TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:19 pm

This is the shuttle bus for Chili Pepper Cycles in Moab, Utah.

Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:23 pm

neato burrito

Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:41 pm

A couple years ago they had a yellow one too :D

Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:46 pm

I want one :twisted:

Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:12 pm

Quote: I want one
Me, too. How about one of these, but with Carat front and Camper rear? Stick a turbo Bostig in the back, while you're at it.....
http://www.evcl.com/vw/

Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:10 am

[quote="sbclayton"] Quote: Carat front and Camper rear.....

Now that would be the bomb,
passenger van in the front and full camper in the rear,
not only the best of both world but the little bit of extra space you need for camping too boot

Let me bush up on my welding skills...
(and get a deeper garage... lol)

Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:36 am

By the time you load that thing up with bikes and riders, you might make better time by staying on the bike.... :D

ps - Can't have a stretch thread without this one.. http://www.vanalong.com/

Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:34 am

Quote: ps - Can't have a stretch thread without this one.. http://www.vanalong.com/

<Sigh!> That thing is beautiful! I'm not an advocate for chopping up perfectly good vans to make limos, but that would be the perfect use for someone with a damaged front/back end van - like surfinwesty's van that got wrecked in February ("Bad Bus Accident: Should it stay or should it go?). Or maybe it would be a good resurrection for a "rustybus" or two.

Or three.

So (back on topic), pjackman - did Chili Pepper Cycles buy or build theirs???

Fri Sep 18, 2009 12:06 pm

Update: it's a local shuttle service, not directly associated with the bike shop, but used by the bike community.

Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:12 pm

I'm just curious: after 2 vans are joined together, how can you legally put them (it) back into circulation ?

Which VIN do you use ? Both, either, or create a new one somehow ?

Do you need to somehow tell the Registration office to take one or both vans out of circulation ?

What about insurance ?

etc..... (it's very cool and would love to have one, but I'm wondering about the legal nightmare to actually use it).

Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:15 pm

you could ask the same question about people who weld air cooled buses to the roof of school buses.

Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:08 pm

I'm pretty sure I want to do this some day.

How would hard would it be hooking up all the cooling and transmission/drive train, etc...?

Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:36 pm

It is not that hard to hook that stuff up since you have 2 vans to start with. You just have to plan carefully and move things out of the way before cutting the bodies. The body splice is the harder part.

That limo is too long to be practical IMHO. Min of 18" is what I would do, maybe 20". Harder to do a shorter one than that long limo splice but more like a normal van when done.

Mark
25"

jacob. wrote: I'm pretty sure I want to do this some day.

How would hard would it be hooking up all the cooling and transmission/drive train, etc...?

Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:46 pm

The front half has all the VIN numbers.

Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:47 pm

Here is the yellow one!

Mon Sep 28, 2009 7:56 pm

Why do folks extend it? Why not just merge a bus onto the back?

Just a thought. I've not given any thought to why this wouldn't work...seems to me to be much like a trailer but without the pivot point...

Maybe it's just comfort - having to scramble over the raised seat in the middle?
KM

Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:07 pm

Quote: Why not just merge a bus onto the back?
:) Well, aside from framing nightmares, it might could be done - but PhotoShop out that middle wheel, or turning corners will be a tad difficult.

Interesting idea, though...

Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:22 pm

KM, that setup would steer as well as a snowmobile with a 20 foot long track.
Just make it an articulated-
http://www.juniorgeneral.org/donated/artibusc.gif
Put a really big u-joint in the middle, some accordian pleats, and you're done! Usually artic's have just one engine in the back section.
.
Don't forget the 2cv fire brigade setup, two joined at the tail!
http://photos.autoexpress.co.uk/images/front_picture_library_UK/dir_484/car_photo_242289_7.jpg