| Author | Message | ||
| Terry (T3rry)
Registered Member Username: T3rry Post Number: 5 Registered: 2-2010 Posted From: 209.167.172.135  Rating: N/A |
Hey all, i picked up a bus on the weekend, for me and the family to travel I (there are about 25 of us including extended family that lives close to us and generally travels with us) so we intend to leave in about 30 seats, I'd like to improve on the plumbing and washroom, as well as add a couple of bunks, and maybe a small kitchen space, bar fridge, and of course a big TV and dvd player/video games for the kids  Ok, ok, i am probably going a bit overboard here for something that's to be used 1-2 times a year, but seriously, we need to make this thing livable, and i really am not impressed with the bathroom. We need some clean 12v power, as well as 110Vac, via an inverter (hopefully) as a genset is just not in the budget, and way over my knowledge of electrical systems. So i guess, basically, what i am asking is, What was the first thing you upgraded in your bus? I know most of you will say "gutted it" but i am really not going all in with this thing right away, i only have basically every other weekend in the summer to work on it (with my family) as it's an hour away at my brother's acreage. Also, how can i re-work the bathroom without getting really deep in this thing, i would like to have working plumbing (mostly just to prevent the smell) and to wash hand etc... I probably have way too many questions in here, and should split the post up, but i didn't want to spam the board.... any info/pics would be very helpful, i have already read this form for a week straight (as soon as i found i was looking at this bus) | ||
| John & Barb Tesser (Bigrigger)
Registered Member Username: Bigrigger Post Number: 365 Registered: 9-2007 Posted From: 24.183.21.246  Rating: N/A |
Welcome to the madness Terry. I can tell you that a lot of what you do will depend on how YOU plan to use the bus. Most of us have conversions that are liveable for 2-6 people on a sustained basis. What your looking for is more in line with an entertainer coach (more seating, some bunks and no shower). The only good advice I can give you is to tear out the factory bathroom. They are not built to contain the waste of 25 people over a long period of time. The waste tank was small because the bus line could empty it on a regular basis. I am no expert in any of this, but there are experts on here who have done dozens of conversions. Therefore I will just shut up now and leave it to them. Good luck though and keep us posted! John | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1117 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.42.4  Rating: N/A |
I think you will have to have a CDL with bus endorsement to carry 30 people. I'm not certain of this so it may be a good idea to check it out. You may not be able to register it as a Motor Home either! The downside to all this is much higher insurance in addition to taking the CDL exam. More knowledgeable BNs will surely chime in on this. | ||
| Terry (T3rry)
Registered Member Username: T3rry Post Number: 12 Registered: 2-2010 Posted From: 68.147.23.190 Rating: N/A |
Thanks Gus, my mother (who will be driving for us) is an employed bus operator, so she does have sufficient licensing, so we have that covered, and we're currently fighting with the insurance company for insurance, not sure how it will go, but only time will tell, unfortunately i think the passenger limit may kill our MCI dream, but we'll see, if they say a max of 19 seats (which is what i have been hearing) then that's just what we'll have to do... gotta play their game unfortunately (and insuring it as a bus is not an option, for the 1-2 times per year we'll use it, the insurance cost is really not worth it... thanks for the advice. (Message edited by t3rry on March 01, 2010) | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1143 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.245.107.30 Rating: N/A |
Methinks Gus is spot on!!!!!!! CDL, Passengers! Insurance////are you kidding? Safe than sorry, right? Period. And with 30 of youse...what are you goin to do with the surplus (19 vs 30)??? If every one "kicked in"...the Insurance shouldn't be a real problem,.....why not play by the rules? Don't mean to be a "kill-joy"...but...Good Grief!!!!!! Truly hope you "think it thru" to the best for all. FWIW RCB | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 1080 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 74.162.73.36  Rating: N/A |
Terry - Another opinion? The typical bus lavatory is designed to handle the capacity of the bus (49-56 plus standees) for an entire day (or more) trip. Bus toilets only get emptied when they're full, and it was never a daily thing... The problem is emptying it. You'll have to modify the outlet to accommodate a standard RV hose if you plan to dump at conventional dump stations. It's not a big job, and most RV shops would welcome the work. If you weren't in Canada, I'd say to claim the bus is a motorhome, and call Progressive Insurance. In the USA, it doesn't matter if you stuff two people into a motorhome, or have the entire family, the license to drive a motorhome is the same. Hang curtains, shades, or venetian blinds; you'll need them anyway, and it'll look more like a motorhome. Just stop calling it a "bus" and stating "seating capacity". Have Mom teach you all she knows about driving a bus, btw. If you plan to have a fridge, stove, microwave, heat, air conditioning, and a big screen TV, you are going to have to have a generator. Using propane for the fridge, stove and heat, is the most economical, but you're going to need AC power for the balance.You can run an inverter or two, but the electronics and cost is going to eat you up. And the bus will have to run to keep the inverter and batteries working. Easy way? Buy a decent generator and mount it into a well ventilated compartment. If wiring isn't your bag, call an electrician and have him wire up some outlets where you need them, and place a panel in the bay you want it in (or where he suggests). that'll get you what you need faster than otherwise. Have him wire it so you ca use a power-post hookup at the campground. Forget the stove, and use electric frying pans, pots, and the microwave. Get an electric baseboard type heater (the oil filled ones are good), and some rooftop air conditioners. And inexpensive Home Depot 20gal electric water heater is handy... With a good genset, you can run it all until you're at a campground. Oh yeah...buy carbon monoxide and fire/smoke detectors, and make sure everyone knows how to open the emergency windows and operate the fire extinguishers you're also going to buy. Huh? Did I miss anything? | ||
