Conversion Corner – Landseer

By Chrissy Eustace

Aileen Penfold has some advice for women with husbands who figure they should tackle a weighty DIY project such as converting a bus to a liveable motorhome.

“When your husband decides he wants to convert a big bus, don’t go into panic mode!” she says, speaking from experience.

“It doesn’t have to be a trauma and an ongoing episode of several years. Treat it as a challenge and something to be enjoyed.”

When Ron and Aileen Penfold embarked upon their ‘journey’ to create Landseer, a 40ft 12m Jacana coach conversion, the ever-patient Aileen started drawing up several variations of floor plans.

The end result is an absolute credit to both of them – their coach is totally liveable, very social and yet can be totally private if they need to escape for a mid-afternoon nap.

From the ground up

The base vehicle was purchased from the couple’s local coach company in Taree, NSW. The advantage of buying local is that they knew the coach: it was well maintained and had been kept under cover. “This obviously isn’t our first conversion,” Ron added. “We only convert low mileage vehicles with no sign of rust as this can be a big problem. It can cost big dollars to remove the rust, plus it delays the fitout.”

It always had to be a joint effort. Ron and Aileen exchanged ideas all the time, drew up plans, and then redrew plans until they had what they felt was the ideal layout.

However, there were a few restrictions. For example, the floor design had to be match up with the position of water tanks because the interior has to line up to the exterior. Another necessity was to raise the roof an extra eight inches as the coach walkway needed to be filled in to create a level floor. The extra height gives very comfortable head room, especially for taller travellers.

Social and practical

The coach is primarily built for two people, but Aileen and Ron also wanted Landseer to be a vehicle in which they could socialise with a number of friends at Happy Hour or over dinner, especially in inclement weather.

The almost triangular-shaped dining table seats eight spaciously when the drop down extension is locked up in place – it’s very practical. The leather lounges, although light in colour, are extremely serviceable.

The nearby computer desk is something else again. It has room for printer and scanner, paper storage, pens and pencils and a safe place to store the laptop when travelling – it’s an arrangement you’d kill for when you are working on the road.

The bedroom has a large mirror on the back wall, which reflects the length of the coach and makes it seem even more sizeable. In this conversion, single beds make it roomy but there is more than enough space so you could put an island bed in if so desired.

This conversion was designed and built for absolute minimum maintenance. There is storage for everything including two rollout pantries. Some people have said to Aileen “it’s too big, I would hate to keep it clean” but Aileen believes the secret is the plentiful cupboard space.

Unbelievable storage

Outside there is a huge full-length awning – so you can entertain outside in comfort– plus smaller individual shades over the major windows.

The external bins hide a multitude of entertaining facilities. There’s a slide-out Weber-style barbecue with lid, and a dual hotplate with a large wok burner for a camp oven, kettle or wok.

Dual sink with hot and cold water is an outdoor luxury and there’s even a fold-up heavy duty table with individually adjustable legs ideal for a level tabletop if ever the couple camp on uneven ground.

Behind the two nearby doors are the couple’s crockery and the essentials of outdoor cooking, including tea, coffee, spices, sauces. The interior is checkerplate and timber with a natural two-pack finish.

The second bin houses the TV/video/CD/DVD system with stereo speakers plus a woofer. The Engel fridge freezer is ideal for Happy Hour supplies or the fisherman’s catch. Two drawers take the cutlery and cooking utensils, one with tablecloths, tea towels and all the outdoor needs. The bottom one is a filing cabinet for all the coach’s manuals and warranties. There is a rollout drinks/food preparation slide-out table underneath the TV.

All the drawers and cupboards have a brilliant locking catch and the fridge/freezer has two latches for extra security when in transit.

The battery box houses eight deep cell batteries with a further bank of eight on the opposite side bin. The ‘pie warmer’ houses the tools and spares, and all of the plumbing pumps are easily accessible if any maintenance is required.

