This bus is a tandem axle Gillig, model No. 855. The bus has since been converted into an RV, and has a Cummins NHH250.
The bus was built along with five others under a Department of Energy contract in 1972. It was originally put into service at the Idaho National Experimental Labs 50 miles west of Idaho Falls, Idaho. They used the coach as a personnel transport hauling employees back and forth in regular service on a daily basis until they retired it and sold it along with one of its sister coaches at auction.
The bus was later bought with the intentions of converting it into an RV, but the man who bought it had suffered some severe medical problems and had to sell the bus. It was later used as a firefighter transport bus to remote staging areas, and later sold again with the intentions of converting it.
After its subsequent purchase, the new owners drove it without any knowledge of diesel engines and over-revved the engine on a downhill grade, breaking an intake valve.
After that incident, the bus's engine was completely overhauled, and re-installed. And work began on restoring and converting the bus, including removing the large A/C units at the rear of the bus, and removing most of the interior. The interior panelling was removed, and the frame was insulated with foil faced foam insulation. In areas where the foam insulation wouldn't fit or reach, spray foam was shot into those spaces. The interior was then sealed off with plywood, and the fixtures began to be installed.
The bus is 40 feet in length, has a top speed of 75 mph (where the governor kicks in), and has just over an estimated 660,000 miles on it. |
