BCM Community
Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: johnboy on February 11, 2010, 03:31:42 PM
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Hello my name is john and i have recently traded for a early 80's model MCI 9. It is already completely gutted with a plywood floor. The bus is in very good condition it just looks ugly from the outside. My family and i (me, my wife, 23 year old son and his fiance) are looking to turn it into a light travel bus. We want the comforts of home just not as luxurious. Meaning were willing to have a tight fit here or there. We will also have some family and friends travelling with us every now and then as well so we need sitting and sleeping room.
Now here is where I'm looking for ideas and experience. I want the layout like this (willing to alter slightly). In the back will be my bedroom i have the bed turned sideways and up against the wall and am going to have it raise up for storeage. Then comes 2 bunks on one side of the bus except i want it to be a full size bunk instead of twin. I have seen where someone has folding bunks with a full on bottom and a twin on top and am intrested in that. Then the bathroom with a hallway on one side kitchen and living area. I have looked all over for layouts for ideas with 2 full rooms and have found none.
I would appreciate any advice or ideas on storage, seating, layouts ....well pretty much anything!!!! Thanks!!
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Welcome John,
You will find most everything you need here.
Welcome and good luck
rick
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John,
First welcome to the nicest family of nuts, busnuts that is, that you will ever meeet. Your best bet is to get inside your coach with a tape emasure and a roll of masking tape. Layout your plan on the floor using the masking tape. I can't give much information on a layout for a bus traveling with that many people. Our bus is designed for Cocktails for 6, Dinner for 4 and Sleeps 2.
Where are located, there may be some fellow busnuts nearby. Also try to attend a bus rally or 2 (or more). That is where we stole borrowed most of the ideas we used on our conversion. Here is a link to some interior photos of our coach just click on the OBS links on the left side of the page for more coach photos http://s682.photobucket.com/albums/vv186/OBS-JC/OBS%20II%20Interior/ Jack
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when planning remember your toilet should be located over tank (easiest) and plumbing and drains should be in a direct area to tanks..we use a couch with a queen bed layout in living room..try to keep it easy to repair...Most of all make it work for you....entainer coaches have bunks stacked 3 high on sides,normally have only a small bath with a sink...just bounce ideals off board members and look at other peoples creations.
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WOW!!! Jack i loved your bus its beautiful with all of the wood!! My sons fiance is trying to help us with the layout and we havnt thought about the tank and where i need to put it thats a good bit of info robert!!
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Thanks, I have as much enjoyment out of building it as I do using it.
Another place to get ideas is to go to an RV dealership or RV show and look at the motorhomes in the 40' range. Just remember that a 102" wide coach floorplan may not fit in a 96" wide coach. Jack
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I build..KISS...means keep it simple stupid....I need it simple..as you or your designer progresses ask basic questions and build from ground up..first plan on elect ,water,cable and sewer exiting a little in front of driver side rear dual;for easy hook ups...mates up to almost all campgrounds...The madness starts...depend on local bus nuts to help many have extra parts and have made mistakes they can share with you....why buses are good...people you meet....don't need 3 wreckers to remove after a accident...don't normaly fall apart after a year of fulltiming(not all Sticks and staples)......Safety
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Hi John,
I have a 2-bedroom layout with a walk through bathroom.
You can see some pictures in the link in my signature ↓
There are also some pictures on Gary’s Delaware rally video and pictures.
8)
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Check the Newell site at one time they built a 2 bedroom model. www.newellcoach.com (http://www.newellcoach.com)
Folks here call it a S&S unit but I would take one in a minute
good luck
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EDNJ i loved your bunks!! And i tried the newell site and couldnt find any layouts with 2 rooms but ill keep on looking!! If anyone else has any ideas at all please let me know!!
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John,
Welcome aboard, this group is the best, I also have a early 80 MCI9 actually 81, you can check out my photo bucket at the bottom of the post, where are you located? Just ask away and you will get lots of answers and ideas. Jason
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kentuckysteve is from Lexington
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another source for ideas is web site prevoststuff list coaches for sale with interior shots..out of my price range...good ideas
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John,
Welcome...
Your very next move needs to be purchasing tow insurance from Coachnet 800273-1110. About $100 per year.
Enjoy the ride,
John
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Welcome to the madness johnboy!!!! :)
While you are still empty, make sure the top of the wheel wells are sealed inside below the floor and it is cleaned out below the floor in those areas. Then go ahead and run a lots of wires from the front to the back so they will be there when you decide what you want. :)
Also if you get creative, there is a lot of wasted space under the floor up front before you get to the bays. you could put a water tank or a cabinet with a hinged door that opens up in the floor. While your at this stage it is worth a look-see to pull up the wood in the front and over the wheel wells in the rear.
Keep us posted with what your doin.
