Journey Begins - 1988 Crown Conversion

[gmarvel]

IT IS OFFICIAL - CALIFORNIA SAYS WE ARE A MOTORHOME
I went to the California DMV to try and get the bus changed from a school bus to a motorhome for registration purposes. This is important for several reasons. First, the difference in registration costs for a year are $1,200 as a commercial vehicle school bus vs $119 as a motorhome. Second, in California you do not need a commercial Class B license to drive a motorhome that is 40 feet or less. A simple Class C will do. Finally, as a motorhome we will be exempt from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations governing diesel large trucks and buses.

My first experience with the California DMV and my bus was horrible. This took place just after I had purchased the bus and had to go and pay sales tax on the bus purchase and get it registered in my name. The clerk I got clearly hated her job, hated the public, and particularly hated me. She was rude and refused to answer any of my questions related to what it was going to take to have the DMV allow the bus to be converted to a motorhome. I thought I was in some SNL skit or some hidden camera prank video. It was incredible.

So, eight months later, I walked back into a DMV office with great concerns. I filled out California DMV Form 256A, declaring that I was converting the bus to a motorhome. I waited 45 minutes before my number was called. I showed my Proof of Title, my Proof of Insurance form and gave her my two commercial license plates off of the bus. I told the clerk about converting the bus to a motorhome. I also explained that the registration had expired back in October 2013 and I had not renewed it since it was in storage getting converted. I told her that I wanted to now change the registration to a motorhome so I could move it to another location to get some additional mechanical work done on it.

She looked stuff up on her computer and then excused herself. I saw her go and talk with two other DMV employees. They then came over to her window and were still discussing whether or not they were going to require me to bring the bus to the DMV for inspection. The issue was the dreaded and vague issue about what DMV considers "habitable" for a conversion. Thank heavens I had been cheerful and friendly to this particular DMV clerk. I heard her say to the others that she wasn't going to inconvenience me or hassle me and came back to her desk and promptly gave me my non-commercial plates, my new registration tags, and I gave her a grand total of $119.

I am now officially a motorhome in the eyes of the State of California.

You will see in the pictures below that I also did some chrome bling for the license plate frame.

Front Image of Bus


Close Up of License Plate Frame


Rear License Plate (Note the Refurbished License Plate Light)

[eyedeal.ink]

Sounds like you got a good plan. Definitely replacing our front doors as well, overlapping rubber flaps don't do much when it comes to spiders, mice and weather. We found a guy who makes custom wood doors (wood fits are bus just fine) and we'll be putting the original glass in that as well, we already got plenty of blindspots.

[Tango]

Congrats on the plates! --- that is indeed a big (and dreaded) step for many. But I was expecting to see vanity plates with something clever on them. Then again, your bus is so tasteful & well executed, maybe not. BTW...great looking color on the body. Very similar to a couple I have been considering for my shorty. What is it?

[gmarvel]

I will get you the exact color code. We just call it khaki/gold metallic. It has two layers of clear coat as well.

We are getting vanity plates. We ordered. MRVL BUS. Should be here in about four weeks.

[Tango]

Excellent!

And "MRVL" does inspire visions of SuperHeros who would be right at home is such a classic rig.

[gmarvel]

NEW TIRES AND POLISHED WHEELS

On Friday, the new tires and wheels were put on the bus. I talked with a bunch of bus mechanics. They all had different brands that they preferred. However, everyone seemed to agree that Continental tires were very good and had exceptional tread life.

I worked out a deal with one of my clients' tire vendors so I got a good price for the tires and mounting. I decided to go with all new tires rather than recaps on the rear tires. They are definitely cheaper, but not that much cheaper. I want peace of mind. I have personally experienced failed recaps on a bus I was driving years ago. It was not pleasant.

The chrome "top hat" for the rear axle hub has not arrived yet. So you are getting an unfinished photo for now.

Front Passenger Side Tire/Wheel


Front Driver Side Tire/Wheel


Driver Side Rear Tire/Wheel (Without Chrome Top Hat Cover for Axle Hub)

[gmarvel]

DASH AREA PREPARATION
We have been prepping the dash area for its reconditioning. We filled in some holes left over from old tachometer clocks and two-way radios. We got rid of some dings in the dash and a rust spot and crack in the metal down in the very bottom of the dash area by the front door and step well.

You may note that the steering wheel and steering column are gone. My old steering column had a tilting steering wheel, but it did not telescope. I found a two year old steering column on a Crown that was getting crushed and paid my client for the nearly new steering column. This new one tilts and telescopes, plus it looks practically new, versus a 25 year old heavily used steering wheel and column. Once the dash area is finished getting painted, we will put in the new steering wheel and column.

It is hard to see. However, to the immediately left of the driver's seat is a cavity area that was covered with a metal plate. Many school districts put their two-way radios in this area. We have removed the metal covering and are spray insulating this area to reduce road noise and heat/cold penetration. The metal covering will then be painted the same as the dash and put back over the newly insulated area.

