The Vintage Bus Project

Hi. 

I've purchased a 1963 Flxible Starliner bus that I'm currently restoring and plan to start living on once the project is complete. For more details, check out the Creative Cruiser site which is dedicated to the project.

Comments

[Cherie]

It's been exciting to witness you get this far with the project.. you're going to have one fantastic amazing duo there when you're done! Looking forward to seeing the progression.

[Mark F.]

Sounds like a really awesome project Ben. Good luck and may you have many happy miles with the new home.

Mark

[Khazar]

Hi buddy,
Nice bus...
I'm Moeen's friend. He just sent me the link of ur page... I donno :-? but I think you are Be sheddat Daghoon :-?
in Farsi " Be Sheddat Daghoon means extremely awesome ;)
Well done...

[Chris Dunphy]

Your excitement on this project is contagious. A vintage bus is so perfectly YOU. I am even starting to fantasize about bus living... :-)

I can't wait to see what you come up with, and you can count on me for solar / electric help and advice!

- Chris

[Andy Ptak]

I've thought about living in my RV and becoming a bit of a Gypsy, but don't you need some kind of fixed address?

How do you get your mail - credit card bills, insurance, taxes etc., etc? Not everything is electronic.

Do you have Internet satellite? If so, which one? Thanks

[Scott]

Ben,
If your still interested I know of a 1954 flxible for sale. I tried to email you a photo, but it came back. Email me if your intrested.

[Route66News]

That's a really cool project, and you've got the right balance of logic and emotion that's persuasive. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of bus you end up with and how it will work for you.

[Ben Willmore]

Scott, I don't know how to e-mail you since you seem to be posting here anonymously. I'm mainly looking for a 1957+ flxible since they changed the suspension at that point... it's a bus known as the starliner.

I'd still like to know about the coach you mentioned, just in case I don't end up with a starliner... hopefully it's a visicoach.

-Ben

[Scott]

Sorry Ben, scottr@horrocks.com

[Gary Sebastian]

Hey Ben, You called me yesterday about the 1960 Starliner I bought recently. I enjoyed the conversation and I look forward to hearing more about your quest and travels. The guy I bought my Flxible from has two Greyhound Silversides. I know he offered them for sale at one time, you might check back with him. If you need contact info, let me know. Gary

[Ben Willmore]

Hey Gary,

I talked to him about the silversides... that's my second choice after a clipper style bus. It's much more practical with much more storage and living space, but it doesn't have the personality of a clipper.

-Ben

[Mike Rodriguez]

Really cool-sounding project and adventure, Ben. I look forward to following the progress over the coming months.

BTW, thanks for a great seminar in Seattle last Saturday (6/12). I learned a couple new tricks that are going to be really helpful in some upcoming restorations. Not to mention, it's just darn fun going to an all-day Photoshop seminar...

Mike

[johann klaassen]

What a great seminar! I really enjoyed your images. I
love your vision on the vintage
car-bus combo. Thanks again,
Johann Klaassen..klaassimages.com

[Scott Vassar Williams]

Ben,

If you are still looking for a vintage bus, I know of a 1944 Aerocoach bus (black & silver exterior) that is reported to have belonged to Howard Hughes. It's in my town here in Florida. I've seen it and it's pretty cool on the outside but needs a new interior. It has a lot of unusual custom features, too.

Let me know if you want me to pass along contact info or a photo of the bus.

Scott

[Ben Willmore]

Hey Scott,

I know about the Aerocoach you're talking about. It wasn't owned by Howard Hughes, which is why it is now up for sale and the previous owner is in jail. The current owners were asking waaaaay tooo much for the bus because they put so much effort into restoring it (when they thought it was Howard Hughes bus) and need to get some of that $$ back out of the project. If they were to lower their price to less than 1/4 of what they've been asking, then I'd consider it... otherwise, it's just waaaay overpriced compared to any other bus on the market (but the exterior is in great shape).

-Ben

[Trey Ratcliff]

Awesome - you are insane and I admire that.

[Robert]

Love it!

Doing the same, on a smaller scale.

1963 Grumman RV conversion...

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/7404/img001440723771.jpg

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/2710/img001218076072.jpg

[john]

Are you gonna be driving the new or old bus to hartford, september?

[Ben Willmore]

If it's Sept of 2010, then there's a chance I'd be driving the vintage bus.

[john]

na, i was thinking about next month, but what the heck, as long as You are there. looking forward to the class. see ya then.

