I have had this wild fettish for building a bus after hauling this, we own a trucking co. and got this on freight and I fell in love with it a few years ago and cant get it out of my head. My idea is to build one A style with a chop top and shorter, Im finishing a project for my brother and the search is on need a model A cowl, grille and a truck chassis to start... Might be a crazy idea but sounds fun!!
I will for sure, I think the best thing will be and try to find a beat up dually there are some around here, I found a 34 but a little newer than I want, I really just want the frame for the wheel base and cowl hood and grille. I have a current project that im finishing and do not want to distract it with another, but will keep my eye open for a doner truck..
That was sold as a cowl and chassis from Ford. The cowl and chassis was available through the decades from the T era forward for delivery to custom body or truck builders for use as school buses, mail trucks(though Ford did build these for the USPS in the A years), furniture vans, bookmobiles, ambulances and many other uses. Over the years I've seen several of those cowls, Model A NOS and even later ones, with the flat flange on the back for buckling up to a flat wall.
Grinders Switch .. think Mini Pearl... Hee Haw . Ya I know that make me a person to poke fun at , oh well. Rob.
I know it is a bit newer that what you are looking for but there is a mid 40's ford school bus at a wrecking yard in caldwell, idaho. it even has a flathead v8. not sure if there is anything you could use from that. I know a guy in Nampa that has a 54 ford school bus that is complete that he would sell for a fair price.
I wouldnt mind checking out the 40's newer than what I want but would be interesting to look into, and its not that far away.
The Grinders Switch has been removed from the bus by its current owner looks like they did it with a spray can....... It is now in Florida and for sale a little high priced I feel... http://www.bargainbusnews.com/Buses/2417-1940ModelAN.A./
Amazing how WIDE the passenger compartment is, and how the seats line the sides instead of having rows like today's buses. What were they thinking?
I've got the 1947 Ford school bus that I rode to school the first day of first grade in 1950. It belonged to my grandfather who had the contract to haul school kids in Genesee, Pennsylvania. It's sitting at my grandparents old farm house there and my aunt gave it to me at the passing of my grandmother. I took the engine out of it when I was 16 years old and built a '29 av8 coupe that I drove through high school and the first two years of college. I intended to build something like Tom Mcmullen did in Street Rodder Magazine many years ago but I've never taken the time to go and get it.
We had a bus when I was a teenager.......used it for storage. Some idiot droped a bolt down the intake......
I have allways wanted one too, ever since i built the...skool bus.. flop top funny car model as a kid. Here is some raw material that i think is still for sale locally. Great lines and plenty of potential, shorten it 10' or so, update the drivetrain and a lowering. Check out the side window visors and the allready chopped look of the windshield.....cool!
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