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Thanks for all the good ideas guys!! jm blake i loved your pics! I liked how you put the panneling on the celing! But i do have another question...... On my bus my windshield wiper motor is broke and i have pulled it apart and cleaned it and i have a little plastic part that has 5 O rings around it thats broken. Any ideas where to get a new one??
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Hey you guys i think i have decided on a layout. The scribbles are pocket doors and the second bed is a full size bunk bed. Any ideas? Let me know. Thanks!!
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Removed
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Great when i put it in the scanner i did everything i could to get it under the kb ammout and thats as far as i could get it. Thanks!!
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- make sure you keep the engine access ports in the floor at the back accessible
- do you need 4 burners? consider 2 burner and Convection microwave with fan over top to save space
- you could put fresh water tank under forward bed to to save bay space, also, put fill valve in a spot where it is not behind the bay door when it is open
- dinette not really needed if you have table provision, interesting :)
Is the potty too close to the fridge?, I know it's one of those crazy things,
Also, take a different color and overlay your bays and what you might want to put in them, that will help on placement
thanks for keeping us up :)
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well i thought about the fridge being close to the bathroom and thought about switching the bathroom with the 2nd bedroom. But..if i switch them i will have to move the counters up and loose a lot of living space up front...thats why i did that. With the table/dinet i think im going to make a hole in the floor and make a wooden table top with a metal post that will fold up, down and latch in place for tables. That way it gives us more sitting room. Thats an excellent idea about the bays and the different colors, ill have to do that!! Thanks for the feed back!! This keeps me thinking!!
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Hey you guys Im finally getting somewhere on my bus!!! My soon to be daughter in law helped me put down our measurement in the bus and mark eeverything off. I sent it over to my nephews house so he can get to work studding out the bus for me. But on our 30 min drive over there my bus shut donw on me because it was getting to hot. Well come to find out when I had washed the bus th other day there is a switch in the back that will turn off the fan to keep everything cool. Needless to say I figured that out and we were on our way. About a week later my nephew had all of the walls studded and is ready to go to my brother-in-laws house for wiring!!! Now were on our way.....but every time you take on step forward you take one step back. I went to get in the bus to take it to my brother-in laws and the raidator now has a hole in it from where I accidentally flipped the switch. Any ideas where to get a new or a good person to rebuild...is it worth a rebuild.....any help is greatly appreciated!!
Update on Wiper motor.....I found on really cheap thanks to you guys.... I still wouldnt have one if it wasnt for you!!1
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Uh, I don't understand. I thought you had an MC9? What kind or wierd-arsed cooling system has someone installed that has a switch to shut off the fans? And how did it put a hole in your radiator?
Sounds like the PO really mucked up your bus.
We need a better explanation.
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Because I (stupid me) pressure washed the bus I guess I accidentally hit a switch that will turn off the fans that keeps all of the motor parts cool. So when we were going down the highway I guess it got so hot back there it burnt a hole in the radiator. I had pulled off the side of the road found the switch and drove about 10 min to my nephews house. A week later i went back to go get my bus, turned it on and it started pouring our antifreez. So I pulled out the radiator and I need to either get this one recoilled (if I can find someone to do it) or get a new or good used one. I have parked the bus up in the front of the house for hours and just let it run seeing if it would get hot and taken it on small errands in town to see how it does and it does great but after I hit that button is when my problems started.
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Our confusion is that MC9's have a belt driven fan system, a big belt runs from the front pulley of the engine to a gearbox on top between two big squirrel cage fans that pull air in through the radiators, one on each side of the bus above the engine. your bus doesn't have that? Is it an electric fan motor?
Brian
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Some digital pictures might also help.
Link to the photo hosting site of your choice, if shrinking them to post is a problem.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
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sounds like some one put electric cooling fans in in place of the blower. Normally the bus has a mechanical driven blower or fan to pull air through the radiators. This may become a problem if they aren't sufficient. Jerry
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The switch was an air vaulve. When it got shut off the cylinder couldnt get air pressure to raise up and tighten the belt that runs through the motor.
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The rad was already bad, waiting to leak, or you wrecked it blasting with the pressure washer.
An overheat won't harm a good rad, however, there is no such thing as a simple overheat with a coach. Very expensive damage may result from overheating. It must be avoided.
At this moment, your number one concern should be:
wondering what else you need to know that is different about your coach from your previous automotive experience, before it co$t$ more than you have.
Operator manual, maintenance manual, parts manual, and some ton of online reading, both here at BCM and over at BNO will help you a lot!
happy coaching!
buswarrior
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Well now my problem is that I need a new radiatior.......Any suggestions on where to get one??
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Well now my problem is that I need a new radiatior.......Any suggestions on where to get one??
Diesel Radiator Co.
1985 Janice Ave
Melrose Park, IL 60160-1077
Ph: 800-221-0240
708-345-9244
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Thanks so much for your help! I really appreciate it! I will try to get some pictues up here as soon as possible!