Would you live in a non-raised roof bus for the right price?

[Gary '79 5C]

Paul,
There is a 1972 MCI 7 for sale which I almost pursued. It has no roof raise, but it is clean and supposedly never seen reenue service, which this time I can believe. Not my taste inside, but incredibly immaculate.
It also has the original windows IIRC.

Being 6'5" with a son taller than I, I went for the RR. One time in the middle of the night to crack my head would sell me.
But do it your way.
Good Luck,
I will post if I recall where posted.

[bebackbus]

We are living in a non raised coach now.  We have been full timing for 6 years.  I am 5' 8" and our first bus  was a gm 4106.  The one we are using is a mci-8.  Most of the time you are sitting or sleeping.  Cooking or shower doesn't  put you against the AC.  The first coach was converted when I got it an I tore it all out an started over.  The newer coach was professionally done an I have moified it alot.  Buy something converted and modify.  I know alot of guys with tons of dough in their coaches that will not get their money out.  The best deal is on someone else's time and work investment.

[bebackbus]

Also as far as insulation Mike Kadlitz's bus is not insulated.  Not a great idea but for 100k  and Mike that's what you get.  One thing I did that helps alot is to use snow koat on the roof.  It's the insulating paint that keeps the sun from penetrating into the coach.  It also works to keep the cold out.   When I did the 4106 I used 1 " dow insulation and then reflextix then i/8" harwood then the headliner.  Close to the same original height.  With the kool koat it is better than the blown in insulation in the mci

[PADoug]

Hi Doug,

I'm on Washington St, not far at all! I'd love to meet up with you next weekend to take a look :-)

I plan on moving out and hitting the road full time.

Cheers, Paul.

Paul,
     I don't have a coach. I'm leaving tomarrow AM to work Mon-Tues, but staying in Baltimore Monday night,then back home for 3 days. Then back to Baltimore/DC. My weekend hours are 8:00-1:30ish.  I'm always up for a meal or coffee at the Ranch House though.   
     I don't know anything about coaches, but I could probably write a manual based on all the expertise I've read here, and actually have it make sense and follow it while looking at one. Talk to you soon.

Peace,

Doug

PS:
Incidentally, this GMC may be worth a look. And it is not too far, at least from Baltimore: http://www.sellabus.com/geckle.html

[buswarrior]

phooey.

I'm 6'4"

Stock MC8, all the stock double pane windows in it, stock insulation.

two roof airs have kept it cool, parked broadside in the sun, in 95 degrees KOA field camping.

No roof raise. Learn to duck?

You don't HAVE TO re-insulate or raise the roof, and for weekender use, quite a cost benefit argument can be made against realizing savings.

The bigger determiner is whether the rest of the family share in the idea to tear it all apart and spend all that time and effort rebuilding it, instead of buying a store bought RV....

Be careful, the busnuts who erred in this way are not amongst the posters here! They are "no more"

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Jeremy]

I could have 'got away with' not raising the roof of my bus, but my philosophy in such things is 'do it once and do it right'

In my opinion life is far too short to convert two buses because you weren't happy with something fundamental about the first one. 'Learning to Duck' is too much of a compromise when you're putting so much time, effort and money into a project such as this - even if raising the roof adds six months onto the project, you will wish you had spent those extra six months when, in ten years time, you are sick to the back teeth of having to duck every time you walk about in the bus.

Just my view. I am 6' tall and was starting with a bare shell. Obviously it is a different story if you are below 6' and are starting with a fully converted bus, or perhaps don't expect to use the bus much or keep it very long.

Jeremy