1978 MCI-8 Crusader - Possible First Coach!

[PNWorBUST72]

Hello all!  First post!

I am looking at buying a 1978 MCI-8 Crusader with a 8V71 Detroit Diesel rear engine drive with 740 Allison automatic transmission.  I dont see any rust, the engine started in 2-3 seconds, no smoke, smooth idle, air filled  quick. airbags leveled easily.

The speedo doesnt work, fuel gage is out, passenger wiper is dead.

I'd like to know if you have any specific things I should check before I drop 10k here. 


THANKS!

[PP]

Welcome PNW, Can we assume that you're somewhere in the Pacific NW or wannabe somewhere in the Pacific NW? I'm not going to give advice about buying a bus because there are others here with much more knowledge and experience than me, plus I'm completely ignorant when talking MCI's. Good luck, you will find tons of valuable help here, just take everything with a tiny amount of salt  Some are slightly prejudiced toward what they own and rightly so.
Will

[Branderson]

Yea, I think a few guys in here wrote very detailed responses in the past on what to look for.  I will try to do a search to see if I can find it.

Do you know how old the tires are?  My rule is to change tires every 7yrs no matter the wear.  I wouldn't like not having a speedometer or fuel gauge.  In fact, my fuel gauge isn't very accurate so I have to keep track of the mileage.  I have an 8 too but with different engine. 

What do you think of the inside?  Are there things in there that needs major updating like the floor?  Are you able to take it and camp in it right now? 

[Branderson]

Here are some links that I found from the past


http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=15093.0


http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=11781.0


http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=30825.0

[Templar52]

At 10,000 dollars you don't have mutch to loose. Have a look on the underside around the upper bellow beams. Inside the wheel archs also for panel separation. These things are expensive to repair. Radiators condition. Check if there is no oil in the surch tank. The best of all is to remoove the oil filters (engine and tranny ) and have a look at them by opening them and squizing the papers elements. There is a frame member in front under the driver seat who rot a lot on thoses bus. You can also have some oil analysis.
Drive the bus on the road for a while. Ask someone to follow you with his car to see if the bus drive straight.
Of course,rust is someting you have to whatch. There is tons of tings to check. Take your time.

[neoneddy]

I bought my MC9 almost a year ago for $3k, it had some unknowns, but I took the chance.   Loving it so far. Here is my list I used, I compiled it from a few sources.

Bus Checklist

-

• Check for rust up front - Behind the front bumper is the spare tire area, look in the ceiling of this compartment, check around the drivers foot controls
  -
• Check for Power Steering Type - Open the service door in front of your left front tire. Beneath the drivers window, if the steering gear box has a hydraulic piston attached to the pitmen arm you will see this hydraulic piston. This hydraulic Piston means you are looking at the power assisted model - don't want.
  -
• In the drivers compartment, make sure the  gauges don't have water damage.  On the left of driver you will have switches. Make sure they work smoothly, check for looseness or electrical short damage .
  -
• On the outside of the lower windshield you have windshield wiper arms.  Check the main drive post it can turn left or right in a wiping action but it should not wobble or pull in or out.
  -
• Back of the bus - Look for bad belts, corroded copper wiring, any rust spots around the engine, also check on the outside of your radiator. There are louvers in front of the radiator for extreme cold weather and they close automatically. Make sure they are opened by themselves, sometimes people will have a problem with them and will force the louvers to stay open with a stick or something.
  -
• Check rear track bar - A radius rod is a heavy 2 inch steel rod that holds the suspension in place so it wont float around .  There are several of these 2 inch rods and they have radius rod bushings. If these bushings wear down the rear end will move around and not track squarely with the bus.
  -
• Engine - check water hose on back of engine between the exhaust manifold and the starter on the curb side of the engine,it goes from the block to the air compressor, theres another line that goes from the compressor to the head,replace it too. You may have to pull the starter off to get to it.
  -
• Check oil for coolant
  
  
  
  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[scanzel]

I would not expect a lot of speed and uphill speed and power with the 8V71 unless you do some updates or change it out to something better. $$$$

[PNWorBUST72]

Thank you all for the information!  I will double check all these for sure.

Another question is insurance.  Good Sam / Geico wont insure it, State Farm will give the very basic for 800 a year while Progressive quote me 500K all around for 1k a year.  A Lot of people on the Skoolie Forums are saying that are getting canceled two or three times before finding a good policy.

Any thoughts on how to get this thing insured?

[buswarrior]

Liability only is usually easy.

More than that, it gets murky fast in bus conversion land. Old stuff, no standardized book value, easier to say no.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[Branderson]

I'm insured with Foremost via USAA.  I could only get liability b/c in order to get more, I would have had to get someone to assess it and I didn't want to go thru that.

If I was full timing, I probably would but I'm not.

[scanzel]

I finally got Progressive after Good Sam and FMCA did nothing and left National General. If it isn't fully converted and looks like a pro converted coach then it is not easy to get anything past liability. I had to submit several photos to the agent and it took a few weeks before it was approved. Talking to the agent insurance companies not insuring home built anything, cars, boats, bus conversions. planes. Too much risk with hackers doing things and when something happens they want the insurance company to payout. This year has been tough too with all the California fires, and hurricanes. Take a look at www.copart.com and see all the water damaged rv type items. Insurance companies call it and we just get stuck with no other good options.

[PNWorBUST72]

Good Sam had to to Progressive so thats my best quote so far.

On a more technical note:  Anyone have thoughts on the existing lavatory, either using it or the process to remove it?  Seems like an ordeal to fully remove the system but I am just looking at pics right now, don't have the bus yet.

[pabusnut]

PNW,

Bite the bullet and remove the lavatory first!  You will never be happy leaving it in.  In a coach it is probably in the right place, but for most motorhome conversions it is not.  You can't put any tanks under it, nor pipe the "stuff" successfully to a tank located in a storage bay. 

Removing the factory lavatory was the first thing I did in my 4905 and am glad I did, as it revealed a very rotted floor underneath.  I went on to replace the entire floor front to back.

Just my $0.02 worth

Steve

[Branderson]

Wait its not converted at all and they want 10k?  Seems high to me for that year.

[PNWorBUST72]

It's not finished no, they have a kitchen in with a table and seating but past that is all empty/clean slate.  It does NOT have plumbing or electric done at all outside the factory stuff.

Thats one of the reason I was thinking of keeping the factory lav, to use as I build out the rest of the bus.  My concern is once I built out the bedroom for example, do I really want to be messing with demo in the back corner as well?