1947 Ford - "Purple Gator"

[purple-gator]

She has arrived! I'm new to the site, new to the concept, and new to the community. I have wanted to tackle a conversion for more than 20 years, and I finally found the perfect project!
I've already named her. I have a million ideas and zero experience. I have the most supportive husband (that doesn't mean he's not a little nervous for me), especially when I told him I wanted to learn to weld and do most everything myself! This is just a tiny introduction, so I'll post more, as I get to know her!



**If anyone has any information on this bus, I would really appreciate it. I'm having a very hard time finding anything out. I do know its a Wayne body because the medallion on the back has made it 73 years! But I can't find anything on how it is supposed to look. It was gutted when I bought it.


Any advice is SO welcome!



Thanks,

Cara

 

[Mountain Yawp]

That thing is awesome, but I am glad it will be you investing the time and money into that and not me. I love to see projects like that. The old busses look so much better than my modern flat nosed box.
I hope it goes well and that you are mentally and financially prepared for what lies ahead.
Please keep us posted with progress pics.

 

[banman]

I won't lie, I love curves!

If you don't have somebody to show you the basics take a beginners welding class at your local community college or maybe there one at a "Makers Space" near you.

To prevent being overwhelmed by different ideas and directions:
Decide on some basic things first --
What is your end-use-goal for this project?
1) restored 1947 school bus?
2) resto-mod rat-rod?
3) custom camper?

Then get more specific about how do you want to use the bus like:
If it's a camper-conversion do you envision driving x-country 1000's of miles or will you only be driving to the nearest lake a few weekends a year?

There are NO wrong answers but there are right answers only known by you -- and your right answers can change through time but the more you get right upfront the less rework you'll do later...

For instance, those sweet curves I mentioned -- I have a '54 Willys Wagon -- I got it in 1993. I rebuilt the original SuperHuricane flat-head 226 motor. It ran great. I drove that thing x-country twice. Turns out the Continental engine company originally designed that motor to run factory generators in the 1930's. Willys needed a cheap available design and bought the rights to make them in the early 1950's. Not a big surprise that wasn't the best powerplant for driving on the interstate in the 90's...
Fortunately I was able to sell the rebuilt motor and transmission to someone else doing a restoration when I re-powered mine with a more modern GM engine/transmission. (where the term restomod comes in -- my Willys looks original on the outside but when you lift the hood you at least step into the 20th century...) If I only wanted to drive my Willys at under 60mph and only locally, the ol' flathead engine would still be find -- but for modern speed, power, towing, reliability and ease of getting repair parts changing to a modern drive line is the way to go...

Oh, and as my wife always reminds me "if there's a part of the project that you don't enjoy doing, pay somebody else to do it! Keep the project fun for you or it won't get done..."

 

[ol trunt]

Great find! I'd sure like to see a big bunch of "before" pics and to know what drive line it has.

As another old bus owner I can tell you that the line of people who want to look at your bus and ask questions NEVER ends. We've had to come up with a plan that gets one of us out of the bus at rest stops before actually parking or the "rest" never happens.
Jack

 

[magnakansas]

46 or 47 wayne

Look for a bus owner “Tango” here on this site. His was a 47, I think. I have a 54 wayne and a 58. There are some around.
William. 785 2077600

 

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

Tango s thread was 46 chevy shortie
good luck

 

[EastCoastCB]

Do you have any auto or mechanical restoration experience?

If you don't mind me askin how much did you pay for that?