The rollout hose reel and water filtration can be checked. The black water tank is released through the conventional gate valve with a flexible hose or it can be pumped out through a macerator pump. An inspection hatch provides easy checking. The air hose runs a full compressor. The dual-purpose filler and fire hose (white hose) operates with the turn of a valve.

The water system is designed with two pumps, which can be used to pull water from either tank, drain liquid tank to tank or just supply out of one tank for drinking. It is a true multi-functional system.

Water carrying capacity is a massive 1200L fresh, 480L black water and 250L grey water. As yet Aileen hasn’t applied for a self-containment certificate but she has calculated that they could bush camp for at least 20 days without needing to empty!

Ten huge wheels carry this monster in comfort with an excellent road ride due to the airbag suspension. Ron and Aileen tend to go away for a few months each winter as well as to CMCA rallies and various chapter weekends. So they have built Landseer to suit all possible activities, hence the trailer with matching paintwork towed behind.

Don’t forget the trailer

In the trailer there is easy access through two rear doors and one side door. Not only is there room for the couple’s Suzuki Jimny, a Sanyo twin tub washing machine and laundry tub, but lines for washing to dry are permanently erected. There’s even a full sized ironing board and extra water hoses.

The rack holds Ron’s shovel, chainsaw and tools so he can make improvements at bush camp sites such as at Tolderodden Conservation Area, where a number of motorhomers recently camped. The Eidsvold Council had lopped quite a few ‘dicey’ tree branches, so several owners set to them with the chainsaw, chopping the limbs into suitably sized logs, crushing the leaves to mulch around newly planted trees after weeding and creating wells so our water could get down to the roots.

The Ranger was so pleased that he had the Council write a letter of thanks for the group’s efforts. “But surely this is taking care of the environment is all about,” Aileen pondered.

A 3.6kva Onan Generator and 1500W inverter with eight solar panels, each 64 amps Unisol, give total self-sufficiency away from standard AC power. Solar panels feed the 16 house batteries so there is plenty of power even if it is cloudy or rainy for several days.

The tinny boat sits atop the trailer and with the Rhino electric powered winch; it’s easy to load and unload. The Little Bulldog fold-up boat trailer is carried in the trailer along with the outboard motor. We are not certain how much fishing is actually done but it looks impressive, that’s for sure.

Mishaps and new adventures

If you think this sounds all too easy – think again. Aileen was in a wheelchair while most of the building was done and she had to slide up the steps on her bottom pulling herself up with her arms.

In the final stages she was on crutches. What had she done, you ask? She had been cutting grass on the farm tractor while she was on an undulating area. She hadn’t correctly put the tractor into low gear, and it jumped out when going down the steep incline. Although she doesn’t remember exactly what happened, she ended up off the tractor with a compound fracture of the tibia, and the joint at the top of her ankle was shattered into small fragments.

It was her last run around the farm before joining Ron for a cup of coffee. A neighbour heard her calling and rang Ron as well as the ambulance.

Aileen pulled herself up the slope towards the shed where she could be seen but that took about 20 minutes, and the ambulance didn’t arrive for an hour.

Landseer will be available for sale in the near future as Ron and Aileen have decided to do another conversion – a mid-engine Denning. The coach is now in the big farm shed near Landseer. Who knows what discussions the two coaches might be having late at night? Landseer could be recounting many tales of its journeys.

The couple has a new challenge to design a layout with a Mercedes Smart car in the rear. Aileen thoroughly enjoys each conversion project and the continuing notion of coming up with more ideas.

“Unfortunately, we are getting older and it would be handy not to have to tow a large trailer on our travels. We’ve done most of the big trip around the block and who knows maybe the next one will be our last,” she said.

“But until then, we will continue to love this lifestyle and catching up with the many friends we have made on the road.”

Landseer’s body work and paint was completed by Evan Isaacs at Coachworks Queensland 163 Ingram Road, Acacia Ridge, Qld 4110, (07) 3344 4544.

Interior conversion by Jacana Motorhomes, 118 Manning River Drive, Taree, NSW 2430, (02) 6551 7706.

Underfloor installation by Ron Penfold.