If you really want to cruise the highways and byways of North America...

[Mabouya]

1989 MCI 96A3 Bus conversion RV for sale (not by me) on ADV Forum for $8k

For Sale or Trade - 1989 MCI 96A3 Bus conversion | Adventure Rider

Some specs:
45'
Pretty friggin cool
6v92 Detroit Diesel
New oil and filters
2 new start batteries
5 speed manual trans
550k miles
Plumbing is in
Electrical is mostly done
Nice wood interior is mostly complete
Insulated
2 5200w generators (gas)
2 rooftop AC units which can be upgraded with heat.
Brakes are good

Needs:
Some interior trim work
A backsplash for the counter
Stain the cabinets
Finish the wayback (I was gonna put in bunks)
Needs a converter for the 12v system
Tires are fair (one is new)
Needs a little front end work (can wobble above 65mph but not always)

[AngryScientist]

oh my.

yes, yes, yes.

[Too Tall]

That thing will run forever. Tires are something like $600 each but hey.....

[rydesteel]

That thing will run forever. Tires are something like $600 each but hey.....

Yeah but you know a Guy who might know a Guy, just sayin. ;>)

[Mabouya]

That thing will run forever.

Takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin':

[Too Tall]

Yeah but you know a Guy who might know a Guy, just sayin. ;>)

You do infact rule.

[AngryScientist]

my youngest son is 18 months right now and in the phase where he is absolutely fascinated, enthralled, infatuated with big trucks. he actually waits for the garbage truck in the morning to scream in delight as it steams by the house.

it would almost be worth it to buy this just to see the contrast of facial expressions if i showed up with this at the house. son = delight. wife = disgust.

haha

someone please buy this and live the dream.

[lumpy]

I do want to buy an RV and drive it around when I reach a certain age, and I think of myself as being able to rise to a challenge, but the prospect of trying to navigate that thing around the places I want to go, particularly parking it, is pretty intimidating. I might be more of a Class C kind of guy.

Narrator: He was a short bus kind of guy.

[Mabouya]

but the prospect of trying to navigate that thing around the places I want to go, particularly parking it, is pretty intimidating

I'm not in the market for something like this, but it's fun to think about having the "freedom" to cruise around for a few months. Nevertheless, I thought the same thing as you - that is a beast, and you really can't take it anywhere that most here would consider "fun exploring." When it comes to driving, one can become accustomed to handling big stuff, say, going from a Mini to a Chevy Tahoe, but 45' long is 45' long, and no joke in tight quarters. If all you're going to do is go up and down the highway, stopping at state-maintained rest stops and TA gas stations it's doable, but anything more than that would require actual skill.

I think if I were seriously thinking of buying something like this I'd take a CDL class first (assuming the DMV doesn't already require you to do that in the first place).

CDL-A Professional Truck Driving

[rydesteel]

A lot of the Big Class A's have a steerable tag axle, makes turning much easier and helps with tire wear. When I sold RV's you didn't need a CDL to drive them, most of the customers buying a 45 footer had traded up over years of driving progressively larger RV's.

[Mabouya]

Bumping this because I've found another dream combo for you guys.

If you're a member, the truck (F-450) and shell are for sale on the ADV forum:

https://advrider.com/f/threads/custo...5k-bo.1466741/

https://blackdogcw.smugmug.com/Custo...hell-For-Sale/

[Too Tall]

Both the Bus and that Ferd are nuts in a good way. How do you find these things????

FWIIW and for the record. When the day comes that I can no longer hitch our Airstream to the pick-em-up truck I intend to purchase Willy Nelson's tour bus and a few pounds of Acapulco Gold....for my glaucoma of course.

What I love/hate about these fantasy rigs which pop up for sale now and than are their sheer over the top indulgence. Appreciate that.

Folks, rent to own. Try it on for size first. Don't use your huge brain to solve problems which do not exist. Geeze...now back to building the world's greatest nitrogen powered potato launcher. Hmmmf.

[Mabouya]

Not to be too serious, but I bet that some folks in some parts of CA, OR, and WA who want to continue living there, but don't want to take the risk and mental strain of this sort of fire season again, are going to think about going the RV only, no house route. At least that way you can pull up stakes much more easily if things get dicey, which it now looks like they might be doing on a more regular basis.

