Converting a heavy-duty bus/coach/truck into a motorhome (page 75 of 161)

Wow, B10M, you really showed up the whole B10 gang with this one! 😕😕😕!!! It’s my fault—I should’ve warned you: B10s are tough to tame. 😄😄 I read your post twice because I was laughing so hard.

Yeah, Pandrée, since my visit to yours, things are moving slowly... but they’re moving. I’m cutting less scrap metal thanks to your advice—I was ready to hack everything apart. Thanks again to you and Pascale 😉 for welcoming me so warmly and taking the time to show me the ropes.

Pandrée’s Camper looks like it’s factory-made—it’s that good. At the speed they’re going, we’ll see it at the next meet-up.

PROTON51, totally agree with Patrick—those road maps with bridge heights *do* exist (trucker’s honor). For the roof of your Camper, I’ll happily reweld it *only* if you let me keep the scrap—no way I’m letting GX47 steal that fun from me. 😏 I also built a cabin that’s more like a terrace, all from salvaged materials—I used pallets for it.

Nice one, Patrick, on your 1500th post—I think you said you’d hit it! 😏

Hey patrick26, I didn’t reply to you and GX47 because you’d made me doubt about the certificate for submitting the file to the DRIRE. I called the engineer again to confirm: he told me that anyone can get it, even private individuals, and that for Alès, at the weigh-in, the vehicle must be finished (conversion complete), diesel, water, and gas tanks 90% full, and in case of a roadside check, the vehicle is no longer a bus, so you can drive it without a D license since the reclassification is in progress and you can prove it by the interior. And usually, the police don’t insist if the insurance is in order. Cheers everyone, see ya! jose

It's crazy what you can do with pallets😎

NOT OKAY FOR THE TOP-CHOP, I called dibs first😛 and I never dared do it on my old JUVA, so don't even talk about the height!😎 I'll have someone do the work on his bus, and then you're on your own to glue the pieces back together

I gotta stop spouting nonsense on this forum—it started with Patrick’s weekend and it’s gonna end with the first Top-Chop bus in France

Oh, by the way, PROTON51, you won’t be able to get the Top-Chop approved in France—it was a dumb idea (you’ll learn to tell the difference between my serious posts and my others ) But I won’t tell you you can’t get it approved until after I’ve cut it . I was thinking of leaving the back open to make a pickup Two records at once: the first double-decker pickup bus You’ll need some strong arms to toss the bales of straw into the bed

PATRICK, FINE, OKAY... CONGRATS... I give in... but I don’t have ADSL🤪—easy with two screens... CHEATER... plus, I said we’d let you have the 3000th post.

Well, you’ve still got 500 posts to wait—you can go back to your bus in peace. Don’t leave it alone too long with famillede8’s... well, anyway: I WANNA be the godfather of the first one

GX47

😐 Oh really? Well, I couldn't—they didn't want to, I only had the right to the summons BOTH before AND after! Weird!

Anyway, I'm just a Private Individual 😏, maybe that's why?

hey AMAsxmx You built a shelter? I bought a ruined house with brambles on the roof and just four walls—check out the photos. Ten years later, no company ever showed up. I did everything myself: electricity, plumbing, masonry, pool. SO A BUS IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THAT—you just need ideas. See ya, jose

Wow, NICE! Nothing to say 😉 I can just picture your FR1 in the end 😇 Like you said: you just need ideas, check out what others are doing, and not be afraid to go for it. That’s how I do it. A month ago, I barely knew how to weld, now I’m a pro… so why not others?

Great job, anyway. Bravo 😉

Well yeah, but where can you park something like that? Plus, you’ve got to start it up...

Anyway, short version—I work in construction myself, so I’m impressed.

The issue with buses is that you usually don’t dare drill, damage, or stick anything in them for fear of having to take it all apart again if there’s any problem. A fixer-upper house is also full of pitfalls, but since it doesn’t move (except over time and slowly), you don’t have to worry about materials rubbing against each other and making noise like in a bus...

The issue with houses is that these days, a ruin in a well-located village (near a border or big city) costs around 150,000 to 200,000 €, and if you calculate the work and time it takes to build it yourself, you’d better do it right because your rent is still running and your loan has already started... I was born too late—otherwise, I would’ve done this 10 years ago when buying a barn cost next to nothing.

Hey folks, I’m asking again (hoping I’m not being a pain) if anyone knows where I can find the technical manual for my baby. Actually, it’s always a hassle doing electrical or other searches when you don’t have the vehicle’s documentation. Those familiar with the Volvo B10M with the mid-engine will understand. Basically, you end up doing almost all your work lying between the two floors (which are 30 cm high). As I mentioned earlier, I’m currently looking for a short circuit in my bus. It didn’t like sleeping outside because it’s not a clean short circuit!!!! I’ve got 400 ohms floating between the ground and the positive. I’ve managed to isolate it for now. I can start it up. Actually, my short circuit is after the starter on the positive power circuit, not on the control side. Anyway, I’d really like to find the technical manual for my baby.

PS: A little info about Belgium. Actually, I’m located 10 km from Belgium in the northeast, and I have a friend who shares our passion on the other side of the border. Well, do you know what steps he had to take to get his vehicle approved as a camper? No? Well, he simply removed the seats, added a bed (properly secured, of course), and a basic two-burner stove. He went to the inspection center. And bam—his bus was approved as a camper!!!!

