The Big Red Bus

[Let Me Drive]

So it all started back early this year when we were at phillip island raceway at the shannons classics,

Speaking to many friends my farther John came to me and said we are going to build a car carrier for you race car.

he took possession of a 1980 Volvo 40ft coach that had been work on and started to be built as a car carrier.

Everything was makeshift nothing done well and they even had stories of dropping cars and all sorts of problems.

So John took it upon him self to make it into what he wanted and this is the story goes.

so as you can see the bus was very old and tired and needed a bit of work.

As stated everything need to be changed so first was the aircon unit on top, it did not work so we ripped it off.

next we set to work on stripping the bus back little bit at a time.

But as normal when doing reno's the more you look the more you find, and did we find more crap and more crap, so when pullng the windows out to we found loads of rust from many year of neglect, slowly we pulled each pannel back to find what was behind

and that what we found so it was decided that everything has to come off and see what the real deal was undernith the beast walls.

so will all the rust cut out we renforced the structure with 40x40 steal to make it nice a solid again as you can see in the photo.

this was all due to some of the windows not going back in to the bus and making the back section enclosed and prying eyes off whats in the back LOL!!!.

so as we went with fixing the structure we came to the point was to change all the pannels either take off and fix or replace with new mild steal sheet cut to pannel size.

because this is not just a car carrier but also a motor home we updated all the wireing and installed all the electronics

so now the bus was stripped and ready to tackel the next stage and that was to reskin the enitire bus down each side with one sheet of fiberglass, this came in a roll in which we cut to shape on the floor and then 8-10 guys helped hold it to the side of the bus where we had applied bonding glue( this was not fun we had one shot each side), once on the bus we used the forklift and ties to strech the fiberglass out and make the side nice and smooth.

so this is what she looked like in raw form.

so again like the race car many hours we spent sanding and repairing all the old damage read to be painted.

this was a major step in seeing what the final product would look like in a few months.

[N1GTR]

Cool!

[blackrex]

What sort of costs are being accrued with this? I have always considered that it would be a good way of getting the car around to races, but just haven't have the time or money to do it. Do you need to replace the motor/transmission as well?

[TiTAN]

hydraulic tail gate to get the car in/out?

[nuclear_skyline]

Absolute sweetness here... I have bus envy.

[GUN_METAL_GTR32]

thats awesome haha.....

but as above how is the car going in and out....epic ramps or a lift on the back???

and what color u painting it ....

[Let Me Drive]

ok now the thread is up i will start to show more of what we have done so far.

next it was off to the painters in which is a truck spray painters with a booth that you can drive a full size bus in and paint in one go!!!

the boys spent two day sanding and filling the entire bus smoothing everything out making it awesome and ready to paint.

while this was happing john decided that he wanted a fast bus so red was chosen, Not just any red he wanted farrari red but again is was now up to many differnt colours of farrari red. So in the end he decided on ferrari scuderia red 2009/2010.

so the guys mixed the paint and started to paint but there was a twist they changed now to a two tone. Ferrari scuderia red and black just to make the bus stand out.

Now the first photo of the painted bus with also the new mirrors (they are awesome)

So next came the new bullbar all polished and looking awesome just finishes the front of the bas nice and with a bit of additude.

[N1GTR]

Stop posting; the jealousy is rising with every post

[DJRIFT]

wow epic build thread.

i see a lot of busses get converted into motor homes. but what i dont get is why people dont buy newer/better busses to save them time and money in the long run. but ive never brought a bus so it may all work out better in the long run.

what are you going to do with the wheels? polish?

[MikhailV87]

Awesome work! Just need some attention on the wheels and it will look like new .

[Karmatek]

keep the pics coming! awesome build

[NA_Goodness]

I can honestly say I've never read a bus build up before! After seeing this, I'm wondering why cos that is awesome!! Will definately be keeping an eye on this one.

As has been said before, the wheels are the last piece of the puzzle here. Are you going to polish them? Painting them black might suit it as well. Unless they make 46" spinners?

Are you putting limo tint on the windows to match the black paint on the rear?

[Let Me Drive]

this stage you all asking about thw wheels but will keep you in question a bit longer!!!

LOL!!!

no next now the bus was back we had to get her road worthy which was no easy task.

after being inspected by a local bus and truck mob they said we need to change a few bushes nothing else.

so we changed the bushes and bit and pieces and thought we were all good.

so took it to the roadwothy place and they found heaps of fults.

NOT HAPPY.

so with about 7 grand more spent on the underside of the bus she was now ready.

while this was all happing we had time to play with the interior.

this is what it looked like inside.

now its starting to take shape with the walls all insulated and skined and new partion in.

and of course the workshop dog BALLY

new seats test fit

and the start of the kitchen

[sav man]

you basing this off a 52 seater? Front or rear engine?

It looks to be a longer bus than most people use, what car are you putting in it.

[Count Grantleyish]

^^^ R32 GTR I believe.

The bus looks awesome. Keep up the good work.

[Let Me Drive]

this is what it will that will be transported in it

[HOSTILE]

You guys have been real busy lately!! This build is nearly as epic as the 32! Great work again...

Oh, and check your PMs Scott. cheers.

[Let Me Drive]

so this is the back where the car goes in backwards pulled by a automation controlled winch!!!!

and now for more bits and pieces in the bus

the tv installed and working awesome!!!

new stero installed and sounding good!!! time to pump the tunes

All the seats removed and now the carpet goes down and up all the walls.

all so you can see all the floor is covered in rubber matting 8mm thick to sound deaden the intire bus.

[Mohsen]

can i live in it? LOL

awesome!!

[RDirty24door]

um wow thats epic.. a dream transport vehicle for any one.