Converting a heavy-duty bus/coach/truck into a motorhome (page 83 of 161)

Hey there!

First thing, no problem coming to see us! It's easy—we work on the buses in the afternoons!

Just give us a heads-up (I'll send you my number in a private message) and bring something to pay for a drink during the break you'll inevitably cause—otherwise, it's no fun!

For your bus, why go to the trouble of looking so far away when there are plenty so close by?

You really should come take a break with us...

Because, from the photos, your truck looks pretty average, to be honest😕

Some of those rust streaks (toward the back) don’t bode well (experts on this kind of beast, like mrkhonn, wouldn’t disagree).

There are tons of S53s everywhere—don’t go spending money to find one on the other side of the world... Save your cash for better equipment or a better base.

See you soon, Grenoble local!

PATRICK26

Good evening, I also didn’t see my bus before buying it—a 1977 SETRA 215HD—but I trust it... I’d be interested in coming to one of your "DIY" days... Christobale

😉 It's tinkering, it's tinkering, it's sipping🤪 yes!!!🙂

@+

Hi,

True, I haven’t bought the bus yet, and I plan to check it out before purchasing. But if I like it, I’d like to take it right away to avoid too many back-and-forth trips. In that case, I’d pay 1,200 € for it. It already has a toilet cabin, a kitchen unit (not installed yet), and while there are plenty of others closer by, they’re more expensive. Unfortunately, I don’t have much of a budget right now, so I’ll take my time converting it, salvaging as much as possible. The setup I want is pretty basic—I’m not looking for a lot of comfort. The owner has a motorcycle shop, and he’s taking it to the workshop for a check-up, then the technical inspection (CT). I’ll get a copy of the report before picking it up. He told me the frame isn’t rusted… Thanks for your advice, but I’m still confident about the quality/price of this bus. It was bought for 2,000 € six months ago by a transport company. Thanks, Patrick, for your number—I’ll call you at the start of next week to come see you… (not empty-handed, of course).

Later, Guillaume

Hi and welcome,

Here’s my take, which overlaps a bit with what’s already been said. It seems to be in pretty rough shape, even if he’s trying to get it through the inspection and claims the frame isn’t rusted! Plus, even if he’s got motorcycle mechanics, servicing a heavy-duty vehicle isn’t quite the same thing! From the photos, you can also tell it’s been sitting outside for a long time without much maintenance—the white paint on the roof is dead (turned black), so I can’t even imagine the state of the seals and the risk of water leaks!!🤪 I’d still wonder why he’s selling, especially if he’s already started buying parts and fitting it out. And then there’s 1200 €, plus the trip, plus transporting a vehicle that’s no longer really a passenger vehicle but isn’t quite a heavy-duty one yet... not to mention the old posts about "in-progress" licenses! I honestly think there’s something better closer to home, even if it costs a bit more. I reckon you’re heading for hassle and surprises, and the fact it has a toilet cubicle and a kitchen unit isn’t a huge plus (it’d be different if it had a generator, a set of solar batteries, 6 new tires, or something else!😉)

See you around, and maybe soon.

hey sjunior that’s a great idea, send me your number in a PM or give me a call see ya jose

hey doniz38 I agree with sjunior—I think you're asking for trouble. If he bought it for 2000 € six months ago, why’s he selling it for 1200 €? That’s sketchy. Like I already suggested, call the transport companies or local agencies around you—especially the departmental authorities. They sell them regularly in great condition and not too expensive. Later, jose

That’s cool, I’ll send you my email for the plans—it’ll be simpler that way. Mine is 7.10m without the cabin. Yours looks longer, right?

Since doniz38 mentioned that the bus is for sale on the forum, I’m sharing the link to the ad: http://voyageforum.com/...8175;search_string=s Apparently, the bus has been resold because there’s no longer a place to park it...

The big issue is getting it from Nemours to Grenoble, given that the vehicle no longer matches the registration certificate (it’s no longer a TCP because it doesn’t have all the seats) and it’s not yet classified as a heavy goods vehicle (PL) since it hasn’t been approved... Plus, I assume the registration certificate must have been crossed out for over 15 days... and most importantly, it needs to be insured, which is impossible as long as it doesn’t match the registration details... It’s a catch-22.

