A Time Machine of My Own

Why a bus?

Why, indeed.

About five years ago, I became enamored with the compact RVs a number of companies built on 1-ton Toyota pickups in the late '80s. Those little trucks are legendary for their economy and reliability, and I liked the notion of room for four (maybe five) in a package that fits in a regular parking spot.

I found a reasonably healthy 1990 Sunrader, a 21-foot motorhome that I proceeded to restore and update in our driveway.  It has been finished at least twice so far, as we've gone back to replace cabinetry, counters and other fixtures.  I love the process of renovation.

I learned a ton but ultimately two things proved true. The Sunrader is just too small for any more than two people, especially if you're trying to have fun. And, however unique and wonderful the little Toyota may be, it will never have a place among the Airstreams and Microbuses that tell the story of the American road.

So I started looking at said Airstreams and other mid-century trailers for the next project. Chances are there is a Spartan, a Shasta or a vintage Airstream looking for some TLC just a Craigslist ad away.  There are also amazing restoration specialists like www.flytecamp.com who can merge era-correct looks with thoroughly modern systems and amenities.

Purely by accident, I came across a photograph of a Flxible bus conversion and I was instantly hooked. Its 50s streamline style is a tribute to the aesthetic of the time, from the front chrome to the functional tail scoop that drops into a tapered engine bay. Not only was a Flxible featured in the Kristin Chenoweth movie RV, the coach made an appearance as the team bus for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the film 42.

Flxible buses are relatively rare, and most of the remaining examples are either incredibly expensive or rusty skeletons.  Most often, they are someone else's project abandoned in progress. Finding a viable bus is tough, and prices understandably have more to do with the owner's personal passion for the vehicle than the real value.

Somehow, the '52 showed up on eBay at the same time I started seriously searching. Luck.  Minimal rust, roadworthy and with an existing (1975-era) motorhome conversion. I picked it up from the seller in San Bernardino and drove it all of 50 miles on my first day of ownership.  Now, almost a year later, it stands in a shop in Southern California -- on jack stands.  A work in progress.