Product Description

How to Build Low Cost Motorhomes is a complete manual on the conversion of a bus into a motor home. This 2004 edition of the 1973 classic is 127 pages with 19 chapters and contains well over 150 photos, drawings, plans, tables, etc. Topics include bus selection, Making interior contour patterns, Step well construction, How to build convertible dinettes, Kitchen cabinets, Wardrobe and bathroom enclosures, Wiring, plumbing and LPG schematics. The book has been heavily edited from the original version. Additionally, the 1971 California Administrative Code and other out of date material have been omitted.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #701369 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 136 pages

From the Inside Flap
The popularity of motor homes has increased dramatically in the last several years. The advantages of these homes on wheels are readily apparent, but the cost of a new unit is high. Here, for the first time, is a practical alterative: Build your own motor home by making a bus conversion. In addition to keeping the price down, you will have hours and hours of fun — and wind up with a motor home that is tailor made to your every need and preference.

Louis McClure has been building bus conversions and enjoying motor home travel for years. In this fact-filled book he tells you about the different types of used buses, how to select the one you need and where to find it. He tells you how to begin the conversion, how to make the necessary patterns, how to build all cabinets, wardrobes, dinettes, etc. Full information is provided on ranges, water heaters, space heaters, and other appliances that allow your conversion to be self-contained. Complete discussions of plumbing, wiring and gas systems follow. Mr. McClure completes this fascinating book with suggestions on maintenance and operation.

This book can open up a new world of fun and excitement through building your own bus conversion and then enjoying it for years to come.

Welcome aboard!

About the Author
Louis C. McClure, a radio engineer, first became interested in trailers and motor homes in 1946 after his discharge from the U. S. Army Air Forces. Over the years he has owned numerous RVs and has converted 6 buses. Additionally, he invented, patented and built two different types of expandable/collapsible campers, trailers, and motor homes.

In addition to authoring How To Build Low Cost Motorhomes, Mr. McClure’s writings have appeared in numerous RV and bus related publications.

He is currently involved in research in exponential horn-type loudspeakers, and writes articles for speaker magazines. His hobbies include woodworking and playing the organ.

Mr. McClure is married, has four sons, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren."

Ben Rosander (editor) first became interested in bus conversions about 1967 when his soon-to-be father-in-law converted an old school bus to move his family to Arkansas. In 1972, Ben found a classified ad in Popular Science Magazine offering a conversion booklet. He bought the book and with his wife, Robin, converted his first bus-a 1962 GMC school bus.

New to the conversion process, Ben blindly followed the advice given, trusting on the expertise of others which, he says, turned out to be a big mistake. Over the years, he reflected on his experience with the notion that he could write a better book. In 2002 Ben completed the 100-page Select and Convert Your Bus into a Motorhome on a Shoestring, followed by Dreams on Wheels: Modern Do-it-Yourself Gypsies and Bus Conversion Floor Plans.

His writings have appeared in Bus Conversions Magazine and he is a frequent contributor to numerous bus conversion bulletin boards.

Ben and Robin Rosander reside in Washington State and are the parents of six children.

Excerpted from How to Build Low Cost Motorhomes 2004 Edition by Louis C Mcclure. Copyright © 2004. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Editor’s Introduction to the 2004 edition

Mr. McClure’s How to Build Low Cost Motorhomes has stood the test of time and is, in my humble opinion, one of the best works of its kind on the subject. While no book can cover every aspect of the conversion of a bus into a motor home, Mr. McClure has provided the basic information that one needs to successfully complete this rewarding project.

While I have done moderate editing of the work and replaced many of the old photos, it is largely as it came off the press in 1973. Mr. McClure’s easy to read style and common sense approach to the project will be appreciated by the novice and professional alike. In these pages, Cal provides the information you need in easy to understand everyday terms. You will find detailed plans for dinettes, convertible lounges, step wells, wardrobes, and a myriad of other items you will be constructing.

Is a bus conversion for you? Only you can decide. A bus conversion is not for the timid. To be successful, you MUST be mechanically inclined and handy with all manner of hand and power tools. Let’s face it, some people should never pick up a hammer. If you cannot successfully repair furniture, your home’s electrical and plumbing systems or plan and build a shed, you should consider a commercially built RV. You must also be patient, able to visualize and plan, and have fairly deep pockets.

Your challenges will include:

* Locating a mechanically sound and suitable bus to convert.
* Storage.
* Conversion costs.
* Title changes from "bus" to "Motorhome," "House car" (or whatever your state calls it). Some states may require an inspection of the conversion to ensure that it meets code. Be sure to find out what your state requires before investing time and money.
* Insurance – Home conversions are considered high risk and insurance is becoming increasingly more difficult to obtain. You can usually forget anything beyond liability insurance.
* Hundreds (perhaps thousands) of hours needed to complete the project. If both you and your spouse are not fully committed to the project, you can be sure of friction.
* Ensuring that your conversion meets applicable RV building codes. A good definition of misery is "Spending $25,000 on a 10,000 lb. bus conversion that you can’t take out of your driveway."

If you feel you can successfully meet these challenges, welcome to the world of bus conversions. If not, you would be best served by a commercial RV.

In any case, best wishes and good luck,

Ben Rosander

Customer Reviews

How to build low cost motorhomes
Along with how to select and convert your bus a good book with plenty of floor plans and pictures. Alot of inspiration but not to European tastes. Again the book is done on a budget and suffers from some unclear black and white photo's but apart from that a really good book.