Off-the-Wall Conversion Ideas

Steve · 01-01-2004, 04:11 PM

Ever had an I idea for a school bus conversion that you would like to see someone build...

Here are some that I have though about:

Mobile observatory. Put an opening dome on the top of bus to allow a large telescope to gaze out in 360 degrees from any spot your can drive to. Of course you would have to have air jacks to keep the vibration from people moving to a minimum.

Mobile supercomputer. A guy I work with told me I should buy up a bunch of the old computers from the university and arrange them in a cluster in a school bus. Creating the worlds largest mobile super computer. Cooling the bus would be a huge problem.

Father_of_10 · 02-03-2004, 12:35 PM

How about a Church in a bus:

You leave all the seats in a bus, paint it, attach a cross to the top of the bus, drive to where you see a lot of people, open the doors, bring them in, preach from the drivers seat, and afterwards have Coffee, cookies and Koolaid for the little ones.

jonnoh21 · 03-01-2010, 09:34 AM

After seeing your suggestion for a mobile church on this off the wall conversion idea, I thought this would be a moment to share an experience. Background: Me, a driver for Coventry, Ct. public schools; nearby town of Scotland had a weird religious sect called "burning bush chapel" with stories of wife trouble kid trouble, and maybe a kid dying or missing or something, but locally a bit notorious at that moment. Anyway, I was assigned an old spare bus which was a Chevy vintage mid 70's I think, with just a 350 5 speed power steering power brakes. (Oh yeah this was in about 83). Anyway again I was driving to Coventry Grammar School (can you believe the name?) for an afternoon run when shortly after leaving the yard the temp. gauge began creeping up. I called dispatch, (Sandy) to let her know that I could return for another bus and still not be late, but she said " don't worry, the gauge doesn't work in that bus. After a bit, this was maybe a 20 minute ride, the gauge pegged out and the engine smelled hot and all other symptoms of overheating began, low power, pinging etc.. I kept reporting and kept getting, "don't worry the gauge doesn't work" . So, I made it to the school and immediately a radiator hose let go. (see it really was overheating duh!) but worse.... there was smoke with the steam... I opened the hood and sure enough the engine was on fire. Burning old oil but being fueled by some gasoline from the carb. Probably just what was in the bowl, but who knew. I took the requisite fire extinguisher and quickly put it out. The school idiot proctors didn't notice, a replacement bus came quickly (finally) and the resident tech took the bus away after adding a lot of water and duct taping a hose.

After........... my colleagues (read other drivers) accused me of trying to start a mobile burning bush chapel .... maybe we could just add a bush ... maybe we could like make it burn on demand and say we are like moses or whatever. You can probably imagine the ribbing... The boss never got a bit of trouble over that... it was an old bus, oh yeah again the temp gauge did work.

The bus was fine and went on for many more years of sub bus service, was owned by ARA Transportation, sold to the next contract holder. As recovered episcopalian atheist, I did enjoy that moment of ribbing.

busdriver_phil · 03-01-2010, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonnoh21

After seeing your suggestion for a mobile church on this off the wall conversion idea, I thought this would be a moment to share an experience. Background: Me, a driver for Coventry, Ct. public schools; nearby town of Scotland had a weird religious sect called "burning bush chapel" with stories of wife trouble kid trouble, and maybe a kid dying or missing or something, but locally a bit notorious at that moment. Anyway, I was assigned an old spare bus which was a Chevy vintage mid 70's I think, with just a 350 5 speed power steering power brakes. (Oh yeah this was in about 83). Anyway again I was driving to Coventry Grammar School (can you believe the name?) for an afternoon run when shortly after leaving the yard the temp. gauge began creeping up. I called dispatch, (Sandy) to let her know that I could return for another bus and still not be late, but she said " don't worry, the gauge doesn't work in that bus. After a bit, this was maybe a 20 minute ride, the gauge pegged out and the engine smelled hot and all other symptoms of overheating began, low power, pinging etc.. I kept reporting and kept getting, "don't worry the gauge doesn't work" . So, I made it to the school and immediately a radiator hose let go. (see it really was overheating duh!) but worse.... there was smoke with the steam... I opened the hood and sure enough the engine was on fire. Burning old oil but being fueled by some gasoline from the carb. Probably just what was in the bowl, but who knew. I took the requisite fire extinguisher and quickly put it out. The school idiot proctors didn't notice, a replacement bus came quickly (finally) and the resident tech took the bus away after adding a lot of water and duct taping a hose.

After........... my colleagues (read other drivers) accused me of trying to start a mobile burning bush chapel .... maybe we could just add a bush ... maybe we could like make it burn on demand and say we are like moses or whatever. You can probably imagine the ribbing... The boss never got a bit of trouble over that... it was an old bus, oh yeah again the temp gauge did work.

The bus was fine and went on for many more years of sub bus service, was owned by ARA Transportation, sold to the next contract holder. As recovered episcopalian atheist, I did enjoy that moment of ribbing.

Glad you put the fire out, most drivers today would just let it burn. You still live in the area?

jonnoh21 · 03-01-2010, 06:03 PM

Glad you put the fire out, most drivers today would just let it burn. You still live in the area?

When I saw your first entry here I wondered if I know you? You mentioned "Pomfret" , part of my old stomping ground. No, I don't still live in that area, I teach English in Malaysia, but I was Assistant Director of Transportation for Eastconn for 15 years ending in 1998, lived in Hampton for more than 20 years. Many times explored that disappeared village in Abbington called barahok or something like that. Is Rucky's General store still there?

busdriver_phil · 03-01-2010, 06:54 PM

Yes, I live and work in Pomfret. You mean the abandoned village by the 4-H camp, you have to walk into the woods by the orange bridge? I drive down that road every day on my bus route. Rucki's is still there, although even if it weren't, that intersection would forever be known as "Rucki's 4-Corners." FYI, Eastconn is now doing full-size contract school bus service, they took over the Union contract last year and put bids in this year on Hampton, Chaplin, and Eastford. It's created quite a bit of controversy, since they're bidding against profit companies with all of their tax breaks.

You might know me, but I doubt it. You moved away in 98? I was in 8th grade.

Sorry for hijacking the thread...

sdwarf36 · 03-07-2010, 04:29 PM

Anyway again I was driving to Coventry Grammar School (can you believe the name?)

Yea! How dare they NOT name it after Nathan Hale (like everything else in town?)

Moodus here-the OTHER Nathan Hale town.

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