Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Bentley does a double-decker bus for charity]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/bentley-does-a-double-decker-for-charity/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/bentley-does-a-double-decker-for-charity/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/bentley-does-a-double-decker-for-charity/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Luke, a London Routemaster bus retrofitted by Bentley for St Luke's hospice - Click above for high-res image gallery

We haven't met anyone who works in the Bentley factory. (At least, this writer hasn't.) But we like them already. Because while workers at other assembly plants go on strike or to Eminem concerts when they've got no more work, the crew from Crewe puts their energy and considerable talents into charitable endeavors. A couple of weeks ago we brought you a collection of artwork created by Bentley craftsmen, scheduled to be auctioned off to benefit cancer research. Now they've completed work on a bus for a hospice.

The decommissioned London Routemaster double-decker city bus affectionately named Luke was acquired by St Luke's hospice - a care facility for the terminally ill in Winsford, Cheshire - earlier this year. The goal was to use it as a sort of "community charity bus" to be used for fundraising, public awareness and as a "traveling shop" for college campuses. We don't know exactly what that entails, but the results, billed as the world's most luxurious charity bus, are impressive.

Very different in nature from rival Aston Martin's bus project, 59 Bentley workers from the woodshop, tool-room and maintenance departments volunteered some 2,000 man-hours to transform Luke from a mode of public transportation into what looks like an impeccably well-crafted vehicle for charitable work. See for yourself in the gallery below, and follow the jump for the full press release.


Gallery: Luke the bus outfitted by Bentley


[Source: Bentley]

Continue reading Bentley does a double-decker bus for charity

Bentley does a double-decker bus for charity originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bentleybentley charityBentleyCharitybuscharitydouble-deckerhospicelondonlondon buslondon routemasterLondonBusLondonRoutemasterlukeroutemasterst lukesStLukesMon, 30 Nov 2009 07:57:00 EST<![CDATA[VW Bus stolen 35 years ago returned in mint condition... to Allstate]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/vw-bus-stolen-35-years-ago-returned-in-mint-condition-to-alls/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/vw-bus-stolen-35-years-ago-returned-in-mint-condition-to-alls/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/vw-bus-stolen-35-years-ago-returned-in-mint-condition-to-alls/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



In 1974, this 1965 Volkswagen Type 2 (a.k.a. 'Bus') was stolen from Washington State. Fast-forward to October 19 of this year and custom agents at the Port of Los Angeles open up a container bound for Europe only to rediscover said van. Somehow, the Bus's VIN was still in the LAPD's stolen vehicle database. Guess which 1965 Type 2 is no longer headed for Europe?

Here's where it gets a little bit foggy, a little bit weird. According to the Los Angeles Times, the cops and the feds can't find the original owner. And the gentleman that restored the thirteen-window Bus to such pristine condition and who was planning on shipping said Bus back to the fatherland is also a victim of the theft - meaning he's off the hook, but out of money. Because way back in 1974, Allstate ("You're in good hands") Insurance paid the then owner $2,500 for the stolen Volkswagen. Which means that Allstate is winding up with the Bus.

Update: The original owner has been located! Her name is Michelle Squires and yes, she would like her Bus back. The reason that she couldn't be located at first is because her last name used to be Carlson. Says Squires, "I don't know if I could afford it because the restored bus is supposed to be around $25,000 now, but I would like the opportunity to talk to Allstate to see if I could get it back." While we think it would be a stellar PR coup for Allstate, Squires should probably prepare to stay separated from her van.

[Source: Los Angeles Times | Image: Department of Homeland Security]

VW Bus stolen 35 years ago returned in mint condition... to Allstate originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Allstateauto insuranceAutoInsuranceBuscar insuranceCarInsuranceDepartment of Homeland SecurityDepartmentOfHomelandSecurityhomeland securityHomelandSecurityinsuranceStolen CarStolen CarsStolenCarStolenCarsTheftThirteen-Window BusThirteen-windowBusvolkswagenVolkswagen busVolkswagen Station WagonVolkswagen Type 2VolkswagenBusVolkswagenStationWagonVolkswagenType2VWVW BusVwBusMon, 09 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[VW Caravelle, California and Transporter get Golf nosejobs, head for Frankfurt]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/vw-caravelle-california-and-transporter-get-golf-nosejobs-head/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/vw-caravelle-california-and-transporter-get-golf-nosejobs-head/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/19/vw-caravelle-california-and-transporter-get-golf-nosejobs-head/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Volkswagen Caravelle and Transporter - click above image for high-res gallery

