It's getting to the point where you never know what Richard Rawlings and his crew at Gas Monkey Garage are going to work on next. Recently, we've seen the YouTuber and host of Fast N' Loud purchase an International Harvester hauler, a Ford Model A he got after an unexpected shootout, and even play around with millennial heads in a donut competition. Yep, the dude's a cocked pistol, alright, which can go off at any second, or whenever the next piece of wheeled hardware rolls in. Which in this case, is an old school bus. And in a video that premiered Monday, Rawlings has big plans for this yellow vehicle.
Rebuild Includes Bringing The Bus Lower To The Ground
Rawlings isn't one to go all hippie on everyone, so his intentions from the start sounded unusual. "This whole thing is one love and you know, everybody's equal, blah, blah, so we're gonna make this into a love bus."
Say what?
Then he rattles off some details more endearing to gearheads. He wants to bring the bus lower to the ground via a new chassis and double the barrels on the carburetor for starters. But first, they have to start the antiquated vehicle with an engine that's seen better days. One mechanic pours some fuel down the carburetor, while another crew member floors it in the cab. After a few turns, it starts. Not bad for a bus Rawlings got for $1,500.
Might Get A Chevy 4500 Chassis
Then Rawlings reveals the real master plan: a chicken fingers restaurant wants a bus that will double as a promotional vehicle for events like parades as well as a mobile party unit for more of the eatery's more rambunctious customers. In his mind, it'll involve a refit where everything but the yellow body will be swapped out.
One member of the Gas Monkey crew recommends a Chevrolet 4500 chassis, a 2020 Duramax 6.6-liter V8 engine, and an Allison automatic transmission. More brainstorming has Rawlings dreaming of outfitting the unit with Alcoa 24-inch rims.
Chassis Available For 50 Grand (Well, The Entire Truck)
The first order of business is getting that chassis, available in a nearby town, Rawlings finds out it'll cost about $50,000, as the chassis is part of a whole truck. He's still all in since the new truck is covered by warranty as long as none of the bus modifications contribute to any failure points on the chassis.
"Let's go get it! I'm ready!" declared Rawlings. This build's well on its way to becoming a continuous story arc on YouTube.
Source: Gas Monkey Garage and Richard Rawlings