Gus the Bus - MCI MC9 Before and After Conversion
Meet BJ’s ‘Gus the Bus’, from Washington State - probably the nicest MCI MC9 conversion I believe I’ve ever seen…
Yes, this is a before and after. This is the same bus.
What’s this? Slideouts on an MCI? Mere mortal bus converters have been told time and again that if you want slideouts, other brands are better suited because of their traditional construction - more like factory RVs - with the body just sitting on top of a chassis.
But MCIs are engineered like an aircraft, with ‘monocoque’ construction, where each component reinforces each other component - the chassis being integral with the body. Think of a geodesic dome.
But apparently that didn’t scare off BJ. He writes:
I completely reengineered the structure of the bus from the floor up, with all new steel. It seems to be a stiffer design than the original.
As for the weight, the completed exterior with slide and limited interior installed weighed in at just about 31,000 pounds. That is with genset, frig, seats etc, and just needing cabinets and interior finish. Gus was projected to be around 35,000 lbs (dry) when completed.
Asking about Gus’s caps, thinking they were fabricated by hand because they’re obviously a cut above even the custom caps one can get from R&M Fiberglass, BJ replies:
The caps were custom done. The base cap is a standard R&M cap that I modified to incorporate a downward blowing air tunnel/dam along the back to keep my rear wall clean. I also incorporated a couple of docking lights and a camera in the upper center. The sides are special corners that Richard at R&M made for me and I fit them to my application. It hides the roof clutterand creates a more square look as well as gave me a place to inset my Girard Awning. The awning retracts into the side of the bus instead of sitting on the outside of the bus. The front is another R&M cap that I heavily modified incorporating four high volume “Freight Train” horns. There are also insets for two robotic spotlights that I will add later.
He adds, “It’s taken me almost three years to get Gus to this point, but hope to be done within the year. Well, as done as I need before I can start all the trick stuff.”
He hasn’t even started the trick stuff yet???
Turns out he has, in addition to the highly obvious. BJ adds,
I had to do a few trick things along the way, like no handles on the bay doors and digital entries for controlling the locks. My bus has no keyed access - you use a digital entry key pad or a remote keyfob. I have some fun things planned like an observation deck, (the retractable ladder is already installed in the roof) robotic spot lights, (holes are already contoured in the front cap) entertainment bay with a BBQ and TV and more.
What a beautiful example of the rewards of this endeavor and testament to excellence. We are humbled by your accomplishments, BJ!