Some of us enthusiast types are still upset that Volkswagen never released the retro-futuristic new Bus first seen back in 2001. Looking backwards with 20-20 vision, perhaps the conceptual Bus was a little too slavish to the Type II's (a.k.a. Transporter, a.k.a. Station Wagon, a.k.a. Bus) design aesthetic and not concerned enough with its zeitgeist - affordable, practical family fun.

Meet the new VW Caravelle (passenger van), Transporter (cargo van) and California (camper van - not shown). These Golf-nosed successors to not only the Transporter, but the Vanagon and Eurovan, will be making their refreshed debuts in a few short weeks at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Beyond receiving a new shnoz, other tweaks include a range of common rail TDI engines, new rear-light clusters, more aerodynamic side mirrors, touchscreen navigation, USB connectivity, updated ESP and a hill-start assist feature. Plus, you can get either van with a manual gearbox.

While both these cars are Euro-only (Volkswagen hasn't sold a Eurovan in the U.S. since 2003), it is good to see a modern version of a Westphalia-style camper van. And you know, maybe Volkswagen should think about ditching the Routan and bringing these new vans here... especially the pop-top California? Just a thought. Either way, we'll know more come Frankfurt. High-res shots below, full press releases after the jump.


Gallery: 2010 Volkswagen Caravelle and Transporter


[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading VW Caravelle, California and Transporter get Golf nosejobs, head for Frankfurt

VW Caravelle, California and Transporter get Golf nosejobs, head for Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BusCaliforniacampercamper vanCamperVanCaravelleEurovanVanagonVolkswagenVolkswagen BusVolkswagen CaliforniaVolkswagen CaravelleVolkswagen EurovanVolkswagen TransporterVolkswagen Type IIVolkswagen VanagonVolkswagenBusVolkswagenCaliforniaVolkswagenCaravelleVolkswagenEurovanVolkswagenTransporterVolkswagenTypeIiVolkswagenVanagonvw busVw eurovanvw transportervw vanagonVwBusVwEurovanVwTransporterVwVanagonwestfaliaWestphaliaWed, 19 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Tight Fit: Japanese bus company makes the most of its parking lot]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/08/video-tight-fit-japanese-bus-company-makes-the-most-of-its-par/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/08/video-tight-fit-japanese-bus-company-makes-the-most-of-its-par/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/08/video-tight-fit-japanese-bus-company-makes-the-most-of-its-par/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above to watch video after the jump

Here in the States, unless you live in a city like New York, Chicago or Boston, chances are that on any given day, parking isn't one of your bigger challenges. In smaller, more densely populated countries like Germany or the U.K., finding a spot can be a big issue, and the solution often costs a lot of money.

One motor coach company in Japan is skipping the big cash solution, and instead, it is just driving its buses over the edge. Well, at least a significant portion of them. The company has installed special rear-view cameras in their vehicles so drivers can get a terrifying inch-by-inch update on their progress as they back up to the edge of their parking lot's precipice. A small metal ridge embedded in the asphalt is the last line of defense keeping the tour buses from falling down a very steep embankment. Talk about your nerves of steel parking jobs. Hit the jump to view the video of these massive motor coaches coming inches from taking the Nestea plunge. Hat tip to Musouka!

