Getting Started on our 1982 MCI MC9 Bus RV Conversion
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- čas přidán 22. 04. 2017
- We just got it home this week. Desperately wanting to work on it, but I do have some other projects to work on as well.
I do a walk around and a quick update on some items I've already dug into. My goal here initially is just to get it roadworthy. When I first drove it home we found out no headlights, so I've been fixing the wiring there. We also had a bad air leak, but I just fixed that today! I'd like to get cruise control and a few other items working as well, but baby steps.
Beautifully good job in terms of refurbishing a new coach.
Thank you very much!
I rode this EXACT bus to NY's Port Authority so many damn times in the late 1990s for work. I thought for a bus it was comfy. In fact, it was way more comfy than city buses with their hard plastic seats. The AC/Heat always worked. The NJ Transit buses serving suburbia to NYC... they always kept their buses in good shape, at least back then.
I remember the little ashtrays in the armrests... and then around 1995... they were all soldered shut. Haha. OK, we got it. NJ Transit, at least where I was... they ran this bus until 1999. Then they got some inferior (in my book) replacement. It was supposed to be more modern, blah blah... but I liked this version more.
Beautiful job so far! Congrats ! I have an 1984 MC9, I converted mine about 8 years ago. I would recommend two things while your at this stage. Based on my experience . If you plan to keep the heating ducts for heat? You've already taken them apart. You want to get to all of them and clean them extensively ! That's 30 plus years of sweat, grime , bubblegum etc....... so when you turn on the heat it's smells clean. I messed up there😢
I would also recommend you keep the escape hatches intact . Heaven forbid you ever need them but if you ever do? They are literally life savers !
Good luck and keep up the good work!
I just got a 89 MCI 9, in the gutting stage. Lots of work , but I am enjoying it already!
Congrats! Word of advice, learn how to keep your brake slack adjusters in adjustment.
Cool bus! I love the look of stainless buses. I just found your channel today when Diesel heater part 2 showed up in my feed. I have some catching up to do.
Good luck with the conversion! That is a lot of work for sure.
Thanks, we’re mostly done now, but I appreciate the sentiment all the same!
I saw the phone of the inside of that bus...... Beautiful. 33,000 pounds, that's nice handling weight. I'm sure it holds to the road with all weather conditions..... Except ice.
That's a gorgeous bus! Awesome that it's gutted already. Super jealous that you have windows that open. I know I'm late to the game on this, but I hope it turns out well!
DESTINATION FASCINATION take a look at some of our recent videos, it's coming alone nicely 😀
Great Work. I am going to LED headlights too. I have a 1990 102A3.
Have fun! I just bought a 1980 in similar condition. I'm planning on living in it someday.
Post a video, would love to see it.
Nice looking bus you have there! Looking forward to seeing the progress you make with it. Definitely not a small undertaking. Looks like you have plenty of space to work on it which is a huge plus... perhaps the biggest issue with our conversion is lack of space. Keep up the great work!
You mean the yard / house area? Yeah, Neighbors all think it's great... so far. At first I thought you meant the bus itself and I'm thinking "Don't we have the same bus? You even did a roof raise."
Yeah, the yard/house area! We are so crammed in our space there are plenty of days we can't even get to the storage bays with out moving the bus and then backing it up is tough because it is a tight fit. We also have to store all of our tools inside or in the storage bays and work around them. It would be so nice to be able to empty everything out and be able to work on it! Oh well. I hope your neighbors keep their positive attitude. I know beer and/or good food can help keep their moral up!
@4:30 -- might be a good idea to wire in IR floods!
New sub here, along for the ride.. I'm in Tennessee Smoky Mountains, looking for us an MCI or Eagle conversion very soon.. lots of ideas from you and Michael. Thanks for the videos!
RV Steve Travels glad to have you. I’ll post an update here, I’ve done a terrible job thus far. Been hard to build and record and edit when sometimes I’m pulling a 12 hour day on the bus.
This is like 1,000 projects at once. Jealous and not at the same time!
I know... baby steps though.
This bus looks like it used to be a greyhound bus, number series in the 6650-6685 series, 5000-5199 series, 8690-8889 series. 1982 MCI-9. When i worked for greyhound for many many years.... we had them.
Can confirm, was greyhound, I found the blue paint up by the escape hatch.
@@HimmelbergerBus That bus had a V6-92Ta engine in it. The west coast buses were strong pullers a little slow on the mountains. The east coast ones were governed back so much.... You were lucky if you got one that can do 73 mph.
@@josephmurrill8530 This one will run past 80 if I let it. I try and keep it around 62-63. As we've built it out it's gotten slower on the inclines, but installing the boost gauge helps me know how much power I have available. If I can get on it early and get the boost up to 20-25 PSI I'll be able to crest most hills around here in 4th gear still. Our west I learned to enjoy life in 3rd at 50mph screaming on the governor .
@@HimmelbergerBus Wow are you serious... That's great. Greyhound did not want us going over the speed limit, otherwise they want to fire you. I remember those MCI-9s in the 8300 series would do over 80. They were west coast buses. I LOVE THOSE BUSES. They came in 1980. I always use to try to get one of those. If i saw it.... It was mine.
@@HimmelbergerBus That bus can do 80? Wow, so you pushed it back to the 60s. Ok i see you are not trying to get a ticket. Got it. In 1980 we had those MCI-9s in the 8300 series that would get you a ticket. Those were west coast buses that went all the way to the top of the speedometer meter...... You know the rest of it. That why i like those buses.
To combat your ADD, might try concentrating on one project at a time till its resolved, then moving on to the next. With so many things going at once it makes it hard to keep your focus. Good luck.
