I'm in love with a '61 MCI

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Unpluggedone

Interior looks nice, dated but if you are a hobby tinkerer then you’ll have fun with it. If it’s going off grid and not much traveling then you’ll do better with a 10 year old skoolie and convert it yourself. Trouble with 50-70 year old vehicles is just that they are ya know Old. Stuff will break all the time and insurance can be just about impossible and did I mention inspections and road worthiness? Keep us posted cause it’s still a beautyM

Emissions, multiplexed wiring, and a general low build quality are to be expected on anything built after the early 2000's.
I realize school buses are the hip thing on social media but a coach is far superior for long distance travel.
Insurance is a breeze vs a school bus. I've never heard of anyone having any issues insuring a converted coach. A school bus? oh yeah welcome to the insurance grey area!

Folks looking for a ready to roll cross country bus SHOULD be looking at buses like this. And wanderlodges!

[rydawg3000]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Its an mc5, its shorter than many school buses.

Ahhh! Ok, that makes a little more sense. I still wouldn’t risk it unless I was just really passionate about having an older vehicle though.

[rydawg3000]

Originally Posted by bus-bro

$40 k seems like a lot to me, but prices have edged up. See: https://www.busconversionmagazine.com/bcmclassifieds/ .

The 6v92 probably replaced an 8v71 in that bus. If you like to shift a 10 speed Fuller might be fun. Generally it is easier to sell a bus with an automatic transmission. Pushing down a clutch can get old, especially if you get old.

Improperly maintained coolant can wipe out the '92 series. the '71 is a lot more tolerant of such abuse.

I agree, for 40k you can get a 15 year old school bus and renovate the entire thing exactly how you’d like it.

[Rivetboy]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

Emissions, multiplexed wiring, and a general low build quality are to be expected on anything built after the early 2000's.
I realize school buses are the hip thing on social media but a coach is far superior for long distance travel.
Insurance is a breeze vs a school bus. I've never heard of anyone having any issues insuring a converted coach. A school bus? oh yeah welcome to the insurance grey area!

Folks looking for a ready to roll cross country bus SHOULD be looking at buses like this. And wanderlodges!

I had my bus retitled by a Authorised vin inspector for $200 and went to AAA with the forms and had insurance in 15 minutes. Certainly, some states are quite difficult but California was easy. Also, my point is not about driving cross country or getting insurance, it is if you are going to work on your bus yourself and have no experience working on large machinery or the tools or whatever, this Coach would not be my choice to learn on.

On the other hand, different strokes for different folks. snicker

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Rivetboy

I had my bus retitled by a Authorised vin inspector for $200 and went to AAA with the forms and had insurance in 15 minutes. Certainly, some states are quite difficult but California was easy. Also, my point is not about driving cross country or getting insurance, it is if you are going to work on your bus yourself and have no experience working on large machinery or the tools or whatever, this Coach would not be my choice to learn on.

On the other hand, different strokes for different folks. snicker

On a real coach you don't have the insurance worries or the need to retitle.
I'd rather "learn" on a REAL class 8 engine than learn I'm driving across the country in a bus with a pickup engine and a 545 slipomatic.

[Rivetboy]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

On a real coach you don't have the insurance worries or the need to retitle.
I'd rather "learn" on a REAL class 8 engine than learn I'm driving across the country in a bus with a pickup engine and a 545 slipomatic.

Good for you!
I am in no hurry to get anywhere, I am retired. My style is the journey is the adventure, not the destination.

[Ineedabus1]

That makes sense. The new stuff being built these days are not really made to last!
I can make a other post, but NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT A 1955 FLXIBLE BUS
This is a show bus and the price is pretty good. Mechanical info:
The bus is powered by a 350 hp Detroit Turbo Diesel 6V-92 with 40 K on the engine (since new, not rebuilt). It has a 4 speed Allison transmission and power steering. The transmission has been recently rebuilt as well as new tires, brakes, hoses etc..there is pretty much zero rust( it has been stored inside). It is lisenced and is still on the road. I am posting 1 pic of something I noticed on the engine photos. I've put a red dot on the part in question although I'm pretty sure you can tell which part I am referring to.. I'm going to start another thread for this bus in case there are some people out there who own one of these or know a lot about them. Thank you so much for taking the time to give me advice on some of this stuff

[EastCoastCB]

If you're into classics the MCI is very practical as far as they go.
Now with that Flxible you're getting well into vintage busing. If its in your budget take it for a test drive and see if you like it.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Rivetboy

Good for you!
I am in no hurry to get anywhere, I am retired. My style is the journey is the adventure, not the destination.

I understand, and believe me I'm WOWED by the job you've done on your bus.
But if we're talking practicality a 40 foot bus with a 5.9 and a 545 is about the most miserable thing one can build out for cross country travel.
School buses are hip, but they're way outgunned and outclassed by the real coaches when it comes to interstate cruising.

[Rivetboy]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I understand, and believe me I'm WOWED by the job you've done on your bus.
But if we're talking practicality a 40 foot bus with a 5.9 and a 545 is about the most miserable thing one can build out for cross country travel.
School buses are hip, but they're way outgunned and outclassed by the real coaches when it comes to interstate cruising.

I totally and completely agree! My bus is only 28 feet but it will break no records. It does climb up the Bakersfield side of the grapevine before the rebuild at 45 50 so in my case it has good gearing. It is way peppier now so time will tell. But you are so right, A Coach if you are serious heck yes.