Source: Japan Probe]

Continue reading VIDEO: Tight Fit: Japanese bus company makes the most of its parking lot

VIDEO: Tight Fit: Japanese bus company makes the most of its parking lot originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>busbusesbussesjapanparkingtour busTourBusWed, 08 Jul 2009 12:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Sail the (calm) seas in the Amphicoach Amphibious Tourist Bus]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/18/sail-the-calm-seas-in-the-amphicoach-amphibious-tourist-bus/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/18/sail-the-calm-seas-in-the-amphicoach-amphibious-tourist-bus/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/18/sail-the-calm-seas-in-the-amphicoach-amphibious-tourist-bus/#commentsFiled under:


Amphicoach Amphibious Touring Bus - Click above for a gallery

Amphibious touring vehicles have been around for a while (the Bay Quackers in San Francisco comes to mind), offering vacationers a unique way to explore both the city and the waterways surrounding it. Amphicoach is taking it to the next luxurious level, with a 50-seat bus that combines all the amenities you'd find in a high-end touring coach with the amphibious capabilities required to tackle the seas.

After six years of development and testing, Amphicoach is ready to launch its first model, which complies with all relevant E.U. legislation for passenger vehicles and can handle extended periods submerged in either salt- or fresh-water.

The Amphicoach is equipped with a choice of two diesel engines along with two- or four-wheel drive, is built from marine grade aluminum for light weight and superior strength, features a jet drive unit built specifically for the bus and a one-off wheel retraction system that allows the coach to travel up to eight knots. Inside, it's typical party-bus fare, with LCD screens, DVD players and PA systems, along with all the required safety gear.

Pricing and availability is currently on a need-to-know basis, but for cities trying to stoke tourism, the Amphicoach could be worth the cost of entry... assuming it won't leave pensioners stranded off the shore of Alcatraz.


Gallery: Amphicoach Amphibious Tourist Bus


[Source: Amphicoach via 4wheelnews]

Sail the (calm) seas in the Amphicoach Amphibious Tourist Bus originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amphibiousamphicoachbustour busTourBustourerWed, 18 Mar 2009 18:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Daimler opens office in Baghdad, Iraq]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/20/daimler-opens-office-in-baghdad-iraq/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/20/daimler-opens-office-in-baghdad-iraq/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/20/daimler-opens-office-in-baghdad-iraq/#commentsFiled under: , ,



As a small step that could be considered a healthy vote of confidence in Iraq's return to stability, Mercedes has established a corporate representative office in Baghdad. Daimler set up shop in Erbil, Iraq last February, opening a training center that would get mechanics ready for coming Mercedes products. By installing a corporate representative, the company will have someone on the ground to figure out how best to introduce new Mercedes products to the country. The rep will focus on examining and developing the market for trucks and buses, which Daimler should have all to itself for a while.

[Source: Daimler]

Daimler opens office in Baghdad, Iraq originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>busbussesdaimleriraqmercedesmiddle eastMiddleEasttrucktrucksFri, 20 Feb 2009 08:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Winners for 21st Century London bus contest include... Aston Martin?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/19/winners-for-21st-century-london-bus-contest-include-aston-mar/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/19/winners-for-21st-century-london-bus-contest-include-aston-mar/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/19/winners-for-21st-century-london-bus-contest-include-aston-mar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Click above to enlarge the winning designs for a 21st Century Routemaster bus

The New Bus for London competition has come to an end. Two proposals were chosen from the large group of entrants by a series of judges, and the winners have just been announced by London Mayor Boris Johnson. The Freight*Bus concept we took a look is nowhere to be found, but that's just fine. The two winners are excellent, and one of them comes from a familiar but unexpected source: Aston Martin. The mind reels with the infinite possibilities of an Aston Martin-designed London double-decker bus. With an all-glass roof complete with solar panels, the enviro-cred is present and accounted for, and the wooden floors and hop-on, hop-off accessibility add flair and practicality in equal doses.

The other winner comes via Capoco Design from Salisbury, UK. It's a more traditional design that keeps many of the old Routemaster's best bits but adds an eco-friendly drivetrain package. Both designs will now be submitted to bus manufacturers for review.

