For over a year I’ve been contemplating, planning and trying to start “The Vintage Bus Project”. In the process of searching for a vintage bus, I’ve investigated no fewer than 89 individual buses. I’ve driven all over the US inspecting them and am very happy to have finally picked what I am sure is the right bus for me.
On October 21st, 2009 I’m scheduled to acquire the 1963 Flxible Starliner bus that is shown above. It’s located near Akron, OH at the moment. My current bus is located in San Diego and the person I’m thinking of using to re-power the vintage bus is also in Southern California, so I plan to drive the vintage bus all the way from OH to CA over the next few weeks.
I’ve also found a 1957 Buick Caballero station wagon that I might want to acquire on this trip. It’s the car I was planning to tow behind the vintage bus once I start to live on it. I plan to repaint the vintage bus so that it resembles this paint job (yes, it’s that’s the bus that was used in the Robin Williams movie “RV”):
After seeing that, you might get an idea for why I think the Buick would be a good car to tow behind the vintage bus… here’s what the station wagon looks like:
As with the bus, I’d plan to update the Buick to a modern drivetrain. I’ll inspect the Buick the day after I pick up the vintage bus… it’s located in Michigan.
I plan to follow the entire length of Route 66 on my way back to California. I’m planning on shooting night scenes this time around to really round out my photo library since I’ve already followed the full length of Route 66 twice. It will likely take me a few weeks to make it back to California.
It should take about a year before the bus and wagon are ready to replace my current bus/jeep combo. Until that point, I plan to remain living in my current bus.
Here are some more photographs of the vintage bus. Keep in mind that I plan to repaint it, rip out the interior and do a brand new interior that is customized to my needs and tastes.
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