| Author |
Message |
scott Williams (Scottw)
Registered Member
Username: Scottw
Post Number: 3
Registered: 11-2006
Posted From: 67.182.144.210
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 12:50 am: | |
I'm a newby but I've been wanting a bus for a long time (with 4 kids could there be a better way to travel!). I've come across what seems to be a great deal, a '94 Prevost that has had the roof raised, plumbing and electric done, water tanks, kitchen, shower, and much more. The current owner and his wife have been living in it, but he's giving up and hasn't done any of the finish work. There are wires hanging down inside and half-tiled floors, etc. A good floor, walls, and some cabinetry will easily make it liveable inside. Any way of estimating the costs on those three? Can I just get the guy who did the floors in my house to do those? Also, I'm trying to figure out how much the exterior might set me back. The rivet lines aren't all straight, the sheet metal is bent and scraped here and there, and someone painted the thing black (using a brush!). The current owner estimated $3500 to essentially re-skin the exterior in stainless, which seems low. After that there's the paint job, window seals, etc.. Maybe someone with some knowledge could tell me what steps will be involved in making the exterior as beautiful as it can be, and how much that will set me back. I really love this bus! Thanks in advance for your generosity in helping out a rookie.
Scott Williams |
Darren Upfield (Mwerx)
Registered Member
Username: Mwerx
Post Number: 25
Registered: 6-2006
Posted From: 66.82.9.73
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 8:48 am: | |
Scott you are not going to reskin the bus for $3500 in stainless,but if you can save parts clean the rest up.we are just finishing a 81 spent a lot time saveing parts, if its a nice bus & price is right go for it .But if you are not bus tec have some one look at it for you all the best,Darren. |
Ron Walker (Prevost82)
Registered Member
Username: Prevost82
Post Number: 257
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 69.10.145.151
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 10:21 am: | |
each sheet of stainlees would be more like $3500
Ron |
John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member
Username: John_mc9
Post Number: 122
Registered: 7-2006
Posted From: 66.217.106.152
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 10:46 am: | |
Yikes!
"The rivet lines aren't all straight, the sheet metal is bent
and scraped here and there, and someone painted the thing
black (using a brush!)."
A 1994 Prevo, hacked skin, and brush-painted.......
Uhhh..... and that's just the things you can see??
What about the $tuff you can't $ee? |
Bob greenwood (Bob_greenwood)
Registered Member
Username: Bob_greenwood
Post Number: 368
Registered: 7-2006
Posted From: 4.226.237.125
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 2:29 pm: | |
the sagging rivets is a killer....I'd run like my last wife was chaseing me.... |
H3-40 (Ace)
Registered Member
Username: Ace
Post Number: 353
Registered: 10-2004
Posted From: 75.201.123.134
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 2:53 pm: | |
Got any pictures of this jewel? That might help the opinions of better decisions
Ace |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Registered Member
Username: Drivingmisslazy
Post Number: 1752
Registered: 1-2001
Posted From: 75.108.82.163
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 4:15 pm: | |
What are they offering to have you haul it away? I assume that you can not be serious about giving them anything for it.
Richard |
Rob King (Skykingrob)
Registered Member
Username: Skykingrob
Post Number: 1
Registered: 10-2006
Posted From: 64.91.55.25
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 9:32 pm: | |
Hi Scott
I am currently working on a 91 Prevost. I can give you realistic numbers as I have all the cash tickets.
However, before going further, I and the rest of the board are sending a LOUD message. Look this bus over good before going further, get what you think are all the details about the buses current condition, then message back with the details. We can then give better advice. For example, rivet lines not straight may mean sagging structure or it could be just poor workmanship. Unless you can use the existing current setup/materials inside as is, this really is more of a liability because of the time spent having to redo to fit your floor plan. I can tell you, I got estimates to paint my coach which has standard factory paint and mininimal damage requiring body work, of $10-16K for a nice job. Dealing with a bootched paint job will require alot of time (yours or theirs) and money (yours).
What I and the rest of board are saying is not not to go forward but go slowly enough to get the details before, look at realistic costs which we can share after you get the details, then decide if this is a good purchase or not.
Rob
91 LeMirageXL
Missouri |
Jim & Linda Callaghan (Jimc)
Registered Member
Username: Jimc
Post Number: 25
Registered: 2-2004
Posted From: 66.175.206.189
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 9:37 pm: | |
Scott,
I bought a partially finished bus and it turned into a great buy. BUT, the work that was done was done really well. I would think real hard about that bus, like the other post eluded to, if you can see poor workmanship and unfinished projects, what about the things you can not see?
If you are new to bus conversions, there is no way I would suggest that you purchase that bus unless you had someone that is really up on conversions check it out. This is one area that paying someone a few bucks up front could save you bundles of money in the long run.
JimCallaghan 4106
Wisconsin |
JR Lynch (Njt5047)
Registered Member
Username: Njt5047
Post Number: 101
Registered: 7-2006
Posted From: 69.132.234.141
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 10:29 pm: | |
Cannot comment on the cost of Prevost panels, but MCI stainless is not at all expensive. Installing them may be.
Considering the age of the bus, the sloppy rivets are probably related to old wreck damage. Definitely want some pro help on something like that. Someone may have patched the bus back together after major damage. Does the bad rivet lines seem all over, or just in one area?
May be a value...may not.
How much they asking for the coach? And what powertrain does it have? That's the year where 60 Series was installed...but may have an 8V92TA...which would be worth a good bit less. Make a nice coach if not patched up or rusted...rust is bad.
Post the outcome. JR |
Kyle Brandt (Kyle4501)
Registered Member
Username: Kyle4501
Post Number: 243
Registered: 9-2004
Posted From: 65.23.106.193
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 - 9:14 am: | |
A few years ago, the cost for Polished stainless skins for my scenicruiser from IBP was ~$30,000. Parts only. Amodized aluminum was maybe 10% less.
The best advice I was given was BE PATIENT & do your homework. The right bus will come to you, but so will lots of wrong buses. If you are prepared, you will know the good from the bad from the ugly. It would be a shame to tie up your money in a pile of problems & not be able to act when the right bus comes along.
I wasn't patient, this is why I KNOW it was good advice! Fortunately, I was able to get a better bus later, I can't get enough of these cruisers.
Good luck |
David Dulmage (Daved)
Registered Member
Username: Daved
Post Number: 155
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 142.46.199.30
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 24, 2006 - 3:41 pm: | |
Run away!
DaveD |
Mike Eades (Mike4905)
Registered Member
Username: Mike4905
Post Number: 127
Registered: 12-2000
Posted From: 68.207.200.143
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 26, 2006 - 12:48 pm: | |
Scott I bought a 4905 and it cost me a large fortune to fix it right. Ask Luke what I have spent. Be slow and cautious. Mike 4905 |