Coach Conversion To Motor Home
Discussion
I'm looking at converting a 57 seater coach into a motor home. The theory of this conversion is quite easy and there are loads of youtube videos showing it being done. Mainly in USA. But there doesnt seem to be many in UK? Is there a reason for that?
Has anyone got any advice (pros and cons) or pointers before I start this project?
Has anyone got any advice (pros and cons) or pointers before I start this project?
I think the reason why you haven't seen it done all that often in the UK boils down to motorhomes being nowhere near as popular or as feasible over this side of the pond.
Many of our roads don't make for a pleasant experience as a driver of a normal family saloon-sized car, brushing wing mirrors simultaneously with oncoming drivers and hedgerows on country lanes, let alone in a giant coach-cum-camper.
We don't have week long motorsport events with sprawling concrete car parks where these things come in handy with room for all the family. We have carry on camping and B&Bs in Bridlington.
Best of luck anyway!
Many of our roads don't make for a pleasant experience as a driver of a normal family saloon-sized car, brushing wing mirrors simultaneously with oncoming drivers and hedgerows on country lanes, let alone in a giant coach-cum-camper.
We don't have week long motorsport events with sprawling concrete car parks where these things come in handy with room for all the family. We have carry on camping and B&Bs in Bridlington.
Best of luck anyway!
I strongly suspect the main reasons for there being very few coach conversions in the UK is the trouble you'd have parking it anywhere.
Most UK sites aren't geared up to take a single vehicle of that length.
If you were lucky enough to find any you'd then have to work out if you could actually get a coach to them (many UK sites are tucked away down country lanes).
When visiting most towns and villages you'd have trouble parking (unless it had a coach park)
The last thing to consider is where to store such a beast when it's not in use.
In short the USA is huge with mainly wide straight roads suitable for a coach - in comparison the UK is small and to explore it you're best off in a smaller vehicle.
Most UK sites aren't geared up to take a single vehicle of that length.
If you were lucky enough to find any you'd then have to work out if you could actually get a coach to them (many UK sites are tucked away down country lanes).
When visiting most towns and villages you'd have trouble parking (unless it had a coach park)
The last thing to consider is where to store such a beast when it's not in use.
In short the USA is huge with mainly wide straight roads suitable for a coach - in comparison the UK is small and to explore it you're best off in a smaller vehicle.
My wife's father converted one years ago. They have a bus and truck company and ran a couple of rally cars. It was ideal for long rally weekends but for all the factors mentioned above it was let rot in the yard. Too big to use for holidays, too big to park just anywhere, too big for an ordinary joe to buy, have a licence to drive and running and repair costs put people off . It's not like it was a yoke you could repair on the driveway
Copster32 said:
The size of roads was a consideration. Especially as it would be used to go the the beach.
So I guess the only thing it would be good for is Santa Pod and Europe....maybe!
I can store it at work so thats handy.
Even parking finding sites/places to park in Europe could be problematic ..... again, most sites simply aren't geared up to accept such a large vehicle.So I guess the only thing it would be good for is Santa Pod and Europe....maybe!
I can store it at work so thats handy.
Actually thinking about it a bit more ...... not only have you got find a site that will accept you, that you can actually physically get to - but you'd also need it to be hard standing. A big old heavy coach parked on soggy grass is going sink, and there won't be many vehicles on site capable of pulling it out.
Copster32 said:
That maybe one of the issues. Most spaces are 7m x 7m. This is 12.5m long
My parents Bessacarr e495 dimensions are:Width: 2.24 Metres
Height: 3.05 Metres
Length: 7.34 Metres
Gross Weight: 4005 kgs
and he says it can be pain manoeuvring it, even with all the camera's front, rear and side he's fitted so all I can say is good luck!
are you looking to do a basic conversion or something with some luxury?
I like the idea of them but they're best suited to America where you have to drive huge distances between cities so need to pull up every now and then.
I have long hankered after making my own coach conversion a la Volkner http://volkner-mobil.com/en/index.html, but it would be expensive at around £50kdoing it all myself even without engine transmission repairs etc.
If the lottery ever came up I'd do it just so I can have the Cobra slung underneath but practical, for all the camp site access issues raised, it aint.
Cheers,
Tony
If the lottery ever came up I'd do it just so I can have the Cobra slung underneath but practical, for all the camp site access issues raised, it aint.
Cheers,
Tony
If I was going to be using it for going to "things", like Motorsport or eventing, music festivals and such that have space for it then I'd do a coach conversion. (Actually I'd get a huge 5th wheel, but that's not what the thread is about).
For holidays, using campsites, it'd be a huge pain. I have enough trouble with sites limiting to max 7m with our almost 8m Hymer.
For holidays, using campsites, it'd be a huge pain. I have enough trouble with sites limiting to max 7m with our almost 8m Hymer.
Couple of issues with what you're proposing.
As per some of the other comments - the style and size of the vehicle in question is going to be a big factor as to whether you're going to be able to get onto sites and whether you'll be tolerated too.
