| Author | Message | ||
| Josh McElhiney (Zcommanager)
Registered Member Username: Zcommanager Post Number: 1 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 166.217.168.248 Rating: N/A |
Hi Everyone, I'm pretty new to the motorcoach world, as I just purchased my first coach this summer, and I am getting ready to begin the conversion process on an all original, fully seated 1966 MCI 5A. My hope is that over the next few months or so I will be able to build a fully self-sufficient motor coach for full-time living for my rotty and me. I've spent the past few days reading through many of the posts, and the wealth of knowledge here is amazing. I hope to be able to "tap" some of that information as I make my journey through the conversion process. Any help which you may be able to provide me along the way will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks. Josh | ||
| Grant Thiessen (Busshawg)
Registered Member Username: Busshawg Post Number: 95 Registered: 10-2007 Posted From: 206.45.93.160  Rating: N/A |
Welcome to the craze!! and congrads on your purchase. Don't be a stranger and I'm sure these guys will help you as they have helped me. There's a bunch of great people here. | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 1297 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.110.9  Rating: N/A |
1966? make sure that you check for rust rot in the rear framing and vertical wall support channels before you start the conversion, if you haven't already done so. Welcome to the rest of us nuts. I mean the crazy type, not the enthusiasts type.  | ||
| John and Barb Tesser (Bigrigger)
Registered Member Username: Bigrigger Post Number: 118 Registered: 9-2007 Posted From: 24.179.147.233  Rating: N/A |
Welcome and good luck Josh. We are in the process of converting a MC5C, I hope yours moves faster than mine has! | ||
| Nellie Wilson (Vivianellie)
Registered Member Username: Vivianellie Post Number: 166 Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 70.49.114.182  Rating: N/A |
I 'Ditto' John and Barb (I also have a 5C). I too was super optimistic ["...over the next few months or so I will be able to build a fully self-sufficient motor coach..."] When I bought mine (two YEARS ago) I had the same pie-in-the-sky optimisim, but I'm still grinding. The secret to success was offered by several BusNutters: Don't turn your bus conversion into a backyard 'sailboat project' - don't rip the bus apart and try to start from scratch (rendering it incapable of travel). Use it, drive it and enjoy it.., and improve things as you go. I mean. you wouldn't pick (or attempt to change) a mate wihout a test drive, would you? You may find that MCI had a batch of pretty good engineers to start with. My advice: Do NOT tear out the seats and parcel racks and lights and speakers and lavatory, like so many boast about unless: 1) you are filthy rich and 2)you have knowledge that exceeds MCI's cumulative history of evolution. Do NOT engage in roof raising and re-skinning and window changing... at least for now. Concentrate on mechanics and how to DRIVE the sucker. I'll tell you true: Were I to start over again, I'd buy a bus just like yours... and not from some idiot PO (hammer mechanic) that gutted the thing and threw in the towel. And a solid bus, even with a blow-up mattress and a Coleman stove, beats a wet tent... especially if you're by a mountain stream and your fly rod is close (or golf clubs, whichever blows your skirt up). Good luck and great travels. Nellie Wilson PS. You tear anything out, I want it. | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 646 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 64.241.37.140 Rating: N/A |
Make a list of your DESIREMENTS . want to go from powere pole to PP? Want to live in the wilderness a month at a time? Want to live in the wilderness a month at a time with no noisemaker? All are going to require different items in the build to meet your needs. Start with "Make a list , and check it twice", only then can you get a handle on what you may need. FF | ||
| Josh McElhiney (Zcommanager)
Registered Member Username: Zcommanager Post Number: 2 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 32.178.29.45 Rating: N/A |
Thanks guys and gals for your welcoming words. I know "a few months" sounds rather optimistic Nellie, but if I don't engage that "Pie-in-the-Sky Optimism," I'll never make it past the first floor!! Ha ha. I tend to be somewhat of a procrastinator by nature, so I figure if I aim for the stars, I may make it to the moon. The only thing that may hinder me at this point is gainful employment...of which, I am still searching, as I am in the process of moving to Pennsylvania from Ohio. Although, that could be seen as a plus on the side of time. Unfortunately the fruits of my money tree have left little to be desired lately. Also, my person, puppy and some clothing are in PA, but everything else is still in Ohio, including the bus!!! Hmm...set back #1. Damnit!!! So much for having her finished in a few months...oh well!! John, if you and Barb have even started work on your 5, you're already further along