Vintage Bedford OB bus transformed into luxury motor home with kitchen and shower

  • Walter Bell bought the British classic 1950 Bedford OB bus as a wreck and spent over 3,500 hours stripping it down
  • He refurbished the interior, which is now fitted out with a Bose sound system, double bed and Apple Mac
  • The 190-brake horsepower bus is now metallic bronze and yellow and decked out with ruby red leather seats

A classic motor enthusiast has restored a rare vintage bus to its former glory and transformed it into a luxury motor home - which he is selling for £120,000 on eBay.

Petrol-head Walter Bell, 52, bought the much-loved British classic 1950 Bedford OB bus as a wreck from a collector in Wales for £40,000 two-and-a-half years ago.

When he towed it back to his workshop, the vehicle was a rust-covered skeleton after being left sitting idle and gathering dust in a garage for decades.

A classic motor enthusiast has restored a rare vintage bus to its former glory and transformed it into a luxury motor home - which he is selling for £120,000 on eBay

A classic motor enthusiast has restored a rare vintage bus to its former glory and transformed it into a luxury motor home - which he is selling for £120,000 on eBay

The dad-of-three spent over 3,500 hours stripping it down, refurnishing the interior and making it roadworthy again

The dad-of-three spent over 3,500 hours stripping it down, refurnishing the interior and making it roadworthy again

Other features include an eight-foot sunroof, American walnut hand-crafted kitchen with gas oven, a 27-inch Apple Mac computer and Bose sound system

Other features include an eight-foot sunroof, American walnut hand-crafted kitchen with gas oven, a 27-inch Apple Mac computer and Bose sound system

The father-of-three spent over 3,500 hours stripping it down, refurnishing the interior and making it roadworthy again, sometimes working for up to 20 hours a day.

The incredible vehicle now boasts a double bedroom with en-suite toilet and shower, seating for up to five people and a couch which folds out into a double bed.

It has less than 24,000 miles on the clock and has a new 6.5-tonne Iveco three-litre HDi diesel engine, rear air suspension and can achieve a top speed of 85mph.

He has repainted the 190-brake horsepower bus metallic bronze and yellow and decked out the interior with ruby red leather seats and walnut panelling.

Other features include an eight-foot sunroof, American walnut hand-crafted kitchen with gas oven, a 27-inch Apple Mac computer and Bose sound system.

The incredible vehicle now boasts a double bedroom with en-suite toilet and shower
The incredible vehicle now boasts a double bedroom with en-suite toilet and shower

The incredible vehicle now boasts a double bedroom with en-suite toilet and shower

The coach builder - who has been restoring vehicles for 35 years - says the new design makes it the only one like it in the world.

Walter, from Haltwhistle, Northumberland, said: 'I bought it two and a half years ago as a total wreck.

'I'm different, I like doing different things and I don't like the run of the mill. I like working on projects.

'I've gone overkill on everything, just making it better and better. It's the most ambitious project I've ever done and I did it all by myself except for the electrics. 

There is seating for up to five people and a couch which folds out into a double bed

There is seating for up to five people and a couch which folds out into a double bed

FULL VEHICLE SPECIFICATION

6.5-tonne 2006 Iveco three-litre HDi diesel engine

Rear air suspension

240v electricity

Electric toilet

27-inch Apple Mac computer

Full central heating

Solar panels

Petrol generator

Full shower

Double bed and leather seating for five, including fold-out couch/bed

Flat-screen television

Bose sound system

120-litre gas tank

American walnut hand-crafted kitchen with gas oven

120-litre fresh water tank

Eight-foot retractable sunroof

Ten-point roll cage

Side crash safety bars

x2 120ah rechargeable gel batteries

'I stripped it down completely and replaced everything, gave it a new engine and paint job, new panelling, the lot.

'It's running great now. It's good a classic old look but it's hi-tech inside.

'It's the only one in the world that's been done up like this.'

The stunning model is one of only 180 of its kind and Walter has already turned down offers of £90,000 and £95,000.

Walter estimates the project has cost him in the region of £200,000 and he recently slashed the asking price from £140,000 to £120,000.

But he says he does not need to sell the bus, which only has two previous owners, and may end up keeping it for family getaways and motor shows.

He added: 'I've turned down two offers of £90,000 and £95,000 in cash.

'I don't need to sell it but I like to fix up a car, sell it and move on to the next project.

'It will be difficult to let it go. There's only about 200 left in existence and only 23 ever built with the big sunroof that mine's got.

'You might look at it and think it can only do 14mph, but I've taken it on the track at Silverstone for a show and done 85mph, so it's got some kick.

'I'll only sell it for the right amount and to someone I'm sure will look after it.

'My family love it so I might end up keeping it as a holiday home.'

The first Bedford OB was built in the summer of 1939 and became iconic for its 'bulldog' grille and 'whining' gearbox.

They had a seating capacity of 29 with overhead luggage racks provided for passengers.

It was intended for coach trips and school runs but when the Second World War broke out in 1939 Bedford halted production after its factories were commandeered by the British Army.

At the end of the war in 1945, production resumed and the buses became a common sight on Britain's roads and Bedford played a key role in the growth of the coach industry.

Until production of the OB stopped in 1950, Bedford produced a total of 12,693 and in 2007 around 80 were still known to be on the road.

To enquire about the bus visit http://ift.tt/1N7AiFR.

Walter said: 'I've turned down two offers of £90,000 and £95,000 in cash. I'll only sell it for the right amount and to someone I'm sure will look after it'

Walter said: 'I've turned down two offers of £90,000 and £95,000 in cash. I'll only sell it for the right amount and to someone I'm sure will look after it'

 

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