new guy how do you do these?

[bja1234]

I am certain I don't know enough to know what I don't know!   Some place there must be info on how to convert a bus,  what kind of cost to do so,  the best kind of bus to use or maybe the concerns and challenges using a particular bus.   I am not interested in reinventing the wheel on every decision to be made.  What are the values of these buses before and after?   I know tough question.  I see many advertised/ebay never see any selling prices?  Just a start.  Go ahead and answer these and those questions I have not thought of yet.   many thanks

[scanzel]

Everyone that does a conversion does it according to their own particular needs and likes. It usually takes lots of money and time and you will most likely never get back what you put into it financially and time wise. There is no special book on how. Look at conversions on ebay, go to one of the bus rallies if you can and then start planning. Expect to take several years in the process unless you have lots of time and money and then you may be able to complete it sooner. I bought mine in 2005 with no seats, used it for two years as is, then gutted it out and I expect to take another two to three years to maybe complete it if my sanity and health don't fail me. Good Luck!

[buswarrior]

Hello bja1234.

There are many sources of general information available to you. Here's a few.


This site is operated by MAK Publishing, who print a monthly magazine Bus Conversions Magazine

http://www.busconversions.com/


You might want to purchase one or more of Dave Galey's books, a well respected bus conversion author.

They are in the process of being made available to download, or you can buy a print copy over at BNO.

http://www.busnut.com/bnostore/USstore/books/


You can read Fred Hobe's extensive writings at this link for free, another of the bus conversion gurus:

http://users.cwnet.com/~thall/fredhobe.htm


George Myers has a lengthy series of publications available, as well as copies of his old monthly newsletter The Coach Builder's Bulletin.

http://www.busnut.com/epicconversionsupport.html


There are countless other web pages to view, no doubt, others will toss their favorites on here too!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[akroyaleagle]

Great answer Bus Warrior!

As I was reading, I was formulating the same answer.

[RJ]

BJA1234 -

Welcome to the madness!

IMHO, you should, before you take the plunge, invest $15 in a copy of Larry Plachno's "Beginner's Guide to Converted Coaches".  Altho slightly dated, the concepts he talks about are just as valid today as when it was first published.  It really is a "must read" for anyone contemplating this crazy hobby.  Still available new from the publisher (www.busmag.com - in the Transportation Trails section), you can also find copies on Amazon and sometimes eBay.  Reading this first could potentially save you thousands of dollars & headaches.

FWIW & HTH. . .

[Len Silva]

After you have done all the research you can and have the best possible estimate of time and money, double it.

[loosenut]

Thanks for the laugh.  I mean no disrespect to you as I'm new to busses also.  I chose to buy a converted bus because I can't imagine the time needed or my wife agreeing to spend the money one must pour into a conversion.  To me it seems more likely that I will win the lottery than have that much time or free money.

However, if your set on going ahead you might drive some busses to see what you like and don't like.  You should be able to drive any brand and size you want from a search of the internet.  Now is a good time to buy a coach.

Good luck

Mike

[Singing Land Cruiser]

Well bja1234, 1st "Welcome to the Madness" I say that because that is what was said to me. New Years Eve/ New Years 2009 I couldn't sleep after a show. I got on the net and LSS "I want a Bus. Well, I got one and my wife and I are converting it. We don't have money But, we do have exp. in building and are working. That said, I believe that getting a bus has brought immense joy into our lives. The sense of accomplishment, meeting great people and working side by side with the one I love is priceless. We are Blogging the story of our "Change of Life, Bus, Event" Here is the link; http://singinglandcruiser.blogspot.com/ . We have sold our house and hitting the road. All the Best, M&C

[Hi yo silver]

I offer this comment with all due respect to Fred Hobe.  I've never met Fred, but I'm sure he has forgotten more than I'll ever know about converting a bus.  I do however, respectfully disagree with one aspect of his posting regarding wiring.  Although outdoor extension cord is "UL listed", it is not listed for that particular application.  It wasn't designed or intended for permanent installation in an RV.  The guidelines in NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code, are the last word in wiring methods and materials.  It's detailed and complex, but there are guidebooks and reference notes published that are helpful in wading through it all.  I think most of it is available for reference online.  I hope this is helpful.

Dennis   

[gus]

Before I bought my 4104 I trolled these forums for six months to a year and googled everything I could about buses.

When I decided on a GMC I did the same thing only for GMCs. About all the specs you could ever want are on these forums and on the internet.

After all the research and deciding what buses I liked I then trolled the classifieds. I then looked at a few buses, not as many as I wanted, but a bunch. You learn a lot in a short time when you see a variety of buses and conversions. You will also find out that a bunch of classifieds are ancient so start out with a large number, they dissolve in a hurry.

It takes a lot of time but it is time well spent and you shouldn't buy a bus unless you do this. It saves many headaches later.

This will help you a lot more than asking general questions and getting a bunch of general answers.

In a nutshell, it takes a lot of effort but the payback is worth it.

[bja1234]

Many thanks to all.  It seems evident that purchasing an already converted or partially converted unit is probably a better deal and I have no qualms with letting someone else mash their thumb.   So where do you find selling prices?   Many are listed and re-listed with no bids on ebay.  Also how about some brand/model specific cautions?  ex. Parts are difficult on gmc older than 1990.  Or all Eagles rust, but it can be reinforced with reasonable fabrication.  I have no idea if these 2 examples are even close, but this is the kind of stuff I am looking for.  Mr. Gus why did you decide on a GMC?  Thanks again

[HighTechRedneck]

You might want to purchase one or more of Dave Galey's books, a well respected bus conversion author.

They are in the process of being made available to download, or you can buy a print copy over at BNO.

Dave Galey's books are already available for download in the MAK store:

http://www.busconversions.com/store/index.php?cPath=27_28_30

[loosenut]

So where do you find selling prices?  Many are listed and re-listed with no bids on ebay.  Also how about some brand/model specific cautions?  ex. Parts are difficult on gmc older than 1990.  Or all Eagles rust, but it can be reinforced with reasonable fabrication.  I have no idea if these 2 examples are even close, but this is the kind of stuff I am looking for.  Mr. Gus why did you decide on a GMC?  Thanks again

Look at the recent threads started by mtlaw.  One of his threads has a number of reasonably priced buses.  Plus there is another poster, who's name escapes me, was complaining that a conversion he just finished didn't receive bids on eBay.  You might contact him.

I found it hard to determine sold prices on RVs in general.  Without a reporting agency like NADA the natural tendency to inflate prices when selling and deflate prices when buying takes over.

I chose a Neoplan because it was shorter and more maneuverable than most buses and my wife liked it better than the Prevosts I had previously shown her.  My search took over 12 years of looking.


Mike

[Hi yo silver]

The best advice I was offered by a bus owner during my search, was "you need to look at a LOT of buses before you make a decision".  I don't think I ever heard anyone say they looked too much.  There seem to be a lot more stories regarding unforseen problems than stories about great deals or missed opportunities.  Something tells me we aren't gonna run out of good buses anytime soon.  It's not something to rush into.  The more you educate yourself, the more confident you can be when you find the right one.  The "not so tongue-in-cheek" remark about estimating the cost to convert one then doubling the figure goes for the taking time to find a good one too.  Just my opinion, based on my experience.
Dennis 

[John316]

I really can't believe that nobody has mentioned this already. Our very own Grumpy (whoops) Gumpy, has a great website. Try http://www.gumpydog.com/bus/. That should help out. Real experience, from a real guy.

God bless,

John