1996 Prevost XL 40 Le Mirage RV Conversion

[Detles]

Hi Everybody
My name is Detlef and I am now the owner of a Le Mirage RV Conversion
Done in 2005-2006 on Vancouver Island in British Columbia
The reason I bought that coach was I always wanted something with high quality wood interior
We have here in Victoria the old wooden boat show and I really liked it
Never thought I could buy a bus with the same cozy feeling
Very well done from the guy who did that
But he was the owner of the most successful wood busyness here on Vancouver Island
Money to do it was plenty available and it shows
Lucky me...
He converted the engine to a 500 hp Detroit 60 and redid the transmission as well
So far so good
Now the nasty stuff
One of the engine department hinges broke before I was able to drive it
I do not get the bolds out without proper tools and location
The coach is stored outside safe but only power is available
The air condition stopped with a lot of white smoke and overpressure sound
The tires are not as the former owner promised me 6 years old
They are 16 years old
I did a 410 $ pre purchase inspection and they missed checking it
I took me over a month to get my air brake endorsement and now I can not drive the coach because I am afraid to lose the left engine department door
I guess to buy a coach is the most easy part
There is a lot of other very important conditions involved
My perfect situation would be a retired guy who is very experienced to show me the ropes
Any commend is highly appreciated
Cheers Detlef

[Gil_J]

Being what appears to be a one off, you would be best to find someone that knows the systems and can logically figure out what you have. I could help you, but travel costs would be too much. If you're in Canada, that further restricts who could help.

It doesn't take 10 years to convert a coach. What was it before this conversion? 16 year old tires should not be driven on...period.

[Detles]

The Le Mirage is a 54 seater Bus
Did run in Texas for 9 years
Imported to Canada in 2005
Conversion time to 2006 or 2007
Miles now around 5,500 mls
Generator time 108 hours

[freds]

OK I do have to say the interior of your bus is fantastic, even though I do not like the singles in the bedroom!!!

As to the running condition of the bus I severely drought the actually reported mileage as that is assuming it just went to Texas and sat for nine years and then returned to Canada.

Highly suspect undocumented replacement odometer(maybe after the engine change), especially if it didn't come out of the factory as a motorhome. Chassis serial number would start with MTH if so. If not you have a bus that did lots of duty as passenger bus before it's conversion by a non name brand converter, so good luck asking for help on living space systems. Also your air conditioners look the same vintage/version as my 1980 for what it is worth, so they might have been recycled. Heck do you actually have four of them?

You don't give your location, however I would hunt down a bus touring company that ran Prevost's and inquire about someone who retired/old salt and has time to tinker and document what you actually have.

Given that the bus has been repowered (it seems), maybe they went through the entire drive train with new bushing, air bags and brakes.

However if the bags are the same age as the tires I would do a whole sale replacement of them.

But hey welcome to the group!!!

[Detles]

Hi Freds
For me the interior is the key
That s Rosewood though out
All the cabinets are solid best wood quality
The Coach had probably a high mileage in Texas
The guy who build it to his specifications had its own ideas
As I said he had the biggest wood chain company on Vancouver Island
He did not cut corners
The mileage after the new build is correct
This is a piece of Art
Not for everybody but I would not touch an original interior from the mid 90
The guy died with 70
Way to young
Everything well done but still too long sitting around and after his death nobody did care about it
It need now labor of love and knowledge
I can only provide one part but I am not prepared to pay 150 $ an hour to bring it up to snuff
I have to start to become creative
Cheers Detlef
..

[Joe Camper]

If i had a significant other and fond of and had a choice of beds a queen would be my last choice. Its either a king matress for 2 or twins. I can not share a queen size bed comfortably with someone and always wondered about the abundence of them in campers. Very nice bus. Lots of awning windows thats rare and the extra upper front marker lights r a nice touch. Good luck.

U say he converted the engine but its a 96 so it came with a 60 series can u expound on that??? It was blown up or he turned it up or what happened there?

[Detles]

Hi Joe
the original engine did not have enough power for the builder
he upgraded it with the more powerful engine
completely fine with me
no lack of power in any situation now
and the engine break sound really good and healthy
all good from that end
transmission redone as well
front brakes converted to discs
the tires look like new
but 16 years old
I will replace them
costs are 7800 $ can $
and it has automatic slack adjusters too
as I know they came after 1996
Cheers Detlef

[Ck2hans]

Hey Joe:

I thought you like to sleep with Gracie in the bed every now and then. LOL

Chuck & Katrina

[Joe Camper]

She is a total bed hog , beats me into bed and piles up right in the middle. And she snores. Females

[Joe Camper]

U need to hook up with someone with a bus themselves with place for u to park who invites u to come.

Register it put tires on it drive it out and camp it for as long as u can. Come to Chicago for a couple weeks ill help u sort things out to some degree. Im home for all of August.