Converting a heavy-duty bus/coach/truck into a motorhome (page 17 of 161)

Hi PATRICK26,

I've seen the messages you've written on this forum (well, not all of them because there are quite a few). I'm looking to buy a double-decker bus to convert it (and set up a commercial activity in it). I can't seem to get information from the DRIRE – they just keep passing me back and forth between different departments and offices. I'm getting a bit desperate to find the information I need.

If I buy an English bus, I think there will be a lot of modifications to make. Especially since I'd need to drive it as a heavy goods vehicle (it will run without passengers). If I can find a French double-decker bus to convert, why not. It would probably be much simpler, but on the other hand, I can't find one and I really don't know where to look (finding an English bus is very easy, but a French one...).

Do you have any advice for me?

I just joined this forum and I'm not really sure how to find your response afterward. I'm hoping to find your reply easily. Otherwise, I don't know if there's a way to send private messages. If there is, I'm mlleg1

Thanks so much for any helpful advice you can give me!!

mlleg1

I'm interested in your bus. Please send me photos of your bus. Please contact me. My email address is markimsa@voila.fr

Hi,

I spotted a double-decker coach model Setra 228 DT from 1992 for sale on www.centrale-autocar.com.....

There you go if you're interested.....have a good day...

Hi!

To get the information you're looking for, that's where you need to ask:

http://www.geneve.ch/san/welcome.asp

And if you're near Geneva, the best thing to do is to stop by there, and you'll find people who are quite helpful. I was given all the information there to register a heavy vehicle as a motorhome without any issues. And honestly, in Switzerland it's really way simpler!!!! 😉 At your service!

Hello everyone, Let me introduce myself – I'm Kali, and I'm traveling with my wife and my little Lili, who's 8 years old. So we just bought an S53 and we just stripped out all the seats. I have a quick question: how does it work if we remove the 4 small heaters that are under the seats? That's it, I'm waiting for some info – that would be great. And if you have photos of your vehicles and your interiors, it's cool to see what people have done.

Thanks everyone, kalifamily

Hello everyone, I'm new to this site and I think it's

wonderful. I've read through all your messages carefully,

but I have a few personal questions

to ask you. Indeed, I'm looking for a double-decker coach

(like a Setra228, etc.) to convert for my small

family. What are the prices for this type of vehicle

(the cheapest possible, of course), where can I find that gem,

and finally what are the specific problems I might encounter

during the technical inspection?

THANK YOU ALL

PS: May everyone give their opinions and ideas—that's great (we're all looking for different things and have different budgets), but please don't settle scores on this site, stay humble and listen to everyone so that this site remains as friendly as possible and nobody feels excluded. Thank you for your attention... and let's get to work because the adventure is no longer waiting for us.

@+ Philippe.

Hello I don't understand your PS???! Who's settling accounts with who? Anyway, who cares, it's maybe freedom of expression😄 it looks like you're the one arriving on the forum against all of us to give us a lesson?🙁 In my opinion you're going to get torn apart especially since you're starting with questions already asked and answered...

I carefully read all your messages,

Yeah but you didn't pay attention😏😏😏 the answers are in there, reread the end of page 14 and beginning of page 15😠 and go on Google AND search for "autocar" it's annoying and it makes the post unnecessarily long😕 Here's another address for your double-decker http://www.sodicars.com/ListeVO.asp found on Google😏😏😏 there you go, proof that HERE we're on a FRIENDLY site😄😇 AND DON'T ASK THIS QUESTION AGAIN or I'll🏴‍☠️

Hey everyone. I've been following you all for a while now. I haven't posted until now because, on one hand, I preferred to read your advice — which is mostly sound — and on the other hand, I have a COMPLETELY CRAZY DREAM (at least I'm aware of that...).

I should clarify right away that I'm only 25 years old, with no funding, and I skipped pages 9 to 12 (but I don't think they would have answered my questions anyway).

Here's basically my idea (totally unrealistic for an average French person, I'm aware of that, but you're allowed to dream, right?...)

If tomorrow I win the lottery, or if my job paid really SUPER well (ha ha...), and I'm saying this upfront — setting aside the biggest financial obstacles — do you think it would be POSSIBLE to dream of something like: a truck like a refrigerated truck as described above (insulated, max 10 meters...) and converted, of course capable of towing one or MULTIPLE trailers, HABITABLE while moving (even driving up to the ministry) (I dream of something modular, from one to six or seven trailers, with the possibility of moving "from one vehicle to another while driving," using accordion-style connectors, 6 to 120 seats total, for example, with sleeping berths, heating, "entertainment" (like on an airplane / screen in each headrest), clean water, grey water, hot water, cold water, sleeping space in the cargo hold...etc...basically, set up perfectly for perfect transport of, at most, just over 100 people, all-inclusive comfort. (To which you'd have to add a "modest" engine, according to my rough calculations, somewhere between 2,500 and 4,500 horsepower, doable with a DUAL engine setup on the tractor, combined with a "diesel-electric" type engine — like most locomotives — on each trailer, so that they carry "zero" weight on the inclines.) I know, that's a lot; but I also have to mention a "steering transfer" system for the front axle(s) to the rear one(s) (for each trailer), like little tourist trains, to be able to get through — more or less — anywhere, with outstanding maneuverability combined with exceptional comfort. (either a mechanical linkage with bars under the chassis, or something more sophisticated but less reliable, like electronic control with hydraulic cylinders)

I know that's a lot, and I've only laid out maybe 10% of my ideas, which, in the absence of a financing plan, can only be even crazier. And I haven't even mentioned the 8th trailer yet (like fleet storage, diesel, LPG, firewood, gas, occasional equipment, freezer/fridge, cars and bikes, essential for safely transporting a convoy of maybe 150 to 300 tons at a cruising speed of around 100 to 130 km/h (I know I'm dreaming even bigger). Like flashing lights front and back.

