Rear engine hump

[Grinn and Bare it]

Can anyone tell me how significant the rear engine hump is on a RE bus? How much of the back does it take? Is it just an inch or so? Does it ever need to be lifted to access the engine?



Also how wide, deep, tall and far apart from rear and each other are the wheel wells?

I know it's a lot to ask. Any info can help me get started on my layout. I have a friend that offered to draw up the 3D image for me and I'd like to give him some relatively realistic figures.

Thanks so much!

 

[EastCoastCB]

Can anyone tell me how significant the rear engine hump is on a RE bus? How much of the back does it take? Is it just an inch or so? Does it ever need to be lifted to access the engine?



Also how wide, deep, tall and far apart from rear and each other are the wheel wells?

I know it's a lot to ask. Any info can help me get started on my layout. I have a friend that offered to draw up the 3D image for me and I'd like to give him some relatively realistic figures.

Thanks so much!

It takes up similar space to a row of seats and its about waist high.
I don't count the hump as "usable floor space" like many folks here seem to.

 

[Grinn and Bare it]

Wow! So, the rear hump is taller than the wheel wells and actually something a person could sit on?

 

[Sehnsucht-SKO]

Those models I've seen are full width, floor to bottom of windowsill, and about as deep as a row of seats. It is contoured a bit which provides mounting surface for the final row of seats and then a foot or two of ledge between that row and the emergency exit window. There are variations by brand, for example the IC REs have two angled protrusions, one on either side, which are air intakes into the engine compartment but all they do is make the rear window gap a little smaller, not really affect the useable floor space since the space was already claimed by the engine hump anyways.

Hope this helps.

 

[PNW_Steve]

My bed is going to sit on the "seat" portion of the hump. My house batteries and electrical will occupy the "shelf" area.

I am getting some use out of that space.

 

[family wagon]

As to whether the center section ever has to be removed to access the engine: yes, if there's serious work to be done. (I'm thinking only of my experience with an ISC 8.3 and speculating it'll still hold if there were a Cat engine instead.) Valve adjustment could be done without opening that access hole, though it'd be a little harder that way. Same for replacement of manifolds or work on the turbo. Anything involving the cylinder head pretty much requires that access to be opened.


These events are rare so don't worry about making it super easy to access. But don't bury it so deeply that access would require demolition of the rear quarter of your interior furnishings, either.

 

[ComfortEagle]

Wow! So, the rear hump is taller than the wheel wells and actually something a person could sit on?

I'm sure it varies from bus to bus but for what its worth, here are a few pics of the Gillig Phantom "sarcophagus"...

The plan is for a queen bed turned sideways, for it to come to the upper edge of the engine cover, with space between the bed and rear window to be used for shelving/storage/Chihuahua bed...

In the below pic, the space between the wheel wells will have a hinged lid for storage, and the space behind the wheel wells will be under the bed storage as well (bed will be hinged also). Access to the engine thru the existing panels will be retained.

 

[Grinn and Bare it]

I'm sure it varies from bus to bus but for what its worth, here are a few pics of the Gillig Phantom "sarcophagus"...

The plan is for a queen bed turned sideways, for it to come to the upper edge of the engine cover, with space between the bed and rear window to be used for shelving/storage/Chihuahua bed...

In the below pic, the space between the wheel wells will have a hinged lid for storage, and the space behind the wheel wells will be under the bed storage as well (bed will be hinged also). Access to the engine thru the existing panels will be retained.

Thanks Eagle for the explanation and pics!! "humps" is definitely NOT the correct choice of words for that contraption!! I thought it was just a 1 or 2 inch rise!! So much for my plans. Now I have to revisit my bus choice and length. Unless I choose a FE. But then, I'll have to start a new thread for info on completely insulating a FE 40' bus.



Thanks guys for your info and pics!!
Cheers!