts listed on some pages anything you want can be found there at great prices

[DoubleEagle]

People don't like FaceBook but there is quite a outlet for conversion parts listed on some pages anything you want can be found there at great prices

I am one of those people that never bought Facebook and their lack of concern for privacy (and love for marketing off your info), but now you add availability of parts with lots of Eagle fans, I might just dabble into that world. I'm still scared, but if Cliff recommends it.....hey, Facebook helped to weaken the Eagles International Forum because it was so easy to post pictures, I don't know. 

[luvrbus]

I am one of those people that never bought Facebook and their lack of concern for privacy (and love for marketing off your info), but now you add availability of parts with lots of Eagle fans, I might just dabble into that world. I'm still scared, but if Cliff recommends it.....hey, Facebook helped to weaken the Eagles International Forum because it was so easy to post pictures, I don't know. 

FaceBook is ok just don't give out to much information lol some people give way to much info I don't care to know about,there is a lot of info on buses even the BNO and BCM have Facebook pages lol that is how I track Gary Hatt.lot of good info on Eagles.Prevost and MCI's just like a board though there is some times a lot of BS to wade through 

[DoubleEagle]

that is how I track Gary Hatt

Well, that is the clincher, we have to know where he is at.

[luvrbus]

Well, that is the clincher, we have to know where he is at.

He is in Mexico drinking margarettas in his underwear priceless 

[chessie4905]

The marketing of info there is blown out of proportion. Just donate money to any worthy cause and all of a sudden you get requests from EVERYBODY. We've got so many little tablets and stickers, and address labels for Linda and myself, We'll never need any more. And they keep coming.......

[buswarrior]

Facebook has its uses, necessary evil for keeping up with certain social circles...

Way closer to a wild west town with a dead Sherrif as far as accuracy of hobby information.

Without a Moderating function, there's way too much wrong info being typed out, and I swear some of it on purpose, just for the writer's self pleasure at misleading people.

Hanging around on Facebook for too long has the same effect as running the engine inside a closed garage...

Stick to the places that the big boys hang out for your quality information for busnuts.

BCM BNO and BGM

Where Gary, Ian and Scott keep things a lot closer to reality.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[Dave5Cs]

I don't do fakebook because I can't speak Russian...