And if it's also possible to turn it into a new "category," like tourism or something like that, to make a little money back, that could really get things going. Let's be clear right away: this is certainly NOT a question of financing. Of course it's not doable. It's just to get an idea of what we could do if we won Euromillions, what the authorities might accept.

It's a dream that I have every chance, even in the most toned-down dream possible, of never having any realistic chance of making real.

If anyone happens to be able to cool me down on my fantasies (no disrespect intended, I've gotten quite worked up about the idea), or on the flip side (tough luck for them but they'll be the first to enjoy some nice weekend getaways), if a few people can throw an idea my way, on whatever subject, on all the topics (and the complementary ones) that I may have touched on, in short, everyone will be welcome to respond to this wild dream (but nonetheless it's my fixed obsession). Just don't be hateful or scornful. Although the subject lends itself to it (I may be dreaming, but I'm still somewhat in touch with reality).

Best to you all, and for all the realistic, motivated, and practical folks, happy tinkering, and above all DRIVE SAFE.

All my encouragement (even if it's not worth much).

Maybe see you soon.

Ben

Hey benvilliers😎 Well, what you're looking for already partly exists. Go check out SNCF, pick a Corail or better yet a TGV😏😏😏, adapt some tires, a ship engine and rolll😄😄😄 Ah dreams, one of the most beautiful things we've been given😉 GX47

Hi GX47, and thanks for your response. I really didn't come to this site to give advice, but quite the opposite—to learn from all the members, whoever they are. Then I read through the entire forum in one sitting, and as I was reading, I got the impression at some point that some people were automatically dismissing another person's advice—someone who had actually stepped away from the site for a while and came back later, which is wonderful. I apologize to everyone for that and promise not to share my opinions on this subject anymore.

As for the rest, I reread pages 14 and 15, and I didn't find precise answers to my questions, specifically whether anyone had encountered someone in their circle who had already converted a double-decker and could have given me relevant advice. And of course, before asking "that silly question" about how to find a motorcoach, I've already spent several hours researching on the internet. I just wanted to know if anyone knew of a good deal on this type of vehicle. And when people are nice, they don't attack.

Thanks to you and see you soon, and greetings to everyone. Philippe.

Alright, let's give them a nice reply...

the max length of a wheeled vehicle on regular roads is 20.50 m (sorry) you can attach as many trailers as you want within that limit. same with passengers, but with only one fixed articulation (like an accordion/bendy bus) the max weight is 40 tons!

and speed is limited to 100 km/h for heavy-duty vehicles if they're equipped with ABS!

dreams are nice, but if you ask me it would be easier to imagine a capsule to go to the sun than your rolling train.

especially when converting buses into motorhomes isn't exactly simplifying life....

I'm giving you the address of a website for transport fanatics http://www.trans-com.net your project might, maybe amuse them...

PATRICK26

For examples of converted double-decker buses, check out the following website http://www.teamnegoce.com/ camping cars section

PATRICK26

Hi, I'm Bob. Nice work on your bus! I'm about to convert a Man Kat 6x6, but first I need to sell my house. The plan is to do a world tour. Right now I'm exploring the south with a TP3 I've converted for camping. Worth noting: I was a motorhome builder back in the '80s. If you need any tips, just ask—except for the new regulations I'll need to catch up on. Catch you, Bob

Hi,

I'm part of an association that wants to buy and convert a bus into a mobile workshop. We work on media education (to keep it brief) and we'd like to set up computers, projectors, and basically create a work area in our bus... maybe a small sleeping space eventually, but livability isn't our priority... especially if it complicates things. I'm not sure what category our project would fall into, what certification we need to aim for, or what permits we'll need...

I'm completely new to this subject so excuse my ignorance... but if you could give me a couple of starting points for my research, it would really help.

Thanks for your responses.

Hi magnetique, First point: licensing. You need a heavy-vehicle license if the vehicle has fewer than 9 seats including the driver; otherwise it's classified as public transport. I recently found an affordable bus conversion plan. If you're interested... Give me some specific details about your job and your project. How many people will be on board? etc. To keep from cluttering the forum with off-topic discussion, maybe on my personal email: bobmarine@tiscali.fr We'll come back to the forum for the actual conversion work. Is this allowed? I'm not sure, I'm new. Best regards, bob

Hi Kiboun, I stumbled upon an old post from August 2004 where you mentioned your plans for installing a pop-up roof on a motorhome. I'm currently working on the same project on a van. Have you made any progress on this and did you find a company that does this kind of custom work? Thanks in advance Vincent

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum. I've been thinking about converting a bus into a motorhome for a while now, and well—the decision's made, we're doing it! First thing, we're selling the traditional motorhome we have.

I've read through the forum carefully (been here three days so far!) and it's fantastic—I've found answers to tons of questions I had, plus ones I hadn't even thought of! 😏

We're looking to buy an FR1, probably from around 1985 (found one at GABY's, waiting to hear back).

But I still have some questions: How do I get it home with a truck license? (From what I've read here, doing it myself apparently makes me a highway outlaw!) How did you guys do it? For the windows, instead of tinting them so you don't see the insulation from outside, can I paint them black from the inside with automotive paint? Regarding gas and electricity—I understand there needs to be an inspection before DRIRE, but who do I contact and how? Do the seats have to be original, or can I set up dinettes like in a regular motorhome?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

See you soon!

Hi magnétique,

I have a friend who runs an association dedicated to discovering IT and the internet, and they've converted a bus into a computer lab.

for more info: feel free to contact me or check out their site http://www.les-enfants- du-net.org

PATRICK26

Thanks a lot for the info.. I'll get in touch with them

Sorry, I haven't made progress on this project.