Driving force in restoring your bus.

[BusCrazyinFL]

I've been thinking, as I look at the pictures many of you have posted of the buses you are rebuilding, some Eagles and some Prevost, what is your driving force? You guys seem to be doing a great job with  the welding, and cutting the steel...I'm assuming you must have experience in these areas because the work you are doing is just awesome,  but what drives you guys to do it?  I have restored cars in the past, but a bus is a BIG endeavor!!! I don't think I could tackle a job of that magnitude. The minor things I have done on my Eagle have proven to be tedious and time consuming, and I cannot even imagine taking on an entire bus from the frame up? I'd sure love to hear some of your comments, and I do admire you.

[luvrbus]

I have no pictures of my Eagle on the board but the driving force for me was the price Gary Bennett at B&B Coach quoted me for a ground up restore.I admire these guys but they are only partway there

[Tom Y]

Buscrazy, Just wanting it my way. When I start to lose intrest I stop by a local coverter ( Hoffman Motor Coach ) and I am good for a couple weeks. I stop by a couple times a week anyways, You have to like to work because it is a lot of work. But I love it. May never do another, but enjoying this one.  Tom Y

[kd5kfl]

I'm still in the acquisition stage, but...

1) Store bought motorhomes don't come close to matching my needs. I would have to spend vast amounts of money and rip out most of the interior.

2) Ask any EMT / cop / firefighter / tow truck driver. Sticks and staples RVs turn into piles of confetti an an accident. Buses are more robust.

3) Truck parts versus big car parts. RVs sometimes come with 455 Olds and 454 Chevy engines. Make mine Cummins.

4) Sticks and staples RVs come with propane appliances. I want Webasto or Dickinson appliances.

5) I'm looking at schoolies ( I don't know if schoolies are looked down on in this neighborhood, but they work for me ). The wheelchair lift would make loading materials, tools, maybe a small commuter motorcycle, not a problem for my antique and injured back.

[cody]

What motivates a busnut? lol it's insanity BWWWAAHHHHAHHASHAAAHAAA , oops sorry, that happens now and then.

[Blacksheep]

I guess my driving force is, one, seeing the results on each project just makes you want to do another and having friends that live near by that share the strange hobby we call bus converting, sharing projects like lending a hand and spending time together having dinner and talking buses while the women talk about whatever it is they talk about! Did I mention the drive to get er done so I can make the next planned trip? Hmm, that IS coming up pretty fast now that I think about it!

BS

[H3Jim]

Mine was I wanted a vehicle to go to the desert in that was heavy duty, ie was designed with the engine, brakes and running gear to run on the highway.  I liked the commercial duty aspect and the safety aspect.  Then I got hooked on all the huge variety of options open, and I found a unit that I could put my bikes in underneath without towing a trailer.  Totally self contained.

And they drive so smoothly.  I had been depressed being inside my old fifth wheel, it felt desparate inside.  I like my big windows so I can see out at the great places I go to.

Lots of nice people in this hobby too!

[Paladin]

Because I'm an idiot who always has to go big! 

Actually, for all of the reasons of most of the others, I wanted to see if I could do it, wanted it my way, strength and (hopefully) durability, fascination with the heavy equipment aspect etc, etc. Most of the journey is the build and then I'm not sure what I'll so since I'll never be happy and may not be able to afford to drive it very far.
Right about now I'm scratching my head wondering what my motivation is but I keep doing it like a moth to a flame and keep throwing good money at it that I'll never see again.

Sort of an addiction!


http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=6000.msg56991#msg56991

[Bob Gil]

I am not sure about others but my wife has not been behind me in most of the endeavors I have going but she keeps after me to work on the bus.

I love to travel, drive at night till I am tired and wake up in the morning and try to figure out where I am.  That is hard to do in a motel room, I hate them any way.  i don't like to have to lug lugage around, and worry about what might be left in the room.  Left my suit coat in the room on my honey moon.

As long as the guys here bear with me I am learing little by little about what I have to do and how to do it.

I need to learn more, and the work is good to help me keep my arms working when i can use them.  Laty it has not been that easy about 4 hours a week is too much.

[makemineatwostroke]

I think a total rebuild is done for the love and having it your way but the ones I don't understand are guys buying a 96 inch x 40 bus and making a 102in x 45ft bus Mark Renner on BNO was a charter operator and had a fleet of Prevost and MCI buses but took 7 years to build a model 10 eagle 102 x 45 beautiful bus I saw it in Oregon.Way to much work for me I would have bought a 102 x 45 to start with but these guys do it their way and Mark is not the only person that has done this

[rusty]

  I always wanted a bus I thought they were neat. One day I found an old Eagle and my life has not been the same. I own a business and all I knew was work. I took the family on vacations and fishing trips but after a day or two I was thinking about going home and going to work. Some how I found time to work on the 05. It took me 5 years and 3500 manhours. My wife and I took the 05 to a rally at the Caverns. When you go to a rally everyone has one thing in common and it is easy to meet people. All of a sudden our circle of friends grew 10 fold. We joined Eagles International and we got involved in the club. Now I find myself not wanting to go home and go to work. We are now converting an Eagle 15. When I finished the 05 I found myself saying I wish I would have done this or that different so we decided to do one more. The motivation comes easy knowing the good times we will have, the nice people we will meet, and there is no better way to travel the country than in your own bus.
                                                                                                                             Thank You Wayne

[Chaz]

I like the fact they are built to withstand millions of miles! (and they look cool!)  I don't buy "fad" things or stuff that has no longevity. And I like old things. I love to fix things up, maybe even to the point of there I'm saving them. And above all, I'm addicted to creativity. Making something cool or just making it "work" keeps my blood flowing.
And like Tom Y said, "Ya gotta like to work".

 Chaz

[Catskinner!]

Big boys just have bigger toys.

Catskinner!
Sonnie Gray
72 0/5 Eagle 3406 Cat
Pottsboro, Texas

[travelingfools]

My original idea was that I could do it faster and cheaper then everyone said. Well almost 3/4 of a year into the project, I see that the time and cost estimates people told me even before I owned my bus were pretty darn accurate. Right now my driving force is to get the bus done so I can sell it an start a new one !!!
P.S. - my wife has suggested I recieve some sort of professional psyciatric help..

[TomC]

As an ex truck driver I saw many an accident of the aftermath of what a sticks and staples looks like-mainly a pile of rubbish.  Also, never saw a floor plan I really liked.  My wife and I like big windows and alot of them, which for some unknown reason-most sticks and staples have few and small ones.  I wanted big tanks, reliable power, no electronics on the engines.  My truck conversion project is going to be just about a duplicate of my bus conversion with some minor improvements, I like my floor plan on my bus so much.  My truck also has no electronics on its' Caterpillar 3406B 400hp and with the Allison HT740 automatic, should be bullet proof.  Good Luck, TomC