Converting a bus into a motorhome

[Sway]

After reading the new Routemaster thread, I had a look at 2nd hand buses.

Found that single decides are surprisingly cheap....

http://www.ensignbus.com/Sales_RSTW_DartSLF.htm

So, four and a half k for a big single decker. That would make a bloody awesome fake Winnebago!

What's stopping me?

License/economy/weight?

Thoughts are that there's loads of room for bolting in walls/furniture, and they have those bolt down rails top and bottom for secure easy fixings.

Couple of bedrooms, big lounge at the front, toilet and kitchen in between.

Job jobbed?

[kambites]

Bah at least get a double decker if you're going to do it. Who wants a bungalow when they can have a two-story house of the same footprint?

[alangla]

It'll drive you mad on a long run - most of these things are revving their nuts off at 40-50mph. An old coach might be a better bet, it'll be geared for long motorway journeys.

[matthias73]

I think you should get either a double decker or a coach.
Double decker because tis cool, a coach because like mentioned, have you heard a bus engine on a duel carrigeway?

Plus coaches are higher up, so you don't have to look at peasants.

[Graebob]

I've seen a few old coaches with the front half converted to motorhome, and a ramp to park a trackday special in the rear...

[hairyben]

If cost is a factor I'd consider engine/transmission and other major mechanical component rebuilt costs, london transport busses are driven by proper chimpanzees, which is probably why they're disposing of busses only 15 years old

Oh, I believe it's still the case you can drive just about anything if it's been converted to a motorhome...

[Mr2Mike]

hairyben said:

Oh, I believe it's still the case you can drive just about anything if it's been converted to a motorhome...

Depends on which categories you are licenced for. There is a length and width limit as well.

[kambites]

Are modern coaches double glazed?

[Garlick]

You'd look like a family of new age types on the average campsite.

Old Winnies are fairly cheap these days, buy one of those instead and play the retro card instead of the unwashed.

An example:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/winnebego-alacanti-6-whe...

[hairyben]

http://www.usedcoachsales.co.uk/coach.ihtml?coach=...

Get a convertible, have an open air hot tub and some remote controls to drive it?

[007 VXR]

Whats you total budget?

[carreauchompeur]

hairyben said:

http://www.usedcoachsales.co.uk/coach.ihtml?coach=...

Get a convertible, have an open air hot tub and some remote controls to drive it?

Awesome, motorhome with a sundeck...

[TheTurbonator]

Don't buy a bloody Dennis Dart for god's sake. Company I work for used to have a fleet of them and they're god awful to drive.

The brakes are terrible and you literally have to stand on the pedal to get any stopping power out of them. They're under powered too, okay so a bus isn't quick but they're slower than what a normal bus is. Whenever I took one down the motorway they would struggle to stay at a steady 40mph.

They're technically not a single decker either. They have a shorter wheel base than a standard full length single and are classed as midi-busses. Okay so now I'm just being pedantic but full length single deckers are a lot nicer to driver.

If you're serious about it the old single deck Volvo's (late 90s) are very nice to drive. Can't remember the chassis type but I think they're B10s with the Wright bodys on them.

Oh and whatever you buy it'll do about 7-9mpg won't do more than 50mph as all service busses are restricted by law so are geared accordingly and it'll cost you over £500 per tyre.

Volvo B10M:

Edited by TheTurbonator on Tuesday 28th February 10:22

Edited by TheTurbonator on Tuesday 28th February 10:23

[carreauchompeur]

I think if you want to convert it properly- IE not look like a complete charver- Then you need to spend lots of money!

[Tyre Smoke]

Garlick said:

You'd look like a family of new age types on the average campsite.

Old Winnies are fairly cheap these days, buy one of those instead and play the retro card instead of the unwashed.

An example:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/winnebego-alacanti-6-whe...

That looks like the New Age Travellers have moved in already. It's bloody filthy inside! It's also got a petrol engine how many gallons to the mile???

Cheap for a very good reason, it's buggered!

[carreauchompeur]

Tyre Smoke said:

Cheap for a very good reason, it's buggered!

And very, very rapey.

[Garlick]

Tyre Smoke said:

Garlick said:

You'd look like a family of new age types on the average campsite.

Old Winnies are fairly cheap these days, buy one of those instead and play the retro card instead of the unwashed.

An example:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/winnebego-alacanti-6-whe...

That looks like the New Age Travellers have moved in already. It's bloody filthy inside! It's also got a petrol engine how many gallons to the mile???

Cheap for a very good reason, it's buggered!

Quite, but throw a few ££ at it and it could scrub up. Depends on how much the OP will spend on a bus conversion I guess. I'd like to think this could be tidy for under £10k.

[DABofNOS]

http://www.firstchoicemotorhome.com.au/conversions...
it is possible. looks costly though. Would a ex tour couch not be a better starting point. You know the ones bands tour with.

Edited by DABofNOS on Tuesday 28th February 10:41

[Sushi]

carreauchompeur said:

And very, very rapey.

Is that a television or a mirror above the bed?

[TonyHetherington]

Garlick said:

Tyre Smoke said:

Garlick said:

You'd look like a family of new age types on the average campsite.

Old Winnies are fairly cheap these days, buy one of those instead and play the retro card instead of the unwashed.

An example:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/winnebego-alacanti-6-whe...

That looks like the New Age Travellers have moved in already. It's bloody filthy inside! It's also got a petrol engine how many gallons to the mile???

Cheap for a very good reason, it's buggered!

Quite, but throw a few ££ at it and it could scrub up. Depends on how much the OP will spend on a bus conversion I guess. I'd like to think this could be tidy for under £10k.

All the fundamentals are there, it's just the interior looks like it's housed some terrors over the years. Gutting the interior and even just making it yourself probably wouldn't be too much of a mission and so long as you scrub hard so there's no DNA left from any of the murders that have occured in there, it could be a nice buy!