FMCA - Pros Cons

[windtrader]

I heard of a couple FMCA chapters with busnuts and found the following in the west that seem related. I attached a couple documents from a couple of them but based on what I read, it is easy to understand why we true busnuts would not find being part of this worthwhile. I'll leave my snide remarks to myself but it's pretty clear we need to DIY an informal meetup.
WESTERN BUS NUTSRandall Ward
(916) 688-5901
randallw@frontiernet.net

WESTERN G.M. COACH
Robert Clark
(909) 573-6686
sweetoldbob123@hotmail.com

Contact: DENNIS R WILSON
Phone: 909 725-0372
dogtracks1120@gmail.com

SOUTHWESTERN BUS NUTS
Warren Moore
(909) 262-5056
mor2com@gmail.com

Contact: JACKIE BROOKS
Phone: 530-566-2663
Website
Email jsbrooks@saber.net

GMC 49ers
Contact: DOUG NORTON
Phone: 208 939-8702

[luvrbus]

Good grief Don what are you calling a true Bus Nut geez some of us built our buses from the ground up? Wayne is prime example he has built 2 and the last one I know he worked on for 15 years you don't get any more dedicated than that,may be you should rephase the words true bus nut before you piss a lot of people off 

[dtcerrato]

I heard of a couple FMCA chapters with busnuts and found the following in the west that seem related. I attached a couple documents from a couple of them but based on what I read, it is easy to understand why we true busnuts would not find being part of this worthwhile. I'll leave my snide remarks to myself but it's pretty clear we need to DIY an informal meetup.
WESTERN BUS NUTSRandall Ward
(916) 688-5901
randallw@frontiernet.net

WESTERN G.M. COACH
Robert Clark
(909) 573-6686
sweetoldbob123@hotmail.com

Contact: DENNIS R WILSON
Phone: 909 725-0372
dogtracks1120@gmail.com

SOUTHWESTERN BUS NUTS
Warren Moore
(909) 262-5056
mor2com@gmail.com

Contact: JACKIE BROOKS
Phone: 530-566-2663
Website
Email jsbrooks@saber.net

GMC 49ers
Contact: DOUG NORTON
Phone: 208 939-8702

Gee wiz there's a whole lot of information there! We've never been to anything that big! Kind of overwhelming reading through all of it and at the opposite end of the scale compared to a small diy get together. Interesting content and thanks for sharing that.

[luvrbus]

That is for the FMCA International rallies those groups have small chapter rallies 1 to 4 times a year from a few up to 20 or 30 and anyone can attend a chapter rally without belonging to FMCA .I don't find the FMCA National rallies much to my liking but have been too few to hang out with friends.Some people love a big crowd not me.I don't think the Flxiable bus people even have a FMCA chapter they just gather, and they are a great bunch to hang with 

[buswarrior]

Great Lakes Converted Coaches plugs away, here in the Great Basin...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[windtrader]

may be you should rephase the words true bus nut before you piss a lot of people off 

Just to clarify, No need to piss anyone here as my definition of true busnut is anyone who is running anything originally built as a bus, whether it is a factory conversion, school bus, revenue OTR or private, church bus, charter, etc. Everyone in the boards we frequent earns the TRUE busnut badge.

Something like a Newell would not be defined as a true bus, even though it is built much like one and far closer to a bus conversion than a run of the mill S&S.

Maybe you got a bit pricked as Country Coach is more like Newell for some but they do conversions on bus chassis too so they are busnuts. Clifford still a busnut due to all the other bus parts and stuff he has. lol

The reason for the post was to show how much of FMCA is filled with just about anything running on four wheels, even the old GMC motorhomes to RV owners belonging to Thousand Trails. LOL
BW -

Most of us own rolling homes made from buses that had a previous life carrying passengers, such as long-distance carriers or city transits. Some of us own bus conversions based on shells made for motorhome use. We represent many different manufacturers, and some of us own coaches made from very rare buses. They range in length from short to long, but most are 35 or 40 feet.

Bullseye for true busnut.

[luvrbus]

I didn't get pissed at you,Newell and Country Coach were built on bus chassis for years before making their own chassis. If they made a bus with big HWH slides like the Country Coach I would have bought another bus

[RJ]

WESTERN G.M. COACH

Don -

This chapter, of which I've been a member for over 20 years, has disbanded, and is no longer associated with FMCA. They're now mainly just a Facebook group (Bus Conversions Road Travelers), holding 2-3 rallies a year.

