Mercedes 0305 conversion

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Awesome
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Favourite Vehicle: Mercedes 0305 mkll
Location: Albany WA

Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by Awesome »

Hi guys, great forum, I've just purchased a Merc 0305 mk2 ex transperth bus (398) :D . The plan is conversion over 2 or 3 years & then drag the kids around oz for a year. Hoping someone can give a few tips - where can I get a high speed diff/hubs (fitted with 85k at the moment)- nice pace to see Australia but...

Also I'm looking for fuel & water tanks but these may need customizing.

Any help or tips welcome.
Cheers.
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kelvin12
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by kelvin12 »

Poly tanks seem to be the go for my bit. There are quite a few manufacturers that custom build tanks to your specific requirements, size, shapes, fittings etc. This is one but if you google polyurethane water tanks there are quite a few listed there. Not bad priced either.

http://www.wrengcotanks.com.au/index.html

Dirk
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Awesome
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Favourite Vehicle: Mercedes 0305 mkll
Location: Albany WA

Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by Awesome »

Thanks, I'll give them a go.
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schoolbus
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by schoolbus »

Have a look here. http://s214.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/gazwalt/These are some photos of my ex NSW 0305MkII nearing completion. Would love to see some photos of your project.
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mrobsessed
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by mrobsessed »

You'll have a perfectly good water tank with filters in the left side between the doors. Try Soltoggios in Perth for a diff out of a Merc truck, but beware of the power loss and the strain on the transmission. Those transmissions barely handle the 85km diffs. Muck around with the injection timing and you'll get an extra 5km/h at least out of it.

They're a great bus. Have fun!!
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Black Betty
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by Black Betty »

Truck Transmissions in Sydney converted our diff to run at 106kph.
Cost was $2600 and sent the crown wheel and pinion to them and was done in 2 days.

Highly recommended.
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Awesome
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Favourite Vehicle: Mercedes 0305 mkll
Location: Albany WA

Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by Awesome »

mrobsessed wrote:You'll have a perfectly good water tank with filters in the left side between the doors.

Yeah this water tank is for the air-con, which I am going to use, although I may shift it around for better space usage.
After talking to a few people, I probably won't spend the money on a diff conversion, as the old girl has done 1,500,000 k's & may not be up to supplying the extra torque.
Besides, we'll be towing a vehicle & won't really be in a rush.
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mrobsessed
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by mrobsessed »

The air cooler in those is close to useless, and worse than useless if you're going up north. I'd spend the money and get two caravan aircons. They're about the size of the roof hatches, so they go in without much trouble.
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tbc1983
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by tbc1983 »

Ex 398 in happier days:

Image as credited, with thanks to perthbus.info

Image


Cheers!
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adx666
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by adx666 »

Aaah my favourite livery, MTTc with transperth decals....takes me right back!
Sad sad days with seas and seas of silver sh!t :evil:
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Awesome
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Favourite Vehicle: Mercedes 0305 mkll
Location: Albany WA

Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by Awesome »

Yeah, you can still make out the original hand painted MTT '398' under the white EBC livery on the front.

mrobsessed I'll have a serious look into the aircon system & I have thought caravan ac units too. I can remember travelling from Freo to Mandurah in summer & having the windows open to let the sea breeze in as the ac didnt work so good, & that was in the early 80's when the buses were new.

Thanks for all your help guys.
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Sidey44
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by Sidey44 »

Gday Awesome,
are you still looking for water tanks?
I have the name of a company in the west if you need.
Hows the conversion going?
Your donkey is broken....you want your parts when!!!
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Awesome
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Favourite Vehicle: Mercedes 0305 mkll
Location: Albany WA

Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by Awesome »

G'day Sidey44

Yeah, I still need water tanks, the plan is to be pretty self sufficient on the road, & with 3 kids & washing everyday.... :shock: I want to carry at least 500 litres. I also need a second/bigger fuel tank as the original only holds 200 litres, & at 3km/litre economy (highway) thats only 600k's to each refill.
Conversion has paused for a little while, I have stripped out the seats & non essentials, the next step is lowering approx 50% of the floorspace & fixing up any issues underneath the floor while it's out. I know of 2 spots that need rewelding because of rust, but most of it what I can see looks great. I intent on keeping the wall directly behind the driver's door as original with bell & all. :D
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nazarail
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by nazarail »

Black Betty wrote:Truck Transmissions in Sydney converted our diff to run at 106kph.
Just out of curiosity how dose she run now with the high speed diff? I heard you loose take off speed.
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captainch
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by captainch »

nazarail the vietnam mk2 2304 has a high speed diff and goes great on freeway work!
Last edited by captainch on Thu Nov 15, 2012 6:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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fearnes3848
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by fearnes3848 »

nazarail wrote:
Black Betty wrote:Truck Transmissions in Sydney converted our diff to run at 106kph.
Just out of curiosity how dose she run now with the high speed diff? I heard you loose take off speed.
I have driven and been a passanger on an ex Action MK II which had a high speed diff fitted, yes the take off is more slugish than your usual O305 and it takes longer to reach top speed due to the lower differential ratio which enables it to have a higher maximum speed.
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madbenda
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by madbenda »

You mite also consider putting in a gearbox with more speeds (Im not sure if transperth 0305s only got 3 speed autos like the NSW 0305s?) such as a ZF 4/5 speeder so your old girl doesnt have to belt out so many revs on the highway
I think that the 5 speed auto's down/up shifts in slower traffic are much less jerky anyway, unless you think that's "part of the feel" of the 0305 :D
broomhilda

Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by broomhilda »

hi all busnuts out there ,,, im single chick bought a 0305 mk11 1979 merc also,,, have been having a great time decking it out my self learning heaps,, did it all from the road side chuck out cost next to nuthing and looking like a real babe has the WOW facta,,,,, so it dont have to cost much for my home on wheeles moving in to her this weekend,, goodbye to mowing lawns and mundan house mouse stuff look forwade to seen all u busnuts out there,,,, love n light thanks for this link is soooo goood :P
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Awesome
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by Awesome »

Hi guys,
The work has begun again - short stop due to financial constraints.
Found some water tanks (all up total capacity 560l), pulled up the floor, laid down the tanks & service lines, then installed a second fuel tank. Floor is back down, & I'm ready to start insulating & cladding the walls. Windows are being tinted this week - I'm not removing the unused windows but instead using a total blackout tint on those sections in the centre where the bathroom etc is going in. Tinting is about $1000 for the whole bus. Purchased an Aircommand Cormorant reverse cycle air con to fit to the front roof vent & I'm sealing up the 'bug catcher' for the old decommissioned air cooler. This will become waterproof roof storage after I strengthen it & make it a side lifting lid with a hinge & a couple of struts. 1/2 KW of solar panels are ready to go on to feed a 450AH deep cycle battery set & 3000w pure sine wave inverter. Going to install 2 hot water systems - 1 Duetto electric storage for when we are connected to 240v & 1 instant gas HWS for the bush. The next challenge will be getting the shower unit in before removing the rear doors & closer pneumatics. I've had an engineer come around & inspect so he can sign off the modifications when they are finished. I've also purchased some reclining coach seats with integrated seat belts to keep the WA licensing dept happy. The thing has been licensed to carry 64 adult passengers for 30 years & not had a single seat belt fitted, but I am required to fit them now - 5 as it is a 5 berth.

Yes I know it's a lot of work - all to be finished within the next 12 months. I will post some progress photos soon.
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Awesome
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Favourite Vehicle: Mercedes 0305 mkll
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by Awesome »

Back again for an update...

Tinting is all installed and looks simply stunning from the outside, rear doors & pneumatics have been isolated & removed & I have rustproofed the internal steel structure before insulating the wall cavity. I have started cladding the walls too. Built up the floor section over the rear door footwell to accomodate black water & greywater tanks & installed a shower cubicle, gas HWS, 2 x 12v pumps & run 50amp 12v wiring throughout. I am planning to have the bus 24v system totally separated from the motorhome living system. Where the rear doors were removed I have panelled over with 3mm aluminium plate, creating 2 access doors on struts in the process. The aircommand air con is fully installed & working, & the wiring has been sorted for 4x reverse/ observation cameras. I have ordered 6 new air bellows to replace the suspension from Airbags Australia - all delivered to Albany for $290. All the existing airbags seem ok but I don't want to replace any on the roadside during the trip, although I am keeping 2 spares.

On suspension issues, can anyone suggest where I might find a 4 circuit protective valve?

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Awesome
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Favourite Vehicle: Mercedes 0305 mkll
Location: Albany WA

Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by Awesome »

tbc1983 wrote:Ex 398 in happier days:

Image as credited, with thanks to perthbus.info

Image


Cheers!
By the way, we love this image so much that we have had it retouched, framed & will be mounted in the motorhome when it's finished.

We haven't got a name for her yet though....
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captainch
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by captainch »

A friend of mine called his mercedes its a trendy girls name :lol:
"CAPTAIN.C.H "Lives in the home of "SUGAR CANE' not "chickens" :lol: :lol:.........."INGHAM NTH QLD"
CharlieFrank
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Location: Perth, Australia

Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by CharlieFrank »

Would love to see some photos of the conversion if you have any! I just got myself an o305 as well and looking to do something similar.
Do you have a workshop manual for it? i need to look at transmission electrics
shano_falconoot
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by shano_falconoot »

Very interested to follow this, looking to buy 1 or 2 0305's from the ones Manheim has for sale at the moment (1 for spares!) and deck one out with the father in law as a camper -not a full on self contained motorhome, just something with the essentials and a few bunk beds for all his grandkids! Sounds a lot like the 100km+ diffs may not be a good idea for longetivity of the driveline? If we do one it wont be a heavy load, but a lot of highway work will be done and 85 km/h probably isnt quite gonna cut it!
Prob help the fuel economy a bit too with a taller diff?
We'll pull her up when the oil comes out faster than we can put it in......
tic n off
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Re: Mercedes 0305 conversion

Post by tic n off »

I have a 1977 0305 that was converted to a motor home with completion in 2005.
I bought it in 2010.
It has had the diff ratio changed so that top speed is approx 105.
This is great on the flat but it slows down as soon as it sees a hill.
The previous owner realised he had gone a bit high and that he should have made the change that would allow a top speed of approx 97.
he however did fit an LPG gas system where the gas can be turned on when you see a hill coming.
He tried various jet sizes while the bus was on a dyno and says that it gave a 30 - 40% power boost.
I'm not sure if it is that great but it does make some difference.
It's still a 35 km per hour climb out of Adelaide through the hills with a car in tow.
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