howdy bus fans

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flxible
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howdy bus fans

Post by flxible »

from a new to the group old owner of an old bus, a 1947 Flxible Clipper now known as daBus, that spent its working life on Vancouver Island .... I have a record of the project so far here, and some albums of various things here, including a few more pics of daBus

I'm not particularly skilled at any of the technical arts involved, but a pretty good learner with help from a range of friends, and hope to [eventually] have this rig livable and at least minimally road-able .... comments, questions, and suggestions welcomed .... and hello to Dusty on the other Island :D

Bill
splummer
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by splummer »

howdy, let me be the first to welcome you here , what a great bus, keep the pics coming,want to see and hear more
just because you ride the bus , it doesnt make you a bus person
the bus stopped and i got on and thats how it all began
splummer
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by splummer »

wished yoy lived closer. you have some nice old trucks and a great bus
just because you ride the bus , it doesnt make you a bus person
the bus stopped and i got on and thats how it all began
ol trunt
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by ol trunt »

Great bus and an equally impressive drive line update. With the addition of two buses to the forum this week I'd say this is a "banner" week! Keep the pics coming and tell us what is next for the bus. Jack
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flxible
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by flxible »

thanx for the welcome .... progress has been slow, partly cuz of my seasonal self-employment and the weather making bus work also a seasonal thing, partly cuz $$$ are always tight, particularly now that I'm semi-retired and at the same time down to some of the more spendy bits - I need to do a complete brake rebuild now, a $700 controller for the electronic trans, aluminum wheels and radials, plus eventually a pile of batteries and some PV panels, but hope to have things inside generally together this year

yes, plummer, old trucks have always been my primary transport, maybe you found my other site, and that's another reason bus progress is slow at times, workin on trucks .... I have one more that probably will be my last, a 57 Chev panel that's been in progress for over a dozen years, might be a "toad tool shed" :D

trunt, the drive line was a major job, required lots of brain strain, months of searching, and too much money, but I'm hoping that it'll hold up and work well - although I might never be able to afford filling the gas tank, around here 500 litres now would be about $650 :?

Bill
splummer
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by splummer »

thanks .just looked at your other site. very cooly ou are into the gmc. iam mostley into old dodges, i have 5 power wagons, but i do have a 51 gmc thanks steve
just because you ride the bus , it doesnt make you a bus person
the bus stopped and i got on and thats how it all began
splummer
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by splummer »

almost forgot, i also have a bus, 87 international
just because you ride the bus , it doesnt make you a bus person
the bus stopped and i got on and thats how it all began
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Dennis The Bus Dweller
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by Dennis The Bus Dweller »

Love dem flexies 8)
Peace along the way
Dennis the bus dweller N.Y.
Dusty
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by Dusty »

Hi Bill and welcome , it's great to see you here .

Did you see this Flx being done ?
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/show ... p?t=844583

I really like the leadlighting you have created for your Flx. I spent 13yrs doing Leadlights for my living , working for myself , and I hardly have any around here . just a couple in the bus and 2 in the camper.

I still have some stuff to do to my bus to finish the repower , but you know how it goes .......... life gets in the way sometimes .
On the plus side , however, I have been using the truck camper a lot lately and will be away for the next several weekends in a row. Swap Meet , USA Day show , swap meet , Vintage Machinery event , Traction engine event , wings and wheels show, swap meet . Its a good time of the year :)
58 Bedford House
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flxible
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by flxible »

yes Dusty, I've watched that HAMB build, pretty spendy just having that thing shipped over the pond, don't know how those Brits do it :shock:

the windows were on the list from the beginning, I have quite a lot of leftover glass from 30 years ago when I too made my way as a glazier, and as I've eased into retirement, I set up shop again in space freed up in the apple mill, hopefully I'll be able to generate enough additional income to finish daBus :D

life does get in the way - just as our weather becomes conducive to working on the brakes I'm trying to get up enough glass stock to start 'pedaling my wares', and it's time to plant up the greenhouse and get the garden back in production, never enough hours in the day .... but we'll keep truckin and tryin :mrgreen: hoping for a small road test this year, maybe make it the few blocks to our local yearly show n shine
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GoodClue
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by GoodClue »

Hello flxible ... nice projects ... all of them ... renaissance man, for sure.
Guess we all appreciate the oldies ... 46 Chevy bus myself ...
... have a 1972 R75/5 with rigid mount Velorex sidecar... always liked the Flexible idea. Bought the Velorex from a local mechanic who ran it into a parked car for $250 ... chassis great, rebuilt the body with some modifications ... been parked a while, traffic out here horrible ... they see a sidecar and aim for it. Used to haul my white Husky Clue all around getting mail, groceries ...
Looking for new local with shop to get everything back in working order ... possibly Colorado's western slope.
Glad you connected to NOMADICISTA ... Keep on posting.
Thanks for the inspiration, GoodClue.
"ya gotta have art ..."
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flxible
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by flxible »

thanx Clue, but I think I'm more just the 'general factotum' :D haven't been on a bike since the late 60's, but I think seeing a Flxible side car back then is what gave me a bent toward the FLX buses, couldn't pass up the chance to have one .... although I sure didn't expect it to be a lifetime project!

my 46 GMC was one of my favorite trucks, always loved the 41-46 styling and wish I could have afforded to update that truck and keep it, but practicalities prevailed - heard the rear end went in it later, hope it got rejuvenated and is still on the road

Bill
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Lostranger
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Re: howdy bus fans

Post by Lostranger »

I'm late to the party here, but welcome to the board. Your bus is looking great. We had a 1987 Flxible Metro transit for ten years, and I believe that was the model that finally put the company out of business. It was a horrible bus in many respects, but we had a lot of fun with it. Wife and I live full time in our current project. That thread is called Different Wisdom. Now that we have survived the winter without becoming icicles, I might be able to update the thread soon.

All of us understand how those projects take unexpected and expensive detours.

Best regards from North Carolina.

The Lostranger
(Who was that masked man?)
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