project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

I wish to share my latest project: The Big Green Truck.
I have been the proud owner of a '71 Chevy School Bus for the past 10 years. Mechanically the old bus was solid, If I could afford the gas, I would not be afraid to drive it across the country.
In 2006, insurance laws in the state of Oklahoma changed. I had RV insurance up until Nov. '10 when I let my policy lapse thinking I would pick it up in June before my next road trip out with it. To my suprise, I had been grandfathered in for the past 4 years on my policy. The only way to insure it now was to purchase Comercial insurance on it. Difference from $105 a year to a little over $1200. So, realizing I could not do this every year, I started looking for a way to remove the words "School Buss" from the title. The following build thread is the result.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...6_379191_n.jpg

I soon ran across this mockup from this site:

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...pse1e4e0d2.jpg

...and my goal was laid out infront of me.

I started this project in Nov. of '11, although my project is not quite finished, it is Tagged, Titled, and Insured. I am still in primer, and have a few touch up things to do before final paint.

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

Oh man! I'm gonna keep an eye on this build!!

Gathering parts before I start...
 

I needed to gather most of the parts before I started so I did not have to stop in the middle and go a searching.

The first major part was a C50 cab,

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...22795209_o.jpg

Next was the cab from my very first truck,

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/..._6609812_n.jpg

Then a couple of doors, and half a cab.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...12145102_o.jpg

Then it was 'flipping' time!

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...29236502_o.jpg

Starting the jigsaw puzzle...
 

Once I had the frame and running gears free from the bus, it was time to start putting it together.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...50289935_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...65192561_o.jpg

Suicide doors in the back...
 

I decided that I wanted the back doors to be suicide. So, I started working on the second cab to make that happen.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...46702718_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...69414031_o.jpg

With the doors roughed in, I started by connecting the two cabs on the frame.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...93219482_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...31651854_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...12463690_o.jpg

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

Man this thing looks so cool!

Front clip, and starting the sides...
 

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...76652778_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...52098734_o.jpg

Oops...
 

There is a reason to write down all measurements. I did not have the bed when I started, and had measured one from center of wheel wells to the front.
The original measurement was 4'8", and over time it became 48" in my head.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...72200879_o.jpg

So I had to do some shortening...

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...49740377_o.jpg

Which made a big difference.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...31526207_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...88701323_o.jpg

Next came the sides and top...
 

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...05878875_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...34713093_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...68732632_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...36855889_o.jpg

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

This is so cool. I'm always up to follow along on fab work!

Steve

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

cool project.

I hate Bondo...
 

I had really forgotten how much I hated working with Bondo.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...34990632_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...56042589_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...76952321_o.jpg

My next thing to do was bob the frame. I used the original bus back bumper.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...73801445_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...19812458_o.jpg

After looking at this for a few weeks I finally shortened it all the way to the back of the bed.

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

looking good

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

WOW. Awesome....

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

I'm in...subscribed!!!

Running board flaps and dually fenders...
 

One thing I realized was the difference in fender width between a truck front clip and a bus. So I had to make mine wider.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...08919149_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...89407022_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...99193456_o.jpg

Then came the dually fenders. I had found a very rough set, even had to fill in the spare tire carrier.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...01092779_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...34863661_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...47341163_o.jpg

FINALLY a little paint...
 

Not wanting to pull the bed back off, i seized the opportunity to apply some Dark Olive paint.

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...71631250_o.jpg

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...59194093_o.jpg

Bed installed...

http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/...17782560_o.jpg

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

I like it
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Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

I like it. Your work on it is fabulous. This is going to be n interesting build to watch.

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

Diggin it...

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

. . . .

Cool project . . . looking forward to seeing it's progress !!!

. . . .

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

Interesting build.

I bet it corners like a oil tanker.

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

Wow very cool!

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

Damn thats big!!!!!!

Re: project '71 C50 The Big Green Truck
 

Wow! Pretty awesome! Subbed.
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