Entertainer Shells?

[adamdegraff]

Hey, I was wondering, what is the difference between a regular Prevost and an "Entertainer" shell?

When I was looking for a bus, I was warned by a number of different folks that the "entertainer" models were not of the same quality that the motor homes were. I guess I just took it as fact after hearing it so many times. But now I have a friend who needs a bus for an upcoming tour and I'm having trouble explaining to him the difference.

Anybody know?

Thanks,

Adam

[0533]

Hello Adam,

Here is a link to Prevost Car: http://www.prevostcar.com/cgi-bin/pages.cgi?page=xl2entertainer

I think that the height was 89" inside and maybe extra storage below and of course the end configurations have many bunk beds, three on a side in some cases, lounge etc.

I do not feel that Prevost anyway made the shell with any less quality.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

The chassis difference is in the wheelbase.

If you look up photos of coaches that were converted for entertainers you will notice that the rear overhang is identical to that of a 40 foot coach. Unlike our 45 foot coaches, 33" of the difference between a 40 footer and a 45 is in the distance between the axles, and the remaining 27" is rear overhang.

I have heard theories about that with the most common being that the additional wheelbase serves two purposes. It provides more bay area for storage or equipment, and the longer wheel base minimizes pitching motions so the ride is more comfortable for folks trying to sleep in the bunks.

The conversion is also different. Bunks instead of a lot of closet space are the most noticed feature, but there are other differences. The rear is often a lounge area. The kitchen and dining area is also minimized. The interior is often more durable and institutional because it is not a home, but a transportation appliance. It is going to get 80,000 miles of living and use per year. The systems are different also. It is common to see five roof airs. It is common to have two generators. The systems are robust because on-road failures cannot be repaired if the travel schedule is tight. Repairs have to be made when they can be fit into a gap in the schedule so redundancy is important.

Some entertainer interiors are similar to our conversions, but while there may be some similarities such as a rear bedroom and a larger kitchen and dining area, the focus is less on the decor, and more on durability and resistance to wear and tear.

My guess is that a loaded entertainer's coach is well over the front axle limits because of the extended wheelbase and the fact that less weight is cantilevered beyond the rear axles.

[donniev]

The Substructure Of The Shell Is Not Stainless As The Conversion Shell Is. Thats A Big Savings To The Entertainment Industry.

Donnie V

[Jon Wehrenberg]

The entertainer shell is stainless steel according to the Prevost Specs.

[0533]

It would make sense that they would cut this corner to save some $$ but Jon is right at least for the current shells:

taken from Prevost car website:

XLII Entertainer

The 45-foot Prevost XLII ENTERTAINER coach shell is configured to suit the needs of traveling entertainers and their crews. The sublime riding comfort is the most sought-after characteristic of the Prevost XLII ENTERTAINER, providing entertainers and their crews with unparalleled riding stability for sleeping and lounging while on the move.
The Prevost XLII ENTERTAINER features Prevost's independent suspension system with integral structure and stainless steel outer shell (up to window level). Floor-to-ceiling height is a full 89 inches, the tallest in the industry. Under-floor cargo bays post a whopping 433 cubic feet to accommodate personal belongings and fragile items. The ENTERTAINER bus shell also features Prevost's special engine/transmission mounting, which virtually eliminates vibration and engine noise for a serenely quiet travel environment.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

This is a moot point, but if strength were needed, such as to support the greater span between axles, stainless might not possess the needed strength.

In that case from an engineering point of view certain high strength steels would be a better choice. But obviously Prevost does not need that additional strength and have chosen stainless steel.

The front axle limits are the same as for the motorhome conversion so if I saw a potential drawback besides the longer turning radius it would be the ease with which the front axle limits could be excessively exceeded.

[garyde]

Some other things to consider, the Converters offer many options which you will not find on entertainer buses. The lighting system , outside patio awnings, Galley slides, outside tv's, refer,bbq, and stereo, Interior finishes, passenger seat,
washer/dryer, clothing closets and drawers.
Some Coaches may have some of these but those are more customized.

[donniev]

I Said The Substructure Is Not Stainless Steel Like The Conversion Shell, Not The Exterior Stainless. Unless They Have Changed This.

Donnie V

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

I saw that Donnie, and also Bruce's quote of Prevost,
"The Prevost XLII ENTERTAINER features Prevost's independent suspension system with integral structure and stainless steel outer shell (up to window level)."

I think many misread that to mean the structural framing is stainless. I really doubt that that is the case!

JIM

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I'll stop beating this poor dead horse, but if the specs on the Prevost Car site are reviewed both the entertainer and motorhome XLII shells are the same materials for the outer and inner structures.

[Jeff Bayley]

I'm thinking of going ahead and just having my double slide H3-45 built out and keep it since it's not selling. I have always figured on recommending the buyer I sold it to get an entertainer company to built it out since it would be less than a major name brand converter would charge. Does anyone recommend a non name brand converter or an Entertainer converter and if so, who ? The times I've been on the Entertainers, I've noticed them to be built more durable as was mentioned in this thread but the workmanship didn't particular strike me as being low quality. The hit and finish were good with the added advantage of being able to take more abuse. I presume they would work with me to build whatever floor plan I came up with and I've always thought the smaller kitchen and bath space was a good trade off for a larger bedroom, small computer work station and maybe just two bunks for guests.

Aren't our shells usually referred to as VIP shells ? This is the first time I've heard the wheel base or other things were different on a VIP and an Entertainer. I thought only the floor plans were different.

[Will Garner]

Jeff,

There are two converters in Nashville on the west side of I-24 (?) from the Prevost facility. The times I've been out there visiting family lots of coaches were on site being built/remodeled/rebuilt. I don't recall there names but Google Earth should help identify them for you. I was too enamoured looking at the coaches to consider memorizing the converters names.

I like your new avatar. I just hope you didn't lose any of your eyesight while spending those many hours trying to find a PG-13 thong on the web! I mean really, I'm sure the pictures are so small on websites that feature other than PG-13 thongs!

Later ...

[jelmore]

Jeff,

There are two converters in Nashville on the west side of I-24 (?) from the Prevost facility.

Hemphill Brothers http://www.hemphillbrothers.com/ has a fabulous facility. Other than theirs, the few working entertainer coaches we've been in are built primarily as transportation machines with easily replaced surfaces. There's quite a few small converters in Nashville, one right across the street from Prevost.