Converting a heavy-duty bus/coach/truck into a motorhome (page 71 of 161)

Hi everyone and hi Patrick. I’m new to this forum and I’ve got a ton of questions to ask... Before joining this forum, I was thinking of buying a double-decker bus, but I saw that you, Patrick, advise against it. Is it a mining issue, height problem, or something else... because my goal is to convert a coach into an artistic workshop and my home. But I also wanted to fit a small car inside so I can leave my coach outside cities and get around by car. I’d like to live in my coach and have enough space. I’m not interested in having an apartment. I prefer living off the grid in the countryside...🙂

So... (tell me if I’m asking too many questions at once...) I’d like to know if it’s really impossible to go ahead with buying a double-decker coach (I’m open to changing my mind, but I need arguments for that. As you say, only fools never change their minds). If I change my mind, what would you recommend buying with a budget of around 6,700 € (keeping in mind that I’d like to go to the mountains later, so it’s about the power I’m not too sure about). About fitting a small car inside the coach (you mentioned you’d done it...), how did you go about it? Did you do it yourself or have it done by an approved company, because I think certain standards need to be met for the mining authority to accept such a conversion... Also... I wanted to buy a small plot of land to park my vehicle, but someone told me you can’t leave a coach parked outdoors for more than three months and that I’d need an exemption even if the land is mine. Only a warehouse would work... is that true?😕

Okay, I’ll stop here for now. I hope you... that someone can shed some light on these points for me. Thanks in advance to everyone[;]

Hey there,

I’m sharing the link to a site I found really well-designed, where everyone can find all sorts of info, especially in the technical sections.

http://perso.orange.fr/pl65/index.html

And Seb, since you’re young and good with tech, you’ll find a link in the technical sections to software for creating plans. If you could check it out and let me know what you think, that’d be great. Do you think it’d be possible to integrate (with the software’s creator) images of the buses we’re converting? Later!

Good evening everyone... I don’t post much, but I read everything! ;) It’s great to see how lively this forum is! :)

Ideally, my project would also be based on a double-decker setup, so I’d have a workshop downstairs for making small carbon parts (I work as a race boat and motorcycle preparer), and an office/studio/showroom upstairs... To live in year-round while traveling.

For local trips, a motorcycle—probably a Transalp (cheap second-hand, rugged, all-terrain, and all-weather!), easy to load into a double-decker (low floor ;))...

See you later, and keep up the good vibes, everyone! 🙂

😉Hi everyone,

http://www.systemnomad.com/

The intro is nice.

Good luck to the newcomers!🤪😕 !!!

😉Cheers

😉 As you said, Patrick already answered those questions. You’ll find lots of answers in the first few pages.

Basically, it’s the M... Weight issues Fuel consumption Interior height around 1.70 m And you won’t fit everywhere, etc...

There you go @+[;]

Love the site—so much useful info, thanks!😎

A + 😎

😏 love the avatar 😄

Okay, I don't have time right now, but I'll put together a detailed post about double-decker buses for tonight or tomorrow.

PATRICK26

Great! 🙂 Thanks in advance, Patrick26!

This is gonna make a new page to bookmark with a tire! (from a coach, that is)... 😉

See you soon!😎

That's cool, Pat, because I really can't decide between a single-deck bus and a double-decker😕. On one side, a little angel tells me: "Careful, man, you might regret it—this bus could be a pain in the a**." And on the other, a little devil teases me: "Oh yeah! Can't you see how awesome it'd be... imagine all the space you could fit inside, and if you're gonna have a long, wide vehicle, might as well make it tall. Height isn't an insurmountable issue, I think—you just gotta get used to it..." So what to do...? In the meantime, while waiting for your advice, I'll read the site's pages. See you all

If you're scared of the height, go for the length 🙂

It must be fun to set up something like this.

Yeah, but at that point, you might as well buy a train! lol😉

Hi!

A "caterpillar" version could work, but then I guess you’d need a D+E or C+E license (super heavy) once it’s reclassified as a motorhome! After that, you’d have to find one with a long-haul gearbox, not an urban one, so you can drive at normal highway speeds without guzzling fuel like there’s no tomorrow!

Another little guide to add for Patrick26? 😉

See you soon! 😇

SO THOSE DOUBLE-DECKER BUSES.....

