Since Mr. Bus Stop Classics Jim Brophy is sharing with us a wonderful car show, I’m going to step in and share this remarkable creation that has taken residence in my neighborhood, just a few blocks away. Aren’t I lucky?
If you’re on the ball, you will remember that I showed you this bus once before, in April 2017. At that time, it was a bit further away, not nearly as completed, and I assumed I’d never see it again.
It’s currently ensconced in the driveway of this house, but a month or two back, I caught tied up to the dock, ready for a sail. And the captain was out, so he could explain it to me and let me look around inside. Extra lucky me!
Yes, that’s a genuine sailboat up there, but it’s been stretched in the middle. And now it’s sporting a woodgrain finish on its fiberglass sides. The best of both worlds; all wood boats should be like that.
The section between and just before and behind these two vertical uprights is the stretch; it’s pretty obvious with a closer look. The “water” at the bow is part of the recent additions.
You might be wondering about this grab bar and the diamond plate steel section with its hinge. This bus is has been turned into a food cart, although it’s not currently in operation. Maybe at summer time festivals, or? I’m guessing this window flips open.
Let’s step in and poke around a bit. This looks familiar, given the seat time I had behind the very same kind of bus during my brief career as an Iowa City Bus driver in 1976-1976. The steering wheel is either not original, or a later design. This was a Lane Transit District (Eugene), so it’s a hometown bus, still.
Here’s the view back from the front.
Moving back, a closer look at the galley.
More detail.
Nice woodwork on the ladder to the upper deck.
The main cabin upstairs.
And the open part of the sailboat. A solar panel on wheels. A nice place to ride on a sunny day, at lower speeds.
Time to exit.
Time to bid the sailbus adieu. But it’s nice to know I can come back and look at it anytime I feel the need. Everyone should have a “fishbowl” bus in their neighborhood, especially one ready to go sailing for the fish.
My more detailed CC on the GMC New Look buses is here
Perfect for the mariner at heart who’s afraid of the water.
Fake wood grain on a land yacht … very appropriate.
Giving new meaning to the automotive styling term “sail panel”.
I am amazed at the things that folks will decide to do. And even more amazed at the ones who finish a job like this once it has been started. Kudos to the owner.
I presume that the food truck’s specialty is seafood?
Yes; vegan seafood. 🙂
“even more amazed at the ones who finish a job like this”
It’s not completed until he hangs up the disco ball.
Not sure if I would eat anything from it ( I have an aversion to food trucks in general, for several reasons) but that is really cool! Me likes!
Walter White could have used this to “cook” in. The blue paint even matches his finished product.
That boat looks perfectly placed to take out overhead wires.
That’s just amazing – a real melding of art and recreation. I prefer my buses as they left the factory but keeping one out of the scraper is always a good thing – kudos to the owners. I wonder if the original 6V71 is still in the back. Jim.
Nope, don’t want that in my neighborhood, thanks anyway.
A food truck with living space?
Most food trucks in my area are trailers or Grumman-type vans, much more compact than a bus. Parking this thing in a crowded area and avoiding conflict with wires and tree limbs could be a challenge.
Is it becoming an RV?
The boat could double as a swimming pool after a rain, though the slosh effects could affect stability on the road.
Wherever it’s going, that is a major project, and I hope the owner sees it through.
It could just park at a bus stop. There’ll likely already be people waiting and they’ll probably be hungry. And might have a dollar or two in hand or better yet, exact change. It’s perfect.
Cool bus definitely an original idea, Ive seen exactly one of these fishbowl GM buses could have been Americans on a world tour who knows and it was GM powered it was howling up a steep grade albeit quite slowly, plenty of time to look around I guess so being underpowered for the conditions isnt a bad thing.
Truely amazing, I have to wonder just how many hours have been put into this thing. The faux painting all the wood and water had to have taken several days.
And this is why we have homeowner’s associations…
Well, I want to live in your neighborhood!
“Fresh seafood with the guaranteed shortest distance from boat to kitchen”.
That is a horrible thing to do to one of the most iconic and nicest looking buses ever produced. at least it still tuns.
That is pretty nifty, I wonder if they have a drain from the boat deck?
If this was in Australia, I would expect it to have a winged keel! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_II