We are ripping out the seats today and excited to start to see the size. Can't wait to mark up a layout and see how home is going to fit. Heaps of chewing gum and years of grossness from grotty school kids! First seat gone, then the back set (imagine if it could talk) and now comes the chewing gum.
2013 - Happy Birthday Brad. Hi ho hi ho it's off to VicRods you go
After endless inconsistent advice from the lovely folk at Vic Roads, Brad is off to register the bus on his birthday. I don't think he's considered that now makes it annual $1,140 birthday gift for him. Back to the inconsistency of Vic Roads, we are not sure yet whether it will be registered as a bus, a motor home or a van.
So as it turns out, we didn't remove the seats first because we didn't want to hinder the registration but if we had, we could have registered as a van (cheaper). Because it doesn't have beds, seat belts or cooking facilities yet, it is too early to register as a motor home, so a bus it is for now.
2013 - First day of work
First day of bus work today. Brad's priority is roadworthy readiness so I take care of the man chores...mowed lawn, cleaned house, cleaned car. Brad is squeezed under the bus for a little rust repair work while I try and pretty up the cabin area with some hard core cleaning, how fruitless this becomes. Fortunately no work safe inspectors here as I balance precariously on a plank Brad has rigged up on the trailer to scrape away the old school crossing sign.
The Butler's called in Shell helped out trying to polish the window frames (when I thought we were keeping them, ha) and I had my first drive around the backstreets with the 2 families on board which was awesome.
2013 - Uh oh, where do we put it?
While we were off on the road trip from hell - 3 adults, 2 dogs and a kid crossing the Nullarbor mid summer in a car, the big bus was off getting a new windscreen, a few bits and pieces and a roadworthy inspection.
So now we're back and the bus has found her new temporary home here with us in the tiny town of Longwarrry. A minor hiccup, where to park it? Given I am working at the local council as Manager Business Information and Technology, I am also currently in charge of the Local Laws department - I best figure out our "locals laws compliant" options for parking. Currently parked on the front lawn, attracting a lot of attention from passers by.
12th Hour 12th Day, 12th Month, 12 Year - Just Do It I always Say.....
Well we just did it. Holy shit we bought a bus! Nothing like impulsiveness, it was the first one we looked at (in real life that is). Brad has been doing online market research for years - knows every bus in the country for sale. We've talked about doing this for years, but it was always just talk - it just got excitingly real!
For those who believe in numbers and alignment of the stars, we made our purchase at 12.00 noon on 12/12/2012. Add to that, my beloved old 1985 Mercedes Saloon is sadly leaving my possession soon, but guess what, the bus just happens to be a 1985 Mercedes (ha ha Brad we've got another one). We also later discovered as that this bus started it's life as a school bus for Bunyip Primary School which just happens to be the school Lola was at our time of purchase. We found a note to the bus driver and lots of original old documents while stripping it out.
So it's a 50 seater 1316 PMC Adelaide. It was a school bus in the Avoca area in great mechanical condition with a lot of work done to pass it's final inspection as a school bus. We didn't even have to travel far, purchased from Trafalgar during a lunch break, just up the road.
Out for a quick drive during my lunch break at work and sold! She's ours.
