Glitter and Grit Housebus

Readers familiar with this site will recognize that I don't spend any time on "ordinary" bus conversions, be they sleek tour bus units built by professional converters, or "throw-an-old-mattress-in-a-corner-of-the-school-bus-and-move-in". In order to qualify for a mention here, the vehicles has to be unique, substantially modified from the factory configuration, and most important, it has to have soul.

I've been following the construction progress of a shorty school bus for a couple of months now, a project undertaken by a young couple residing, for the time being at least, in Santa Cruz, California. The bus is taking shape with proper pace and appears to have the correct character to become a new example of what is mostly a lost craft in the new century, a genuine Housebus.

The exterior is still a bit rough, but once a coat of paint covers the school bus chrome yellow. and the various bits of trim and corner molding are put into place, it has a lot of promise.

Much of the interior wood, as well as the construction timbers are salvaged from the local landfill. Around here, no one would toss out redwood, no matter how pecky it was, but I guess when you live among the Redwoods, you get kind of numb to the beauty of this wood, especially when it is weathered and rough. Underneath lies a heart of golden violet waiting for the knowing wood butcher to release it to view.

More complete construction photos and accompanying essays are available at the Glitter and Grit blogsphere. There you will also find blog posts devoted to food, petite outdoor living, and some femisophic imaginings to stimulate your inner child.