FC3500 on ebay

[Len Silva]

Wow, if only I could afford it.  Seems like a pretty good deal for someone.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2002-MCI-F3500-ENTERTAINER-BUS-BUNKS-PREVOST-STYLE_W0QQitemZ160143542906QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item160143542906

Len

[dwbruner]

Len,

Very nice!  

I can't afford it, but there are several good space utilization/functionality ideas to consider.  Like the sofa with table that also makes into a bed or the j-lounge sofa under the bunk bed.

Thanks for sharing the link!
Darrin

[TomC]

This is the EXACT bus model I'd use for my next bus-even the power train.  Especially if it has a flat floor to the rear wall, it would have very close to the same interior space as my transit with its' engine protrusion in the back.  Good Luck, TomC

[superpickle]

Must be something wrong with the Plumbing, they put a Drain in the middle of the liveing room floor 


Ya know, For what you get with your 140,000 bucks, id think it should FLY..
Lot better ive seen for 30 to 50,000  . and more Style as well.. What a peice of Over priced  Krapp.

But then, im a bit more conservative 

[belfert]

Be aware that the F3500 is a Dina with an MCI nameplate on the front.  Unless you get an entertainer/RV shell you'll be stuck with the air operated door that doesn't work all that well for RV use.

Some parts will be hard to get and/or expensive.  Some of the parts are identical to the 43 foot Dina.  MCI did have some exterior parts changed to make it look more like other MCI buses of the same year.

[Stan]

superpickle: Please tell us where all the five year old buses with 30k original miles are for $30k, even if they are only a shell.

[superpickle]

superpickle: Please tell us where all the five year old buses with 30k original miles are for $30k, even if they are only a shell.

LOL.. Yes i was being Sarcastic at best.. But i just thimk that a bus doesnt have to be 10 or even 5 years old to be in good shape.. Yes, that one doesnt even look Used at all.. It just looks like a Whole lot of Expensive useless Luxury to me...  A bit to Gaudy for my taste.. looks like a Brothel 

Now, see , if it Were a Brothel  there ya go.. 

[RJ]

Superpickle has obviously never seen a Marathon!

[Green-Hornet]

Sounds like he has seen a brothel though!

[tekebird]

it's actually a Flexible...almost thru and thru.

structurally it is a proven 40 year old design

[tekebird]

or rather flxible

[belfert]

Dina did/does make coaches that use the Flxible design, but are the F3500 and the Dina Viaggio 1000 really based on the Flxible design?

Both of these coaches incorporate European design elements such as the windshields and the air operated plug type door.  Both of these coachs actually have the body made by Marco Polo with the chassis/drivetrain made by Dina.

I have ordered some body parts from MCI for my Dina and they came from Brazil where Marco Polo is located.  (Most body parts are not available anymore.)

[Songman]

Doesn't work for me. Guess I am an old school MCI guy. The DL3 is about the latest style MCI that I like because I can still see the MCI lineage. I've spent quite a bit of time on an E4500 band bus over the past couple of years and while it is a nice bus, it feels more like a Prevost than an MCI to me.

Note: Nothing wrong with Prevost. I like them. Just commenting on the lines of the E4500 and later MCI styles in relation to earlier MCIs.

[tekebird]

The Dina Viaggio  is not a Flx Design, it is a hybrid of brazilian, argentinean and Mexican work

the F3500 and the Dina Derivative is based off the Flx Flxliner which was the last of the Flx highway coaches.  Dina made the Flxliner under the name Olimpico I beleive wich outside osf some slight chagnges is a flxliner...and these were produced into the late early mid 80's and still looked like the flx.  the eventually clad it in smoth skin and slapped on a new front rear clip to bring the looks up to date.

structually the Flxline and the F3500 and identical from the waist down more or less....same holes in the engine frame, they even still have the battery trays in the engine comaprtment ( although they moved the batteries forward.  was privy to be under both in a pit.

[belfert]

Interesting.  I've seen an F3500 in person and seen a number of photos of them.

A lot of stuff looks the same between the Viaggio and the F3500.  They both use the same part number for windshields I know.  I find it hard to believe the F3500 is a completely different chassis and body from the Viaggo.

Maybe it is because I don't know the complete history here.