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I need to get insurance on my '68 C60 bus, and I don't currently have an automotive policy. Can anyone recommend insurance companies that cheaply insure old, large vehicles like this? I think I could insure it as a truck, a bus or a motorhome - the seats are removed, the back is converted to transport a car, and it was last registered in PA as a "house car". Any recommendations, advice, or tips appreciated.

A bus will require a special endorsement on your license if your seating is 15 or more people, regardless of age of the bus. Most insurers will NOT insure a bus!!! If your state will let you title it as a MOTOR HOME, you'll be in much better shape and can get insurance through groups such as Good Sam Club or several other RV clubs that have special discounts provided to them by various underwriters.

Motor homes do NOT require special endorsements or licenses. A BUS registration or title will result in higher fees and possibly per-mile taxes having to be paid, depending on the state of registration. Do NOT call your bus a "conversion" at the DMV, either. "Conversions", in the eyes of a lot of insurance companies, implies cheapness and shoddy construction. Painting your bus any color other than yellow helps your cause, too, believe it or not!!! Get rid of all of the school bus lettering, seats, outside warning lights, the stop sign, and any other school identifiers.

A "house car" is about the same thing as a motorhome, so I think the problem is already solved.

Perhaps the previous owner didn't care for his wife much,or had a LOT of children and that title actually says 'SPOUCE car'?

Sounds like motor home would be the best way to get it insured, since from what I understand anything bigger than a 1 ton truck seems to throw up a big red flag with insurance companies.. unless it's an RV.

I guess they figure if it's an RV you probably won't be driving it all that much, and less likely to load the back full of torque converters and go blastin' down the road with a rotten wood bed and soft brakes.

I knew an old scrap guy who gutted a 20 some odd foot Winnebego motor home and used it to haul all sorts of stuff. Since it was a motor home, he could blow past weigh scales and what not.

Check out www.hagerty.com. That's where I plan to get mine after I check out a couple of other places just to check prices. Good luck.

You might check with Gulfway Insurers 800-940-5010 or www.racensur.com They insure antique Tractor Trailers and Trucks.

Mike

My grandfather bought a school bus with the exact intention of not stopping for the scales. Then found out State of Maryland wouldn't let him keep it yellow. So He lost interest. Bus still sittin IRWIPI

that must be why a previous owner put horrible white implement paint over what the chips reveal to be a good yellow paintjob on my bus. is it true that you dont have to stop for the scales if you have a non-yellow bus?

Fumblin, if conversion implies cheapness and poor construction, that's exactly the word for my bus! I'll keep that DL at the DMV though. I'm too worried, the license plate, despite expired registration, already says "house car", so someone in this state has already managed to register it as a motorhome of sorts.

KB3-what was that IRWIPI thing? I've seen it somewhere before.

It ran when I Parked it. Thats a term used by some selling Highly valuble (to them) junk. There is also a photo contest run on this site annually by the same name.

If the bus is registerd as a commerical vehicle you would be subject to the weigh stations. When the bus is registered as bus (still carrying Passengers) there must be an exeption as Iv'e only seen the DOT messing with buses once in 23 years of truck driving and never seen one on a scale.

Farmers that convert them to haul products around here stay away from the scales same with their farm trucks. Saw one bus that had been cut down to haul watermelons get nailed by DOT but they had to hit the back roads to catch him.

speed -- It's "It Ran When I Parked It." IRWIPI is also our annual photo contest, which we are getting ready to kick off again for 2005.

Go to our Features section (use the link at the top of the page) and you can see past years.

IRWIPI is The Big Lie...

Regards,
John

Also you may wish to stencil on the side PRIVATE MOTOR COACH NOT FOR HIRE in about 4 inch letters near the passenger door and under the drivers window down low on the body

Hey KB!!! How's the weather out there this morning? Beautiful here on the Western Shore.

Regards,
John

Now John, I was honest the bus did run. It was hot wired ,portable gas tank and no brakes and it has only been sitting about 15 years so you know it's cherry. Grandaugthers husband wants to enter school bus demolition derby but when I mentioned the no brakes granddaughter nixed plan. I tried to explain the object of a demolitiom derby was to keep going, not stop. She ain't buying it so far but I'll have a good summer sending emails asking when they are going top pick up the bus

KB -- I was speaking in general terms, not specifically about you. I have no doubt that your grandaddy's bus is cherry and ready to go, portable gas tank and all. I'm sure such a specimen will really turn some heads at the demo derby!!

:p
John

Can't wait for grandaugthers husband to see it. He' flippedout when i was dragging the 38 with the 54. So after sittig for 15 years the bus is looking real good. I ought to take the time to make sure the engine isn't stuck or maybe just take him over and let him play

Can't wait for grandaugthers husband to see it. He' flippedout when i was dragging the 38 with the 54. So after sittig for 15 years the bus is looking real good. I ought to take the time to make sure the engine isn't stuck or maybe just take him over and let him play