FMCA - Pros Cons

Tedsoldbus · March 18, 2023, 12:52:29 PM

The FMCA number is "Permanent" Jim. They even say that in the magazine now. I think they are up to 8 digits now? I put Rita's dads metal plate on the back of our bus. He loved it. He said ours is the last bus he will ride in. True, because sadly about 6 months ago was that last time we can get him up the stairs without it hurting him. Couldn't let him drive it because he has leg spasms now.

I have our plastic 4125D in our windshield. Probably shouldn't since we bailed on FMCA, but it helped us a bit when we were full time for a year. Her dad had many happy gatherings with guys from all over the NE. He started 3 chapters, including one in Florida when they moved there, but he won't even look at the magazine anymore. The last few issues had 5th wheels on the cover. He just scoffed and threw it out.

"And they call it family MOTORCOACH Magazine! That trailer is not a COACH!!".

It gets him riled up so I just keep it when it comes now to read all the recalls on new stuff with Rita. lol

Pictures below are of his 4106 with the plate on front and other guys at a meet. Notice parked in the grass! Fun to get him telling stories from those days. His face lights up, he stares across the room and I can see him imagining himself at the meet he is telling me about. Still pretty sharp of brain and memory for 90 1/2 years old...
The Flxible is Bud Stones. One of the single digit guys. His destination sign said "The Rolling Stones.". Pretty funny.

Like I said before. A time gone by. But I think I got as close as I will get last year the the Nappanee Rally. Flxibles, Scenicruisers, Silversides, old GM's. Amazing watching them roll into the place. Two stoke diesels making that magic sound. Pretty cool.

windtrader · March 20, 2023, 09:37:40 PM

Well, this about confirms the end of the road for FMCA as it relates to we busnuts. I'll dig around FB for some of the current busnuts that are gathering from time to time. Thanks for all the comments and perspective.

luvrbus · March 21, 2023, 04:59:24 AM

Quote from: windtrader on March 20, 2023, 09:37:40 PM
Well, this about confirms the end of the road for FMCA as it relates to we busnuts. I'll dig around FB for some of the current busnuts that are gathering from time to time. Thanks for all the comments and perspective.

FMCA will be around for awhile,the whole bus conversion deal is in the tank,people are not converting buses like in the past,they just buy one someone converted years ago. Not a day goes by you don't see buses for sale with seats removed and other parts that people threw up their hands and walked away. Buses are to expensive to keep going and the younger crowd weigh the options and go a different route .I get asked daily to inspect a 2 stroke engine.I tell them how to do it their self and tell the buyer ,a 2 stroke can run for days,weeks or years and one day you start it and wham there it goes up in smoke.Buses are hard on engines and they are not cheap anymore to rebuild yea the DIY bus conversion is in decline along with FMCA

Jim Blackwood · March 21, 2023, 07:24:43 AM

OTOH I think you could say conversions of later S-60 equipped buses have picked up a bit. Used to be nobody was doing those. Now several are and nobody is really doing the 2 stroke buses, at least not much.

Jim

luvrbus · March 21, 2023, 08:11:30 AM

Quote from: Jim Blackwood on March 21, 2023, 07:24:43 AM
OTOH I think you could say conversions of later S-60 equipped buses have picked up a bit. Used to be nobody was doing those. Now several are and nobody is really doing the 2 stroke buses, at least not much.

Jim

Series 60 are hard to find in 40 ft buses and people don't want a 45 ft bus where the series 60 is most common.A bus takes a toll on the series 60 too,about 7 to 800,000 miles is all they last where a truck can run 1 to 1.5 million miles with a series 60

Jim Blackwood · March 21, 2023, 11:18:33 AM

Yet we currently have about half a dozen active conversions using the S60 in the projects forum. I think most of those are 45 ft buses.

Jim

luvrbus · March 21, 2023, 11:47:56 AM

Quote from: Jim Blackwood on March 21, 2023, 11:18:33 AM
Yet we currently have about half a dozen active conversions using the S60 in the projects forum. I think most of those are 45 ft buses.

Jim

I think we are closer to 3 I know of 2 that sold their buses and went a different route .I like my 45 ft but it does limit you in some areas

Tedsoldbus · March 21, 2023, 01:01:45 PM

I just glanced at my FIL's FMCA magazine. Blinding flash of the obvious, the name is now "Family RVing" with FMCA letters on the bottom of the page. Times change.

luvrbus · March 21, 2023, 01:47:54 PM

Quote from: Tedsoldbus on March 21, 2023, 01:01:45 PM
I just glanced at my FIL's FMCA magazine. Blinding flash of the obvious, the name is now "Family RVing" with FMCA letters on the bottom of the page. Times change.

Yep March has a pickup and towable travel trailer on the cover at the Georgia Veterans State Park nice park Ted

Tedsoldbus · March 21, 2023, 03:05:05 PM

As Gary has pointed out, it takes mucho denaro to publish a hard copy magazine. Probably not enough of us still driving old buses, and even with the skoolie crowd, still wouldn't generate enough money to make it worth firing up the presses. I don't feel hijacked about the whole thing like my FIL. Just a new generation. I am glad they are getting out and camping.

luvrbus · March 21, 2023, 03:44:29 PM

I am going to hang around FMCA to see if I make the Final Trip list in the magazine

Tedsoldbus · March 22, 2023, 04:36:05 AM

I have the moral dilemma of liking to still flip through the magazine which comes for free since FIL is a life member, or letting FMCA know when he passes. That is the right thing to do, and that will end the magazine. FIL quit looking at the Final Trip page when his last FMCA buddy passed away about 3 years ago. Not too many 4 digit people still around I suppose, and even fewer that were in his chapter.

But I am lucky that my wife knows more about old buses than I ever will. Going to meets since she was 6 years old and did so until she left for college. She is still friends with many of the "kids" she knew from FMCA meets. Three of them were her bridesmaids and we arrived at the church in a bus! So like it or not, I got dipped in it from the start. About to have our 30th anniversary, and we took our bus to Florida twice this year, and going to Nappanee in September.
With 4125 on our rear bumper.

So I guess we are more nostalgic about it than answering Don's original question, but I know it has made my life richer just knowing some of the people my wife knew as a result of the early days.

Pictures of FIL driving from Jersey to our place in Alaska. He is on the ALCAN. Took them up river to catch salmon. He also brought a buddy from Jersey and this is their buses in our driveway.
Good memories.

luvrbus · March 22, 2023, 05:34:43 AM

I can relate to your FIL not reading the final trip page,it is depressing when people you knew for 40 or 50 years names pop up there,I like the recall section man these new RV's have a lot of recalls

dtcerrato · March 22, 2023, 06:18:01 AM

Really cool photos Ted & thanks for sharing such great stuff of yesteryear. So when you met your soulmate you kinda got catapulted into bus life, now how cool is that?

Tedsoldbus · March 22, 2023, 07:49:52 AM

Shotgun wedding.
FIL told me "Learn the FMCA Song and Secret Handshake, or yous don't get my dawter, AND yous has to take us fishing in Alaska. And if she ever calls me crying a cause a yous, I know a guy....".
Funny, but not. They live in the neighborhood where they filmed the Soprano's. DT knows what I am talking about.
Yep. I guess that was pretty much it.