That said, after a quick search, I saw that the seller is a motorcycle dealer, so he has a W garage that he should be able to use to transport the bus to your place, since the W guarantee covers the vehicle’s insurance (the company’s fleet insurance) and seems to exempt it from compliance with the mining authority (DRIRE?). Check here: http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/...ercheExperteLegi.jsp Type of text: "Arrêté" dated "November 5, 1984" and in the title the word "immatriculation"—articles 43/44/47, but for a W, it’s actually 41 to 50

Vehicles already registered whose circulation strictly aims to: Resale, including... transporting the vehicle... to the buyer’s home... A vehicle with a W registration can be non-compliant with the Highway Code as long as it’s being tested or hasn’t yet been approved by the DRIRE... In all cases, the holder of the W registration or their representative, equipped with their seller’s card or any other document signed by the W registration holder proving their affiliation with the latter’s company, must be present on board the vehicle and must have the W registration with them.

So, if the seller doesn’t have a TCP license, they still need to be present, which means you’d need a driver with a TCP license. However... given that "the vehicle can be non-compliant with the Highway Code and not yet approved by the mining authority," could you, in this case, drive the bus with a PL license???

Note: With a W garage, you can use removable plates (bolted on) and then remove them to put the original ones back (riveted): http://www.quickplaque.com/txtdeloi.htm This makes it easier for the seller, who can leave with their garage plates (so you don’t pay for them, and they can reuse them). By the way, how does the seller get home... ... ... on the motorcycle they loaded into the bus before leaving. 😛

P.S. Just to clarify, I wrote "should be able to," because their insurance might not allow it, or they might not have bought the bus under the dealership’s name (so no resale...), and "seems to" because I might have misinterpreted the legal texts.

Great job, cunni, on your research!

Totally agree with you!

Your explanation of the transit regulations really clarifies things.

I confirm after checking that a transit bus, if it has fewer than 8 seats (seats removed and stacked inside the bus!) plus the driver, can be driven with a Class C license, provided the seller is a professional, is on board (not necessarily driving), covered by their professional insurance, and the vehicle is operating under a W garage status.

According to the authorities: The bus is indeed in transit to go from the seller’s location to the buyer’s. The seller (or someone from the company who can prove it with a pay slip, for example) is present in the vehicle. It’s a professional with a W garage status. They have professional insurance. The vehicle isn’t compliant with its registration, but it’s not contradicting its use (fewer than 8 seats plus the driver for a Class C license—the driver can’t be held liable in this case, as they’re covered by the W exemption).

A TGV ticket to send the seller back home, and you’re all set. If you only have your Class C license and the seller doesn’t have a driver available, the secretary will do the trick...

PATRICK26

Thanks, Pat.

A little clarification: if you're searching on Légifrance, always check the "In force" box, otherwise you'll get every version of each article. Also, don’t make spelling mistakes in the Title field, or nothing will come up. Actually, it’s better not to fill it in at all and just use keywords in the section below instead.

lol, I’m speaking Chinese here, but go here and you’ll understand: http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/RechercheExperteLegi.jsp

Good evening, Actually, the guy is selling this bus because he got a great opportunity on a very recent FR1 that he had professionally converted. He told me he wanted to travel abroad with it... and indeed, he no longer has parking space for the bus. On the other hand, he had already started all the procedures to convert it (manufacturer authorization, red line removal, etc.). So if this guy is sincere (not everyone’s a scammer, right?! lol) and he had done research to buy a bus to convert, maybe this bus is a good one!? And given that I don’t have much money right now, I’d like to check it out more closely... but in any case, thanks for your advice—I’ll be careful...

To bring the bus back after a failed roadworthiness test (not compliant with the registration certificate), the guy says he’ll get a one-month temporary driving permit. He doesn’t have a TCP license, so the best option for me is to find a driver. Because if I have to pay for a driver, their ticket, the secretary’s ticket, and my ticket... ugh, that’s gonna add up. And my insurance covers the bus even for TCP since it’s going to be modified (they’re cool at MAAF... plus, it’s only 300 € per year).

Otherwise, for the seals/joints, is there a way to redo them? And for the tires? I read a post about second-hand tires classified by size and wear... could you give me a price range and the number of kilometers they last?

That’s all, thanks and see you soon! Guillaume

😉 Hey there, folks,

Just popping in quickly between two shows—yeah, I like to stay updated, don’t wanna end up reading 25 pages at the end of December.

Alright, I’ll add one last layer since no one’s said it yet:

The W garage is ONLY valid for that specific garage, and here we’re dealing with a MOTORCYCLE garage. If it’s not also registered as an HGV garage, it can’t transport anything other than bikes. Well, yeah, that’s kinda normal, right?