[Source: Transport for London]

Winners for 21st Century London bus contest include... Aston Martin? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Busdouble deckerDoubleDeckerlondon bus hydrogenlondon double decker buslondon double decker hybrid busLondonBusHydrogenLondonDoubleDeckerBusLondonDoubleDeckerHybridBusroutemasterroutemaster busRoutemasterBustransport for londonTransportForLondonFri, 19 Dec 2008 16:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Forget Gran Turismo, Bus Driver is greatest next-gen driving sim]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/11/forget-gran-turismo-bus-driver-is-greatest-next-gen-driving-sim/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/11/forget-gran-turismo-bus-driver-is-greatest-next-gen-driving-sim/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/11/forget-gran-turismo-bus-driver-is-greatest-next-gen-driving-sim/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for more screen shots of Bus Driver

When I was in Kindergarten, I rode Bus 11. It was an oil-burning 32-passenger GMC that was ready for retirement by 1982. It was driven by Sarge. I'm not sure why she was called Sarge, but her demeanor definitely lived up to the moniker. Frequent exhortations to"SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP" kept us all in line. Nobody ever laughed when she ground the 2-3 upshift. Think you'd enjoy ruling passengers with an iron fist? You could go get the endorsement on your license and then hit the job market, or if that takes too much effort, just buy Bus Driver, the video game.

Hey, at least it's still a driving game, but it's the staid, responsible version of gaming. Rather than speed around a track or create mayhem, your mission is to follow routes in your school bus, city bus or tour bus while picking up and dropping off fares. What fun, the replays must be enthralling. It could be worse, though - it's still a wheeled conveyance you're controlling rather than some Wiimote-powered silliness. We do wish that Meridian4, the game's publisher, had included the DeLorean bus that never got off the ground.

Gallery: Bus Driver: The Video Game


[Source: Winding Road]

Forget Gran Turismo, Bus Driver is greatest next-gen driving sim originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>busbus driverBusDriverdriverdrivinggadgetgamegamingmeridian4toyvideo gameVideoGameTue, 11 Mar 2008 09:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Spirit of the VW Camper van goes Element-al]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/04/spirit-of-the-vw-camper-van-goes-element-al/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/04/spirit-of-the-vw-camper-van-goes-element-al/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/04/spirit-of-the-vw-camper-van-goes-element-al/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


click above for more pics of the Ursa Minor ECamper

The family vacation just hasn't been the same since the ubiquity of the Westfalia Camper and the VW Type2 as a family vehicle, both of which have been toppled by the rise of the minivan. There have been Westys since VW went mostly conventional with the Eurovan, but they're not much of a common sight on US Highways anymore.

Ursa Minor Vehicles understands that all those former kids who took trips to the Grand Canyon in a Westfalia have a soft spot for the poptop. Thus, the Ursa Minor ECamper kit for the Honda Element has been born. For those willing to part with an additional 4,000 bones, they will regain the ability to tilt up the roof again and contort themselves into an upper bunk area. The ECamper does require that the donor Element have a sunroof, which is the access hatch to the 85" x 50" sleeping area under the carbon fiber lid. Options such as color matched paint and roof racks are also available, and Ursa Minor will even sell you a fully outfitted Element if you don't want to tackle the kit. $4,300 is about what it'd cost in parts and labor to fix the head gaskets in your Wasserboxer, again, isn't it?

[Source: Winding Road]

Gallery: Ursa Minor ECamper

Spirit of the VW Camper van goes Element-al originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Feb 2008 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2buscampercampingecamperelementhondaminorpoptoptypetype 2type iiType2TypeIiursaursa minorUrsaMinorvanvolkswagenwestfaliawestyMon, 04 Feb 2008 10:58:00 EST<![CDATA[DeLorean's stillborn 40-foot bus]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/09/deloreans-stillborn-40-foot-bus/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/09/deloreans-stillborn-40-foot-bus/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/09/deloreans-stillborn-40-foot-bus/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Glomming onto a Federal program in the 1970s meant to spur the development of more accessible buses, DeLorean Motor Corporation saw a potential revenue stream. Not that the DMC 80 had anything to do with their now cult-classic sports car, it wouldn't have even been built by DMC. An example of how badge engineering and pimping platforms has been going on forever in the automotive business, DeLorean was essentially planning on affixing the DMC badge to buses from Germany's FFG.