| Terry (T3rry)
Registered Member Username: T3rry Post Number: 13 Registered: 2-2010 Posted From: 68.147.23.190 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for the post john, i wish alberta was as easy as the USA, as far as the bathroom, i am not concerned with the tank size and stuff like that because as i said, it'd only be used 1-2 times per year, for a 6 hour drive, i just wanted to find a way to avoid the stink. we intend to put curtains on the windows, put in a couple bunks, and turn some of the seats around with tables between to make it more "RVish", i hate driving large vehicles, and it would cost me a fair amount of money to get my license, for something i'd rather not drive anyways :P all i really "want" in there is a small fridge, dont need AC or heat or any of that. a generator would be great to have, but as i said, we will only be using it 1-2 times per year, so i honestly cant justify the cost. my brother does have a portable gas generator, we may be able to find room for that, but we really wont be in the bus when it's not driving, so the generator would be more of a novelty thing and be used even less often than the bus. i am seriously considering a 24v inverter, my only concern is money, this is an extremely budget project, we purchased the "RV" to save us money on this yearly trip, not to end up costing us more than it's worth (we only paid $1800CAD for the unit, I dont want to spend more than that on a generator and/or insurance at this point because we really do not know the condition of the bus or how often it'll be used, we take possession in the near future and will verify all that then(still fighting with insurance to just get temporary to get it from the previous owner to my brother's acreage, which is about a 1.5 hour drive)) ... i wish i was like the rest of you and had a seemingly unlimited bank account, but that's just not the case. Thank you very much for all of the suggestions, i will read and consider everything that's given to me. RC, i never said i intended to do anything illegal, i said i have to play by their rules, and if that means having a second vehicle behind carrying the balance of the people (we have a suburban and 30 is the extreme, we wont necessarily have that many people, i just said 30 because that's how many seats I'd like in there, not necessarily how many people would be in it when it's moving.) then so be it, I'd just rather not if it was a *legal and safe* (and inexpensive) option. (Message edited by t3rry on March 01, 2010) | ||
| David Evans (Dmd)
Registered Member Username: Dmd Post Number: 433 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 173.77.219.254  Rating: N/A |
You could possibly put a nice Fantastic fan unit in there or even a solar powered fan in the rest room area and opening/closing vents on the bottom of door (not sure how tight that seal is). We run a fair size fridge off an invertor (12v) while running down the road. You would probably want another battery bank for the invertor. LOTS of info on that in the archives as well. To bad you wont like to drive the bus, thats the best part to me. Welcome | ||
| Terry (T3rry)
Registered Member Username: T3rry Post Number: 16 Registered: 2-2010 Posted From: 209.167.172.135 Rating: N/A |
David, i looked in to the fantastic fans, i am just hesitant about putting one of those up as the only time our bathroom will really be used is when we're moving... and i don't like the idea of spending that much money on a fan for it to be ripped off by the wind while driving down the road. | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 1083 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 74.162.73.36 Rating: N/A |
Terry - Some bus toilets had a fan under the seat to take out fumes. You might want to check and see if you have one, and if it's operational. That, along with a can of Fabreeze, should take care of any problems. A well cared for OE toilet is your least expensive way to go, if all this is, is an occasional big station wagon. When you first posted, you were talking about a full RV, complete with big screen TV... whahabbin? Do it your way, and the least expensive way. Put the bux into safety items and maintenance. Good luck! . | ||
| Terry (T3rry)
Registered Member Username: T3rry Post Number: 17 Registered: 2-2010 Posted From: 209.167.172.135 Rating: N/A |
well i can still put a big tv in there but later in that post i said "ok ok, maybe i am getting a bit overboard here" (or something to that effect), but anwyays the TV would be temporary and removed after each use (as it's my son's TV :P.) I will be putting in a 2300watt (4600 peak) inverter, so i will be able to power a TV/dvd player. so that's still an option (Message edited by t3rry on March 02, 2010) | ||
| Gus Causbie (Gusc)
Registered Member Username: Gusc Post Number: 1119 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 173.202.33.95 Rating: N/A |
Terry, When you first posted I had no idea you lived in Canada. I seldom look at profiles, maybe I should do it more often. I especially enjoyed your comment about our "seemingly unlimited bank account"!! I doubt you will find many of those among us! My bus is 56 years old. (Message edited by gusc on March 02, 2010) |