RV Conversion: 1945 Ford Transit Bus
This Ford Transit Bus originally began life as a people mover when it was manufactured in 1945, with its duties including being a transportation vehicle for a fire department. Several years later, it was the lucky recipient of a frame-off restoration in 1988 and was put back together as a Recreational Vehicle, which was mostly used for parades, events, and weekend festivals. If you’ve been having visions of a vintage bus in your future, and one that won’t deplete your bank account, this 1945 Ford Transit Bus may well be worthy of your consideration. It is located in Comanche Trail, Texas, and can be found here on Craigslist with an asking price of $10,000. Barn Finds would like to thank reader T.J. for sending us the great tip on this one.
Although this bus did have lots of love poured into it at the time of restoration, more than 30 years have since passed, and the owner is straightforward in pointing out that things are in rough shape and in need of a new owner who will give it some TLC. The interior is now outdated with the appliances showing their age. The exterior looks pretty straight and there are no obvious signs that there have been any major repairs, although the seller says that the body is showing some rust holes.
One thing I was hoping some of our readers could shed some light on is the actual model of this bus. While the seller refers to it as a 59B Model, from what I can find it looks like the Ford B Series wasn’t introduced until 1948, and the B series of buses also had their engines in the front. The Ford Transit Bus seems to be the model produced between 1936 and 1947, and although the Transit Bus began with a front-mounted engine, the motor was later moved to the back beginning with the 1939 year model. Any clarifications from our bus aficionados are welcomed!
The original 1945 Ford 219 V8 engine is still in place along with a 3-Speed manual transmission. No word on whether or not either has had any recent maintenance, but the seller says that the bus is running and has been driven as recently as this month. He also states that all of the air appliances are working except for the rooftop horns, and also mentions that the aftermarket A/C on the roof is not working and will need to be replaced. What are your thoughts on this 1945 Ford Transit Bus?
Auctions Ending Soon
2002 Subaru Impreza WRXBid Now2 days$333
1975 Chevrolet Corvette ConvertibleBid Now2 days$4,000
1964 Ford F-100 Camper CustomBid Now3 days$2,000
2006 Jeep Wrangler SportBid Now4 days$10,500
1974 Datsun 260ZBid Now6 days$200
Comments
Ran across one just like this in the back lot of a local RV dealer about 40+ years ago. I didn’t think much about its origin until I opened the rear door and saw a flathead V-8. I thought that they couldn’t have expected a lot out of it so it must have been designed for slow speed and short distances. I’ve always liked these because they were compact enough to be used for something like an RV or fun people mover instead of a repurposed Greyhound bus or equivalent. I think Ford did a pretty good job on this.
Interesting that this bus has still got its original engine. The 59 A(AB) was brought out in ’45 and used until they brought out the 8BA/CM in ’49. The 59 A was basically identical to the Mercury 19A/29A of ’41 and ’42 before war production halted everything in its tracks. I found it interesting that starting sometime in ’41 the blocks were all the same with the Ford applications being SLEEVED down to make the smaller bore. Anyways I’m glad to see the original engine and not some ‘replacement.’ Even though when that compressor kicks in it’s going to suck half of that engine’s output. But Ford was pretty careful about making its products functional. I suppose if it was really lacking power it could’ve stuck in a V-8 that it produced for a Sherman tank. LOL…
Cool picture Geo! I like the 60 HP Ford smallest V8 marine gas engine.
Thanks. Those engines are in the museum in Polson MT. They have some interesting displays…
That large OHV v8 sitting to the left of the wee flatty is a Ford GAA 1100 cid all aluminum 4valve ohc BEAST , that was a downsize of a larger v12 .
That’s exactly what it is. The display was set up to show Ford’s largest and smallest V8…
geo, that looks like around 50 combined horsepower in those old kickers in the background.
Looking at this I have visions of Jackie Gleason.
“Right to the moon, Alice”,,,that show, “The Honeymooners” had more slurs than would ever be allowed today, and only Jackie Gleason could have pulled it off. Sort of a role model for Archie Bunker’s character. This may or may not shock you, but my old man was a lot like Ralph Kramden,,but a lot more like Archie Bunker.
Ralph drove a “Old Look” GM for NYC on his Madison Ave. route,, #2969, and boasted a salary of $62 a week.
Scary looking bus. I wouldn’t be able to sleep, I’d be waiting for the ax-toating killer to appear.
I’d change the lettering to read Cleveland Ave. in honor of Rosa Parks.
Drive it up to Alaska and leave it in the wilderness for homeless people to find and die from eating poison berries. Oh wait that was a movie and a old school bus
Like and not in to bad a condition and local – someone hold me back !
I have a same year and model bus sitting on my property. Was given to me by a coworker who’s grandfather was gonna convert to an RV in 1964 but went with a Greyhound instead. Rough shape n flathead was replaced with a 352 FE.
@ Richard Wilson… when I was a kid my dad had one that was converted to a Pontiac 389 and why I wanted this one, have been wanting one all my life since our other one was vandalized and ruined in Washington.
5/25/23 Where is this bus located and how do i contact the owner?
I own the 1945 Ford Transit bus, i have for over a year now.
Hello William,
Here is my interest. I was born,raised, and educated in Coral Gables, FL. We did not have school buses, but used the local transit buses to go to school. I rode this very bus #189 to Coral Gables Elementary in the 1940s.
When John Hiscock of Loxahatchee, FL owned the bus, he promised to will it to me. But at his death in 2018, his estate sold it without notifying me. Several years ago, I mounted a search to no avail. On 5/23/23, a random internet search came up with the photo, so again I started looking.
Would you consider letting it go? My plan was to make it original and operational to go to the Coral Gables Historical Society. Navy65 at windstream dot net