How strong is a MC9 roof? Strong enough for a roof deck?

[Dreamscape]

I'm pretty sure he still has the bus. Give him a call, he is very willing to share information.

http://www.rm-fiberglass.com/

The picture was taken about one month ago when I was in the area on business and purchased a breastplate for our Eagle.

They are located in Turner OR, just outside of Salem.

Paul

[Tom Y]

Greg, I looked at a Newel (not sure of spelling) bus or motor home. They put an electric awning on, above the roof ( not sure how well it worked up there). They then installed the front panel of the awning the rest of the way back and the entire other side. The front and rear caps had air foils of sorts. This all hid the roof airs and everything else. It looked good from ground and odd from a ladder. Interesting idea how they made it look like awnings all around.  Hope this helps.  Tom Y

[Kwajdiver]

As the owner of a MCI-9, I don't believe the roof was design to take the extra weight of 3,4,5,6 people.  It's one thing for one person to move around a little up there.  A whole different story to be camped out on the roof.  It may work for awhile, but over time, I believe you will have problems.  I thought about it building a roof deck, but ruled it out.

My two cents,

Bill
Tampa Bay

[bowmaga]

well aren't you just a bearer of bad news this morning.  I would agree with you if we were just going to pile up there on the existing roof and nothing else.  In my preliminary plans and thinking, I think we would have to definitely go up from the sides with flat structural to the highest point in the middle of the roof.  Then span from side to side, over top the original roof cross members, then we could deck it.  I think if we stayed on top and also fastened to the original bus skeleton....we should be OK.  We all won't be standing in the same place.  I hope...cause this is most likely going to happen.  I guess i will keep everyone posted on what happens.  This won't happen till towards the end of summer.  We have a lot to get done....bus is still gutted, but slowly going back together.

Thanks for the input....I like it positive or negative!

[JackConrad]

    If you make the deck a couple inches above the OEM roof, this will help prevent the OEM roof from absorbing the radiant heat from the sun (similar to the double roof used on the Saudi MCIs). This will help with cooling.  As long as the deck framework is attached to the structural members of the bus, I can't see any problems.  Jack

[Kwajdiver]

Bowmaga,

Will have to agree with your plan, as your describe it.  As long as your not resting on the roof itself, you should be in good shape.  Beaware of heat transfere to the bus.  Of course you are creating your on roofover....

Are you off to the races with this platform?

Bill
Tampa Bay

[bowmaga]

Yes sir, we are off to the races....but I won't have the platform done until the later part of the year.  On my skoolie we attached uprights up the side of the bus between windows...then spanned accross from side to side over top the roof structural.  I will probably do the same with the coach but do something less noticiable on the sides. I put a rubber "puck" under the side to side deck structural as a buffer bewteen the bus roof and the new deck.  One to keep it quiet and two so it didn't rub the roof of the bus.  We used exterior plywood and painted it white, and it was ok, but this tume I think i will deck it with plywood, then cover it with 3/4" ridgid insualtion and then cover that with white rv rubber roofing.  Should hold up and look good for a long time doing that.  I can get that rubber rofing in 8'6" wide stuff x 40' long so it will work perfect.  All jnust a thought process now, have to get the bus interior done first. 

We go to Michigan Internation Raceway in june and august, and with this girl, will hopefully start heading to Bristol, Indy and Pocono.

I thought i already posted what i said above...i must have either been dreaming or drunk....  off to work on the bus...work work work...can't wait to start playing.

[Kwajdiver]

LOL,  you may have posted it, I may have missed it.  We went to Phoenix a couple years ago to the track their.  Couldn't beleive the 4000 RV there.  It was really wild, and a lot of fun.  We go to Daytona, but not in the bus.  They charge way to much to park at the track.  Sebring is not far away, but missed it this year.

Have fun, like your game plan......

Bill
Tampa Bay

[chargePlus]

We go to Daytona, but not in the bus.  They charge way to much to park at the track.  Sebring is not far away, but missed it this year.

