does anyone know if there are any school bus kits out there? just did a search at greatmodels and squadron but didn’t find any… I know Revell has one from the 60’s or 70;s but it is a tricked out bus…
what I want to do is make this:
for my brother in law (he is from Colombia), it is the typical bus used up in the Andes to go from one town to the other and is kind of a sentimental thing for him… (memories of home type thing)
Even something close this type of bus, or a little more modern would be fine… I can pick up all the misc stuff on top at the dollhouse place or whatnot.
I have a feeling I am out of luck but who knows???
I haven’t had much luck either finding model kit busses. I do have a couple of those bus kits “S’cool Bus” kits. The hot rod bus. I suppose those bus kits could be made into a regular school bus with some reworking. Would take a while too maybe. Would be a nice project.
yeah… I imagine I might do that… I also noticed there are several bus “banks” out there that I might ‘kitbash’ or ‘bankbash’ as the case may be, to work something out of it… problem is they are more modern… I am really hoping to find something like this 60’s Ford bus… after searching around a bit I dont think that is a possibility.
I appreciate the input though… and if I find something I will let ya know. I will go back as I found a link to a school bus enthusiast forum today with links to models and plastic recreations and post it for ya…
-edit—
here is the link for it, it is a post on bus models with some links…
I made the one above. It took about two years, on and off, but it wasn’t rocket science. I would do it differently now, which would speed up the process. If you use an existing hood and chassis it only leaves the bus body, and if you can find a drawing of what you want, you can print it out in 1/25 scale, then cut it in .040 styrene. Then you’ll have a real show-stopper!
I have some more pics posted at: http://public.fotki.com/hct728/model_bus_and_truck/
hct - nice looking bus and it would approximately fit the look I am going for!! I would just have to find a chassis but where?
Chris - hey brother! I’ve been a model finishing fool lately!! I should have my SBD pics up this weekend… found some awesome antenna wire and will put it on tomorrow or so… (invisible thread from the sewing shop) VERY fine!!! And about ready to close the fuselage on my typhoon…
how’s things going on your end? what about just compressed air? I remember when I took welding in HS we had huge bottles of the stuff just sitting around to blow stuff off with… gotta be cheaper than CO2!
For a newer bus you could use the AMT Ford Shorthauler kit, for an older and smaller one like in your picture, a '50’s Ford pickup would do, just cut and add a few inches to the wheelbase. Go to www.corbeilbus.com for some bus drawings. Print them out to scale 1/25 and you’ll have a starting point for the bus body. You can re-draw parts of the printout to make an older style bus.
You ever see the static shelf models of busses at travel agencies? Really nice and in a couple scale ranges… They aren’t kits but if you ever get one you can spend some quality reworking time and repaint it to suit your idea and taste. I have a couple “Greyhound”, tour, or charter type bus banks, I think in 1/32 scale, plus a couple 1/32 scale “snub-nose”, flat front without a hood, “Blue Bird” type school bus banks. I think I found them at a Goodwill Thrift store some years ago. Maybe one could stop in at a travel agency or charter bus service and inquire about their shelf models.
cool! thanks yall! just something I want to do as the bus I pictured is like an icon for Colombians out of their country… and it would look good in his office too! (he is a dentist and has lots of south american customers)
If I remember correctly one of the model manufacturers made a model of a school bus that was modified to do “wheel stands”. This would have been in the late 1960s when wheel standing drag cars were popular (its coming back). I have not seen that kit for many, many, years. I think it was AMT, but it could have been JoHan or even Revell. Sorry I do not remember. The scratch built bus is really a neat model.
It`s too bad there are no Good Bus models available,as they share many truck parts such as Engines and Axles
I drive a transit bus in Los Angeles and I also own a 1975 Flxible Transit Bus from Sacremento that I have preserved as it ran in service.
Transit buses pretty much used GM 6v92 or 8V71 engines until recently
Now they are pretty much powered by inline engines Either Cummins L10 or Detroit Diesel Series 50
Transmissions used to be “V” drive with the engine sitting sideways and then the transmission forming a “V” driveline
Our buses now are “T” drive with the Engine “Front” directly at the rear and Coupled to an Allison “World 600” transmission
Axles are usually designed by Rockwell,with air brakes
I always wished for a GM “Fishbowl” odel or a Flxible “New Look” model but nothing ever transpired
it`s true that there are some bus banks out available but are usually very toylike
Only Corgi (That now of) Really ventured into making Transit Bus Replicas
NABI us industries came out with a promotional bus for Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines That was Very Realistic and was available at their main office but beleive they sold out of them
We could only hope that someday we might see something
Hey RT 4957, here’s a teaser for you, she’s just out of the paint shop:
Door bottom halves need to be painted aluminum, lots of cleaning up needed at the colour breaks, but she’s coming along. Some in progress shots can be seen at: http://public.fotki.com/hct728/vacuform_and_gm/
A resin caster showed some interest at a local hobby club meeting, but it would take a LOT of resin…
I Made a Pseudo Rapid Bus Scheme out of one of my Santa Monica NABIs,I made My own Inkjet Decals using Cut up Schedules and Division logos I Super Reduced.
I Do wish there was a decent Flxible New look,as I`d love to Replicate my own 4957,(Hence my Screen Name "R"egional "T"ransit 4957)
I might pull out a stored Corgi someday and do a RTD 1000 or 3100 from the 1970s
I rode them as a Kid and got to drive some remaining in service when I hired on in 1991
