2006/2007

The Bus   

The story begins in February 1994. I had a little extra money due to a small accident with a college campus driver, and it was time to acquire a bus. Any bus would do, but a camper was preferred. No campers were readily avaliable in my price range, but an avocado green beauty sat waiting for me on Sunset Highway. Sara and I checked it out. It was rough, had no front brakes, missing hubcaps, and more dog hair than a kennel floor; it was perfect. A tune up later and some simple, but necessary TLC, and the bus was in action. This vehicle would further consume much of my free time, thoughts, and passions. What follows is a verbal and visual timeline of events that lead up to the current status of the vehicle as it reaches its tenth anniversary.

Here is the bus after a little TLC and the interior camping kit.

In early 1995 I acquired a Westphalia camping kit from All Foreign Auto complete with electric sink, propane stove, electric fridge, bench seat/bed, closet, cabinets, and propane tank. What a find. With help from everyone, I was able to get most of it in before the next Cannon Beach trip.

On a road trip in the Spring of 1997 to California the bus came back with only two cylinders operating which proved to be a fatal flaw for the engine which would cause it to rest for the next two years.

In the summer of 2000, we bought a new engine for the bus and the husband of a co-worker of Sara's put the engine in the bus. Now we were back in action and would soon have the pop-top as well.

This is a fairly good look at the pop-top which was installed the fall of 2000 at Ray's. The pop-top belonged to Dustin and Pat's roommate who moved out and left the bus for the junk yard. We cut it off and hauled it to Wenatchee from Bellingham. Good times!

Here is the bus in November 2002 as it is nearing the final stages of body work. Hopefully there is a paint job in the near future.

Here is the bus as of December 15, 2002. She is definitely Pretty in Pink, This is simply a finished body with a coat of primer on it. Now on with the search for a paint job before Summer camping.

One small setback though was this new dent received while sleeping in April 2003. The bus rolled down a hill during the night and I awoke to this beauty.

This looks more like it should - July 2004

The Bus is looking almost ready for the paint job. I just need some fiberglass work on the poptop and a new windshield! Good times!

As of October 2005, the bus has been taken in for its much deserved paint job! The body will be Botany Beige and the pop top and bumpers will be white to contrast the body color. A new windshield will also replace the original cracked one as well. The interior floor will also be replaced at this time as well as some of the worn upholstery.

Here it is folks...the 2006 look of "The Bus"

Of course, there are still many things I want to do to this beautiful machine including: new canvas for the poptop, new curtains, and new upholstery. But, overall everything is just they way I had envisioned it twelve years ago!