Newbies - Narrowing down our bus search

[Scott & Heather]

Funny how several are commenting how they would have bought a 102C3 the first time had they known then what they know now. We too feel the same way. So we bought one to convert. I would say that if you want a 35' raised roof coach, an MC5 might be a great option. I posted the link to that Saudi model in McAllen TX a month ago and I'm sure the bus is still available. If it spent it's life down here, it's probably rust free. Clean chassis=much happier owners


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[sledhead]

http://www.busnut.com/classifieds/index.php?a=2&b=2115

dave

[jackhanow]

I have an mc5 that may work for you. It needs a new home and it was only in service for five years and is pretty rust free. My wife and I lived in it for 2 years. It needs some work and the body is pretty original. It runs and drives pretty good.  I think my next bus would be a D model and am seriously considering it. Let me know if you are interested. It's in Wyoming and I'm just taking offers.

[HB of CJ]

My old 1974 long gone Crown Supercoach VIN 37317 was a 40 footer.  Had 10 wheels.  Consider it a dump truck or logging truck mounted under a School Bus Body.  Had the true tandem drive with an additional inter differential lock up air switch.

We actually took it to Crescent City CA once from Cave Junction down through the Smith River Canyon.  Handled fine.  Even took it onto the beach sand for a bit.  Had a little bit of concern with the front tires plowing, but the rears floated fine.

Crazy?  Probably.  The towing bill if stuck would have been astronomically high.  Once up to about 10 mph, floated across the firm beach sand fine.  DO NOT TRY THIS with a transit coach.  The Roadranger has close gears, but not that close.

Several times we cruised Forest Service dirt roads with tight turns and steep grades.  The Crown from a dead stop handled 12% grades easily ... starting in second gear.  My point is that thinking outside the box does has its advantages.  Crown Supercoach.

[kyle4501]

http://sellmyrv.today/listing.php?listing_id=186055

A whole lot of coach for the price . . . $16,000.

[lvmci]

hi John, what great advice your getting, can't get any better advice about 5Cs than Dave, RJ and JC, my 5A was a great bus, power was the issue for me, yes 102C3s are a great platform, however getting into tight spaces even easier, as Clifford and others will testify, is the MCI102D3 with tag steering! Clifford says he can get his 45' in places my C3 at 40' couldn't turn into easily and my 35 '5A would take more than 1 pass to park, tom, lvmci...

[Scott & Heather]

^ I agree 100%

Just budget $$$ to keep that steerable tag working, aligned and happy. :-/


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[Beesme]

As long as your not coming into the parks in N.H Maine or Vermont I can agree with the turning aspect of the bigger coach . But  we go into the state parks here and they were designed long ago. Our 4106 with no ac on top and we have trees rubbing all over . People look at me with wonder! They always sayin how did you get that in here ! Thank god it's just 2 of us though because room ..... We sometimes bring one of the kids (all grown now) wknd is fine fulltime NOT.  I would love a bigger coach but up in the north east it only works for bigger campgrounds here . Jmho though not sayin if you don't care bout paint and things being ripped off coach you would be fine lol

[TedCalvert]

Not to be argumentative with the guy who posted about high gearing in highway coaches,  you are absolutely right, my 4104 with stock 4-speed could be a little lower in first, and reverse is waaaay too tall.  Almost like second!  Definitely not easy for precision backing, definitely not uphill.  I like the comment "stab and coast"!

However, my '86 Prevost XL came to me with the (I think) OEM 5-speed with creeper.  It will climb a tree in creeper and it feels like reverse is the same.  I guess I could look it up,  but I like it.

[TomC]

Blue Bird made 31, 33, 35ft front engine motorhomes in the 70's and 80's. Excellent coaches-except for the Caterpillar 3208's that were used. If you find one that the engine has been up graded, grab it. The other coach I'd consider is an older Newell. Both Blue Bird and Newell are the only motorhomes I'd consider outside a bus or truck conversion.

The all time best coach now is the MCI 102D3 with Series 60 Detroit. Bite the bullet and spend the money-you won't be disappointed. Good Luck, TomC

[DoubleEagle]

Regarding camping in the Northeast with coaches, I agree that some thought needs to go into what height and length your coach is, and being selective as to which campgrounds you go to. I used to live in Northern New Hampshire prior to being transplanted to Ohio, and I have taken my first Eagle back there to camp. I had the advantage though, that I had scouted out my favorite campgrounds in previous years with smaller vehicles. I surprised several campground managers when I showed up with my Eagle at "primitive" campsites, but I already had been there and knew which roads would work, and which sites had enough space. One of my favorites is the campground on the southern edge of Lake Umbagog (Cambridge, NH) on the Maine border. I had made a reservation and paid well in advance, (in 2000) and showed up after dark because of a storm delay. I pulled in down the dirt road staying in the center to avoid low branches (12' clearance then), and I stopped just short of the campsite to get out and scout. The campground had been a private one for years, but in 1998 it became Umbagog Lake State Park. The park manager's residence was just to my left side, and he came running out because he thought some idiot had pulled up in a diesel truck. He wanted to know what I was doing here, and I was crazy, etc. I simply said I have a paid reservation for site #3, right over there (I shined my flashlight on it), and I stopped here to check the clearance on that overhead wire (shined on it) that goes across the road here. That shut him up. I pulled in quickly into a level spot within a 100 ft. or so of the beach with a nice view of the lake, and close to a boat launch. By the way, I was also pulling a Series III Land Rover behind me. I did not raise the roof on either of my Eagles for precisely such situations, besides, I am 5' 9", and it does not matter. High 45' coaches look awesome, and have stretching room, but you are not getting into #3 at Lake Umbagog, which is beautiful, and has nesting Bald Eagles along the shore, and lots of fish.

[Escape Velocity]

Lots of great comments - thank you for all the input.  I see there is no shortage of polarization in the bus community. 

Several folks have posted links and we're finding new websites to search - much appreciated!

We like hearing the "if I had to do it again with what I know now" comments.  They are quite helpful as hindsight gives one a great advantage.  We hope to be in a similar boat someday.

The idea of buying a bus, finding a good choice, and then figuring out how to decide to jump in is a bit overwhelming, but this process should arm us with the necessary knowledge to (hopefully) make a reasonable choice.

The search continues...  hopefully we'll find something in the next 3-6 months, that's our timeline.

Deb

[Escape Velocity]

I've been looking at the Newells several folks recommended.  Lots of people seem to regard Newells highly though I don't know much about them.  The newer ones have always been so long I didn't look at them much.  However I see several 35 ft ones from the 70s and 80s that look pretty nice.

Any body know anything about their interior height and the feasibility of raising the roof on one?

Also, any ideas of how much (say compared to a 4106) basement storage they have?

[Scott & Heather]

Deb, I just tried hard to find a Newell 35' that had a raised roof. I spent a ton of time looking at google images and no luck. Can someone vouch for how feasible a roof raise on a vintage 35' Newell might be?


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[Escape Velocity]

Are the Newells framed and skinned like the GMCs?

Also, when thinking about interior redesigns would folks say it's easier to work on paper or to run a basic CAD type program (a free or inexpensive one)?  I used a CAD program long ago, can't recall the name though...  We've been talking about a lot of ideas on how to configure things given the basic expectation that we'll be 96" wide and 35' long with an interior height of about 76" and it'd be useful to see them more visually.