| Author |
Message |
visitor
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 12:06 am: | |
Hi, again...
I'm still trying to decide on this niner for my conversion.
Not being very familiar with the MC9, I thought maybe a good question for owners of MC9's would be: What was (or will be) your biggest challenge with the mc9?
I'm not sure what I'm looking for here, but if somebody told me something like "the ceiling height is only 5'9", THAT may be a problem!
I guess I was wondering what would be the most challenging aspect of a mc9 conversion (I am not going to do a roof raise) compared with any other model of buses out there.
Just want to be prepared mentally for any surprizes!
thanks alot
Mark |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 12:41 am: | |
The MC9 is by far, the easiest to convert (as far as floor plans).
They're like the Eagles, as far as being designed, to be repaired
easily and quickly.
All parts, engine and chassis, are readily available.
Rust? Check the dashboard between the windows, and the
area above at that same location. It's nothing to worry about,
but nice to know.
The strut bushings on almost every MC9 has to be replaced.
About 1600 for the rear and 800 for the front.
Check the rear end pinion. Finding it sloppy can cost some $$$.
The ceiling height is fine. The floor slants to the front, but not
enough to worry about. There's no need for a "roof raise
Regardless of you're decision, take the bus to a competent
bus garage for a complete inspection. There's too many big
Dollar ($$$$$) things that will sour your taste for buses, if you
don't know beforehand, what you're getting into. |
Sojourner (Jjimage)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 8:16 am: | |
Depend how tall you & your wife & friends move around in coach?
If 5’ 8” tall or less…no roof-raise but 6’ or taller…roof raise is good investment.
If want comfort feeling of not being too close to ceiling with added new foam insulation & overhead fixtures….roof raise is your answer.
Roof raise is consisting cut all vertical posts after upper half outer structural skin remove. Hardest part is to add new skin via heat panel to 100º F or higher to expand so tighten (cooled) after “solid” riveted.
Common raise is 8”…replacement fiber-glass cap limited.
Usually any involvement of roof raising is where you will learn actual mild-steel (no SS in upper half) framing condition for rust or broken. All E-series MCI is all SS as well truss-bridge constructed.
Important! Regardless roof raising is or not…….for just the cost of rivets & your labor, remove inter-skin panel to inspect framing condition. While there, your option to remove old fiber-glass insulation for newer foam panel or better yet hot-spray foam.
So as far as MCI coaches concern, have never, yet heard anyone hadn’t found that needed attention.
Inter panel are easy to reinstall using SS pop rivet. These are not structural panel using pop rivet method from the factory. So number your panels as you remove them to reinstall in same place.
My coach was looking sounded constructed but surprise to learn soggy fiber-glass insulation & some rusted out frame after remover inter panels. Mine didn’t show bubble under paint on outer skin to indicate corroding due to rusted frame.
FWIW
Sojourn for Christ, Jerry |
Marc Bourget
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 10:18 am: | |
I echo all that Sojourner said but add that my MCI-9 used mandrelled blind rivets on inner skin so a bit more reliance on the inner panel may have been assigned by the engineers in the -9 than Sojourner's earlier model MCI.
Much the same under the floor also. Cleaning the heater ducts, etc. Also, construction is a mixture of SS and mild, the fiberglass caps over the wheelwells will fracture and leak. I dug out inches of fine silty mud. After the silt fills up the spaces, it acts as a sponge for the moisture tossed from the tires and speeds corrsion of the mild steel.
I'll be raising the roof and lower window sill and so I'll be using "taller" skins on the inside, so my skins will be replaced. Double echo on the need for repairs inside those panels. |
Doug Dickinson (Dougd470)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 10:59 am: | |
I pulled all the inner panels off (it was a big task) so I could fully inspect all of the steel I could get to. No significant rust, and I am replacing that with sprayed foam for both insulation and a little structural support, and interior with fir strips and 2 layers of luan ply. I did replace the exterior "signboard" panels due to corrosion on almost all of them (deep). I am happy I did that.
I still think the MC9 is the best coach for me. I am not doing a roof raise. The slope is not a problem - you just consider it in the design. |
Marc Bourget
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 1:43 pm: | |
Doug,
If there was no significant rust to the steel but the exterior panels were corroded, did you use an isolator, like tar tape, when you put the new exterior panels on? My 80 MCI-9 had the exterior panels replaced but no tape and the metal looks new, except were mated to the steel, dielectric corrosion already started. |
David Hartley (Drdave)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 8:05 pm: | |
My way.. cheap! and half-arsed...
My MC9 Measured
6 ft 3 inches at the back, 6 ft 6 at the front.
I raised the center 1/3rd to level @ 31 1/8 inches down from the window frame for the kitchen and bathroom. I layered 3/8 plywood in the rear for the bedroom floor and added 3/4 perma-R sheet in the front and 3/4 inch plywood to cover the floor and walkway trench areas.
At 5'8" I am short, I am shorter on skill(at times) and patience along with seriously short of help and money. |
JR
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 - 9:29 pm: | |
Just in the event you haven't deduced what your biggest challenge would be....it's rust. No other issues on an MC9 beyond normal wear items will challenge a mechanical sort of individual. Rust can be ruination. Check the front frame members, if the coach has "air beams" (later models have different air suspension) get someone familiar with MC9 suspension to evaluate the air suspension for leaking beams. Even this can be repaired...but you'd rather not have do so. If your looking at an MC9 with bi-fold entry doors, that'll be your next most challenging and item and if restroom, removing same is painful....IMHO.
Before you start removing all the interior panels, be certain that you know what you wish to spend. These old coaches will run with some rust for a long time. If you want to build a $100K conversion, fix all the rust...if you want to spend $35K and finish is a couple of years (depending on how much help you have) don't get into the inside walls. The area around the radiators and the header above the windshield will rust out. Rear frame cantilever sections may be cracked up...which requires repairing. Cradles will crack. MC9s are one of the best budget conversion shells...however, buy the latest shell you can afford. MC9s can be bought cheap...later 102s and MC12s (very similar coaches) are a little more. Smooth sided "C" and "D" models are downright expensive.
Take a DD 2 stroke mechanic with you too so that the engine and trans can be evaluated. Don't depend on the bus AC to work...even if it does work, it won't for long. Any major system, engine, transmission, AC, repair may rival the cost of the coach to repair. Get it right the first time if at all possible.
Good luck, JR 87 MC9 |
Doug Dickinson (Dougd470)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 1:32 pm: | |
Marc
Yes, I have tape between the steel and the aluminium panels. THe corrosion was around rivets and the vent openings forward. There were some creasees along both sides from getting a little too intimate with fixed objects which is why I opted for complete replacement. I also closed in the two rear windows and moved one to the middle of that space. I am glad I did that.
As for age of coach - look into the NJT coaches - they seem to have less rust that a lot of the other MC9 coaches. Just look things over very closely.
Doug
St Louis MC9 |
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