Only 70 miles from home, we couldn't NOT take a look at this coach:


It still has the Coke graphics on the outside, which must be removed before selling the bus.

1999 Van Hool 45' with all the basics- shower, private bathroom, ample kitchen (they call it galley) counter space, 9 bunks, rear lounge that could be made into the parents room... It was rough though. To start, it wouldn't. Start, that is. The owner couldn't get it started, or the generator, and the front airbag was low- and it was dirty. You would think that a bus for sale that they are asking over a hundred thousand dollars for would have been running with the lights on and a freshly steam cleaned engine. If you know my Dad's penchant for cleaning and selling cars, you can imagine how he would have felt if he was there. Well, he WAS there. (It was so close to home he came by to take a peek with us). Even Simon mentioned that it needed to be cleaned (which is notable- have you seen Simons bedroom?!)


The back up generator has a layer of (what looks like) volcanic ash all over it, and looks as though it's been idle for years.


We took a look, then moved along to Aaron's new house for pizza. The owner called later and said that they did get it started and it ran beautifully and reminded me that the maintainance was kept up very well. By the looks of the bus, I am guessing they might have cut a few corners keeping it up.


We had our best drivers ready in case we could have started it. The shotgun rack is in the foreground, police issue lock model.

Now, all that said, it did have some interesting things about it: just back from Canada where it served the Olympic Torch relay team; previously an electronics supply company bus (which is why they had the shotgun lock up front for the display of force), and as a young bus, it served the Dave Matthews Band. Even more notably, it was the bus that made the news when the driver dumped 800 pounds of sewage while crossing an open grate city bridge in Chicago. Might have gotten away with it in the middle of the night- but it was mod afternoon and there was a tour boat underneath... with 80 guests looking up... with their mouths open. That slip cost the band $100k in environmental clean up, and the driver $10k in fines.

EEEEwwww!


The electric sewer dump switch is located next to the driver, top right in this shot. The actual switch that caused the poo-rain incident of 2004 in Chicago. (Story below)


(The MTV poop story)


We think we're gonna pass on this one.