How Do I Get Started?
by Ian Giffin, George Myers and Dave Galey How Do I Get Started? This question first came to my attention from a newsboard on the Internet in October, 1997. There was only one reply. A shame, considering it is the most widely asked question in this field (followed closely by "what am I doing here?!"). BNO receives at least 3 e-mails a week with this question. Now, finally, here’s the definitive answer... I hope!
It makes you think, all bus enthusiasts start in the same place, no? It’s far too obvious; the answer is to "start at the beginning". As this answer kept rolling around in my head, I couldn’t help but think that "the beginning" could be in a number of different places, depending. The more the novice learns, the more "the beginning" becomes more ambiguous; the beginning for me would be easily determined - I’ve driven for a number of years, I know my favourite bus, know the direction of my financial future (as much as any average person in today’s unsettled employment environment). I have assessed my own limitations, put them up against my level of patience and my perfectionist psyche and have struck a balance as it applies to the development of an objective "plan of attack" or "plan A", as it were. Simple.
But I drove for a living. I realize that most haven’t - there’s one variable. Some have more money than me and some don’t - there’s another variable. Some are magicians with their hands and I’m not - yet another variable. If we think about it, there are probably as many variables as there are people who want to pursue the goal of purchasing a bus to convert into a motorhome.
So NOW how do we get started?
Let’s start at the very, very, very beginning, if, in fact there is one. Firstly, let’s define this entire concept as a hobby. Our hobby involves a serious look at ourselves in the mirror to gain a clear perception of what it is we are after. After all, it is a given that we are going to be out of pocket for this hobby and it would behoove us to tread lightly in an area where there is limited and fragmented information with what may be considered few "amateur experts" in the field and where we could go broke quickly.
As with any hobby, the degree of involvement is directly proportional to our own personal perspective, budget and participation. If one could draw an analogy to model railroading, we see that hundreds, thousands and even tens of thousands can be spent on the hobby. You can buy a length of short track, an engine, a couple of freight cars and a power pack. Or you could build the engine from plastic, steel or brass, paint them authentically "weathered" and build the buildings. Or you can even go as far as a friend of mine went - - build a full size operational railroad!
So now, let’s reflect...
The main thing to focus upon is the following: What do we want at the end of the day. Think long and hard about this one, folks. The answer can be simple to complex. Ask anyone and you’ll see. Are you a young couple who want to go camping? Do you have children? Are you retiring and want to be full timers. Are you middle aged and want a break from the status quo? A few more questions are more personal and less basic. One that comes to mind is whether or not your family/friend base could stand the strain of seeing you shove off for extended periods without physically seeing you. How about vice-versa? A more in-depth self examination is touched upon elsewhere in this article.
So what about the hobby itself? How do we get started there? George Myers picks up the conversation from here...
My advice to them is to learn as much as they can before committing to a shell (buying one). The information is needed most at the start of construction. Other than the Internet, they all cost money. However, if a $40. book prevents a $1000. mistake, the $40. is money well spent. Making a $1000. mistake is not too hard. Bus converting is like any other field. It takes a lot of effort to get the information that will save money and make the final product turn out better.
Large elegant coaches are wonderful to behold. Anyone who can pay cash for one converted to his specifications should find a reputable conversion company and get started. However, the more background he has, the more he will understand what is involved in the decisions that tailor the coach to the family. The company you pick should have the experience base to ensure that the little things are done properly.
My group is the one that converts our own buses into the safest, most comfortable and functional motor homes. If you are interested in joining us, let me welcome you to a wonderfully rewarding hobby. One aspect of our hobby is the variety of useful coaches we built. Some people have the time and money to build conversions that surpass those built by the for-profit companies. However, $25,000. plus a little work does not equal a $500,000. coach or even a $50,000. one. On the other hand, it CAN equal comfortable reliable travel for your family. We had many enjoyable trips over the last 26 years in a conversion that wasn't worth over $20,000. at its prime.
If you are considering building your own conversion, I would offer the following advice: You need to learn enough about conversions to figure out what will best serve your needs and stay within your budget.
As far as gathering information, don't get wrapped up in looking for people converting a particular model you are interested in. While it is informative to talk to someone with the same kind of coach, most things are universal to all conversions. Also, don't just look at conversions. Other RV types use the same appliances and have many similar problems and solutions.
Look at buses and RVs. Study how they are made, how well the layout would fit your needs, and what features they have that you can use. In other words, steal ideas. Attend every bus activity possible. The best are Bus Conversion magazine's annual convention and the Family Motor Coach Association's summer and winter national conventions. At FMCA, the things to look at are the accessories and appliances that will go into the conversion. Visit used bus lots to see shells and get an idea of the cost and condition. Learn what to look for!
Read the codes so you know how to do it right. There is a lot of misinformation about what they require, and you have to read them yourself.
