1970 Shorty School Bus
We bought this bus in 1997 and traveled across the US with it towing a small pickup. It had a crude RV conversion that we have taken out. We stopped using it in 2004. It came from a Kansas school district.
Our plan was to make it into an Airbnb, but that has changed. Age and medical bills are calling us now. The bus is unique in that it is a cool classic yet not completely obsolete. So it could be a hip backyard rental or a RV travel bus.
It is gas powered by a Chevy 350 V8 (very common and economical to work on). There was a note that indicated the engine had been rebuilt that we covered up with paint. The transmission is a manual five speed with a split rear end. All the fluids have been changed and well maintained. It starts and runs like it always has since I bought it.
I think it runs well enough for a trip with these two considerations: the tires are old (but with full tread) and the brakes need to be bled. Two years ago we had the brakes working perfectly, but after sitting they need bleeding again. The system has brake boosters and is not easy to bleed. There must be a leak somewhere in the system. We are willing to help bleed the brakes for a serious buyer if need be. Right now one has to pump the brakes to get them to work.
The only other defect I can think of is the gas tank is cracked around the drain plug. This allows it to seep and smell but hardly drip. We can attempt a fresh repair before the sale that should hold up for awhile.
The bus was sandblasted and painted in 1997. We took the opportunity to sandblast some of the windows that are hard to put curtains on, like the door windows. The back side windows are sand blasted except for a spy strip across the top (see photos). The lower window on the back door is cracked but stable (see photos). This happened early on (a propane tank hit it), but it seems strong and stable. Extra windows are hidden behind the metal panels should they ever be needed.
We put a lot of energy into the interior paint job getting ready for an Airbnb conversion. The old paint was Chinese restaurant green. Holes were covered with coins, and the whole thing sanded, primed and automotive paint gun sprayed. We think it turned out nice enough for a high-end rental, which is what we were aiming at.
We were going to put the toilet in the driver seat area so we took out the heater unit. The rear heater core is gone, but the driver console is intact, it is just not shown in the pictures (it will cover the ugly to the left of the driver seat). The heater for the driver and to defrost the windows is intact.
Ignore the solar light on the driver side sticking up in the photos.
The bus is 22 feet 4 inches bumper to bumper.
The basic floor area is 90.5″ x 207″
We think this is a rare and unique, options-open opportunity.
