Converting a heavy-duty bus/coach/truck into a motorhome (page 29 of 161)

Hello everyone... could someone help me figure out whether registering a bus as a classic vehicle automatically reclassifies it as a heavy vehicle? Thanks in advance...

So I've created a blog with photos of my bus. If you'd like to check it out, the address is:

sioc.skyblog.com

I'm looking forward to your feedback and suggestions. 😉

Hi. I found some cheap solar panels on eBay. For example, 100 W at 24 Volts €429. http://cgi.ebay.fr/100-Watt-24V-Solarmodul-Solar-Panel-Panneau-Solaire_W0QQitemZ6052112956QQcategoryZ83800QQcmdZViewItem

Happy hunting for gear and see you!

Hi Patrick.

Congrats on your bus. Looks impressive from the outside—real pro work. I can't wait to see the inside. Still haven't sold my regular campervan, but I found a Volvo B10 M with 450,000 km on the chassis and 30,000 km on the engine. I test-drove it last Friday and I thought it was solid. 90-cm-high storage compartments, air conditioning, double glazing, Webasto, AC, toilet, backup camera, fresh paint from 2 years ago. All of that for €15,000.

Now I just need to find somewhere to park it. Not easy with a beast like that in Marseille... If anyone has any ideas...

Also, I'm looking for compartmentalized stainless-steel tanks for heavy trucks. I called Bieron in Montélimar but they don't have any. If anyone knows where to find them, I'm interested.

I hope to start the conversion soon and follow in the footsteps of those who've undertaken it, started, and succeeded, then got their work certified.

Hi everyone. So, my bus is coming along nicely—I've finished the metalwork on the sides, installed the windows, and done quite a bit of the insulation. Now I'm trying to figure out what material to use for the various partitions of my interior layout and the covering over the insulation. I was thinking about OSB—that engineered wood that isn't too expensive, easy to work with, and comes in various thicknesses. Thanks for your input!😉

For our bus, we're going to use the same panels we use for our displays. They're melamine panels, fire-rated and marine-grade, in 5 and 8 mm thickness. The advantage is that there are matching laminate sheets in different patterns, and for the ceiling and its curves, you just need to choose a thick scratch-resistant laminate. For us, the materials are already in stock—the color is "Pommier d'Eden". As for the price per square meter, I don't have it off the top of my head, because we order them in pallets of 25 sheets, roughly 183x275cm each.

In my opinion, the OSB solution is more complicated because you'll have to apply the finish on top!

PATRICK26

😊I hear you, dear Patrick. And I envy you having access to such high-quality professional products. That said, I personally face a weight constraint and a tight budget, but what helps me is that my brother works at "réseauPro", so I get deep discounts on specific building products like OSB. The point of my question was really more at the regulatory level. Is OSB approved by our dear mining engineers ??? By the way, I wanted to thank you for the window blocking choice: 40x40 square and 6/10° pre-lacquered white sheet metal. This choice turned out to be easy to install and reasonably priced. Thanks again. Ludo.🙂

Hi, I'm looking for your advice because I don't know anything at all about coaches, buses... I'm just starting out. The thing is, I live in Nantes and I'd like to pick up a bus that's currently in Melle (near Niort). It doesn't have papers, and I don't think it's in a condition to drive. So I'll need to get it towed, but I'm guessing that costs a lot! Do you have any idea what this would cost, where I can turn to, and if you can think of any other solutions? This project means a lot to me but it seems hardly feasible given the situation. Thanks in advance Fanny

Hey, I have an interesting solution for you: Get in touch with a construction company that has a flatbed truck to load your bus onto and negotiate the cost. Nantes-Melles, you're looking at about 250km, so that's 500km round trip at 40 liters per 100km, plus driving time and loading/unloading—you've got a basis for what to negotiate, I think.

Hi, You need to add the driver's time. He drives for free. 😐 500 km takes about 8 hours of driving, maybe more with a truck-based car carrier, plus breaks (1.5h per 4h). You also need a mega car carrier (11m) with a flat bed and rear loading (a semi is 13.50m, or 14.50m if the tractor is short). For the car carrier, you need to subtract the raised hitch section from that length to fit over the tractor's rear axle. And there's no winch in case the motorhome won't move. The hourly cost is 100 euros minimum. And normally these companies aren't authorized to do freight. 🤪 For reference, the cheapest I found to deliver an empty semi over 100km: 300 euros. Renting a truck (big rig) for a day is 115 euros plus 0.15 euros per km, but you can hardly find car carriers for rent.😕 You also need to budget for highway tolls on top of fuel (mandatory for freight transport) There you go, I don't want to sound like a downer, but you've got to be realistic (unless the boss of the transport company is a close buddy or close family)😏 I know what I'm talking about - I'm currently in the business of renting or hauling equipment by semi (standard) over about 300 km🏴‍☠️

I just checked the map right after posting - Melle to Nantes is 180 km with an almost direct motorway (A83), so that's 360 km round trip. It's doable🙂 ... but not free...😄

Thank you so much for all the quick and helpful info!! I'm taking notes! That's giving me some good leads! Thanks again, I'll probably have more questions so stay tuned!😉

Thanks so much for all that quick info!! I'm taking notes! This gives me some great leads! Thanks again—I'm sure I'll have more questions, so thanks for sticking around! 😉

Hi everyone! 🙂 I just bought a VOLVO Janekkeer bus with some mates, it's 22 years old and has 600,000 km. Is it a good bus for converting? Does it have any good features for fitting it out? How many km can engines in this type of bus run?

This minibus – does it need to go through inspection because you've converted the interior, or to get it registered as a light vehicle so you can drive it with a regular license? You must have had to make some engine modifications. I've heard it can be pretty tricky.

Hi all! I just picked up a 21-year-old Volvo Janekkeer 1000 bus with 600,000 km – good deal? Are there any issues with converting it and getting it through inspection?

We just bought a Renault Dodge 39-seat school bus and we're about to launch into the adventure of converting it for 9 people. Are there any standard plans or examples available somewhere?

Hi panpanpan.....

Heads up – in Belgium the regulations are very different from France for conversions. You'll probably need to get manufacturer authorization to convert it into a motorhome. If you get that authorization, things'll go much faster. We did ours... as big as yours... 35 spots...

Good luck

Eric

Hi Patrick, I just bought myself a bus—a Renault Saviem S53. Do you think the S53s are easy to convert? What's the fuel consumption like? Thanks for replying!

Nytos

It’s definitely a Volvo/Jonckheere (exact brand), but I don’t know anything about these models now. If it’s a touring coach, the engine can do a million kilometers, but it’s always the same—you have to check the condition and who owned it before.

Fantomatik

Welcome to the club! Besides Benhurd, whom I met on this forum and who already had his own bus, I bought an S53 a month ago (after careful consideration). Plan for about 20 to 25 L/100 km, which is low for a coach. The engine has a very low RPM, so it’ll last longer in its lifetime—known to be "indestructible." I’m starting to get the hang of the mechanics.

The only thing: don’t let the chassis rust, and if needed, replace the metal lattice bars (square steel tubing), but you’ll have to do it at an approved garage.

thanks francois that’s cool of you to reply i would’ve sent you the photos of the bus but they won’t upload to the site (too big) if you could leave me your email. see ya