Pro conversion vs Home grown

[robertglines1]

After demo the 98 prevost systems in a entertainer coach. I found out that we as home builders take more care and in most cases do better on our basic systems..what I found was 2 wire lamp cord used for receptacles.2 differant wires with screws Thur them. cheap faucet in bath.most plumbing and electrical not fastened up frequently enough.Partition walls held in place with small 1/2 inch wide metal strip.only two per partition.So they sure look pretty! but are they that much better?not saying that is typical,but have seen and heard of other short cuts some take.  The factory part of the prevost shell was professionally assembled and quality good.  Bob

[Zippymoe]

And this surprises you how? Who's going to do a better job all things considered equal? The guy doing it for his family and friends or the guy doing it as part of his job?

[Lin]

Really, it all depends.  Some individual converters are extremely thorough as are some professional converters, but I think there are a lot more mistakes in homegrown conversions than from a reputable professional.  You can trust that most things were done right in a Liberty Coach no matter what the year.  The same goes for Barth, Wanderlodge, Newell and some others.  Any time you look at a home built, every system and every inch is an unknown.  Some people may be great carpenters and you are dazzled by the interior.  However the truth behind the walls might scare you.

[Hi yo silver]

Lin has it right, depends on the converter.  Fortunately, I haven't found cheap materials or inferior workmanship on the Custom Coach I bought.  It's an '82, and in remarkably good operating condition.  Plumbing and electrical components are high quality and still working.  In fact, when I experienced a power surge at a campground a couple of years ago, the two inline thermostats it took out cost around $80 each to replace. ...go with me here, I'm trying to look at the bright side. LOL   The opposite situation from what I found in a Fleetwood trailer.   

[cody]

Over the years I've worked on more coaches than I care to think about at one time or another from the caldwells to liberty and I've found that there are no absolutes, some builders may have better reputations than others but on any particular day the craftsmanship may vary by a lot, one of the best examples came from a friend at marathon a few years ago when he said that laminate covers a lot of sins lol.  My early days most of the interiors went into redoing airstream and avion trailers, I think I still have a set of patterns for the wall curves set aside somewhere, those were some great rigs to work on, incredibly accurate, exactly where you would expect a wall support, it would be there, motorhomes wern't very common then, this was in the early 70's and fifthwheelers were still only an idea, at least I hadn't seen one yet at that point, I really disliked redoing S&S crates of any kind then they were all 2x2's and 1/4 inch plywood, pure junk but pretty I guess in their own ugly way, I still have a 1964 frolic travel trailer that I redid in birch but I often wonder why, so I guess the quality depends on who is doing what, I've seen some great homebuilt units and some terrible top of the line units, what bothers me the most is the idea that close is good enough in mitre joints, guess I'm getting old.

[Melbo]

yes cody and as we get older the tolerance level goes up on some things and down on others -- we can complain about this or that and then let the next thing slide because it doesn't matter to us

Isn't life fun???

Melbo

[cody]

I really hate it when people are intolorant, it just really makes me mad, how can anyone ever be intolrant, don't you just hate that?  Meanwhile back to conversions lol.   

[Busted Knuckle]

Well Bob think about it if the "Pros" did quality work on those buses 2 things would happen
1; they would have to raise the price to remain profitable!
2; they might last longer and cost them some re-furbishing work do the road in a few years!

And last but not least yer buses maybe "home brew" but I have seen the level of craftsmanship you put in them and it ain't shady by any means!
  BK