than me!! I'm hoping to begin work on mine within the next few weeks, but we'll see. From what I know and have read about MCI's, they are a pretty solid coaches from the factory, so hopefully their engineers and production line workers were on top of their game in Nov. '66 when mine was built! Also, I traced the roots of mine, and I found that it went from the factory in Pembina to Greyhound West where it remained for the next 30 years. So if its history is correct, then I hopefully shouldn't have rust problems within the framework. Well enough of my babbeling for now. Happy Travels everyone!! Josh P.S. Nellie, you're welcome to any of the seats or restroom components as I begin removing them. Although until the temperature begins to rise, I don't forsee a lot of removal taking place! | ||
| Josh McElhiney (Zcommanager)
Registered Member Username: Zcommanager Post Number: 3 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 32.178.29.45 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Fred. As I mentioned, I do want to live and travel in mine full time, as I am an artist and am always looking for new areas of inspiration for my work. I don't want to have to go from light pole to light pole; nor do I want to listen to an obnoxious genny running for hours at a time. Josh | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 649 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 64.241.37.140 Rating: N/A |
they are a pretty solid coaches from the factory, so hopefully their engineers and production line workers were on top of their game in Nov. '66 when mine was built! After 40 years the construction is not the question, how much "get by" or delayed maint you face will be the question. Brakes , wheel bearings , shocks , air bags engine condition and tranny will be a concern. Then there is the question of how many times in 40 years she ever got a COMPLETE lube job? Get Da Book, and begin to be friend all the required service spots , get spare grease fittings and be prepaired to get really DIRTY! Order stuff like wheel bearing seals in advance , before you inspect the bearings, and repack em. FF | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 767 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 68.18.13.21  Rating: N/A |
Re: "The only thing that may hinder me at this point is gainful employment...of which, I am still searching" There's a ton of us out here that are retired, and living on a shallow fixed income. Some of us are (or will be) unable to work at any full-time job. So, your financial condition isn't too "out of the ordinary". Keep in mind, that your rig will get around 5mpg, and when the fuel returns to 4 bucks a gallon, you may end up living wherever you run out of fuel. Try to take well lit routes, and park under street lights, just in case. Awww, you'll do OK. At least you don't have four kids and a wife tagging along. Now -that- might be a problem! (HAR) Your optimism has been echoed by every bus conversion enthusiast, since the beginning of mass transit. There are probably scores of individuals that bought and converted covered wagons. OH hey.. they were the first conversion! (mental drift) There's no reason you can't use your bus as a "steel tent", using a Porta-Potti, a self contained sink, and a cheap 12vdc/110ac fridge. A small propane camp stove, or portable electric burner... or an electric hot pot, fry pan, and/or a cheap microwave. Toss a mattress on the floor, and away you go! And yeah, I'm serious. If you're hell-bent on rolling on out, don't wait until it's finished, just wait as long as it takes to insure it's mechanically sound and stable. Parking for the night and sleeping on the floor isn't the worst thing in the world... having your bus break down in the middle of a busy intersection, and having to live there for the rest of your life, might be. | ||
| David Dulmage (Daved)
Registered Member Username: Daved Post Number: 228 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 142.46.199.30  Rating: |
First thing I did was attend to a number of maintenance items that were not absolutely necessary at the time, but, once completed would probably not need atttention again for a very long time (e.g. suspension radius rod bushings). We bought the coach in Dec and our goal was to be able to use the coach at the beginning of July. Becasue of the cold weather, I really didn't get started until March. By July, there was still a lot to do but we were able to use it when planned and the positive experiences from that were an incentive to continue the work needed. The first year we had a fully functioning bath and galley with electricity (both 120 Vac and 12 Vdc), but no propane, so we ran our water heater and refrigerator on electricity when camped and used an electric heater when the weather became cooler. We cooked using the microwave, an electric frying pan and a portable barbeque. Installation of the propane system and furnace came the year following. Since then there have been continuous upgrades and some modifications, but we have had enjoyed seven years of use as we progressed. I think if I taken the approach to wait until everything was completed, it would have never progressed as well as it has and my family would have lost interest. FWIW DaveD | ||
