roof raise or not to roof raise

[Sebulba]

Hello all,

I am imagining myself with a bus conversion and wondering a few things.

I see roof raises mentioned on MCIs but I don't see them mentioned for Prevosts.  Is this because Prevosts are higher/taller inside?

I am about 5'10" and my wife is 5'1".  We would be living in a bus full time, not just for vacations.  So, in your experience are unraised MCI 9s and 12s comfortable?

Also, the MCIs that are newer, I don't recall what they are called, are they taller inside that a 9 or 12.

Thanks so much for your insight on this.

Seb

[GnarlyBus]

My wife and I have lived in our non-raised MC9 for the last 4+ years.

We too considered a roof raise briefly but realized the cost was double what we paid for our running bus shell. Frankly, we didn't have the money to pay someone to do it. The seller if the bus said he'd do it for 10k. We also didn't have the skills or space to do it ourselves.

I've never wished the roof was raised. Sure it would be cool to have higher ceilings and to be fair I've never been in a bus with a raise. I'm 6' tall and we didn't add insulation under the floor so my head has at least a few inches in the back.

Those are my thoughts.

It's your bus and if you have the cash or know how you probably wouldn't regret raising the roof. That being said, there's lots of other stuff you could do to your bus for the time and money.

[luvrbus]

One good point about a roof raise is you can spray 2 inches of foam,the lighting can be better (more choices) and you can duct the AC and heat with roof top AC units,plus the 2 inch floor slope from back to front on the MCI 9 is a real pain to deal with.Buy your self a DL or DL3 with the series 60 and be done with 

[lvmci]

A 102C3 came from the factory with a taller interior (A roof raise) than any previous MCI built...

[DoubleEagle]

I faced the same dilemma with my Eagles. I am 5' 9", and my wife fits under my chin, so the 6' 2" Ceiling in the Model 05 or 10 Eagle is just fine for us, but we have relatives that are 6' plus, and they have to duck the A/C's and polish the ceiling the rest of the way. I say tough, but my wife says we should be more accommodating, so I develop plans to raise the ceiling on my Model 10, which is a finished Entertainer Coach from Senator Coach. Not an easy task, plus having a wider coach and longer coach would solve the problem and end any desire to get bigger, because there is nothing bigger than a 45' raised 8 1/2' wide coach.  So, I got a good deal on a 45' Eagle with a Series 60, and I'll part with the Model 10, someday.  MCI wise, follow Cliff's advice.

[Scott & Heather]

We raised the roof in both of our coaches. First one 9" second one 8". Would absolutely never live in a coach without one. For so many reasons my fingers don't have the time to type out. If you're planning on fulltiming, do it.

[TomC]

AS Clifford said, just buy a 102C3. 6'10" headroom and 102" wide. I have a transit that is this also, and it feels SO much more spacious and open then a standard 8 or 9. Good Luck, TomC

[Sebulba]

Hello all,

All good information, thanks.

I think I found some info that Prevosts are about 6'5" inside, dose that sound right?

Seb

[buswarrior]

Hello all,

All good information, thanks.

I think I found some info that Prevosts are about 6'5" inside, dose that sound right?

Seb

Same as MCI, you can't just broad brush 20 years worth of H3-45. There have been little changes over the years.

Also, the conversion shells are quite different from the seated coaches.

Tricky business when we're talking inches...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[Jim Blackwood]

DL or DL3.

Jim

[MagnoliaBus]

Hello all,

All good information, thanks.

I think I found some info that Prevosts are about 6'5" inside, dose that sound right?

Seb

A Prevost XL seated coach is around 76" tall and XL motorhome shell are built to 83" and 86"

[Sebulba]

Aahhaa, so shells are taller than seated. 

Thanks

Seb

A Prevost XL seated coach is around 76" tall and XL motorhome shell are built to 83" and 86"

[buswarrior]

Don't be roof raising just for insulation purposes...

In the greater scheme of things, windows lose the heat, not the roof.

An "economical" living quarters (which is shades of gray) requires significant window reduction, a windshield/driver/stairwell isolation plan as well as increased depth of spray foam insulation all the way around.

And the cost of all that will buy you a lot of HVAC energy.

Thowing more HVAC BTU into a stock coach gets you just as comfortable a lot quicker.

Lots of choices to be comfortable, that's why we all roll our own.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[luvrbus]

Aahhaa, so shells are taller than seated. 

Thanks

Seb

Not always The H  Pervost VIP  the motor home shell the floors are lower and the bays are smaller ,the MCI motor home shell was too ,spray foam the roof  remember we have winter also,any place you can insulate a bus is money well spent

[chessie4905]

The spray foam also has the added benefit to firm up the body and quiet the interior.