Let’s forget about English buses right away—their mechanics🤪, their weight😕, their steering wheel (funny until the first toll booth!)😉, etc....

We’re talking about double-decker tour coaches here...

Neoplan, Van Hool, and the like.

Not really sure where to start, so I’ll go with my gut (random thoughts—those interested can sort through them!) Watch the length! Many double-decker coaches exceed 12 meters, and in France, a truck (remember, our vehicles are destined to be reclassified as trucks for motorhomes) can’t exceed 12m in length. So, you might get rejected by the *Mines* (French vehicle inspection) for that reason. The interior height of each deck doesn’t exceed 1.75 m. There are options (especially with Van Hool) to lower the floor. In that case, the lower deck is only 1.55m high (to create large storage compartments or nautical-style berths), and the upper deck is 1.95 m. The advantage upstairs is that you gain height under the beams for windows, making it easier to install furniture. Still, budget around 6,000 to 7,500 € for the modification. As for homologation, it’s possible. (I won’t share the procedure here—only those who are *really* interested should contact me. No time-wasters out of curiosity, please.) Harder to do on a Neoplan. Regulations require access and evacuation routes to be 45 cm wide and 1.59 cm high. Sounds crazy, but some double-decker coaches have upper-deck access that doesn’t meet these dimensions! They’re narrower! So, double-check carefully. The stairs in motorhomes also seem to have different standards! The steps are often very small and don’t meet AFNOR (French standards) requirements. These coaches are already heavy when empty. After removing the seats and installing your fittings, you might have little loading capacity left for water and luggage while respecting axle weight distribution. The only ones I’ve come across were artist tour buses, always registered as TCP (public transport). I don’t know of any as motorhomes.

So, in my opinion... it’s doable!😇

You’d need to choose a model to base the project on (without buying it—maybe a wreck from *Bieron* where you can visit and inspect as much as needed, or a transporter who has one and allows access), measure it, draw up plans, try different configurations, present them to the *Mines* (or go through a homologation consultancy), and then acquire a coach of the same type as the one used for the project and get to work.

I wouldn’t dive into this adventure like I would with an FR1 or a T815!

It’s definitely a longer-term project requiring more thought, real plans... a proper study!

There you go—if you have questions, remember there’s no such thing as a stupid question except the one you don’t ask...

So go ahead, that’s what a forum is for!

PATRICK26

Hey Maestro! 😇

Why is over 12 meters an issue? If I’m not mistaken, a PR 14 SL, for example, is just over 13m... I also remember a G280 truck with a 4m rear overhang that must’ve been well over 12m overall!

See you soon!

Thanks again for your expertise! 😇

Well... what to do... It seems like a real hassle to get a bus like that approved. Plus, if I go through the trouble of buying a double-decker bus just to have a 1.5m floor height, it’s not worth it, I think! I wanted two floors at least 1.8m high. On top of that, I don’t have a crazy budget, so I think I’ll settle for something simpler... What do you recommend I buy as a simple vehicle with a budget of 5, maybe 6,000 €? Do you have a preference for a brand or type? Just so you know, I want to fit a small car like a Mini or Smart in the back.

Thanks for your advice! :)

Good evening,

Do I need manufacturer authorization to drill the floor, cut the bodywork, weld, or convert the entire interior?

If I put two cupboards behind the seats, do I still need to install a partition?

Once it's been approved by the DRIRE, can I modify the interior afterward, or do I have to leave it as it was before?

😉 Anyway, you’ll need manufacturer approval

and you have to leave it as you modified it😠

😎 No, it all depends on the modification. I changed the interior layout (without modifying the kitchen unit), and the DRIRE refused to re-inspect it, stating: "You’re not changing the category, you’re not modifying the structure, you’re not changing the number of CG seats? No, then it’s up to you to respect the declared axle load distribution. We don’t need to re-examine this vehicle. If you modify the evacuation route, gas or electrical installation, or ventilation, YOU MUST have another Veritas inspection or equivalent."

So, don’t take it word for word, but I removed the bench bed, moved the bathroom space forward, my insurer is okay with it, and Veritas says they’re not concerned by this modification.

Don’t go overboard either! 😄