[StephenWhalen]

Hey Ben;
....I'm an old bus freak too...love em. Would love to hear from someone who knows where the 1944 Areocoach is in Florida. I live in Sarasota........
stephenwhalen@verizon.net

[Stephen Bahen]

If you ever need a place to park / plug-in in Central Virginia, let me now. Looking forward to your progress with the old bus.

[Blake]

Ben,
Holey crap!
I just picked up my dream just a few days before you(October 16).A 1949 Flxible Clipper. She's no where near the shape of yours. She needs a ton of work but...that's why I did it. I won't be living in it or traveling as much as you but my plan is to restore and convert. Classic outside and tricked out inside.
I would love to chat via email with you if you have the time. I have been looking at re-powering my bus as well.
All the best!!

[Lyn Carlin]

Ben, I once lived in the hull of a Sampan for 3 months with six others. We had 20 sq. feet of space and it rocked and moved constantly as we sailed from Australia through the Indonesian Islands. Once, we ran out of water off Komodo Island and lucky for me one of the boys was brave enough to venture 1 mile into remote jungle with water containers to find water. No toilet, no radio, no hot water, but it was an adventure. An adventure I was after and an adventure I got. So why don't you drive that Bus over to Australia, plenty to see here in the Outback and while your here, give us some more of those Seminars !!!

[Stephen Combs]

Ben, I can fully understand your wanting to do something better! My wife and I spent years looking @ motorhomes of various types, from Class C homes up to and including $600K 35-40 foot motorhomes and we finally gave up! Bought a '95 Jayco trailer which we leave @ a campground in Myrtle Beach, SC and have our '98 'pop-up' camper which we pull with a Nissan Frontier P/U. I was amazed @ how crappy even $1.5-2.5MM Prevost RV's were... Just wasn't there for us! I MAY do your bit (I've always liked Flxible buses and just might do the conversion myself!). I'll continue to follow your journey. Hope it all goes well!

[Steve and Ginger Lane]

Ben, ditto on the bus technicals - remember us?? met you in FL -- we no longer hae our bus but love the idea of traveling in a bus fitting our requirements - you have expressed our quality needs and luxury desires - Steve and Ginger Lane

[George Fields]

Interestingly I have just installed 8.3 Cummins-six speed in a '05 Visicoach.
New rear, brakes,air ride, tilt and telescoping steering,polished siding. Guards red

[Michael Bartus]

Hi Ben,

I always love reading what you are up to. My ol' pal Robert Stephens became world famous by using his vintage car to grab attention. I think you're marketing idea is right on the money and I think vintage appreciates better than newer stuff too.

Safe travels and hope to hear from you soon.

[Hawthorne04]

Well this is way cool. I can not wait to see pics of it. I am the graphic artist at a Motorcoach builder. I have done several new paint designs on older coaches...always wows me when they are done. Such a huge improvement. But I have never seen one as old as the one you are considering.

[Paul B]

Ben,

Its been a couple months since I checked in on you guys. It looks like things are going well. Sorry we missed you when you were in minnesota again. You have to start dropping earlier hints when you are going to be headed this way. If you decide you want to unload that big old bus of yours then let me know when. Still interested in upgrading from our coachmen destiny to the forced comfort of the prevosts. Paul in MN. You know the guy that works for that health care place somewhere around SE minnesota. All the best!

[jon guelzow]

Hi Ben I own a 1949 Flxible and am about to restore it to travel in with my family. Still making up my mind on how to repower it, but am having fun! Cheers-
Jon

[zim]

Nice project! I'm building out my second 1982 Thomas Transit Liner and would really like to hear what you came up with for the multiplexed lighting controls.

[Ben Willmore]

zim, I'm going to be using the e-plex system from Energy Solutions in the UK and having the programming done by Precision Race Services. There are other systems that can be had much cheaper, but they are not as sophisticated as this one.

-Ben

[George Fields]

Ben, I am sorry to hear of your problems with getting an engine installed in your Flx.
If you are looking for someone to take this job on, please contact me.817 313 9303
I am the guy Ken U. told you about
George Fields

[アンカロン]

Wow, Great postNice work, I would like to read your blog every day Thanks

[Kenny]

Nice build project, Ben!

If you are ever coming through Ohio you should check out the Cleo Redd Fisher Museum in Loudonville, OH (home of the Flxible!). The Museum features a Flxible exhibit, including an original sidecar, and records for buses. They may have your bus listed with who the original owner was. Additionally, the Flxible factory is just down the road.