1971 Bus .......Flea Market / Swap Meet Rig

[rack4u]

Bought this old bus to use for Automotive Swap Meets and Just to hang out in....Have used as is already but have a few plans for winter project. It was a Book Mobile until the early 90s...A fire department converted it to a mobile command center and was used until last year. I bought it at a government auction.

[fibertech]

Can't see the pic you added. Hope to see your's in progress.

Here is what we did. This has a 200k plus mile 6.5 Liter Turbo Diesel that hauls the mail and gets 9 mpg. Trans had already been replaced by the school district. We added new tires, went thru the brakes and rear end, we have right at $4k invested.



We are slowly converting it into a redneck motor home for the track.





If you plan on pulling a trailer, you'll either have to modify a hitch to fit or scratch build one like we did because nobody builds one to fit bus frames.

[Loren]

Yep pic would be cool. My big bro (12 yrs older), who is a guy who helped lead me down that road to being an automotive nutcase in the first place, bought an airport bus for $4k with a 7.3 and did all the motorhome conversion work over a couple years including black/gray tanks etc., pulls 10mpg towing plus he gets to open that bus door with the handle to get in/out...who doesn't like bus doors? F'd up automatic trans quit at 350,000 miles though and no one can seem to fix it so it stays fixed now.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I need that in a 3 axle, awd arrangement.... NEED.
love the project, can't wait to see more

[Loren]

6x6 deuce-and-a-halfs seem to be around, horrific mpg though.

[SuperBuickGuy]

no, not 2 1/2 ton.... simply add another 1 ton axle on the back and a drive axle under the front.... simple

[fatguyzinc]

no, not 2 1/2 ton.... simply add another 1 ton axle on the back and a drive axle under the front.... simple

how would you drive the 2nd rear axle though---
three output t-case? or weld a 'stub' to the rear of the pinion on the first
rear axle and make a pass through cover with a mini driveshaft?
just wondering where this bizzare thought is going...

i LOVE playing "what if"....

[Loren]

Google "tandem axle pickup" and see the wacky results including this one: http://www.startracksmotorsports.com/6x6trucks.html These guys will sell you home assistive aids, mobile command units, and these things ...



They boast improved first-driveshaft angle, angle on the second one isn't really mentioned.

I would think some-sort thru-pinion shaft would be better but that would take a diff housing with the offset to get the pinion totally under or over the axle c/l and have the actual differential out of the way. A 9" almost makes it w/ it's rear pinion support scheme but not quite...it would work with a quick-change.

Totally trashing rack4u's thread here, give us some pics to get us back on track!

[fibertech]

We were missing the key to the battery door on our Short Bus and the door was hard to open. We added a ring bolt and made a key out of a 6 inch 1/4" drive extension.

[fibertech]

Replacement driver's seat is a passenger bucket from a 1998 S10 Blazer. Bunk beds serve their purpose made from 2 by material and plywood with cheap rugs over the plywood to protect the inflatable mattreses. They actually aren't bad to sleep on.



Bed frames are bolted to the wall and floor so they don't move or squeek.

[fibertech]

We have three of these seats with integrated seat belts from Chevy Tahoes. We only have the one mounted up front for now, but the other two will eventually be mounted in the back of the bus. As we get time, we will add air conditioning and a sink with fresh and gray water tanks and a built in ice chest in place of a fridge since we have limited space.