Coach or School

[Motobus]

I have a 1967 Ford 47 pass skoolie. My bus needs about $1000 or so in parts to keep it in top condition, and I am contemplating a newer bus. The bus is to have front living quarters and haul dirt bikes in the back, mainly for day trips, I may occationally pull a skid steer on a trailer. I have been thinking of another skoolie but I came across a clean 83 mci that could be had for $4000. Buying the MCI instead of a school bus I would get AC, a bathroom and sleeping quarters in the back and 65mph on the highway. It is already titled as a motorhome. I have the ability to put a ramp door in the side. Decent diesel school busses in the area are $2000-$3000. I think the MCI has a 6v92 that should get 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 MPG. I guess the negatives would be gas mileage, size (bigger than I need), and repair cost? Any opinions from those who have driven both?

[lornaschinske]

Originally Posted by Motobus

... I have the ability to put a ramp door in the side...

You may have the ability but you should not be slicing into the stressed skin of an MCI. There is a reason you rarely see an MCI with slideouts. Unlike an Eagle or Prevost, an MCI's skin holds it together every bit as much as the frame does. Go ask this over on Ian's Forum and see what they think. I'm pretty sure they will tell you not to attempt it. It requires re-enforcing the frame work heavily at the openings. The type of work usually involves a structural engineer. Unless some has cut up an MCI in recent years, I know of no one that had done it. There may be a couple of pro conversions but usually a coach with slide outs is built on an Eagle frame or a Prevost (Prevost uses the same frame as an Eagle). Also a coach requires about $3 or $4K in maintenance yearly (so I've heard). EVERYTHING costs more.
http://www.busnut.com/cgi-bin/bbs/discus.cgi

[opus]

Ugh....you dont want a coach! The only thing good about them is sex appeal....well some of them.

[lornaschinske]

And I forgot about ground clearance. A coach will sit close to the ground. We drug part of the Eagle getting it up my Mom's driveway in NC (it's not all that steep... I've been in campgrounds with steeper roads). Put the school bus in the same exact spot the Eagle used to sit in and had no problems.