One of a kind MCI 9

[Tom Y]

On Ebay #250217510638  Would make an interesting start.  Tom Y

[TrevorH]

I looked at that auction earlier.  Considering what looks to be ALOT of time and work that has gone into it.  Their auction doesnt say a whole lot of anything.  VERY little info.  I would guess they dont get a whole lot out of it.

[belfert]

Good luck to whoever buys that bus to get it home.  No lights, no mirrors, and no windows to see to either side.  The buyer might end up paying the seller to install these items to make the bus roadworthy.

[Bob Gil]

That one might be a little tricky to drive like it is.

Glad mine is a little futher down the road to being drivable than that.

Bob

[TrevorH]

I called the guy and he owns a fiberglass shop.  The headlights and mirrors are included.  The side door hinges up and he was going to use a handicapped wheel chair lift.  He said that it was an old Greyhound and that it did not shift right.  He said it would take a "bit" of time to get it roadworthy.  Sounds like ALOT of work and headache before that one would be road worthy.  What I did think was cool was his bay doors.  He took off the stainless outside panel and made a mold to make smooth panels for it.  Then made a mold for fiberglass handles.  Sounds like he has spent alot of time on the glass work but without a better running bus I dont think he is gonna do real well with it. 

[HighTechRedneck]

I think you're right. He's not going to come out good on it (no reserve).  But somebody will get it at a relatively low price, swap in a good engine/transmission and be well on their way to a really good looking bus conversion.

After seeing what those who are knowledgeable of MCI structural issues have said, I retract my observation about it being good in any way.  Sounds more like a disaster waiting to happen.

[TomC]

Personally-I think the vast majority of the hard work is done.  With out front mirrors, you could drive it.  But the reskinning, interior stripped ready for new, is the nastiest part of the conversion-in this case all done.  If I was in the market-this would make an interesting bus.  Engine and transmission overhaul is almost always a given with the age of these buses.  Good Luck, TomC

[TrevorH]

Dont say rebuild too loud Tom we dont want my bus to catch wind of that!!!  I REALLY dont want to have to dig in my pockets for any mechanicals until the conversion is well on its way...

[niles500]

What's with the roof ribs?  $50K and they haven't even managed to create a rolling shell - finishing it at this rate would cost you more than a late model low mile used Prevocar

[tekebird]

Thats a look and runa way job if I ever saw one.

[buswarrior]

Yup, the inside picture has me spooked, I don't think there's much holding that together anymore...

run away.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[NJT5047]

That bus appears to be a disaster in waiting.  The roof has no strength, no side support.  A good snow might cave the roof in.   The two outer roof structural stringers are missing.   And with all that fiberglass, you ain't gonna be able to weld angles into place.  Burn that puppy down.
The radiators have no air supply.  No windows would be an issue.  Mounting windows will be complicated and expensive.  Have to use trim-ring windows for everything..drivers and door windows will be hard to make look "bus" like. 
Once on the road, I'd bet that the thing cracks everywhere.  It looks good as is, but all those joints will "work" I'd guess.  The roof will likely 'rack' on the road.
I'd be suprised if the front and rear engine cantilever don't sag.  The roof stringers are what holds up both ends on an MC9.   
The rear door was going to be a motorcycle loading ramp...??
What a shame to waste all that nice fiberglass work on such poor engineering.  Any average busnut could've saved someone from major errors.  That would be a really nice item if the steelwork wasn't so screwed.   It also appears that the interior wall panels have not been removed...judging from the funky little angle braces welded up for vertical window posts. 
JR 

[Jeremy]

I cannot comment on the structural things because I don't know about MCI bodies - but if it were my bus (which has a seperate chassis) I would be entirely happy - it may be less over-engineered than it was during it's life carrying 50 passengers every day of the year, but there is still far more steel in it than a typical motorhome has (most of which use wood framing). Whether the body would shake and rattle going down the road I don't know - I suspect not, especially if the interior furniture was made of structural plywood and bonded to the fibreglass shell in order to add strength and stiffness to the whole structure (exactly as is done in boats for instance).

The vast amount of time-comsuming bodywork that has been done would make an excellent start for a conversion that will look better than 90% of the ones out there. If the price reflects the likely need for a new engine and transmission, I would personally much rather buy a bus such as this that required some bolt-together mechanical work rather than one that needed months of dirty, tiring bodywork.

Jeremy

[NJT5047]

The roof steel in an MC9 is an integral part of the frame.   The pictured MC9 has had all of the factory steel removed above the lower windows. 
It is, as you say Jeremy, done up as if the coach had a Frieghtliner style frame on which the body was situated.   An MC9 has no frame per se.   
The original MC9 roof steel formed a bridgework that supports both ends...generally in tension.   The 'bridge' is gone. 
The OEM roof steel consisted of 3 formed steel stringers that tied both ends together.  Sort of hard to understand what's missing without seeing the original roof system.  It's pretty elaborate.
As it is now, the fiberglass skin is going to be the new upper frame.  How long will that last, and how is it bonded to the small motorhome style roof frame?
Gump's website would be a good place to see what's 'missing.'
That bus is not going to be useful for anything but a chicken coop...if someone wants to tow it to the farm.  It isn't going to be drivable without a lot of work. 
The fiberglas work is nice, no doubt, but that bus is one giant exercise in art. 
There's no good way to weld in new steel without removing some of the fiberglass.   
JR

[Sojourner]

Amen! NJT5047......A a few front drop of one front wheel into 8 " dip or hole in the road will finally crack some where along the side's skin from bottom to top. Not going to mention his name but it been done 7 years ago. I am not referring this owner.
Bottom line is either use diagonals in roof's framing or use sheet metal such as OEM roof.

Fiberglass is not a complete replacement to sheet metal but for other reason.

FWIW

Sojourn for Christ, Jerry