Would be cool otherwise—with all the mechanic buddies I’ve got... but they’re all into cars or retired😕

It’s funny, too—the guy who doesn’t have space for his S53 but will for an FR1 Oh, if there’s a profession I love, it’s mechanics. That’s why I do as much as I can myself

Gonna make some friends here, but I’ve got a memorable and true quote to share, one that some in the Renault-Cross and Samba-Rallye-Cross scene from the 85-90s can confirm: "A screw loosened in the right spot, and the customer’s guaranteed to come back." Just missing the southern French accent (shoutout to you, buddy—I won’t name you, hope you’re not mad...)

Alright, I’ll sign this post so the sensitive mechanics don’t go after the whole thread—just me🏴‍☠️ By the way, feel free to hit me up hard in DMs, I can take it...

GX47

Check out the post I sent on p.60

http://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=819486#819486

In my opinion, that’s the best solution, but that’s just my take (criteria: NO GAS unless it’s certified for motorhomes, which allows any VASP conversion).

The insurance issue seems sorted, but will your insurance cover the bus if it's driven by someone other than you? (for the return trip)

after a failed technical inspection (CT) because it didn’t match the registration certificate, the guy tells me he’ll have a one-month temporary driving permit,

except if the CT classifies it as R (Visit Deferred): http://www.securitrucks.com/obligations.php so be clear with the seller about this—if the bus leaves the inspection with an R, you won’t be able to move it except on the day of the inspection, and that makes organizing the return trip tricky (you’d need a driver available on the 14th, you’d have to be free too, and have enough time to get back), especially since it’s a 6-hour drive: http://www28.mappy.com/...e=0&x=10&y=9 and:

TCP drivers are subject to numerous rules regarding driving times, including: a 45-minute break every 4 hours 30 minutes of driving, which can be split into breaks of at least 15 minutes (4-hour max between 9 PM and 6 AM)The maximum driving period is 9 hours but can be extended to 10 hours twice a week.The maximum effective working time is 10 hours but can be extended to 12 hours twice under certain conditions. This includes driving time, standby time, and other work.Amplitude includes effective working time and breaks.In regular transport, amplitude can be extended to 13 hours with authorization from the transport labor inspector. In occasional transport, it’s set at 14 hours.Working more than 9 hours beyond a 12-hour amplitude is prohibited.A minimum 11-hour break is required between two amplitudes.An analog tachograph (or "disk" in industry jargon) continuously records the vehicle’s speed relative to time, allowing authorities to check driving times, break compliance, and speed limits. It’s a cardboard disk, originally black, coated in paraffin, which the driver inserts under the speedometer when starting their shift. They can only remove it at the end of their driving time. Only one disk is allowed per 24 hours unless switching vehicles and the disk isn’t compatible with the other tachograph.

Note: if the tachograph isn’t working, you can’t prove your break times, so you won’t be able to drive it back to Grenoble (I don’t know any TCP drivers who’d risk driving without the disk).

By the way, for the registration certificate, it’ll be crossed out a second time on the sale date, so you can drive for the next 15 days.

The W garage is ONLY valid for the specific garage in question. Here, we're dealing with a MOTORCYCLE garage. If it's not also registered as an HGV garage, it can't transport anything other than motorcycles

I’d thought of that, so I read all the legal texts (about the W garage), and no distinction is made between motorcycle, passenger vehicle, or HGV garages. I also called my dad, who used to be a motorcycle mechanic, and he confirmed he used it for passenger vehicles and that nothing prohibited him from using it for HGVs. However, some garages might say otherwise to avoid taking on liability, and I get that—fleet insurance is expensive. That said, I could still be wrong... 😉

😉Hi François,

I don’t think this is the best solution for everyone.

For the technical inspection (contrôle technique), you’ll do it at the end before taking it to the DRIRE—don’t worry about it even if the conversion takes you over a year!

Uh, careful—only a dealer is allowed to cross out a registration certificate twice, and even then... It comes down to the same point as for the W; it’s true that it’s not specified anywhere, but insurance won’t cover you if there’s a problem. And for the second crossing-out, if the guy isn’t registered as a heavy-goods dealer...? The prefecture might refuse the direct change of registration and ask for two separate changes (I had to do this once, and no one wants to pay, so you end up shelling out twice)😕

hi there I’ve been lurking around for quite a while. I’m also planning to convert a coach. Right now I don’t have the time to start, but as soon as I do, I’ll share updates on my progress. I think I’ll buy an FR1. Otherwise, I’m from Lorient and work as a delivery driver for an express courier service. That’s me in a nutshell.

😎hi

I found one, here are 2 photos😎. Make: Setra, year: 1991, model: S 215 UL, mileage: 570,000 km, but it's really clean and sound—just a small dent, no big deal🤪. I'm gonna negotiate the price since they want 15,000 € ex. tax, which seems a bit steep😛😛😛