The way you can get your RV into Daytona for free, for the 24-hour sports car race there, is to become a SCCA licensed Corner Worker. I have made the trip several times with some friends here in NC. RTS-Pete's son makes the trip almost every year. We usually park by the Turn 5 gate because we work at turn 5. Go figure!

The SCCA has numerous races throughout the year in Florida. Flagging is a great way to see the racing from up close, and the teams and drivers pretty much love flaggers.

This is how close I mean:



I took that picture at VIRginia International Raceway about three seasons ago. I was no more than 10 feet from the car at the time. Close enough for ya?  Oh, and the driver of that car, Milka Duno, She likes flaggers:



If I get off my butt and get our 4103 fixed and prepped, my wife and I may make the trip to Daytona for the 2009 Rolex race...

- John

[Kwajdiver]

All I can say to that is.....

                    YOU THE MAN 


Bill

[NewbeeMC9]

Yes sir, we are off to the races....but I won't have the platform done until the later part of the year.  On my skoolie we attached uprights up the side of the bus between windows...then spanned accross from side to side over top the roof structural.  I will probably do the same with the coach but do something less noticiable on the sides. I put a rubber "puck" under the side to side deck structural as a buffer bewteen the bus roof and the new deck.  One to keep it quiet and two so it didn't rub the roof of the bus.  We used exterior plywood and painted it white, and it was ok, but this tume I think i will deck it with plywood, then cover it with 3/4" ridgid insualtion and then cover that with white rv rubber roofing.  Should hold up and look good for a long time doing that.  I can get that rubber rofing in 8'6" wide stuff x 40' long so it will work perfect.  All jnust a thought process now, have to get the bus interior done first. 

We go to Michigan Internation Raceway in june and august, and with this girl, will hopefully start heading to Bristol, Indy and Pocono.

I thought i already posted what i said above...i must have either been dreaming or drunk....  off to work on the bus...work work work...can't wait to start playing.

When I was first looking at buses, someone foam insulated the roof then skinned down to the gutter, (to insulate and not lose head room.  I like how the foam is light and spreads the load across the roof of the bus.

What if you just added a foot of insulation and skinned it,  Like SIP's,  wouldn't need air bags then. and it would be light and easy to work.  you could even sink cooler ,  would have serious roof insulation,  easy to make those curves

Also look to the boat building industry for how they use foam.  May help playtime be sooner.

also Check ouy seans http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com  It's quite enviable.

[gumpy]

I thnk the fold down ladder alluded to by JohnEd is probably mine, since I'm not aware of any other fold down ladder on a bus. It's still not complete, and neither is the web page. I only have about 3 steps on it so far, but it's coming along. I think it's going to work ok when it's done, though I may have put the steps too close together.

There are some photos of the preliminary construction at http://www.gumpydog.com/bus/MC9_WIP/Structural/Roof_Access_Hatch/roof_access_hatch.htm

craig

[Dallas]

Somewhere, long long ago, and far far away, I saw a factory built PD4104 that I was told had been built for one of the executives of the PTB's. It was an excellent conversion, but the most interesting part was the spiral staircase going up to the roof deck.

Does anyone have any pictures or a link or information on this particular coach?

Just a though for something different.

DF

[bowmaga]

I know a guy through my business that spray existing foams roofs w/ white foam insulation.  I would have never thought about doing something like that.  I will look into the possibilities and keep you everyone posted.   The reason for the airbags was to gain and extra possible foot of height without adding a foot of height to the bus permanently.  And technically the rules at MIS are that you are not a load a permanent deck more than 8" or something about the bus roof.  My guess is for sight reasons....or there would be that guy with a bus who had a deck 6' above his bus...  The air bags would give us a foot and then drop down fro travel and access into my future barn without a 13' door.

One crazy idea we got...I'm sure after a 10 hour day of drinking at nascar, was to purchase or find a big foot hydraulic jack system to mount under the bus and just lift the whole thing a couple feet.  We found a system but its cost was close to 20k....and it didn't seem to be worth 20k to lift a 5k skoolie!  But I had some plans drawn up for it!

I'm concerned about the skinning process....I have never worked with aluminum or fiberglass skin material and hope whatever i do looks good.