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Mon Mar 10, 2003 9:27 pm

I rescently came acrossa couple of buses ...the only bad thing is that one has a really good front end and the other had a really good rear section...I was just going to replace the nose and such on one...but then a friend told me to do a shorty bus.....Any info ondoing this....Does anyone have any pics of what the frame will look like...( i seen Tuffy's bus in some mags' but had no need to look underit before....

Help me if you can

Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:06 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2406767030

Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:27 pm

Please don't do it!
Complete buses retain value and appreciate in value much better than weirdo modifiction buses. If you really want to throw money away, by all means, go ahead.
Check that auction, and see what that bus goes for. If you had a standard single cab with the amount of work and paintjob on that shortie bus, it could get over $10,000. Just wait and see what that shortie gets, if it even meets reserve.

Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:28 pm

modifiction = modification

Tue Mar 11, 2003 10:05 am

Just do it! If you have two pieces you might as well do something with them. Its not like you chopping a nice bus in half. Tuffy is gone now (RIP) but his shorty was cool. If
you do the suspension right it will drive just as good as his.

Tue Mar 11, 2003 11:01 am

If your goal is to amuse, then by all means make a shorty. But there's certainly no practical reason for doing this --

Tue Mar 11, 2003 11:29 am

A shorty is a great way to watse perfectly good parts. There plenty of these little monsters roaming around now, why not just buy one thats already been hacked?

Tue Mar 11, 2003 6:33 pm

If you do it, be sure to wear a bright red nose when you drive it, or to paraphrase the Firesign Theater, I think there's a bozo on this bus.

Tue Mar 11, 2003 6:44 pm

if you do it make sure it only has rear brakes so you can do wheelies in reverse. in fact just hook up e-brake cable too for dizzying 180s

Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:47 pm

Ya go for it
I too have two mid 70's bus with intensions of
cut and welding. The floor is cooked, make an excellent project.
But I don't think I could do it to a splity.

Tue Mar 11, 2003 10:41 pm

Thanks for the replies everyone...
Both good and bad.
Basically I just want to do something with these two wrecked buses....both have nose damage and DENTED tops theres isn't very many good sides or anything...I'll have a rear section off a 67 that is in ok shape, a descent floor in one. I have 3 doors and a rear hatch for a 64-67 bus left over, anyone need some parts?
If you got some pics of some floor areas of a shorty bus...please send them to me...thanks

Wed Mar 12, 2003 11:58 am

There has been a short bus (no, not the kind you rode to school while wearing a white hockey helment) on the samba and other sites for over a year. This guy was basically reduced to begging someone to buy it. He was pretty close to offering money to someone that would take it.

It is not like there is a shortage of people looking for good front or rear sheet metal. My personal feelings is that this original, in high demand German sheet metal would be better used to do restorations on buses keeping their proper dimensions. Be wared though....if you make one, don't plan on selling it. Nobody wants them and it would be a "novelty" vehicle only. Getting insurance, appraisals, etc would be practically impossible.

Later.
Doug

Wed Mar 12, 2003 7:47 pm

Why not be patient and get the right bus for you, rather than hack up TWO buses, spend $$$ on the mods and end up with a "shorty" that you'll have a real hard time selling? Think about it....

Thu Mar 13, 2003 10:26 am

Tuffy got more for his shorty than most people get for a restored 23 window. That does`nt mean that you will but i don`t think you care. I have also seen him flyin down the freeway like it was "No Problem".

Thu Mar 13, 2003 1:13 pm

Chop and weld then. Who gives a crap? I like the idea of the red clown nose though...would be really cool. Maybe you and all your buddys could do one of those "how many guys can fit inside a chopped up bus" things. Post some pictures.