| Author |
Message |
Mark Pool (66.43.13.25)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2003 - 2:55 am: | |
Just hoping to get some feedback from somebody!
I'm looking at both of these two busses to convert
for my family of 5. I'm concerned that with the
RTS, the windows will be difficult to convert because of the curved sides. Also, are the windows
in all RTS's made of plexi-glass? They don't seem to hold up too well. What year did the RTS "II" come out? Are there many changes to the orriginal RTS?
The 4107 that I'm looking at seems easier to convert. Plus it has all that extra storage. It is a lot older, should I be concerned with anything specific with it? Is it prone to any specific problems that I should be aware of?
Your help would be GREATLY appreciated!!
Thanks!!
BusNut "Wanna-be" Mark |
Geoff (Geoff) (66.238.120.89)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2003 - 8:41 am: | |
How to decide:
1. Drive both buses. See which one you like driving better. Check highway speed (important on the RTS).
2. Measure the insides of the both buses and see which one will accomodate your floor plan for a family of 5. Include plans for the bays.
3. Have a bus mechanic/garage give you a complete inspection of both buses to see what condition they are in and what it will cost you to get either road worthy.
The windows (either sliders or one piece) in the RTS's are made of Lexan (pexiglass) and they will hardly break, but they do tend to spider and they get scratched up by kids. However, they can be replaced by DOT tinted glass and the sliders make excellent conversion windows. The one-piece windows can be painted instead of removed and covered over for conversion.
There was never an "RTS I", only the RTS II model was ever produced, but they did have different series (i.e. 03, 04, 06) with a few changes. You can get an RTS in either 35' or 40' length, and either 96" or 102" wide.
--Geoff
'82 RTS CA
P.S. Have you looked at already converted buses-- this is the easiest route to take, esp with kids-- do you have time to convert a bus? |
Johnny (63.29.158.178)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2003 - 9:36 am: | |
Asuming the RTS is a city transit & the 4107 (is this a Scenicruiser?) is a coach, the RTS will not have the underbody storage bays that the Jimmy will have. It will also probably be geared for city use, and may well have a less-powerful engine & transmission. |
Henry Draper (12.82.128.245)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2003 - 12:20 pm: | |
Take Geoff's advice--look at something already converted before you make your final decision.
I, too, have five kids. If I hadn't bought my partially converted Eagle, I'd probably still be converting a shell instead of planning for (this summer) my second cross-country trip with the family.
To each his own, but my goal was to use one, not build one. Though it's not done precisely "my way," I'm very satisfied with it. (Actually, truth be told, it's undoubtedly better than I would have built on my own!), and I still get to mess around and work on fully completing it.
Not saying what your decision should be, just saying explore the already or partially converted option before making your final decision.
Henry Draper
'64 Eagle (now 90-plus percent complete)
Edmonds, WA |
mark Pool (66.43.13.102)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 17, 2003 - 7:07 pm: | |
Thanks for the advice! Ive been reading all that I can about this and I think that its a project within my capabilities. ( I started out looking for a bus that was already converted, but they all seem to be designed for just two people, or a small family) I think I am going to pursue the RTS bus, mainly because it is newer and I know where there is one close by for sale!
Anybody out there that might be able to pass along your info sources for converting the RTS would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks and happy trails!
Mark |
Donn (67.83.154.28)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 7:10 am: | |
Mark,
Try http://autos.yahoo.com/groups/RTS-busnuts/for anything you want to know about RTS's,and more.
Donn '79RTS NJ |
FAST FRED (209.26.115.208)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 5:44 am: | |
Open the bays on the Coach and contemplate all the goodies you can take with you.
Then look at the slabsides on the transit and contemplate how your going to create some space to hold a few things with lots of cutting & welding& fabricating.
Then decide if you wish to go camping or be a welder.
FAST FRED |
OAE Palmer (216.39.186.39)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 2:11 am: | |
....like Fred said, then you can tell me where that 07 is and what kind of grease the guy wants for it!
(Frankly, if I were you I would be in pursuit of a clean 4905 for the extra 5ft of room) |
Dwight (67.213.8.162)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 7:29 am: | |
Weigh the differences, only you can decide.
age of the coach, is it a problem
manual, air assist or hydraulic power steering
cable or air throttle
manual or auto transmission
engine (type and size)
material coach is made of, rust or corrosion
Then decide if you wish to go camping or be a mechanic.
Fred there are many sides to a story, man asked for an opiion not a personal preference.
If bays were the only preference, then go and get a big trailer and tow it !! |
Lloyd Crisp (216.40.204.5)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 04, 2003 - 5:58 pm: | |
Hi Mark, I don't know if you have already purchased a bus yet and you have here a lot of advice, but I would say follow your own feelings. also the RTS does have regular glass windows, I believe from 1978 to 1982 has real glass, anyway I know for a fact that the 79 and 80 models have real glass. as I have an 80 and an 84 model and the 84 has plexy-glass. but you can with the proper care install sliders right into the plexy-glass and fill in and paint in between to make it look like one solid side. also you can build storage bends up-under the bus with a little time and a welder. Good Luck!!! |