I think there are a lot of coach owners who are aging out of the hobby, being replaced by the skoolie crowd. Even Gary at Bus Conversions Magazine has had to incorporate the skoolie movement or it would have died.

Then there's the cost of fuel. . . 'nuff said about that, it's effect is obvious.

The internet has changed a lot of things: Google, Bing, and Duck Duck Go will answer almost any questions you have nowadays with just a few keystrokes.

The circle of life goes on, and it seems to be like a roll of toilet paper - the older we get, the faster the roll spins!

FWIW & HTH. . . 

[Utahclaimjumper]

Western GM Coach left FMCA and disbanded several years ago..>>>Dan

[luvrbus]

Life does go on lol,FMCA Chapters at one point were for a certain brand name,some still are,the chapters have to follow FMCA rules and it was a pain in the @$# for me finding enough people to run and hold a position FMCA required.For years the Eagle International and GMC clubs you had to own the brand to be a member that had to change with both clubs there wasn't enough brand owners,At one time we were close to 200 members in the Eagles International I have no idea how many they have now.The only Eagles I saw at Quartzsite this year was Art and Cindy and Bob and Sandy that were members of EI when I was a member there could have been more some where in the desert I didn't see,yep life goes own

[luvrbus]

Western GM Coach left FMCA and disbanded several years ago..>>>Dan

Doesn't seem long ago I was at their last rally when they were spending the last of their money to keep from giving it to FMCA.That is one thing I don't like about FMCA they own the assets of a Chapter ,The GM was a nice group to hang out with,lot of Eagle owners hung with the GM group

[Utahclaimjumper]

 True,,, altho the "new" group that is trying to reform is having the same problem of the old  group,, aging out..  Most are in their 80s and dropping at an alarming rate..>>>Dan ( Past president)   This club at one time numbered 250...>>>

[Tedsoldbus]

Different group and a different time. My FIL (90 and still alive but in a wheelchair now) is #4125 and his running buddy Stanly brought their 4106 and Buffalo to see me and Rita in Alaska 25 years ago. Bused all the way from Jersey. Twice! FIL and mom in assisted living lately, but in emptying out their house stumbled on lots of pictures of the old days of FMCA meets. Mostly buses. Early on you had to be able to walk from the front to the back. Most meets were in a farmers field.
FIL is a life member (when you could still get that) and still gets the magazine. Once a month Rita and I sit in bed and I read her all the recalls on the new stuff. Helps us feel better about our old bus and the few things that have gone wrong.
We were 4125D (for daughter) with out Allegro bus, but let it lapse when we sold it. The magazine is as others have said. Not much in there for an old bus owner. When I was a member I sent a letter asking them to look at the Classified section a bit. They didn't listen. There are still about 8 pages for "Motorhomes for Sale" that is 95 percent "I will by your RV" guys. Last four issues I looked at Prevosts for sale. None, but 6 to 8 entries of "We will pick up your Prevost and sell it for you". I suggested to the editor in a letter that they do one page of people that want to do that. So few advertise any vehicle in FMCA they could save some trees. No response to my letter.
We've pondered joining SE Busnuts. Mostly buses and they do most things within a day drive of us. Thought about the Annual FMCA meet in Ga since only 3 hours from home, but expeeeensive. Also not a gadget guy as far as vendors. Also don't need RV basics, how to drive my RV etc. since this is our 4th vehicle. Ladies luncheon and ice cream social did not push us over the top. Just couldn't find a good reason to go.
To each their own, but not joining to get cheap tires every 7 years and we have good insurance.
Rita's parents had a great time with their small group in the NE and even did a few meets up in Maine with the guys that started the whole thing. They did different things since there was not a TV in the belly bay and every child over the age of 5 did not have a cell phone.
A different time. Not saying it was better. Just different.
Each generation grows up with different expectations.
Me? I'm keepin' the old bus....

[luvrbus]

Ted,the FMCA number will always belong to Rita and her dad if she decides start back in FMCA 5 years from now she will have the same numbers.The D and S numbers are neat they show you carrying on were the family has left off .Sonja has her Dad's 4 numbers cast FMCA plate not the plastic stuff FMCA has now 

[Jim Blackwood]

You mean I could still use my number from a couple decades ago? Huh. Never expected that one.

Jim