We joke about the Belgians, but in this case, they’re definitely better off than France!!!

Anyway, that’s all for now—happy travels to everyone!

David

Oh, and while we’re on DIY, here are a couple of photos of a trailer I built last winter! Info: a roof-top travel box, two 2CV fenders, and some putty.

But tell me, you're a real one, a pure one, aren't you😎

The old Series 3 for burning rubber (just a little😉) The Gold, because the Shovel breaks your lower back a bit too much🏴‍☠️

And the bus because, we're not gonna stop our rides just because of the kids!

Tell me if I'm wrong, I can't be far off!😉

Apart from that, the grasshopper to the left of the Gold—is it a real one or a well-modified Intruder (because I knew one just like it in gray that brings back memories😛)

Anyway, the trailer work is top-notch!

PATRICK26

Hey B10! 😉 I can’t help you with the technical inspection—I don’t have one myself. If you find info, I’d love it! Ask (username) fanan, he also has a B10 with, I think, the same body as yours...

"Little hello to fanan and his wife, by the way!"

Nice work on the trailer—I recognize the owner of a B10 when I see one! 😉😉😉😉😉😉😉

Hey Pat, no, you're not off base. It seems, yeah, that I'm a tough cookie. At least that's what people tell me since I ride on two wheels summer and winter. I've already ridden in temperatures around -16°C!!! Actually, I sent you these photos to show you my hobby, but the Gold Wing from last winter is already outdated. I had bought two wrecked Gold Wings and made one out of them. But before selling a rebuilt bike, I wanted to try it out. And well, I kept it for a year because it's so nice to ride. On a whim, I sold it and switched to the Intruder you'll see attached. But the Intruder is also old-school. Right now, I'm riding this one. I won't tell you what it is right away—I'll let you figure it out from the photo. I can just tell you that this one is equipped with a dyno kit and a "noss" kit. For those who don’t know, the "noss" kit is a nitro kit! And yes, to answer your question, it *is* an Intruder 800 you see next to the Gold Wing. That was my wife’s bike. It was completely stock. The custom paint you saw on the rear fender isn’t mine—it was the previous owner’s.

Anyway, sorry for the motorcycle photos since this is a site for heavy-duty vehicles, but I just wanted to share some DIY pics too.

Happy riding to everyone.

David

Hi AMAsxmx, I came across this link one day that gives access to an address for info, but I'm not sure if it's worth it since I haven't contacted them yet. Check at the bottom of the page—there are two lines about the B10M. Best regards,

David

http://www.heuliezbus.com/fr/index.php?main=03_doc_gx87

Wow, Pat.

I tried to read the link on your blog about seatbelt legislation! By the third line, I’d already forgotten what I’d read! How do people even manage to read that stuff?

I didn’t understand a word of the text.

Anyway, catch you later.

David

😉Hi everyone,

Just to let you know that the work is progressing, and I wanted the okay for the 1523rd post.

Okay Sjunior, I didn’t take it that way🙂

hi everyone okay, so I asked about the prices of the different vehicles on gaby-chariots and I found they weren’t too expensive! I don’t know how much you paid for your Volvo B10M, but the one on the site is 6,000 € for a 1981 model with 1,000,000 km...😕 and the S53s are around 7,000 €...

Anyway, AMAsxmx, that pallet terrace is really cool! It’s original. For my cabin, we salvaged over 300 pallets😉

As for the B10, it’s true that that little personal trailer is pro-level work!!!

Uh, GX47, why do you say I won’t be able to get the MAN SD 200 F (double-decker) approved in France?

Hey proton51, well, I actually found my Volvo B10M in Belgium. It was already converted into a camper. The guy used to race cars. The back of the bus opened like a car trunk. He’d drive his race car right into the back of the bus. Part of the bus was his workshop, and there was just a bed that folds up against the wall and a kitchen. That’s it. Anyway, I negotiated it down to 4200 €. It’s true there’s some bodywork to do, but the rest is solid. It’s got 840,000 km on the clock and starts on the first try. The engine’s like clockwork.

With my budget, I couldn’t afford anything more. It’ll keep me busy for the winter.

Cheers,

David

Hey PROTON51, to find a bus is easy! Just grab the directory and call all the transport companies around your area, and you’ll probably be surprised by all the buses they have for sale, often in really good condition. I found my FR1 that way in my département—I came across: 1 Volvo, 1 Setra 111, 2 PR14, 2 S53, a Vanhool Horizon, 1 double-decker Vanhool, 1 Setra 215 HR, etc.... Plus, you get to chat with the transport companies, and they’ll give you tons of tips and advice—IT’S COOL. See ya, jose

okay, I'll follow your advice thanks! 🙂

Whoa!!!🤪 I’ve seen it several times, most recently about a month ago. It’s a wreck. Nothing like the photo that makes it look decent. Plus, the coachbuilder went out of business, so getting any spare parts is a nightmare😕. The worst is on the right side—molding’s peeling off and everything...

To find out if certain modifications are allowed on your vehicle, who should you ask? Veritas? And to look up the phone number, what should I search for—Veritas PL? (I couldn’t find it in the Yellow Pages except for Veritas Auto... is it the same?)