This converted school bus could survive the Apocalypse
Published on Jan 30, 2023 at 2:56 PM (UTC+4)
by Kate Bain
Last updated on Jan 31, 2023 at 9:02 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
This old school bus has been converted into a mega-truck that looks like it could survive the Apocalypse.
The man behind the build, Gordon Clement, bought the 2003 Blue Bird bus at an auction for just $2,000 and has spent the past three years completely transforming it.
The bus is now packed with some of the craziest tech and DIY builds we’ve ever seen.
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Gordon Clement, who goes by Gordo, designed the converted school bus to be exactly what he wanted when he wanted.
“It’s built to be a truck when I need a truck, a camper when I need a camper, and to be able to live out of on the road for as long as I might need to, but not as a full-time living situation,” he said.
“This bus is not quite my house, it’s not quite my shop, it’s everything.”
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Gordo describes it as having a ‘utalitarian spaceship vibe’ and loves the reaction it gets from other drivers.
“The fun thing about it is seeing people look up at me from the passenger window like ‘what is that!’” he said.
“I get lots of people asking if it’s some kind of Mad Max rig or if I’m an Apocalypse prepper or if it’s for Burning Man or things like that.”
So what makes this converted school bus so cool?
Well, there’s a lot going on, so let’s dive into it.
Converted school bus build
For starters, Gordo told supercarblondie.com he did it all himself, wearing the hat of an electrical, mechanical, structural, and software engineer.
He built a cargo deck large enough to carry a mid-size car, a full-length roof rack, and his very own crane to more easily load and transport all his gear.
Inside, he built all new seating for four people, including swiveling seats and custom furniture that can be pulled out or hidden away for extra space.
The cabin now also has its own fridge, freezer, sink, shower, and composting toilet.
He also added a 5kw diesel generator, 3kw inverter with a 10kWh battery system.
And that’s just what you can see.
Gordo also wrote his very own web interface for the bus.
This interface allows him to control basically everything from his phone, laptop, and touchscreens inside the bus.
So, from his phone, Gordo can remotely control the lights and heating, open and close the doors, access the cameras, start and stop the generator, and manager the solar / inverter system.
In all seriousness, you have to watch this video by Mobile Dwellings to fully understand just how epic this build is.
Gordo told supercarblondie.com he poured between $30,000 and $50,000 into the build, not including his labor.
“For six months or so after I bought the bus, I didn’t do anything but plan and prep,” he said.
“Then I took a month off my job to work full time on the bus.”
In the three years since, Gordo said he’s worked on it in all his spare time “doing all the smaller interior projects and electronics and systems”.
“And I’m still working on all that stuff now,” he said.
The reaction to Gordo’s build has been incredible.
In fact, he’s left people stunned.
“I’m a retired aircraft engineer and I’ve never felt so useless after watching this build. I just kept getting more and more impressed with the planning, foresight and creativity in creating this,” one viewer said.
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Kate Bain is the Page Editor at supercarblondie.com. She is based in Dubai and coordinates coverage of the latest news across automotive, technology, and lifestyle. Kate has a bachelor's degree in business and post graduate in journalism. She is an experienced editor and journalist who has worked for News Corp, Daily Mail Australia, and Sky News. When she's not at work, you'll find her attached at the hip to her dog, Thor.