40 feet = 40 feet?

[squirrel_on_the_bus]

Hi Skoolie folks,

reading for a while here and doing my researches, but finally it's time for my first post and first (dumb) question.

For our planned conversion, we finally decided for a Type D (flat nose) most likely as pusher. So far, so good.

As we do not live in the US but in Europe, we do have to follow a few other regulations. One of those: max. vehicle length -> 12 meters (39.4 feet).

I want to use every inch (of this regulation) to get the maximum space out of our future skoolie. Typical used buses in our target group are 40 feeter, e.g. Bluebird AllAmerican.

Question: is 40 feet really 40 feet? Dealers like BGA always saying "bumper to bumper". But maybe there is a chance to somehow stay within the 39.4 feet rule - maybe removing a bumper?

To be refused because of 0.6 feet would be really annoying.

Thanks for your ideas/thoughts/measurements.

 

[s2mikon]

Mine was 39 foot and 11 inches bumper to bumper.

 

[Rwnielsen]

Mine was 39 foot and 11 inches bumper to bumper.

Just curious, how did you get an accurate measurement? Did you park it against a wall? I'd like to measure mine too.

 

[s2mikon]

I used 2 pieces of 1x1 tube c clamped to the bumpers and measured both sides and averaged them.

 

[s2mikon]

I have added a grab bar to the engine door and it extends past the rear bumper so I may be 40 foot now. I don't care. I can run 45 foot most places anyway.

 

[s2mikon]

And I forgot I added Hella driving lights and that is about another 2 inches.