1983 Chevrolet B60 entry for DeBoss Garage International

Vote here: https://debossgarage.com/iqcs2020/entry/1587766712

The first thing to understand in any build is: "What's the purpose?" This ride answers it all with "yes".

-Need to bring home 40 pallets - YES!

-Agreed when dating your spouse that there would never be a minivan in your future - YES!

-Daughter bought a pony 5 hours away - YES!

-Tired of getting 14.2 mpg in a vehicle that only fits 7 with no room for gear - YES! This upgrade gets 17mpg+ and the wife, kids, dogs and gear (usually) all fit.

-Tired of "He touched me" - YES!

-Like to laugh at guys whose lifted half tons still don't clear your hood - YES!

-Don't want to bother with electrical gremlins - YES!

-Enjoy being the biggest slowest mobile roadblock on the planet - YES!

-Feel secure that if you ran over a TESLA you could just repaint your bumper - YES!

Growing up in a horrible rust filled region called Eastern Ontario (actually Cornwall) where nothing survives the rust is heartbreaking. I like to build and run equipment for a fraction of the cost of modern disposable vehicles. I've always wanted a bus (probably because as a child I was kicked off of every school bus they let me on and had to get driven by car to school. Now they can't kick me off haha). I've liked diesels, but not those crankum up charcoal leaf blowers. I loved my 1992 vw 1.6 non-turbo diesel with 51hp. I drove it from northern Manitoba to Montreal for the same fuel cost as taking my 2003 Tahoe to Winnipeg. Sometimes less hp is better and ton/mileage is king (yes I have my commercial licence). However, as a family grows the Jetta goes. My 92 Jetta only sat 5, then my 03 Tahoe only sat 7 and got 14.2mpg, next was an 87 Pontiac Safari station wagon but it only sat 8 (like my 94 Buick Roadmaster estate wagon), at this point it was time for a 97 Chevrolet Suburban 6.5td 2 wheel drive. Mpg's went back up to mid to high 20's, but it only sat 9.

By the time there is the Mrs., 8 children, and two Great Pyrenees (temporarily 10), it's time to get serious. At this point I finally got permission for my bus (haha). There were only a few restrictions placed on my search: any bus I looked at had to be automatic and I couldent even glance at the 72 passenger models. I had my own requirements as well: it had to be either a Detroit or Cat diesel (none of that ford/international garbage), the less electronics the better, and a GM chassis (I want something that is easy to work on). After several years looking (and having enough kids to convince the wife we needed more space) I found the perfect unit and it was only 7 1/2 hours away. A true survivor! A 1983 Chevrolet B60, 48 passenger with a 8.2l Detroit Diesel fuel Pincher with 165hp coupled to an allison auto, 4 wheel disk brakes and 107k km on the clock.

The bus had been previously modified to haul concession trailers to rodeo's, including the Calgary stampede, resulting in about 1000km a year. This had included the removal of all internal benches and the addition of a full length internal pantry and a great big extended platform hitch which is a Giant Bracket ("OCD points for the best brackets holding your rig together"). In order to make it suitable for my needs, I removed the internal mods and went over it with a fine tooth comb (really a pressure washer). As a Saskatchewan bus, it had last been inspected for road safety in the mid 80's so I drove it 14 hours home, mouse smell and all (it was operating at reduced speed 60km/h or less). I've gutted the interior, added a couple benches, a sink, welded up a storage rack, repaired the rear deck, bought rims, tires, glass, rebuilt spring packs, found all the mouse chewed wires, plus used a bunch of stuff I already had: CB radio, power inverter, washer pump, etc etc... Once I was confidant in it's condition I brought it in for a road safety inspection which it passed immediately and was promptly registered as a motorhome. We drive it near daily at the moment and the kids 1yr to 15 yr love the internal freedom that this offers for equal to better milage as our Tahoe. Plus it's never been so much fun to tailgate hybrids and electrics; however the old beast can't catch them (but you can hear the Swedish cursing even over the diesel).