Like the DMC-12, success was not to be had. The Urban Mass Transit Administration's (now Federal Transit Administration) Transbus program was cancelled in 1981 after several years of floundering. DMC couldn't continue to devote resources to the effort, so they abandoned the licensing effort and scrapped a proposal for a bus assembly plant in New York, too. While DeLorean may be little more than a passing curiosity in automotive history, the fact that they got an automobile into production and on the market means that there are plenty of enthusiasts looking for any remaining vestiges of the company. The nature of launching an automotive enterprise also means that there's a ton of material to be strip-mined on eBay. If you find this little footnote in DeLorean's history as fascinating as we do, you can pony up bids and get your hands on a small trove of goodies like blueprints to the non-starter bus plant, a brochure for the DMC 80, and a random DeLorean certificate of achievement. Our favorite item, though, is the memo from John DeLorean to Bill Haddad, essentially saying "call this guy, he can help us, oh yeah, he was also convicted of fraud."

[Source: eBay via Winding Road]

Gallery: DeLorean bus

DeLorean's stillborn 40-foot bus originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Dec 2007 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auctionautomobiliablueprintsbusdeloreandmcebayffgmassmass transitMassTransitpublicpublic transportationPublicTransportationscrappedtransitSun, 09 Dec 2007 11:31:00 EST<![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: VW Toaster Van]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/20/ebay-find-of-the-day-vw-toaster-van/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/20/ebay-find-of-the-day-vw-toaster-van/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/20/ebay-find-of-the-day-vw-toaster-van/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


click above image for more pics of the VW Toaster Van

You're supposed to get baked in the VW bus, not toasted, but whatever. Volkswagen originally had these promotional toasters done up for its Japanese operation. Buy a new VW or bring your VeeDub in for an inspection, get a toaster. While supplies last, of course. There were only 5,000 produced, and fans of splitties and air-cooled VWs in general are rightfully nutso for them. We're not sure if the 100-volt wiring for the Japanese consumer will be okay on the slightly higher voltage here in the US, but if you torch your house after spending at least $250 on the toaster, please don't hold us responsible. Just in time for Christmas, the ultimate culinary delight for Volkswagen fans. What better way to augment a nice Frühstück of Hazelnussomeletten than with some VW-logo toast?

[Source: eBay via GermanCarScene.com]

Gallery: VW Split Window Bus toaster

eBay Find of the Day: VW Toaster Van originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auctionbusebayhippiesplitsplit windowsplittieSplitWindowtoastervanvolkswagenvw toasterVwToasterTue, 20 Nov 2007 18:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Enzo Crash Watch: Another one bites it]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/24/enzo-crash-watch-another-one-bites-it/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/24/enzo-crash-watch-another-one-bites-it/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/24/enzo-crash-watch-another-one-bites-it/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



How many are we down to? 391, 390? Of the 399 (plus one extra built for the pope to auction off for Tsunami victims, gotta love church auctions) Enzos built by Ferrari, a decent number has been written off as scrap metal. Various accidents have taken from us these special vehicles, and we have yet one more to add to the list. Frank Mountain, a "property tycoon" (FYI: I would quit blogging for that job title) in the UK lost his Enzo when a bus he alleges was taking a corner too fast crossed lanes and made contact. The Enzo then careened into a Volkswagen Golf, which was written off due to the extent of its damage. One doesn't write off an Enzo, though, and Mountain is suing the bus company for £300,000 to cover the cost of repairs, his loss of earnings when he missed work to deal with the accident, and the Ferrari's loss in value since it's now damaged goods. Perhaps after the repairs are done, presumably in Maranello, we'll be able to officially insert this Enzo back into the fold. Until then, the value of everyone else's Enzo just went up again.

Click the Read link to see more pics of the damage.

Thanks for the tip, Kiefer!

[Source: Daily Mail]

Enzo Crash Watch: Another one bites it originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 May 2007 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accidentbuscrashenzoferrariferrari enzoFerrariEnzoukThu, 24 May 2007 15:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Today's Distraction: Pimp my classic German ride]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/01/todays-distraction-pimp-my-classic-german-ride/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/01/todays-distraction-pimp-my-classic-german-ride/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/01/todays-distraction-pimp-my-classic-german-ride/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Looking for a good way to waste time? There's no shortage out there, but here's one that's good for a few hours you'll never get back.

