Off to a Dead Start

[davido]

Well we spent last Saturday cleaning out the bus. Totally gutted it, prepping for the build-up. I had gained some confidence in finding a front windshield for it when I found out that they were used in multiple models from the mid-50s to the early-70s. Surely someone had glass for this thing. Well after over 100 emails, 50 websites, 30 phone calls, and a whole lot of stressing, it looks as though this project will have to be abandoned. Too bad really. It's a really cool body. I thought I'd post a few pics of it. I'm currently looking for something of the same vintage, but with a flat glass windshield (Superior, Carpenter, etc.) Please drop me a line if you know where one can be had.

Here's what I was starting with:


This was the plan:

[ParadigmCrime]

Is it diesel? does it run?

If it still runs, and its just the windshield.. I wouldnt give up, not over a windshield!

pfft who needs those anyways ;)

Its a cool bus!

[davido]

Well, shortly after this post, a friend recommended Lexan MAR10. Looks promissing. Comes tinted. Would allow me to do my custom windows. It doesn't run. Nor does it look like the bottom photo yet. That's just concept. It looks very much like the top one still. I have a SBC350 to go into it. I'd like to do a 5.9 Cummins and veggie eventually, but that's down the line. I already have a donor 350 from another project. I'm replacing it with an EFI 5.3.

Lexan is not my first choice, but it may be the difference of go or no-go. We'll see what I can find out in the next couple of days. Thanks for the encouragement.

[waywardfool]

somewhere, I have a website bookmarked that does custom windshields.

expensive, but they can work off your measurements/patterns, or what is left of what you have. I think they only work with curves in one plane.

I'll try and find it.

[waywardfool]

Give this guy a call:

Timo Tanshanen
5885 Juupa Ave #G
Riverside, CA 92504
909-687-6579
FAX 909-687-5963

[wmah]

If you like the bus enough you could even modify it so it would have a flat windshield instead.

[davido]

Thanks for the contact info. I'll try him. I may still end up sealing up that bus.

The "flattening" of the windshield frame is definitely something we considered. May be outside of my current fabrication skillset right now.

After lots of feedback from we decided to pick up a different one. I picked up a 1964 GMC/Wayne. We drove down to Houston Friday after work to pick up a trailer. Then it was up to Springfield, IL. We drove all night and got there about 11AM. Pulled the old 305 V6 and winched it on the trailer. We hit the road and made it to St. Louis by 5PM. Stayed the night with a friend and hit the road in the morning, stopping to take a few pics in front of the Arch. We roled in to town about 1AM Monday morning. 32 hours on the road. The bus was cheap, but the 200 gallons of deisel added to the cost. Fun trip though. This one has complete glass. Not my favorite front, but still pretty cool. I don't like that the front of the top is flat, but that will also work. We can always get fancy later if we choose. Right now we're running up against the first game in 3 weeks.

Thanks again for the info. Great sounding board.