Test Drive Day!

I'd already given Trevor a deposit for the bus but I still wanted to be taken out for a spin to check starting, transmission smoothness, engine noise, etc so I'd arranged to go back down on my way to a few days helping out at the Vipassana Centre in Merritt, BC. I set off early and almost the first vehicle I saw once I was out on the highway was an A1 Bus Lines school bus. No, seriously. I took that as a good omen despite the rain which had already established itself as my bad omen.

I had arranged to meet him at the 'yard' and arrived ahead of him which gave me an opportunity to chat with his mechanic who was finishing getting all lights working - if they're fitted they have to work apparently. He said he'd done some other work on it and thought that it was a pretty nice bus in good condition. It had started instantly, first time, after a little while sitting out in the field. Trevor showed up a little later with a temporary permit to drive the unregistered bus and we got going.

It ran sweet as a nut, even up a steep, winding hill. We got it to 100kmh and it was still only on 1800rpm so it should be good for 70-75mph if I can afford the amount of diesel it'll drink at that speed - the best you get out of them is around 10mpg!! or 25-30litres/100km!! Which actually isn't that bad considering I didn't get much better than that hauling a loaded trailer across Canada with my 4 litre truck a couple of years ago, and this has 8.3 litres! It produces only about the same power but the torque is monumental. I have a feeling you'd get the same mpg empty as you would full and hauling my truck behind it - it just wouldn't notice any of it.

Back at the yard we agreed when I'd be back down to collect and Trevor headed back to work. I spent another half hour crawling over it taking the dimensions I'd missed last time and making notes about windows. I had been doing a lot of thinking about how to glaze once the roof was raised. I wanted to keep the originals in the living area but sheet off the rear of the bus for insulation and privacy reasons. I'd fit the odd window here and there back there but wanted the panoramic strip of glazing where I'd spend most of my time. However, I'd been concerned about the single-glazed originals getting condensation in the winter so was stoked to find that the front couple of windows were double-glazed and realised that they were so to prevent fogging to ensure the driver could see clearly through them at junctions. That meant I could adapt those to fit and hopefully direct-glaze fixed double-glazed units into the remainder of the openings providing good heat and sound insulation generally but allowing cross-ventilation in the summer.

Next stop was a yard in Kelowna where Trevor had a couple of scrapper buses that one of which I was interested in taking the 'forehead' off to close the front of the raised roof section and additional double-glazed units. Once there I found myself wanting all sorts bits and bobs - badges, a Bluebird first-aid kit tin, etc. Lovely bus memorabilia. I got permission to remove the kit and brackets after agreeing the price of a paltry $25! The rest can wait.

Today's bizarre coincidence comes to you compliments of www.schoolie.net and someone who private messaged me about that I'd commented on a thread he'd started and that he had noticed that I was in Revelstoke, as he was! Then he read my bio, found my blog and read that I'd bought a bus from Trevor. THE VERY SAME GUY HE"D JUST BOUGHT A BUS FROM!!!! 


I'm starting to believe in destiny.