[Too Tall]

Not to be too serious, but I bet that some folks in some parts of CA, OR, and WA who want to continue living there, but don't want to take the risk and mental strain of this sort of fire season again, are going to think about going the RV only, no house route. At least that way you can pull up stakes much more easily if things get dicey, which it now looks like they might be doing on a more regular basis.

This gets deeper into the be-anywhere-culture than you thought?

A bunch of the workforce no longer is required to be "someplace". Suppose that place is now those far out ex-burbs with a nice patch of meadow and a goat? Not too far fetch yo. Rural America just got popular is my prediction.

[bigbill]

This gets deeper into the be-anywhere-culture than you thought?

A bunch of the workforce no longer is required to be "someplace". Suppose that place is now those far out ex-burbs with a nice patch of meadow and a goat? Not too far fetch yo. Rural America just got popular is my prediction.

I just bought a house in NW Arizona with RV parking with hookups. I finish grad school in February and would like to be a distance learning instructor, so mobile is good, but also having a home base is good too.

[ldamelio]

https://advrider.com/f/threads/1989-...rsion.1423371/

The bike to keep inside will cost more than the bus....................

[Clean39T]

This gets deeper into the be-anywhere-culture than you thought?

A bunch of the workforce no longer is required to be "someplace". Suppose that place is now those far out ex-burbs with a nice patch of meadow and a goat? Not too far fetch yo. Rural America just got popular is my prediction.

My wife and I have been discussing this seriously lately. Where does one go to find more information on what it takes to get a quality RV with enough space to set up a work-from-the-road office, live full-time, and store a bike or two? We are moving into a rental home in Central OR shortly and from there, who knows - the plan had been to buy a house but prices have gone so crazy that is seeming like less and less of a good move, plus there is the issue of spending a month or more a year trapped indoors by environmental hazards. We are used to living in a small space but want a clean/healthy indoors environment and a functional enough kitchen to continue to cook the majority of our meals. And if our elderly Maine Coone continues to be with us in this life, we'll need room for him to do his business as well. Much of what's here that I've read so far is more oriented to those doing camping trips or being on vacation full time, vs. working and living full time on the road for a couple years.

[Wisco]

This gets deeper into the be-anywhere-culture than you thought?

A bunch of the workforce no longer is required to be "someplace". Suppose that place is now those far out ex-burbs with a nice patch of meadow and a goat? Not too far fetch yo. Rural America just got popular is my prediction.

My wife and I have talked about this a bit as we are on the verge of empty nesting with only one senior in high school still under our roof. Among the many challenges is the sadness of how poor broadband internet access is once you get out of the cities.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/29/us/ru...rnd/index.html

Certainly there are exceptions to the examples highlighted in the news story, but I know the rural Midwest near where I live can be sh*t for 4G Cellular much less broadband internet once you get off the highways and further away from a 25,000+ town. Another thing to add to the list I guess.....

[rydesteel]

My wife and I have been discussing this seriously lately. Where does one go to find more information on what it takes to get a quality RV with enough space to set up a work-from-the-road office, live full-time, and store a bike or two? We are moving into a rental home in Central OR shortly and from there, who knows - the plan had been to buy a house but prices have gone so crazy that is seeming like less and less of a good move, plus there is the issue of spending a month or more a year trapped indoors by environmental hazards. We are used to living in a small space but want a clean/healthy indoors environment and a functional enough kitchen to continue to cook the majority of our meals. And if our elderly Maine Coone continues to be with us in this life, we'll need room for him to do his business as well. Much of what's here that I've read so far is more oriented to those doing camping trips or being on vacation full time, vs. working and living full time on the road for a couple years.

Dan I did this for a living for a bit and still have friends in the Biz. If I can help let me know. Diesel Pusher will have the most bang for the buck and will be larger than Gas as will the price tag. It's a lifestyle change for sure but if you have a home base then you can keep some items there. Certain States will also let you declare residency with a PO Box which helps with Taxes and such.

[Clean39T]

Dan I did this for a living for a bit and still have friends in the Biz. If I can help let me know. Diesel Pusher will have the most bang for the buck and will be larger than Gas as will the price tag. It's a lifestyle change for sure but if you have a home base then you can keep some items there. Certain States will also let you declare residency with a PO Box which helps with Taxes and such.

Thanks Frank. I'll bookmark this for down the road.. Seems I have some baseline research to do first.