| Author | Message | ||
| Ron Hansche (Texarkanaron)
Registered Member Username: Texarkanaron Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2008 Posted From: 147.58.127.158 Rating: N/A |
Howdy, Y'all. I live in Texarkana-you pick whether Arkansas or Texas! I drove charter busses for years, in addition to working for civil service. I drove Eagles and MCI-9's. I bought one of the New Jersey Transit busses, put it in charter long enough to get my money back, and realized that I do not have enough skills to convert it! I donated it to a church, then bought a stick and staple camper, 8 X 36, and lived in it for 6 years, to make sure I could survive in that size space with my 14 year old son. We made it. In January, I found just exactly what I wanted, and bought a 1979 MCI-9 which had been expertly converted by a man who had already converted 4. This is his 5th one, and I don't think I would change anything about it. I have lurked around this forum for several years, and have really enjoyed the posts. Hopefully, I can maybe contribute something to repay you veteran members for what I have gleaned from you. I will add this, I joined one of the 1/2 off clubs, and was shocked to see that in their listings, some campgrounds (in AZ) wanted no one to stay there who had a converted van or converted bus! I would put the quality of the coach I live in against at least 50% of the motorhomes I have seen! I do plan to retire the last of this year, and hit the road. I am looking forward to that! Thanks again for letting me be a small part of your huge family! | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 231 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 209.183.55.47  Rating: N/A |
Welcome Ron, Sounds like to you have what you have always dreamed of, congratulations. With your experience you will have many fond memories to share with us all. Would enjoy your company at the Texas Bus Roundup 2008 In Dennsion TX at the Eisenhower State Park in September. Hope to see you there. Happy Trails, Paul Dreamscape | ||
| Glenn Williams (Glenn)
Registered Member Username: Glenn Post Number: 143 Registered: 6-2006 Posted From: 216.163.57.205  Rating: N/A |
Welcome and Congrats Ron! About being denied entrance to those campgrounds - when speaking to them about your vehicle, only tell them that it is a Motorhome or Motorcoach. That's what it truly is. Some campgrounds picture a brush painted Partridge Family bus parked amongst their Monaco's! That same park probably would not turn down a Prevost - and it's a converted bus too! Glenn | ||
| Ian Giffin (Admin)
Board Administrator Username: Admin Post Number: 1088 Registered: 7-1997 Posted From: 24.239.7.250  Rating: N/A |
Hi Ron, Thank you for joining us here at BNO! "Welcome aboard", to quote one of my favourite "veteran members", BrucEW. Just because you've had someone else convert your bus, and there are plenty here in the same position, doesn't lessen the fact that you're still a busnut. And please do keep us posted as you retire and hit the road. We all love to hear the adventures of full timers. No need to thank us for being a part of our family, but I must correct you: You're not a small part of our huge family; you're a huge part of our small family. And I'm glad you're here. Ian www.busnut.com | ||
| Paso One (Paso_1)
Registered Member Username: Paso_1 Post Number: 114 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 142.165.246.239  Rating: N/A |
Welcome Ron! | ||
| Laryn Christley (Barn_owl)
Registered Member Username: Barn_owl Post Number: 196 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 70.110.13.203  Rating: N/A |
Welcome, Be sure to add your photo. Laryn | ||
| Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member Username: Luvrbus Post Number: 314 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 74.33.41.44 Rating: N/A |
Welcome to the board Ron,I live here in AZ and the camp grounds you speak of not wanting buses are the resort type believe me 98% of the camp grounds here will take your money | ||
| Jack Campbell (Blue_goose)
Registered Member Username: Blue_goose Post Number: 65 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 71.101.62.97  Rating: N/A |
Welcome, I have been doing this for over 20 years in our Eagle. Never been turned down, some of the places I stay thay won't let enyone in with a coach more than 15 years and they have never ask me what year mine is. It's just a motorcoach. | ||
| Jim Wilke (Jim Bob) (Pd41044039)
Registered Member Username: Pd41044039 Post Number: 268 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 12.154.112.130 Rating: N/A |
Welcome Ron, I echo what Glenn says. Ours is 49 years old and has never been refused. But we have never tried to stay anywhere that has a full size golf course! We call it a motorcoach when asked. In some tight quarters campgrounds (if they seem nervous about the length) we tell them it is a bus conversion (long wheelbase) as sometimes there are sites difficult or impossible to get in & out of. They usually run you out to the site in a golf cart to see if you can get in. The parks that worry about length are not the ones who would reject a conversion. Welcome to the insanity. By the way, we bought our first one already converted because my wife wisely surmised that I would never get one completed due to too much on my plate. (She was right!) | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 619 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 208.54.200.136  Rating: N/A |
As has already pretty much been said. Call ahead and say you have a 40' motorhome, don't use the word bus. Also, avoid any RV park that calls itself a resort unless you like hot tubs, golf courses and large swimming pools. All this stuff may be nice but you pay for it. | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 204 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 76.4.151.87 Rating: N/A |
goollie, another newbie! YEAH Thank you thank you. Welcome aboard and always keep us informed about the travels and when you decide to come to the bikini state I mean Sunshine state look up some of us, we are all over the place LOL GOMER | ||
| John Lacey (Junkman42)
Registered Member Username: Junkman42 Post Number: 33 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 69.19.14.44  Rating: N/A |
Welcome to the insanity Ron. Great bunch of folks on this board. Post a picture. John | ||
| John Riddle (Jriddle)
Registered Member Username: Jriddle Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2008 Posted From: 207.171.202.173  Rating: N/A |
Ron this is my first post also. I have been watching this board for some time and would like to say welcome. I have a 1984 MC-9 that I bought in December 2007. I have stripped the inside as the weather has only been good for this kind of work. This spring and summer I hope to raise the roof. I'm sure I will have plenty of questions as I move forward with this BIG project. I would like to ask anyone what size windows would be good for my coach. I was thinking of having two on the drivers side living area and three on the other side to include the dining area. One over kitchen sink and one on either side of bedroom. I live in an area where I see alot of snowbirds headed north in the spring and south in the fall and look at every coach and have an idea of what looks good but do not know the size. I know this is a matter of personal choice but would like some general advice. The next question is has anyone had any dealings with the state of Nevada on changing form bus to RV? I have called the office in Elko and have to say that not many of our public servants can answer my questons very well. | ||
| Donnie Daugherty (Dr_detroit)
Registered Member Username: Dr_detroit Post Number: 1 Registered: 3-2008 Posted From: 64.183.128.176  Rating: N/A |
Greetings Ron and others, this is my first post although I have been checking the board here for several years. I started out with a 4104 that I was converting but later found a 4106 that was ready to go for about what I was going to spend in conversion costs. Of course there were changes that had to be made to suit myself and my wife Janice since the previous owner was single and had fulltimed in it for many years before he settled down on a lake on the LA / TX border. We hope to be rolling in a few months, about the time that Diesel hits $4.00 to $4.50 per gallon. (Its $3.60 to $3.80 now around here). Maybe we will see some of you on the road. | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 586 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 66.217.100.123  Rating: N/A |
Welcome, Ron! With fuel now at $4+ per gallon, I suppose we may never meet 15' from where I'm presently parked (I'm seriously thinking about flipping the bus upside-down and making a koi pool out of it). Like all above said, just say it's a 40' motorhome and leave out the "bus" part. RV parks are suffering greatly, so don't worry about being turned away. Even if the places have been catering to the high "muckie-mucks", they soon won't be able to pay their taxes without catering to us peons. Have fun, ma/man! Life's short, and the road's long! |