| Alex Alexander (Doctor_al)
Registered Member Username: Doctor_al Post Number: 2 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 72.161.87.96 Rating: N/A |
Josh, We bought our 4905 as a seated coach in Oct.of 2004. converted it and hit the road in May 2005. 7 months. It is do-able. Alex | ||
| Nellie Wilson (Vivianellie)
Registered Member Username: Vivianellie Post Number: 183 Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 70.49.115.2 Rating: N/A |
Hi Josh - Thanks for the kind offer. If you hang around this board, I expect we'll keep tabs on one another. I think you'll be very happy wih your MCI. The problems I've encountered are mostly from weather and lack of use... not from any design flaws or poor construction. And I, like yourself, intend to use the bus for my work (music, in my case) and be pretty much a full-timer. I echo John MC9's sentiments ("There's no reason you can't use your bus as a 'steel tent' ... as long as... it's mechanically sound and stable"). I'm not sure I've achieved the 'mechanically sound and stable' part, but I'm getting there. My bus is more a 'steel tent' than a functional home, but I'm going with David's approsch - improve it as I go. And, hopefully, I'll hook up with some of these cluey Bus Nuts for advice. I've got the stuff... fridge, sink, stove, etc. but nothing is hooked up. And I finally realized it never will be unless I (1) get to a better climate and (2) surround myself with folks who know what they're doing. My best adcvice? Stay close to this board. It offers a wealth of information every single day. The opinions may differ, but they're all worth exploring. Best of luck, Nellie Wilson PS. Where's 'Seven Valleys?' Anywhere near the 81 or 84? Hoping I'll be coming through there tomorrow (from Harford to Scranton and then down to Virginia. PPS to Ralph Peters: Got delayed (per usual) Ralph. You'll probably have wandered off to Connecticut by the time I get there? If you read this, let me know... | ||
| Josh McElhiney (Zcommanager)
Registered Member Username: Zcommanager Post Number: 5 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 166.217.240.188 Rating: N/A |
Hi Nellie, I'll be around here for the 'long haul,' as I am going to have a million and two questions, especially when it comes to running the electric and inverters, gennies, etc. I'm really excited about converting my MCI, just as you and everyone else seem to be in converting your own. I've always liked MCI coaches - specifically the MC 5 model, which is what I set out to get and finally got!! Now I just need to get the thing back to Pennsylvania where I will be working on the conversion. Right now it's in storage out west, but hopefully she will be here by the middle of February. I share your same sentiments regarding the weather. I realize that it's not quite as cold in southern Pennsylvania as it is in New England and Canada - i.e. no sub zero temperatures genereally, but 20* is still cold! Not very pleasant conditions for working outdoors. As far as 'steel tents' go, I'm okay with using it as such. I just want to be able to use the old girl and have fun with her. Until I get appliances, that's pretty much all she will be anyway. Mine is equiped with the original factory restroom so that will be a plus until I decide to upgrade the 'facilities.' With that, my small charcoal grill and blow-up bed, what more does a guy need? I'm always interested in gaining the perspectives of others, and learning through their trials and tribulations, but as with all things, I have learned that you must take them with a 'grain of salt.' What works well for one person, may not work out so well for someone else. Anywho...That being said, I'm up for any helpfull tidbits which you or anyone else may be able to provide. Seven Valleys is 15 minutes or so outside of the city of York - close to the Mason-Dixon Line. The 81, I believe is more towards Gettysburg, PA. The nearest interstate highway is the 83, which is 5 or 6 minutes from where I am currently staying. What part of Virginia are you travelling to? If you are coming through this way and depending on what time, I'd like to see your coach, as I'm not as familiar with the 'C' model as I am the 'A' and 'B' models. If you read this before you blow through southern PA, let me know... Have a safe journey on your way down!! Josh McElhiney | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 659 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 64.241.37.140 Rating: N/A |
I'm always interested in gaining the perspectives of others, and learning through their trials and tribulations, but as with all things, I have learned that you must take them with a 'grain of salt.' What works well for one person, may not work out so well for someone else. Anywho...That being said, I'm up for any helpfull tidbits which you or anyone else may be able to provide. On this board that's called "MY WAY" And there are as many build opinions as converters, all for different DESIREMENTS. FF |