Furthermore, coaches or minibuses don't tend to lend themselves to ideal conversions, mainly due to the huge expanses of glass involved and the fact these quickly turn into heat sinks once the ambient temperature drops. My A-class has a roller-blind shutter which lowers to seal off the cab from the windscreen and it's remarkable when that is raised how much of a blast of cold air hits the cab. It would not be possible to effectively seal off entire sides of the bus to that degree so would make a vehicle either incredibly cold or incredibly costly to heat.
All that said, some of the comments about motorhomes are clearly wide of the mark and from posters who have little experience of driving or using one in the UK. I have owned motorhomes for the last four years and never had a problem with smashed wing mirrors, scuffed sides or getting on to sites, even with my current one. Yes, you have to be wary of where you go and the UK isn't nearly as motorhome friendly as the Continent, but it's far from the doomsday situation painted by some of the posters. But I've been to the wilds of NW Scotland down single track lanes and mountain passes in a 7m, 4.2t motorhome. And for info, my current vehicle:
Width - 2.4m
Height - 3.3m
Length - 8.9m
Weight - 5,990kg
No camera front or rear and no issue maneouvering if you deploy some forward thinking & common sense.
I wouldn't be put off buying and using a larger vehicle in the UK, if that's what you need and you're going in with your eyes open. But a bus, I would suggest, would not be the best decision.
As per some of the other comments - the style and size of the vehicle in question is going to be a big factor as to whether you're going to be able to get onto sites and whether you'll be tolerated too.
Furthermore, coaches or minibuses don't tend to lend themselves to ideal conversions, mainly due to the huge expanses of glass involved and the fact these quickly turn into heat sinks once the ambient temperature drops. My A-class has a roller-blind shutter which lowers to seal off the cab from the windscreen and it's remarkable when that is raised how much of a blast of cold air hits the cab. It would not be possible to effectively seal off entire sides of the bus to that degree so would make a vehicle either incredibly cold or incredibly costly to heat.
All that said, some of the comments about motorhomes are clearly wide of the mark and from posters who have little experience of driving or using one in the UK. I have owned motorhomes for the last four years and never had a problem with smashed wing mirrors, scuffed sides or getting on to sites, even with my current one. Yes, you have to be wary of where you go and the UK isn't nearly as motorhome friendly as the Continent, but it's far from the doomsday situation painted by some of the posters. But I've been to the wilds of NW Scotland down single track lanes and mountain passes in a 7m, 4.2t motorhome. And for info, my current vehicle:
Width - 2.4m
Height - 3.3m
Length - 8.9m
Weight - 5,990kg
No camera front or rear and no issue maneouvering if you deploy some forward thinking & common sense.
I wouldn't be put off buying and using a larger vehicle in the UK, if that's what you need and you're going in with your eyes open. But a bus, I would suggest, would not be the best decision.
Go and talk to http://www.dreamsrv.co.uk/ before starting. Have a look around the coaches they have in stock. You might find it easier to buy one instead of doing a project. They are surprisingly reasonable prices, even for a 48ft luxury coach.
I'm not affiliated, just a customer of theirs
Arf
I'm not affiliated, just a customer of theirs
Arf
I'm with Spuff on this. Our MH is 8.7m long and it provides loads of usable space and payload for long trips or even full timing. I have had no issues taking it over the Alps a couple of times and numerous French Cols. Gutted the Stelvio was closed when we tried to do that 3 summers ago though 
There are a few large models out there with TAG axles - it might be worth a trawl around.
There are a few large models out there with TAG axles - it might be worth a trawl around.
I get what you guys with larger MHs are saying about getting around isn't a problem - I used to have a 7.5m full width one myself.
I've since downgraded to LWB van conversion and I can now get to so many places that I couldn't visit in my old MH.
A coach at between 12 to 13 meters is quite a bit longer than a large MH limiting the possibilities even more.
Also coaches are usually quite a bit higher than most MHs which would make the travelling on 'back roads' quite risky due to overhanging branches.
And then because of it's additional weight parking on grass wouldn't really be advised, so you'd always be looking for hard standing parking.
I've since downgraded to LWB van conversion and I can now get to so many places that I couldn't visit in my old MH.
A coach at between 12 to 13 meters is quite a bit longer than a large MH limiting the possibilities even more.
Also coaches are usually quite a bit higher than most MHs which would make the travelling on 'back roads' quite risky due to overhanging branches.
And then because of it's additional weight parking on grass wouldn't really be advised, so you'd always be looking for hard standing parking.
For me alot of the 'issues' would boil down to, turning what should be a pleasurable leisure activity, into something fraught with worry. Yes alot of lanes are wide enough for a tractor, but alot of drivers can be quite bolshy when confrunted with something that is obviously too big for the situation, and a few standoffs might occur. How heavy would one be, again quite a few lanes and bridges, here in the Lake District have 7.5 tonne limits. We are in the Alps most summers, and alot of the more interesting cols would be way out of reach for the likes of a coach. Guess it depends where you like to go, but it would compromise the situation too much for my type of exploration, out of interest, do you think you could get a full fat coach over the Bealach na Ba haipins, to Applecross ?
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