[gmarvel]

CROWN COACH EMBLEMS RECONDITIONED
With Crown Coach out of business, there are no more Crown Coach emblems being made. They are getting harder and harder to find. Luckily, my Crown came with its original two emblems (front and back). However, 25 years of rain, sun, and the elements were not good to it. As you can see in the picture below, the Crown emblem definitely was in sad shape.

I also got two emblems from one of my clients that was crushing some Crowns. So, I have a total of four emblems. I spent today getting them reconditioned. I think they turned out great. I thoroughly cleaned them with metal cleaner to get 25 years of crap off of them. I then used my aluminum foil and water trick that I explained in an earlier post. I then primed them and let them dry. Then I put two thick coats of glossy black oil based Rustoleum on them. The difference is amazing. Two of them will go back onto the bus (front and rear). The other two will go inside the coach somewhere. We are still figuring that out.

Old Crown Emblem Showing 25 Years of Wear


Four Hours of Reconditioning Later and a Rejuvenated Crown Coach Emblem

[Tango]

Outstanding comeback on the emblems! --- An old time hot-rodder told me the same aluminum foil trick a while back but I have yet to try it myself. Appears to work as miraculously as he claimed!

[Malkieri]

Before you mount the extra 2 crown emblems it may be handy in the future if you had a CNC machinist or designer measure them up and make a CNC file to cut new ones. As you said they are getting hard to come by and it may come in handy down the road to have a method of replicating the originals. They look great on the bus.....so ummm when might we get a pic of the bus as painted?

[gmarvel]

The place I had it painted is doing some touch up around the window frames. I will post pictures as soon as soon as that is finished. I want to show her off in all her glory.

[gmarvel]

REAR BACKUP CAMERA
I found this backup camera that is very small and can be painted. It will be connected to my 7" touchscreen Kenwood radio/gps/video system on the dash. We have been debating where to install it on the back. We decided to place it just below the rear emergency exit and above the Crown emblem. The camera will be painted the same color as the bus body. A picture is below. I paid about $140 for this backup camera.

[gmarvel]

REAR RED REFLECTORS FOR CROWN
I did not know it was going to be so difficult to find replacement reflectors for our Crown. Apparently, no one makes a 4 inch red reflector anymore. The Crown's back light assembly has a big recessed area for a 4 inch reflector. Other style reflectors just don't look right. My old reflectors were falling apart. The bezel around each of them was rusted and falling apart. One of my clients has a giant shipping container full of old Crown parts. I scored and got four reflectors that are in great shape. I intend to give two of them to another Crown conversion nut and my two I will have chromed to match the chrome bezels around the rest of the lights in the back. I will share pictures of the final chromed package when I get these done.

[gmarvel]

PROGRESS ON NEW FRONT DOOR

In a previous post we indicated that we were going to expand the door frame and put on a new skin to completely enclose the passenger opening. This expansion would be replacing the giant rubber strip at the end of a Crown front door that not only allows road noise, heat, cold and critters into the bus, but also makes it nearly impossible to secure the door while inside the bus. This problem is resolved with this solution. The new door skin has had its window holes cut out and has been painted. Next step is to put in the new glass and rubber molding. The windows are slightly off center. However, we wanted to retain the original door frame and just expand it. The existing frame made it impossible to move the windows slightly to the left. The cut outs are exactly where the old windows openings were in the old configuration.

[gmarvel]

DASH HAS BEEN RECONDITIONED AND PAINTED

In a previous post we showed the reconditioning work on the dash. That has been completed and the dash area has been painted with a satin black. I know that is a traditional Crown color, but we like it. Everything from the top of the front windshield on down is been painted with satin black. We intend to cover the bulkhead above the windshield with the same padding and faux leather as the headliner area. Numerous holes and dings were fixed as part of the reconditioning process. It looks like a new Crown dash!

[gmarvel]

NEW STEERING COLUMN AND WHEEL

Our old steering column, gearbox and wheel were 25 years old in our Crown. One of my clients was having five Crowns crushed. About two years ago these Crowns had new steering wheels/columns and gearboxes installed. I got one of these for our bus. Our original had a tilting steering column, but it did not telescope. This new one both tilts and telescopes. Plus, the steering wheel does not look beat up like the old one. Finally, the electric horn on the old steering wheel did not work. This one works!!!

[orangepeel91]

Nice dash. Now it just needs a little something to set it off.
I know just the thing.
Put one of the extra emblem sets on it facing the rear of the bus.

[gmarvel]

BACK UP CAMERA INSTALLED

The new back up camera has been installed. It went directly below the rear emergency exit. It was painted to match the bus body paint. Still need to paint the screws!!! Details! Details! In this picture you can see the holes where the refurbished Crown emblem will be going.

[gmarvel]

I agree. We are deciding where to put one of our extra Crown emblems. The dash area would be perfect.

[gmarvel]

CROWN EMBLEMS REINSTALLED

The Crown emblems have been installed on the bus. They look great!! They look like they came off the factory floor.

Front View. That is the radio antenna sticking up in front of the Crown emblem.


Rear View (You can see the back up camera above the emblem).