Whoa it looks awesome! It's already gutted too so you just saved ALOT of work. It will clean up real nice. I didn't even know that the front bumper pops open lol I am going to have to check out mine now. I'm excited for you brother. The beds I did in the back because my kids like to try and escape lol. I assume you were talking about me anyway. We have a baby so I like keeping him safe and having to pass me to get to the door. Let me know if you run into anything perhaps I can let you know how I tackled some of my issues with the conversion.
Best of luck to you! Can't wait to see the finished product.
Yeah really excited. This was the guy czcams.com/video/c7hrb16KIiI/video.html I couldn't recall if it was chief or chef so I bailed on the attempt.
Himmelberger Bus this guy has to have a background in remodeling or something. That bus is insanely nice!
Yes kept emergency hatch for Solar Cleaning and Install.
DJ Raiders I ran out of room on the bus, they are mostly covered now by the solar panels.
That looks like my bus ex marine corps
"I have a bare wire here (It's not energized right now), I don't even know what this is. I have a wiring diagram, I can't make heads or tails of it."
"Ow, yeah, hit my head on there..a couple of times."
"I did get my headlights working, when I bought it they were not working."
"I did know that shortly before the purchase, but by that point, IIII was gonna buy it anyway. I figured how hard can it be."
"To be honest, there's a lot of other wires and connections that I don't know where they go."
The story of a vintage bus owner.
Seems so long ago, I was so full of hope and had more money :-)
There is a place in PA that does all kinds of custom stuff for this bus.
Huge Question! How did you deal with the electrical harness for the luggage bay/overhead Lighting. can you just cut them or are they tied in to the dash electrical??
Project Hathor mine was gutted before I got it. But yes you can cut those.
I searched everywhere and couldn't get any information. Thanks for the quick reply. Best of wishes to you.
Yup, they can be reved up to 100 psi or start it up and put it in fast idler........ You know the rest.
Hi Shawn did you remove the factory AC blower and heavy wiring from the front luggage bay?
Factory AC the PO did, but the heavy wiring is still there.
Do you still have that blue specifications book? That will tell you what year, tare weight 27,700 pounds make and model. When i looked at your bus before any spot work was done on it. I looked at the rubber casting around the wheel base.... That's a bus that was delivered to greyhound for revenue service in 1984. I like the way they handled when you turned them going left or right. They stayed upright. The 9's were known to lean or roll when you turned them. I notice the brown floor and the passenger windows used to be plastic or acrylic. Now it's glass. Please send me a picture of that bus when you finish refurbishing it. I know it's going to look good. Thank you.
No book, I have the plate with the GVW and all that though. Last I put it on the scale it was 33,000. instagram.com/p/BzOKW17hUA0/ Here is a photo of it now.
It could be a Greyhound, its got the aux fuel tank which all 8s and 9s had, should also have a red metal tag riveted to dash "Safe Fuel Range 750 miles". It has the Tag Axle Unload toggle switch so thats also a GH spec. Also would have no factory fuel gauge, or odometer. Greyhound never used either nor did they use a hubometer on the drive wheel. No voltmeter either. Also would have the Air Baggage Door lock system. Also the dash material was brown and all were 6V92/Auto so you've got that, good luck!
I am needing to redo or replace my radiators, have you done that?
Blake Thompson introduce yourself at the bus conversion forums at www.busconversionmagazine.com/forum/index.php they are much more knowledgeable. My $.02 would be to ask if you're running into high temps , and if you are, check your transmission fluid level. If that gets low your torque converter will not lock up. Then it makes more heat and dumps that heat into the cooling system. I think the radiators are made to still be effective while not at 100% efficiency. I have maybe 10-20% of my fine baked off, with proper transmission fluid levels I stay plenty cool.
Tires are extremely critical, if you experience a blow out, the tire will tear the living crap out of the fenderwell and possibly cause a serious accident with fellow motorists.
If I were you, I'd consider removing those chrome lug nut covers permanently due to the fact they retain moisture and promote corrosion to the lug nuts and studs. I've seen the corrosion so bad, the chrome covers and lug nuts had to be removed with a cutting torch.
The Vacuum tube junky you and scott crosby would get along. He hates them too. Rest assured this bus has safe new rubber now. A tire blow out is always on my mind, I take my family and other motorists' safety very seriously.
@@HimmelbergerBus : Mr. Crosby " The bus grease Monkey" is a genius, I love his channel. Being I have a Class "A" chrome wheel accessories look nice but if your going to apply them, having a regular schedualed maintenance routine to boot.
Great bus, and I hope it serves you and your Family well.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Kind regards, Eric
What is the overall length of the bus?
The usable interior width and length?
JB91710 40ft x 8ft outside inside, was 37-36ft x 86" or so by the the time I finished out the walls. The bumpers front and back eat up a bunch of room.
@@HimmelbergerBus Thanks!
if its leaking, you know its full!
hey , whatever happened with this bus. ?
Blake Thompson watch more of the videos :-)
Where is the AC compressor.? My 1980 has it on the right side of the engine.
What has your progress been on the bus? Get a big Jenny whatever you do. Better to have it and solar than to not have it and need it. Solar will not run the AC needed to travel in the summer.
Blake Thompson gotta catch up ;-) , we have a small Genny, enough solar to run an AC boondocked . The AC system.was deleted by the PO.
Did you go with 12V or 36V solar panels?
We have the large commercial kind, I think they are 36-45 volts. I run 6 of them in pairs for 80v each. In the spring I get 1900 watts or more, in the summer it's 1500-1600 due to heat losses.
Himmelberger Bus How did you mount yhem on the bus?
hey himler where you @ß
What a piece of junk..good luck
She doesn’t look like much, but she’s got it where it counts.
That's true I was alittle harsh sorry bout that she does have good bones take care good luck with the build
@@randyhanners1062 check out some of our recent videos. It’s pretty much done, came out nice imho.