BusSelecta.com gives you the tools to customize any of a variety of classic German cars. As the name suggests, the site started out a few years back with the classic VW bus, but now includes the Beetle, the Type 3 and a whole variety of classic Porsches. You can customize a wide range of features, including the wheels and tires, suspension height, change the color, add decals and accessories... enough variety to keep you busy for a while. Check out the Porsche Selecta that lets you chose from a range of 911, 914, 356 and 550 bodystyles. Deck it out and then change to another model to see how the scheme you worked out for James Dean's Speedster would look on a 912 Targa.

While you can print out your design, we were disappointed to find that the printout is only on paper. To get your hands on a real one might take a bit more. If you're proud of your work, take a screen grab and send it to abresearch at gmail dot com. If we get enough, we'll make a gallery in the same vein as our CARS gallery.

[Source: BusSelecta.com via PistonHeads]

Today's Distraction: Pimp my classic German ride originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 May 2007 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aftermarketbuscustomizemodpimprideselectavolkswagenvwTue, 01 May 2007 17:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Crazy Cracker: NY Rabbi turns bus into Matza oven]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/29/crazy-cracker-ny-rabbi-turns-bus-into-matza-oven/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/29/crazy-cracker-ny-rabbi-turns-bus-into-matza-oven/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/29/crazy-cracker-ny-rabbi-turns-bus-into-matza-oven/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We thought Doctor Teeth and the Electric Mayhem had an interesting use for an old school bus, but WCBS in New York is reporting on a Hassidic rabbi who apparently transformed an old bus into a giant Matza bakery.

The flatbreads are traditionally baked in a brick oven, but with the Passover holiday looming, the rabbi evidently wanted to step up production. Oddly, this wasn't the first strange use of that same bus, as it was reported to have been previously used as someone's home and then as a transporter for a race car before starting its fourth life for baking the sacramental unleavened bread in Spring Valley, New York.

The rabbi was confronted by officials after the bus, parked in his back yard and hooked into the house's gas lines, was billowing smoke into the neighborhood, causing a plague of darkness that raised some suspicions. 'Let my misdemeanor go', argued the rabbi, insisting that he wasn't causing any harm. The incident gives new meaning to the term "slaving over a hot oven", but at least he wasn't selling the Matzas through a pyramid scheme.

Follow the link to watch the news report.

[Source: WCBSTV via Winding Road]

Crazy Cracker: NY Rabbi turns bus into Matza oven originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bakerybuschasidicchassidiccountyhasidichassidicmatzamatzonewpassoverpesachrocklandspringvalleyyorkThu, 29 Mar 2007 10:28:00 EST<![CDATA[2007 Barrett-Jackson: Von Dutch GMC Bus-Home/Workshop]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/19/2007-barrett-jackson-von-dutch-gmc-bus-home-workshop/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/19/2007-barrett-jackson-von-dutch-gmc-bus-home-workshop/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/19/2007-barrett-jackson-von-dutch-gmc-bus-home-workshop/#commentsFiled under:


High-res image available by clicking above

Lot Number 1042.1: Von Dutch GMC Bus-Home/Workshop

Here's one of those "don't pass it just because it looks like it's been out in a field for 20 years" gems that we love so much. This bus was once the home and workshop of the legendary pinstriper/customizer Von Dutch. The bus started out as a Long Beach, California city transit bus. Von Dutch ended up with it in the early '60s as payment from a woman he had done some work for. According to the account by his friend and colleague, Bob Burns, Dutch "set up living quarters at the rear, the remainder of the vehicle was a machine shop, including a bluing tank and an old metal lathe covered with Dutch's pinstriping. The floor was covered with cigarette butts, beer cans, and metal shavings."

And that's basically how it still looks. It sat in a field in Santa Barbara for a number of years and has seen its fair share of vandalism (and target practice), but it still has a lot of Dutch's fingerprints all over it. All part of this year's Rock the Block theme at B-J, there are a number of other Von Dutch items displayed with the bus, including his customized hi-fi stereo system that will also be auctioned on Friday.

[Source: Barrett-Jackson]

2007 Barrett-Jackson: Von Dutch GMC Bus-Home/Workshop originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jan 2007 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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