Since you are reading this, you have Internet access. Regularly visit this and the other conversion sites and follow what is going on. Also, join in on the real-time chat sessions at both sites.
This is the information gathering phase that should go on as long as you are involved in the hobby. However, when you evaluate one alternative against an other, the significantly more expensive alternative almost always wins. It's now time to get in touch with the reality of what YOU can do. In other words, to go from a bunch of information to understanding converted coaches. This is going to require some work. Another name for this phase could be "Planning."
List the things you need in a coach to satisfy your needs. Add prices to ensure it is in your budget and that the value you receive from each item justifies its cost. For each item on the list ask yourself; Why do I want this? What other things are needed to make it work? Is there something cheaper that will do the same job? Do I know enough about it? Now expand it to include everything you can think of such as screws, plywood, wire, outlet boxes, upholstery, etc. A spread sheet works well for this.
Then make up floor plans to be sure you can fit what you want in. This should include measuring an actual bus to locate the doors, windows, wheel wells, items under the floor, and anything else needed to develop a floor plan. The next step is to design the cabinets and fit in all the utilities, appliances, wire runs, sewage lines, etc.
There are many purposes for this exercise. You get a feel for what is involved and what it will cost. It forces you to think about the coach as systems that work together. When you learn something new, your plan gives you a basis to evaluate it. It helps you keep things in balance so one aspect does not take too much space or money. You will learn how some things that seem so clear and logical can just not work in your plan. It also gives you experience in the planning process you will need for the one you actually build. Don't be afraid to scrap one plan and start another. It is also a good idea to have two or more going in different shells. For example a 35-foot highway coach and a 40-foot 102-inch wide transit. This gives you a real basis to evaluate one against the other.
A bus was originally designed to carry about 45 passengers and their luggage. With you and your family aboard, your bus will give you all the room you could possibly need, if well laid out and preplanned to the nth degree. Buses are also designed to go a million miles, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and require nothing more than reasonable maintenance. They are one of the safest, if not, THE safest vehicles on the road. Their structure is designed to never be overloaded and safety features are equivalent or better than those found on the newest cars. Remember, they are built for humans, not boxes! Please remember to put your bus in your will - your bus will probably be around for your children and likely their children to enjoy. Try THAT with a tent!
The planning process is the place to make your mistakes, identify misconceptions, and correct them. The more you put into it, the more you will understand, and the better your converted coach will be.
Dave Galey’s perception of this hobby is more succinct and philosophical:
Each coach, by each individual, is a work of art, reflecting not only their taste, but their attitude and life style. In no way, is there a wrong way to convert a coach for yourself. If you are satisfied, then its right.
The various tasks of converting a bus may be broken down into a number of categories. Listed below are the categories I use. These could, in some cases, be amalgamated, or expanded, but have traditionally been used by me over the years of my involvement in bus conversion. If the total cost of the conversion is equal to 100 percent, then the various tasks represent a percentage of that total, as shown below.
Cost of Conversion Percentage by Category
44% - Body (including cost and improvement)
9% - Engine & Transmission
4% - Plumbing
11% - Electrical (including generator)
5% - Heating and Air Conditioning
6% - Cabinet work
6% - Equipment
2% - Instrumentation
7% - Paint & Body work
6% - Furnishings
Total = 100%
A word about re-selling your conversion is now in order. You see these beautiful coaches done by Marathon, Liberty, Custom Coach and others selling for over a half-a-mil.You have done an exceptional job on your own coach, so it is natural to believe your rig, which is the size and shape of the professionally built coaches, should be valued somewhere between 100 and 200k. After you have come back to Earth, consider the following: If you discount your labor to zero, and manage to sell your coach for close to what you have in it, give yourself a Well Done! Especially considering your years of use and enjoyment.
In conclusion, I'll site a quote from Cece, a new chatter at DieselChat, Bus Nut Online's new chat room, that sums up the notion of converting your own bus for use as a mobile home... "An adventuresome spirit and a good sense of humour are prerequisites". Cece... that's excellent advice on how to get started!
Here are some sources:
MAGAZINES:
Bus Conversions Magazine
3431 Cherry Ave
Long Beach, CA 90807
(310) 492-1345
www.busconversions.com National Bus Trader
9698 W. Judson Road
Polo, Illinois 61064
Family Motor Coaching
The magazine of the Family Motor Coach Association
8291 Clough Pike
Cincinnati, OH 45244
(800) 543-3622, in OH (513) 474-3622
* Their summer and winter national conventions generally attract 5,000 to 7,000 coaches.
Motor Home
2575 Vista Del Mar Dr.
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 667-4100
BOOKS ON BUS CONVERSIONS:
America National Standards Institute
ANSI A119.2 - NFPA 501C Recreational Vehicles 1996 Edition
(212) 642-4900
See
www.ansi.org Standards for the RV industry (including buses) on all matters concerning safety relating to LP, water, sewage, and fuel lines.
