| Author | Message | ||
| Rick Long (Tn_rick)
Registered Member Username: Tn_rick Post Number: 3 Registered: 4-2008 Posted From: 68.34.222.176 Rating: N/A |
Can anyone tell me what a MCI 102C3 measures from the floor inside to the ground at about midpoint of the bus? This would be assuming it is on level ground. I am wanting to see if the wheelchair lift I have will fit. The one I have is 46" max. to ground. I introduced myself a few weeks back when I was looking at a MCI 9 in PA. That deal fell through. The price was $60,000, my highest offer was $40,000, he said he would only come down to $55,000. It was an 82 model that I would have had to completely redo the interior except the wheelchair bath that Uncle Bernie had done. That part and the lift, also by Uncle Bernie, was top notch. I guess the owner had too much invested to come down anymore. I'm looking now at a 102C3 that will only take a minimum of work to the interior to make it work for us, and then need the addition of a lift and door cut in for the lift. That brings on another question about cutting out the panel for the door and using that same panel for the door. Would it be a big job to cut that out and reinforce all the edges with the same size tubing and add a piano hinge and some kind of latch and lock. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Rick | ||
| Douglas Wotring (Tekebird)
Registered Member Username: Tekebird Post Number: 340 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 71.59.75.212 Rating: N/A |
it's more tha 46" I am pretty sure how wide is the chair? | ||
| Rick Long (Tn_rick)
Registered Member Username: Tn_rick Post Number: 4 Registered: 4-2008 Posted From: 68.34.222.176 Rating: N/A |
The wheelchair is 26" wide. The lift requires a clear opening of 53" high and 39" wide. I bought two of these Braun lifts from a guy that took them out of school buses. $100 for both. I can find different models pretty easy and cheap, but if what I have will work I want to use it. In this model series of Braun Lifts the smallest will go only 39" floor to ground, the largest is 50". I just read somewhere that the interior of the bays are 35" high, so whatever the floor thickness is and from bottom of the bay to ground would be what I need to know. | ||
| Douglas Wotring (Tekebird)
Registered Member Username: Tekebird Post Number: 342 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 71.59.75.212 Rating: N/A |
3/4" ply mor or less. so you should be OK. have you fond any conversion with a lift? I have a MCI 96A3 which is pretty wide open layout. | ||
| Rick Long (Tn_rick)
Registered Member Username: Tn_rick Post Number: 5 Registered: 4-2008 Posted From: 68.34.222.176 Rating: N/A |
Yeah, I'm going to look at it on Sat. It's pretty close to where I live. Making the bathroom and bedroom area work is the hardest to figure out when it's a finished conversion. This 102C3 comes as close as any I've seen with only minimal changes. I've also been looking at stick and staple rv's when I see one that's wheelchair accessible, I've not been impressed with any of them enough to check them out. I've been trying to think through all of the possibilities for us and even went out and looked around at rv lots yesterday. That just kind of reinforced my opinion that a bus conversion is the way to go as for something that will be comfortable and will last. Do you have your 96A3 listed anywhere that I can see pics of it? | ||
| Nick Badame Refrigeration Co. (Dnick85)
Registered Member Username: Dnick85 Post Number: 220 Registered: 2-2006 Posted From: 75.196.247.188  Rating: N/A |
Hi Rick, I just measured my coach for you. It's 47" at mid point from the ground, to the floor level but, it's not aired up. Add another 3" to that when bags are full. Here is MCI's link to the C3 http://www.mcicoach.com/PreOwnedCoaches/preowned102C3.htm Good Luck Nick- | ||
| Rick Long (Tn_rick)
Registered Member Username: Tn_rick Post Number: 6 Registered: 4-2008 Posted From: 68.34.222.176 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Nick, That tells me my lifts won't work. I'll look for one that will go at least 50" and see what's available. Rick | ||
| Douglas Wotring (Tekebird)
Registered Member Username: Tekebird Post Number: 343 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 71.59.75.212 Rating: N/A |
rick it is listed on this boards classifieds, also at www.gmbusguy.com and www.sellabus.com might suit your needs nice open walk through bathroom dinetete is a 4 seat but a wing folds down to two seat which opens up the inside nicely. | ||
| Chuck Newman (Chuck_newman)
Registered Member Username: Chuck_newman Post Number: 264 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 75.15.94.96 Rating: |
Rick, Why a 102C3 vs a 102A3, typically a few thousand dollars less, depending on year built for either? We purchased a 102A3 which was a transit bus used by Ventura County in Calif. Since it was a public agency, ADA mandated wheel chair lifts on all their buses. Very well done lift and door install by MCI L.A. I gave the lift to a fellow who helped me remove it. Real beefy hydraulic unit that probably would lift 1000+ lbs. Anyway, I have two points: 1. I would look for a used bus from a public agency that already has the door and lift installed. I think you will find a true bus door/lift install (as opposed to a "modified" van type unit) to be several thousand bucks. Especially if they do only one. 2. DO NOT allow anyone to cut into the main frame brace at the top of the windows, and don't let them cut below floor level framing. Otherwise it will compromise structural integrity. | ||
| Rick Long (Tn_rick)
Registered Member Username: Tn_rick Post Number: 7 Registered: 4-2008 Posted From: 68.34.222.176 Rating: N/A |
Hi Chuck, I am looking at converted coaches that are in my prices range that I can make work for me. I've only seen two recently, one is way out of my price range at $220,000 and the other I mentioned above that my offer wasn't accepted on. The 102C3 is close to me and the interior layout will work very well with only minor changes. The work I do won't allow me time to do a full conversion. I need to get in under $60,000 including the lift and interior changes. There are a couple more available in Nashville that I may look at, both are under $50,000 and look promising in the pics I have seen. I wish i could find a conversion with the factory lift you mentioned, I've seen pictures of them and they do look might strong. Tekebird's coach looks great, it's just out of my price range. There is a Superarm lift available for coaches up to 52" from ground to floor, $6000. Those are shown using the entrance doors on coaches, but the door from floor level to the top had to be modified. My wife's chair is 25" wide, so there would need to be a 28" wide opening for this type of lift. http://members.aol.com/handcontrols/superarm2kbmh.JPG I've seen a standard lift installed in an Eagle a few years back that sold on eBay. I believe Sawyer's in VA did the conversion. I'm going to contact them to see what an install like that would cost me. If I don't get in a hurry for this I'll eventually find something. I'm guess I'm just getting anxious when I pay one of those hotel bills and think about what that could have gone for on a conversion. I estimate spending around $6000 this year in hotel bills. We travel to craft fairs and I sell a musical instrument that I build. Traveling, working in my shop, and caring for my wife take up a lot of my time and limit my ability to work on a project this big. TN Rick |