The National Electrical Code 1996
Article 551 "Recreational Vehicles and Recreational Vehicle Parks"
National Fire Protection Association
Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269
1-800-344-3555
Also available on CD Rom.
Galey, Dave; The Bus Converter’s Bible, The Joys of Busing, The Gospel of Gauges According to Galey, Classy Cabinets for Converted Coaches, Fascinating Fastener Facts including The Book of Rivet Revelations.
Winlock Publishing
26135 Murrieta Rd., Sun City, CA.
(909) 943-4945
Galey's book is probably the best, but I suggest you buy them all if you're going to do a conversion.
The Bus Converter’s Bible is published in its entirety throughout the year on BNO,
www.busnut.com.
Myers, George; Coach Conversion Notes: Low Cost Conversions, Fiberglass on Plywood Tanks, Satellite TV, Super Insulation the Roof, Air Brakes / Air Systems.
Epic Conversion Support
P.O. Box 113, Alpha, OH 45301-0113
Internet
74023.2223@compuserve.com.
A synopsis of all 5 of these "Notes" can be seen on BNO,
www.busnut.com.
Lowman, Bill; Converting Buses into Motor homes, Green Publications.
Plachno, Larry; Beginner's Guide to Converted Coaches
Transportation Trails.
Larry is the publisher of "National Bus Trader" magazine.
The Bus Pages, Bus Book Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 9, McMinnville, OR, 97128-0009
1-800-775-4577
A Yellow-Pages of bus manufactures, dealers, suppliers etc.
de Piolenc, F. Marc, Conversion Resources
PO Box 1549, La Jolla, CA, 92038-1549
(619) 443-4347
INTERNET SITES:
BNO - Bus Nut Online
www.busnut.com This is the site you are on while reading this article. There are many other areas of interest here also including a real-time interactive chat room featuring special guests talking about their specialty.
Bus Conversions
www.busconversions.com This is the home page for Bus Conversions, Arriving, and Bus World magazines.
RV Coach Online
www.rv-coach.com World of RV Nuts, RV Park Registration, Virtual RV Park Map. Also, "NEWS GROUP: World of Bus Nuts.
www89.pair.com/techinfo/BusDir/buscon.htm
This site belongs to long time bus converter Marc de Piolenc.
The site has the table of contents for his "Conversion Resources" book that lists where to get specialty parts.
BUS CONVERSION CONVENTIONS: by George Myers.
I found that I learned more about the conversion process at the first two Bus Conversion Conventions than I did at the 17 FMCA nationals I attended. The products on display at the commercial booths cover most of what you need for a conversion.
For someone who has not seen many conversions, the coaches on display would be of interest and value. However, some of them are utterly impractical for family use. This is especially true of the glitzy ones. The companies who display are showing expensive products, and the people who come are the ones that can afford the time and expense of the trip. This gives the impression that $100,000 is the lowest priced conversion going. This is not true, but there are many ideas and products someone on a lower budget can use.
The seminars are the real value. For those who have not attended a conversion convention, there is a lot to learn. Most of the presenters are experts in their fields and cover the subjects well. See the list of items below. A few seminars were more like infomercials than a genuine seminar, however, their products are of interest.
The following is a compilation of the seminars that have been presented at the Bus Conversion conventions in the past. If you are considering buying and building your own conversion, this list will arm you with an invaluable list of some of the topics you need to know about. Our thanks to George Myers for the compilation.
Selling Your Conversion
Selecting a Shell
Insulation
Batteries
History of Batteries
Battery Corrosion
A Primer to Typical RV Electrical Systems (For Women)
Wiring
Inverters
Generators
How to Avoid Costly Electrical Repairs
Diagnosing and Testing Electrical Circuits Using a Test Meter
Mobile Communications
Cabinets and Interiors
Plumbing a Bus
Insulated Windows
Windows -- Not Insulated
Propane
Bus Maintenance
Maintaining Fuel Cooling And Lubrication Systems
Preventive Maintenance Program
Detroit Diesel Engine Ownership and Operation
Filters
Air Filters
Your Engine and Air Restriction
Bus Body Work
Structural Modifications
Eagle Modifications Lengthen, Widen, & Raising the Roof
Eagles
Bus Driving
Converting Standard to Automatic Transmission
Solar Power
Allison Transmissions
Pre-Paint
RV Safety
How to Become a Published Writer
Low Fat & High Altitude Cooking
Personal Defense
Fashion Show
Chocolate Candy Making
Long Term Care
RVing in Mexico
Breast Health
RV Insurance
The Great Years Beyond 50
The images that appear in this article are used by permission and are supplied to us by "The Bus Spot".
